January in Japan-- look out it's a long one

First, I’d like to wish everyone a Happy New Year!! To all those I saw at home during Christmas break--- that was absolutely incredible! I was soo happy to see everyone again—you have no idea! For those who I missed this round—you’re always welcome in Japan!! Or else I guess August isn’t that far away!
This year’s New Year Resolutions are to enjoy every minute of my traveling time, try to get back into shape and healthy again, and figure out my future career path…. All do-able I hope!

I arrived back in Japan on the night of January 7th. I flew into Osaka and took multiple trains to arrive back in Motosu where Narin and Kiri were waiting for me with Gloria (my gangsta car) in the Maleria parking lot (oh yes Maleria is a mall in case you don’t read this regularly)—in their PJ’s! Gotta love it! It was about midnight when I finally arrived back at my apartment in Neo and I was pretty exhausted. Still, I was determined to beat the jet-lag, as I pretty much had to since I had to be at school the next morning all dressed up for the opening ceremony of the new year. The first day back is only a half day with students—filled with homeroom, assembly, whole school calligraphy, and staff meetings of course. That night I also went to a joint Elem and JHS New Year’s Staff Party in Motosu! Thinking back I was probably crazy, but I really had a great time!

The first week back was tough. I knew it would be when I was at home and had the sudden realization that all the things I’d been so excited to do, see, eat, feel again at home during my trip home were about to come to an end—as I returned to my isolated and cold little village. I did bring pretty much a suitcase full of comfort foods back—which stash, proudly I have yet to really break into. Hehe. Yes I know I’m crazy and my suitcases are ALWAYS borderline on the weight limit—but I’m a Beck, what can I say!

So the first weekend since Narin, Kiri and Jess were all going to Tokyo on family/friends from home trips, I decided I also needed to get out and stay busy. I went up to visit Jordan (from Calgary) in Shirakawa-go and hang out with some of the other Hida Jets. My friend Carol from Ireland and her friend drove up with me in my big clunker gansta Gloria car. We hung out with Fiona (also from Ireland) in Takayama, then Jords and I did some Takayama sightseeing before meeting up with Nancy, George, Greg, Erica, Sandra and the birthday boy Kyle at Centre 4 Burgers—a cute little restaurant in Takayama which sells the best burgers in Japan—as decided by a very unofficial Jet consensus. It was really fun since Kyle knows the owners and so we closed down the restaurant and played some good ole fashioned beer pong for the next few hours and multiple drinks later. Jordan and I drove back to Shirakawa, where I realized just how much more snow they had than Neo! Eeeks I really feel for ya Jords! The next day we visited the Gassho houses and went to the onsen. Monday (it was a national long weekend—Coming of Age Day where 20 year olds celebrate officially becoming adults- and being able to drink, vote and smoke), we went back to Takayama- went out for breakfast with Carol, Aofie, Sandra and Kyle where we did some trip talk about my upcoming trip to Thailand and their just completed trips over Christmas break; followed by a visit of the infamous cult. The most notable building in the Takayama skyline is the bright gold “World Shrine.” Rumors fly, but I have yet to do more research on it. Apparently if you are a member of the cult, when the end of the world comes—Takayama will be the last place left—and aliens will save those who have the blessing power necklace…hmm yes. For some more info, wikipedia or http://www.mahikari.org/
Another just as intriguing topic: Do you brush your teeth with hot water or cold? I found this weekend that both are equally popular.
Ooh and one last random thing in Shirakawa—and maybe multiple other places—water spurting from the centre line in the road to melt the snow. Surprisingly it wasn’t icy!

So now it’s the end of week two being back. I’m about to set off on a cheap chillaxing weekend in Motosu filled with big catch up gab fests with all my crew—and Karaoke of course! But I figure before I procrastinate any longer, I decided I should finish up this blog and add a few more things before more eventful stuff happens. (didn’t happen as I am now watching Breakfast at Tiffany’s and about to post this Monday night!)

So a quick summary of my realizations etc from the first two weeks back—first “oh crap!” I forgot that they didn’t have hot water in the schools –or my bathroom sink for that matter! I remembered the lack of central heating of course—but the day I got home and realized that hand dryers don’t exist outside of malls, and you are supposed to carry around a handkerchief in your pocket to dry your hands before icicles form on them, ah yes… back to Japan. I’m most definitely sick already! Not sick of Japan—just sick actually sick. Haha oops there I go complaining again—well it’s not really complaining—I’ve chalked it up to cultural differences—but here—well yes it does quite sound like complaining… Other things I was right back into---rice-- fish—fish –fish- and more rice. Absolutely everyday—usually twice a day if I was eating with Japanese people—probably three if I had ever had the chance to eat breakfast with them. Thinking that I was in the only land-locked prefecture in all of Japan I might have a chance to escape the fish aspect—wrong again. Although I really am getting accustomed to most of it. Even liking some. We had really cool sushi’ish fish at an Italian Japanese restaurant at the staff party—topped with raspberries and blueberries! Odd no? Sure was tasty though!

