Nomikai (Drinking Party)

Today i had my 1st ever nomikai(飲み会）. Nomikai derived from the word 飲み　（nomi) 'drink', and 会　（kai) meeting or gathering.. Nomikai is very famous among the Japanese especially among the adults (office worker, company employee etc), where they would go out and drink among themselves after work.. However, even clubs party or a normal party with friends and associates are called nomikai. Usually, they would eat, drink and enjoy chatting. And it is a 'must have' drink during nomikai.

The one i attended was held by my university's Automation Circle.This circle is about computering, robotic related activities and i m impressed of the well construct organization of the club. I decided to attend this club bcoz i think that what they are doing might be useful in the near future especially that i m taking Mechanical engineering.

I knew about the club from a friend of mine, Seko San( my classmate for most of the class i m taking). When i attend the party which was held at the uni's canteen, we needed to write our names and some of the senior was kinda puzzled upon my arrival. I m sure that not always a foreigner will step in and join a club with all Japanese. The newcomers were seated in a row in front of the seniors. I was seated infront of a 2nd year guy. Seko San was sitting beside and he was really helpful in translating what these fast talker was babbling about.

What was so amusing about the 2nd year guys is that, he is kinda quiet unless there is things to talk about. Considering that my Japanese ability is still low, i wasn't doing much of the talking, but just listening. So when we dont have anything to talk about we would stare and each other unless either of us would bring up a topic(which is me) and he would do all the talking..

Then after eating, which was a buffet style one, (lots of choices but out of shyness, i took a small amount of everything..hehe....) then we were required to introduce ourselves infront of others and this was the herdest thing ever considering the fact that I,a foreigners talking in front of Japanese for the 1st time. We were required to tell our name, course, class, year etc..and what you want to do when u join the club..


When it was my turned, my legs was trembling and my heart was beating fast, i became nervous. seriously i was nervous to extend that i was to faint...

'Siriphong Koammapat Niran from 1 year, 5th class, nimber 27. But you can call me Phong. I m taking Mechanical engineringa nd i came from Malaysia....after joining this club i would gain ...know..know...ledge...( i stuck here when i forgotten the word knowledge; then all were correcting me, 'Chishiki!' they shouted)knowledge in computering...yoroshiku onegaishimasu.'

Haahaha..my worries had subsided when i finish the self introduction part..then we chatted and drank..i didnt take alkohol though, but just the serving( it is a custome for others to pour the drink for u or either way) . Seko San was drinking but yet his face didnt turned red.

i took a leave around 8.3o pm...

My 1st nomikai was fun though. I was worried taht they wount except a foreigners at 1st but lucky everything went fine and i gained comfortable joining it.