Guess I’m trying to hard…

My girlfriend made Japanese curry last night…and about halfway through the meal she looked over at me and started laughing hysterically.

Now this is a common occurrence during meals, so much so, that the only reason I was curious was because, as far as I could tell, I hadn’t done anything funny. Usually it’s due to a mispronunciation of something in Japanese, or just the girls teasing me about something, but this time I was clueless…

She was laughing very hard, and I asked what was so funny,  and it took a minute for her to calm down enough to tell me, “You’re using chopsticks!!!”

“Yeah… so?”  I replied.

“I’ve never seen anyone, even in Japan, use chopsticks to eat curry!” she giggled, and now her daughters were laughing too.

“Never?” I said, “Not even once? It works just fine, I find that hard to believe.”

“Seriously, always with a spoon.”

And here I thought she gave me a spoon because she thought I couldn’t handle eating curry with chopsticks.

Chopsticks

I’ve been able to use chopsticks for years, but in the last 6 months I’ve been using them almost daily, and due to that I’m finding it easier to use chopsticks instead of regular utensils for many foods. The other day I made a Caesar salad, and found myself staring into the utensil drawer with my brain completely locked up in deciding whether to use a fork or chopsticks…I chose the chopsticks.

It was a minor decision, but it some ways it was as though I crossed a line in how I live my life. I chose chopsticks because they were easier to use, and more convenient, but 6 months ago the thought wouldn’t have even crossed my mind. Just another small way I’m becoming Japanese.

Some Chopstick Etiquette: