Cross-cultural events in the Twin Cities?

[tsukikage]

Here's an e-mail from a family member of mine and, embarassing as it sounds, I'm a bit stumped. Halp?

I was sitting here bemoaning the fact that I can't find any events that meet my apparently extreme criteria, and I realized that perhaps you would have some ideas.

I'm taking a Multicultural Education class, beginning my education toward becoming a preschool/elementary teacher. One of the assignments for this class is a "cross-cultural event," essentially attending some event where you will be surrounded by people who are not like you in some basic way. I've tried Somali events, on the assumption that I will be working with a lot of Somali students, and have come up empty-handed. There is a Greek Culture Days coming up soon, but it looks like it's essentially Oktoberfest for Greeks, not really exploring or celebrating the culture. I'm considering a Diwali celebration, but tickets are $22, and I had hoped to get through this without actually having to pay admission somewhere. I'm on the verge of wandering through some Hmong restaurants I read a great review of, because I'm frustrated.

Anyway, point being that I know you are really engaged in Japanese culture, and it's certainly not something I'm familiar with. I found the Japan America site, or something like that, listing upcoming events, but all they have are meetings at a coffee shop to practice speaking Japanese. Are there any events at all that are more engaging than Americans practicing their Japanese (which would be especially useless to me, since I can't understand a word) or going out for sushi? Something that really reflects or explores Japanese culture?

Unrelated to this, does anyone have any recommendations for a good place for bike repairs?

Comments

[akaneko.livejournal.com]

Reading the email, I'm really not sure exactly what they're looking for, but... ^_^;

JASM does and/or advertises a lot of events other than the conversation group; their monthly newsletters tend to be a lot more helpful than the website. The main thing they do on a regular basis throughout the year that would presumably have a high percentage of attendees who are Japanese would be their Nihonjin-kai meetings (pot lucks on the 2nd Monday of every month and discussion / cultural activity sessions on the 4th Sunday of every month, held at the Japanese Library at 4231 Bloomington Ave S. in Minneapolis). These aren't particularly flashy events, but would certainly have Japanese people present. For big cultural extravaganzas, JASM certainly provides, but there isn't much in between the Lantern Festival in August and the Shinnen-kai around New Year's, so if it's a semester-long course, that won't help much.

Some other possibilities would be:

Events done by N-Dimensional Japan at UMN; they do seminars & workshops once or twice every month or so on a wide variety of cultural topics. The presentations are usually mostly in English; the audiences are mostly American; the speakers are different each time and come from a variety of backgrounds; most of the leading officers of the club are Japanese themselves.

Mu Performance Arts puts on a variety of shows (especially plays and musical performances) throughout the year representing the backgrounds and experiences of Asian Americans; their drumming branch, Mu Daiko, puts on some pretty sweet taiko performances periodically, and does classes all the time.

Sansei Yonsei Kai does Japanese music and dance in the Twin Cities area; I have no idea what their practice schedule is or when their next big performance is. They tend to show up for any big cultural fair with an international, Asian-American, or Japanese theme. Most of the events they'd be at tend to be late spring or summertime, though...

[kelglitter.livejournal.com]

I can't help with bike repairs in MN, but regarding the cross-cultural thing, it sounds like it would be really easy to fulfill by attending a religious service frequented by people who are either of a different religion or ethnicity than oneself. For instance, for me, going to a mosque for a Friday service, or a temple for a Saturday service would do it. Similarly, going to a B'hai thing, or even an African American church service would do it.

[carve037.livejournal.com]

Just tell her to do the Diwali thing. That sounds fantastic. Life costs money, and most events where you're an outsider, I mean, it's hardly fair to ask them to let you sightsee for free, you know?

Alternately, I believe Minneapolis Hmong New Year is on the 5th and 6th of November at the Metrodome. Is that too late? Also, I think that has an entrance fee as well. Most of these events will.

Although if things like restaurants count, she should just go down to the Hmong marketplace at Como and Marion on a weekday. That shit is as immersive a Hmong environment as you'll find.