drink it up in one gulp

Rarely does it ever happen, but every once in a while I learn an English word from a Japanese word and yesterday it happened. The Japanese word for the word I learned is 中耳炎(chyujien) and the English word is otitis media. Do you know what it means?

Otitis media is a fancy word for ear infection and yesterday I was told by the ear doctor that I have it. It started about three weeks ago when I lost my voice and couldn’t talk for a few days. Next, it was a cough, then sore throat, a runny nose, a fever, and now an ear infection.

Everyone I work with seems to find it amusing that I have an ear infection because generally children are more susceptible to suffer from otitis media than adults. Actually, the four year old son of my friend is out of school now with an ear infection and in the waiting room at the ear doctor’s office were lots of little kids and then me waiting to be treated. The doctor was friendly and he knew how to say “tonsils” in English which I thought was impressive.

I was in and out of the doctor’s office within a matter of minutes and on my way home with some medicine for my ear. Personally, I’m not too fond of medicine in Japan because I never feel like it does anything and it always seems that they give me way too much of it. I guess I'll have to wait and see if this medicine does the trick. Take a look at this picture and decide for yourself.



My boss let me go home early yesterday and get some rest because that evening there was a party and I had to attend. The party was for him as he will be moving to the Kagoshima Prefecture School Board of Education Office from April. In Japan teachers, principals, vice-principals, school board directors and employees rotate schools and offices within their prefecture every three to five years. While there are some exceptions, for the most part, the individuals do not have a choice as to where they will be moved next. This year in Nagashima a long list of people will be moving out and equal number of people will be moving in. On the 29th of this month everyone in our office will help our boss move out of his house and on the 31st we will help the new boss move in.

As always, last night at the party the beer and Shima Bijin Shochu, which translates as Island Beauty Shochu, were flowing and the men were getting their drink on while the women were tending to the men. When a man doesn’t drink in Japan it IS a big deal. Men in Japan drink, everyday is fine, no questions asked. That's just the way it is. Even though I was sick, to avoid confusion I let someone pour me a glass of beer and when the kanpai’s and otsukaresamadeshita’s (Thank you for your hard work today) were being yelled I took a sip of beer and mentally prepared myself for a long night of miserable mandatory Japaneseness.

Within a matter of seconds someone sitting across from me noticed I wasn’t drinking and said, “Spencer, you don’t drink?” The rest of our conversation went like this:

Me: I drink sometimes just not so much tonight because I have an ear infection.

Him: Oh, I thought Americans loved to drink. Aren’t you American?

Me: Yes, I am American and I suppose some Americans do love drinking - I just don’t want to drink tonight because of my ear.

Him: Well, if you are an American then why aren’t you drinking?

Me: Because I am sick.

Him: You don’t like Japanese beer?

Me: No, I like Japanese beer fine I just don’t like drinking when I am sick. I have an ear infection.

Him: Doesn’t your dad drink?

Me: Sometimes. Maybe he will have a beer with dinner every once and a while.

Him: Only one beer! He doesn’t like drinking?

Me: He doesn’t really drink that much.

Him: Then what does he drink with his rice?

Me: Well, when he eats rice he usually drinks tea.

Him: Japanese tea?

Me: Tea in Tennessee is different than Japanese tea.

Him: I see. Okay, well drink your beer. Drink it up in one gulp. Someone pour him another glass of beer.

Me: Sigh. . .