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"Ganbare!"
This is a phrase that I've heard over and over again since I landed in Japan. It's a phrase that is translated as "do your best," and is used in nearly every day-to-day situation. Even in completing a task as simple as walking to the train station in the rain, my host mother calls after me "Laura, ganbare!"
More than a phrase, I feel that "Ganbaru" is a state of mind--a way of life in Japan. The idea of doing your best seems to be embedded in the minds of the Japanese people.
For the last two weeks or so, for example, my host brother and sister have been practicing for their school's undokai, or sports festival.
The undokai a day dedicated to physical activity and friendly competition between classes. This is an event of great focus in my host family, and is even important enough for my brother and sister practice for it at home.
To me it's an example of that same spirit of dedication and the desire to "do your best." Like education, like sports, and like life the idea is to work hard and be the best you can be. It's an optomistic outlook, I think, in that you're recognizing that there are some things that you can't control, so you just do the best you can.
On Sunday I'm going with my family to watch the undokai, and I'll post photos and additional comments on the event on Monday.
Shunkun, Amichan, ganbare!
Here's an example of an undokai from last year:
From: amazingpreston
Added: May 29, 2007
2 weeks ago
3 comments:
A nice preview. I look forward to your photos and text. Our topic this week is "Japanese People," or more specifically how we as anthropologist go about representing a group of people. Undokai is certainly an appropriate setting to look at Japanese people. You might be careful with "gambaru" as we want to avoid single word analyses of Japanese culture. You might want to review the Sugimoto reading from the beginning of the semester. Still undokai is an important setting for enculturation and socialization. You might also want to see what other VAOJ students have written on the subject.
I tried to leave a response to this comment a few days ago, but I don't think it was submitted so I decided to try again.
Where can I find these blogs about undokai? I searched your blog and couldn't find any posts on it, and I wanted to see how other students had written about it and link to them.
As far as using "gambaru," I hand't intended for it to be an over-simplification or a summary of all of Japanese culture. I was just trying to establish a focus for a broad topic. How can I make this clearer?
Thanks!
Here is a post from a student last semester somewhat related to undokai:
http://fyoshie060861.blogspot.com/2008/04/radio-exercise.html
Unfortunately for others you would have to look at all the blogs from previous semesters. Or, you might do a Google search in the blogs section. Hopefully you will get Gaidaisei blogs, as well as others.
I think if you explain how you are using "gambaru" (like you didi in your comment) and cite the Sugimoto reading, that would make it clearer.
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