最近は中々日記の更新が出来ず、たまには昔つけていた留学日記からエッセーを載せようかな、と思います。
今回は日本のバレンタインデーの話です。英語はその時書いたままなので、ちょっと難しいかもしれない。頑張ってね！ Valentine's Day in Japan is, as one of my teachers put it "a holiday invented by the chocolate industry." I believe him. You don't see guys buying flowers for women, or Valentines being exchanged. All chocolate.

There is a HUGE amount of chocolate sold here on Feburary 14th every year, and almost all of it is sold to women. You see, in Japan, Valentines Day is a one-sided deal. Women are expected to give chocolate to men.

ここからは「義理チョコ」について話す…
There is an interesting side-effect in the combination of Western and Eastern Valentine's Day: "Giri-choko." Giri-choko are the little packs of chocolate you have to buy for people you don't really want to.

Of course, many women enjoy spreading the joy of Chocolate Day by giving chocolate to more than just their boyfriend. My friends were really nice and gave all of the guys the program chocolate. However, there are situations where you have to buy chocolate to keep your image up.

For example, many women feel they have to buy chocolate for their boss, co-workers and every other guy in the office. Usually, the size of the pack is based on how important the person is. Fortunately, the stores sell them in convieniently-sized packs.

Every so often, Japan strikes me as really strange. After you are here for a while, most of the things that one finds strange at first come to be understood, such as why the evening news has a fluffy, yellow lemon-drop with a high-pitched squeaky voice as a mascot, or how you can find "The Bunnies are very gluttonous. Why don't we put our favorite flags on the omelets? Good Tasty!" written on the front of a ruled notebook.

However, what is the big deal with chocolate? I don't understand. So what if you don't give chocolate to every person in your office? Is it really that bad? I guess you would be seen as "The woman who didn't give chocolate to anyone in 2001" the rest of your life, but is that really so bad?

I guess I have my chance to find out in March, on White Day, which is the industry's way of pouring the guilt on all the guys who recieved chocolate. We are supposed to buy gifts in return... at least, that is what I have heard about it.

ここからは2001年ごろに付き合っていた彼女とのエピソードです。彼女は「義理チョコが高くて、飲み会に行くのがちょっと嫌になる・・・」と話していた。
I hope I am not sounding so down here. I actually kind of enjoyed Valentine's day. I recieved seven chocolates, ranging from actual packages to small pieces. They were mostly from my friends in the Monbushou program, but one was from my girlfriend.

It was kind of funny, because later, I was talking to her about her plans for the night, and she mentioned she might be going to a "nomikai" get together at a local bar-restaurant place with the people in her lab at school. This is how part of our conversation went:

"I wanna see my friends since we are all moving apart after this month, but..."

"But what?"

"If I go, I will have to buy chocolate for all of them, which is gonna cost me a lot of money."

"What, you're telling me you have to buy chocolate for all of them?"

"No, I don't have to, but I always did every year before."

"So you are saying you have to because you did before? Why don't you just go without buying chocolate?"

"... Well, I just usually did before, so..."

I could tell how strong the image thing is ingrained in her. In actuality, "keeping up image" is ingrained in me, too, as well as anybody in any country (I can say that with pretty much confidence since we are all human). However, in Japan it sometimes makes me laugh about what kind of things "image" is based on.

Hope everyone is doing fine. Sorry to be so sparce with my entries lately.

- Ben

どうだった？どれぐらい理解したかな？勉強になりますね！
皆さんも海外にいる間は日本語でも英語でも日記をつけるといいよ。勉強になるし、思い出にも残ります。(^^)

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