Hitori

Hitori means "one person" or "by yourself" in Japanese.

My wife is concerned over my near complete lack of ability in Japanese language so she signed me up to take a free Japanese language class for foreigners that our local town offers once a week. I show up for the first class unprepared and make a hasty introduction to the head teacher, which is quickly followed by her saying things to me in Japanese that I did not understand or respond to.

She quickly calls over a volunteer lady teacher who speaks a little English. I am asked if I am by myself, hitori. Well of course, no one came in the room with me, I say to myself as I respond "hai" which means yes in Japanese. I was too thick to realize that the head teacher wanted to know why I didn't bring anyone to help me.

So they ask for my name, address, age, and job background and I explain that I would like to sit in on the class today to observe and learn how the class works. The head teacher explains I must have a text book to be in the class and I ask, in my best bad Japanese, where I can buy the text book. No response. Hmmm.

So they sit me down to "mit-e" which means watch what is happening and I am seated with the volunteer lady who speaks a little English and her Chinese student who speaks Japanese at an intermediate level. Seems like all is well, but I notice the head teacher has left the room and that seems odd.

After 5 or 10 minutes of listening to the lesson, the head teacher re-enters the room with a young Japanese lady. The young lady, Ms. Sasaki, works across the street at City Hall and she went to college in Baltimore, so she speaks English. We introduce ourselves and Sasaki-san explains she is there to help translate.

At first, I think how nice and thoughtful, coming over just to help me understand what is going on in the class. But all is not well. Sasaki san has an apologetic look on her face and rather than sitting near to me, she positions herself in a place that forces me to turn towards her in a manner that will no longer allow me to participate in the lesson.

She very kindly and politely explains that the class offered in my new home town is not right for me for a variety of reasons and that I should take a different class in a city (called Honjo) that is at least an hour and a half round trip away. Do I have any questions?

Where is the Honjo class and at what time does it start? She doesn't know exactly, but they will be able to help me there on Friday night. I show her the beginners test book I already completed and she can not believe it is commonly used to teach Japanese to Americans. I ask where can I obtain the text book for this class? She looks at me with pity and explains I can get the text at a book store, but that the class in Honjo is better for me.

She asks about my prospects for a job in Japan and then says I really should take the class in Honjo. She asks about my wife's prospects for getting a job in Japan and then says I really ought to go to the Honjo class. OK, I am obtuse, but even I can finally get it.

We exchange email addresses as she wants me to notify her if I intend on coming back to take another language class in my new hometown. Seems like an odd request as she works across the street and is only helping to translate, but I suppose she wants to warn the head teacher if I am going to show up again.

Sayanara all around and a few hours later I get an email from Sasaki-san, thanking me for attending the language class. She helpfully includes a link to a website for the Honjo Japanese language class.

In Japan, it is not wise to show up "hitori" for something important, like a language class. The relationship must be properly built in order to pave the way for future success. You don't just show up and wing it like you might in America.