Spot María!



We saw an advertisement for a Japanese cooking class for "International
Students." We thought, "hmm... a Japanese cooking class, that sounds like
fun. Well, we are "international" and Jeff is studying Japanese, so why
shouldn't we go along?" We applied, bluffing an impressively-sounding
Japanese school for Jeff to attend (in fact, he studies alone and with
volunteer teachers and exchanges), and duly received our official
invitation in the post two days later (by the way, along with our internet
bill, this is the only personalised correspondance we have received so far...
there is a hint).

In the name of cross-border relations, the class was intended for
international students and researchers of the Hokkaido University and
their spouses (the good, old university again!). In our "English-speaking"
group of six, we were with an Iranian husband and wife studying
engineering and urban design respectively, and a Bangladeshi couple, he
studying public health and she for their three-month due baby.

The Bangladeshi couple in particular provided us with an eye-opener.
He is halfway through his sponsored four-year stint in Sapporo, and still
they speak precious little Japanese (he has an American-trained tutor).
He works hard and she, from what we could work out, does absolutely
nothing. Added to that the long winters, the blandness of the food (they
informed us that they like their curries "hot") and the fact that, for them,
the cost of everything is astronomical, and you can begin to get the picture
that their Japanese experience is not all they had imagined when they
first had the bright idea whilst tucking to their (long-grained, non-sticky,
5 cents a kilo) rice back in Bangladesh. Looking on the bright side, he
should find a decent job when he gets back.



The menu? Tuna-shaving soup (with 2 large, 1 medium and two small,
OR four small lightly-boiled wild mushrooms - we jest not!); green beans
glazed in a sesame, soya and sugar sauce; and maki sushi (making sure
that all the colours of the rainbow, and a fair few in between, are
represented).



At last, the eating! Jeff would like everyone to know that María's makis
were the best and that she has a real talent for sushi, that should really be
developed...