Free stuff

On numerous occasions since I've been here, I've been given free things simply because I'm a foreigner. At one bar in town I've had more drinks bought for me than I can remember (all, unfortunately, from middle-aged men rather than like-aged women). At school lunches the tea ladies always give me extra food. One person was very insistent on giving me a guitar, though he constantly forgets to bring the actual guitar (which is probably a good thing).


Last Tuesday was 'culture day' so I went to the museum of traditional handicrafts in Kyoto. It had kimonos, painted fans, ornate furniture, and various other wares on display. The best part of it was that actual artists were there working on their projects and able to explain to people what they were doing (well, to Japanese people at least, though the other displays had English). I went into some kind of special exhibition room and some older women were three dressed in kimonos. One of the women, who was apparently the best at English in that she spoke maybe three words of it to me, guided me around. When I complemented One woman's kimono she gave me a scarf. Then all the other women decided to give me something along those lines. I ended up with free stuff for no reason other than being a foreign willing to listen to them.