What is your hobby? It’s honestly not a question I’d given much thought to before coming to Japan, but when I started teaching English as a Second Language I found it coming up as often as “what is your name?” and “how are you?” (“fine, thanks, and you?”). Self-introductions are very important to the Japanese, and it’s common for students to describe what their “hobby” is when introducing themselves in English (although I tried my best to have the students give multiple hobbies, since a human being will certainly have more than one as they go through life). Aside from enjoying anime and acting as a bridge of pop culture between Japan and the rest of the world, I have a few interesting hobbies. For example, I like to recite lines from Tom Hanks movies in a Forest Gump voice, which makes the films much more entertaining. I’m also a collector of the large spoons you get when you fly Korean Airlines and order bibinbap, a Korean rice-and-meat dish, and have a complete set of these great spoons at home. So…what is your hobby?
“Houston, we have a box of chocolates.”
