So, I went to the Japan Club meeting today. It took me a few minutes to find people (they were downstairs, but there were no signs). When I got down there, someone said hello to me in the hallway, but in Chinese, I think? (I heard 'Ni Hao') so I wasn't sure I was in the right place. I got there around 2pm, and there were three people painting kanji, like a competition? I watched from the back of the room for maybe 5 minutes, but when nobody even said hello to me (aside from the hallway person), I started to feel anxious & out of place, so I left. The guy from the hallway was even in the room for a few minutes - never said anything else.
I'm disappointed, both in that I couldn't bring myself to tough it out & stay longer (or, gods forbid, approach someone myself?), and that not one person attempted to connect with me. I wasn't just standing there stoically either, I did smile several times as the crowd made 'oohs' and ahhs' while the kanji were being drawn (it was pretty funny, the way they did it, and they were laughing too).
I wrote to the guy in charge of the club just now & explained that I'd been there, but had felt out of place & left, but that I hoped there would be another opportunity to meet. I also said that next time, I would put more effort into finding out when I should arrive, where exactly to go, and who I should look for, specifically, so this doesn't happen again.
On the plus side, the woman wrote me back as well, and she found a student who will be here until April, who would like to meet adults from here. She said she thought I was a perfect fit, so she gave me his contact info & suggested I contact him soon. I'll probably write to him in the next few days, but now I'm nervous that I'll get something wrong like I did today & make things awkward.
Oh well, nothing ventured, nothing gained, as they say? *sigh*
3:01 p.m. - 2023-01-14
Recent entries:
Big personal step. - 2023-02-04
Silly issue. - 2023-02-02
Internalizing envy. - 2023-01-27
Exchange Student. - 2023-01-26
Conflicted - 2023-01-21
My profile
Archives
Notes
Email
Random
others:
strawberrri
narcissa
dangerspouse
alethia
bantenhut
jimbostaxi
warpednormal
simeons-twin
silver4
loveherwell
swordfern
misfitstray
elusive-you
comebacktome
linguafranca
catsoul
life-my-way
fairybones
annanotbob2
ahopeinhell
kelsi
stepfordtart