The wierdness of White Day and the sounds of Hugh Grant

Well yesterday in Japan was "White Day". No for those of you unfamiliar with this special day (ahem), it is the direct counterpart to Valentine's Day. You see, in Japan, Valentine's Day is when women give their boyfriends AND male co-workers gifts, usually in the form of chocolates.

White Day, however, is when the boyfriends and co-workers return the compliment, and it usually, as is the case in Western Countries costs us guys more than chocolates.

Some Japanese find this a direct attempt at commercialism, I mean who needs two Valentine's? Yet, as I found out yesterday, this is also the sole reason that Christmas is "celebrated" here. In a lesson, I asked my students, why in a Buddhist/Shintohist society do they observe a Christian festival. "So we can spend money" came the answer.

Yesterday in Voice, I was also told by three older ladies that it was easy for me, being a Gaijin, and more impressively, a British Gaijin, to find a Japanese girlfriend. They also said my accent was like Hugh Grant...

Crap.