Yina

So I met this Chinese girl in Fukuoka...

I was wandering the streets of Fukuoka and happened upon some fire dancers and street musicians. A Chinese girl sat down next to me. We started chatting, her name is Yina. A PhD student in education at Kyushu University. We struggled to communicate in English but exchanged contact info so we could meet the following day and go to the city museum.

I was unable to get the phone at the ryokan to work so I sent her an email apologizing instead... Fortunately she checked her email, found the number and called me at the ryokan. We decided to meet for dinner instead.

She took me to a buffet style resto that was full of families and young adults, definitely a popular place. I must have tried 20 different kinds of vegetables and fish. Fermented beans and barley that are spread on fresh cucumbers and tomatoes. Sashimi. Tofu in coconut milk. Okinawa salad. And those are just the ones I can remember and describe! Its a little easier for us to talk now that's its quieter, but we still have to break out the Japanese-English dictionaries to convey the more difficult words. Funny how you could have so much fun with someone you struggle to communicate with.

She has invited me to a festival a couple of days from now, an O-bon festival in Kumamoto. I am excited to have someone to travel with and especially one that is fluent in Japanese. It is tiring struggling with Japanglish with everyone you meet and not being able to have more

Update: after spending a whole day with Yina in Yamaga at the festival I know that she and I will be lasting friends. I hope that I can meet you again when I come back through Kyushu.