Arubaito

From the German word "arbeit" which means work, the Japanese have picked up and transformed the word to mean usually part-time work. The word has been in use for years. Even when I was here in the early sixties there sometimes would be a sign on the door or window of a business establishment (especially restaurants and bars) advertising "arubaito."

It's difficult to tell if younger Japanese workers are full time workers or doing "arubaito" as it's pronounced in Japanese. Foreign workers, on the other hand, are pretty easy to identify because of their different physical characteristics.

When we were staying in Beppu the buffet dining ara was quite large, probably serving as many as 300 people at a time and there were several foreign workers bussing tables and pushing carts full of new food or used utensils to and from the kitchen.

I struck up a short conversation with one young man. Necessarily short as he was watching over his shoulder for the boss, who kept out an eagle eye to make sure his workers were earning their keep. Anyway I asked the young man where he was from. He was from Uzbekistan and working part time (arubaito) while attending a local university.

I observed several other foreigners, some black and others apparently eastern European workers. In past encouters I've seen workers from Guiana, parts of Africa and eastern Europe working in restaurants. I don't recall seeing an American although there are some of those as well as other nationalities working in the "water trade" as it's called. Especially blondes and other fair haired women are in demand as a contrast to the Asian black hair and brown eyes.

Well, time for me to meet the group and head for the famous Himeji Castle which was just reopened in March of this year after extensive renovations. Probably won't see any arubaito workers, at least foreigners, there.