The box is light for its size. I search the address for any evidence of a sender name, but all it shows is mine and my address. Snip, slice, teeeeeear, and it's open. Inside the mysterious package lies a box of my very favorite Lindor truffles. Now I'm getting an idea about why this package came, but still not a clue of from whom.
The next day I come in to school as usual. The teacher's room is a buzz of activity as everyone is finding their seat before the morning meeting bell rings. I walk through my row with the usual ohayou gozaimasu to the normal teachers, and some bright good mornings to my nearby English teachers. Instead of the normal head incline and paper shuffle, I notice some of my neighbors watching me. A moment later, when I look at my desk, I see why. There's a pile of gift bags, both big and small, covering the surface. It's White Day!
I have to clear them off before the meeting starts, but later on I get some time to look through them. Cake, an assortment of fancy cookies, rice crispy balls, an adorable handkerchief, sakura tea, sand[wich] cookies, red bean filled marshmallows, and more. In the afternoon I get a call from my Japanese granny saying that she's in the parking lot at school ready to drop something off. She deposits a cute box of goodies and snoopy towel in my hands, pats my cheeks to say I've lost weight, and runs back to the car to drive away.
So what is White Day? It's a part of Japan's Valentine's tradition. You see, in Japan the boys are a little shy. They leave it up to girls to give out chocolates and homemade sweets to their sweethearts. Boys wait in anticipation of receiving something that day, and their heart breaks a little if they've been completely passed over. There are a few types of chocolate to give. Tomo-choco, or Friend chocolate can be for any and everyone. Giri-choco, or Obligation chocolate, is what you give to superiors or people you're indebted to. And finally, Honmei-choco, or true love chocolate, is a special kind made with love for that special someone.
You may think this seems unfair to girls. Why should they have to go through all this trouble and get nothing in return? Well in Japan, you can't receive a gift without considering something in return. So a month after Valentine's Day, on March 14th, guys return the favor by giving back to each girl who gave him something, usually way more elaborate or fancy than the original gift.
On Valentine's Day this year I cooked up a big batch of mini chocolate muffins, 60-70 in all, and gave them away to English teachers, students, my pastor, and J-granny.
Today I lived the Japanese proverb, "With shrimp you catch tai." In other words, "Give a little, get a lot."
PS- after further investigation, the truffles came from my pastor! I should have known since he kept reconfirming my address at church the week before.
