How NOT to sell the next Hula Class.

"Okaasan...there's a hula class at the community center near my classroom!"
"Really? How interesting!"
"Yes, one of my students told me about it...here is the leaflet. Look, on Wednesdays at 2 pm, I can take you there if you like this week."
"Where is this? What time? What is today? Where is this? Is this near here? Is this tomorrow? Where is this place.......... " (repeat x 10)
"You have the leaflet, so you can think about it. If you want to go I can take you there. I'll write it on the calender so we remember when..."




One hour later...


"Dear, kind, thoughtful Oyomesan...I've been looking at this community center leaflet...look! There are two other hula dance classes! The one you showed me is the Elderly Club, I know I am elderly, but I've been doing hula for many years, I am pretty good at it, I don't want to join a class full of old women, I want to go to one of these classes! Look!".


"FUCK" (said under breath).


"Um...don't you think the Elderly Club hula class might be more fun, more relaxing? You are 82 years old...and the other ladies will be similar to you in hula experience and energy...
Last year you were in a class with many younger members and all those performance days - it gave you a lot of stress, you couldn't learn the new dances, you sat here crying and refusing to go, it made you so unhappy....wouldn't an Elderly Club class be more relaxing?"


"I did? Me? But I can do hula, I don't want to be with old people doing it, I have been doing it for years, I can do the dances. I want to go to this class. It's better for me". (repeat till Oyomesan beats head on wall, thru to the neighboring house).


Yujiro: "Sigh. I told you so. You shouldn't have given her the leaflet with information about ALL the center classes. Now she will go to a high level, performing class and get stressed all over again".


Yes. Epic fail.


Bugger.


* and in case you are still thinking of nominating me for Oyomesan Sainthood. I should, in all honesty, admit to a nasty little meltdown and bad behaviour on Sunday night.


I cooked dinner, made Korean style pancakes and served it with rice, soup, veggies and pickles.
Then Yujiro helpfully reminded me: in Japan, we never eat wheat-based food like pancakes with rice.
So I got all stressy with Life in Japan with Japanese Cooking Rules. I snatched up the rice from Okaasan, poured cheese and basil salad dressing over it, ate it myself in furious, emotional silence and stormed out of the house.
Walked round the streets and came home 30 minutes later to calm down.
Sometimes living in Japan with a Japanese family just gets tooooooooooooo much. :-(