It didn’t take me long to readjust to driving on the left side of the road—and although Neo got 70cm of snow on New Year’s Eve—it’s been quite beautiful out lately and the snow is melting quite nicely. Although I still am thankful for my winter tires!

It’s great being back with the kids—I really love spending time with them. Not so much having endless free time in the staff room—I feel a little useless and cooped up sometimes. But I guess free time is not exactly something that one should complain about. I’m trying to get back into my Japanese study—slowly but surely! I really do like learning languages—I just have to go out on a limb and try to use them more. My only main problem is that 99% of Japanese people have a better command of the English language than my Japanese—and they are all eager to practice speaking with one of the only foreigners around. I suppose, again this is what I was hired for so I can’t really argue. I’m glad I went home for a few weeks and came back to Japan—I feel like I am in the new stage again (on a smaller scale of course), where I realize all the interesting things around me—I had started to get too familiar with it all before I left. Such as… at my Elementary school yesterday--- I observed at lunch that at least 80% of the students (and staff really) had English writing on their shirts. The remaining didn’t have anything else on theirs—just stripes or solid colors etc. There was not a single Asian character on anyone’s clothing today. Peculiar isn’t it? That brings me to my next thought—just how lucky (not sure that is exactly the word… but for now it is) that I was born in an English speaking country. Having fully grasped the English language is so advantageous in many ways. Things like the internet and traveling-- completely transformed depending on whether or not you can communicate in English. Although at the same time—it provides an opportunity for all of us native English speakers to take it for granted and become extremely lazy since—“everyone wants to learn our language.” It sure is tricky at times though! Especially for a native speaker to explain to second language learners! I’ve also realized just how difficult English can be- and how sometimes it reflects our culture and it’s hard to come up with any reason why things are the way they are. Explaining why things are “in” the sky, why reasons and explanations are switched in order from Japanese to English and countless grammatical things—makes me yet again appreciate that I was born a native speaker of a language with so many exceptions to the rules.

Speaking of learning our language—my adult English conversation class is back up and running. I really do enjoy my time with those ladies each week! You never know what will come up and I’m sure I learn at least as much from them as they learn from me. This week I even had to do my weekly review in Japanese (bless their hearts for having the patience to struggle through my brutal Japanese with me!)

I mentioned earlier about a New Year staff dinner I attended last week… funny thing is the way that all of the ladies were at one end of the table (and helped a lot with the serving at the restaurant—great hostesses Japanese women are) and all the men at the other. Sugiyama sensei and I were the only women drinking—while all the men had beer. The funniest part was the way I was bonding with all my female teachers—over conversations about Hollywood movies and in particular—Brad Pitt! Lol. Oh well if it does the job! Afterwards Sugiyama sensei and I decided we should have movie nights together—and so yesterday she came over and we watched High School Musical in English, with Japanese subtitles. It was a really great time! She brought over cookies that she baked after school and I put out some of my leftover Canadian Christmas cookies too. We even were big geeks and watched some of her extra dvds that taught us the dances in the movie! It was quite the rockin’ little party in my apartment!

So the big decision is coming up in the next few weeks. Although, for me… I didn’t really let myself have much of a change of heart and am sticking with my original intentions for coming here- 1 year- learn what I can, gain many experiences then move on. Although, sometimes I start to reconsider…thinking it would be different now that I know an entire school year rotation and all… thinking how much my Japanese would improve too…almost reconsidering… for a while anyways. This big decision is all about recontracting and staying in Japan another year. Jet needs to know the first week of February. Which means it’s almost time to have the big talk with my teachers/principal/board of education. I am pretty sure everyone assumes I am staying at least 2 or 3 years—so it shall be right awkward when I have to tell them I’ve decided to go back home. I’m sure there will be many things about Japan that I miss. But I’ve got two main reasons for my decision that outweigh everything else. First is the job frustrations. I must say I was warned and knew what I was getting into—but it’s really difficult for me to be fresh out of the gates and running, wanting to finally put all my university training to use and be a teacher in my own classroom—when I feel I am being held back and am, as my job title applies only an assistant. For me professionally, this just isn’t cutting it. It would be a nice year off in the future I’m sure—and I’ll look back at the glory days with getting paid and having so much free time—but for now, not what I want. Furthermore the constant miscommunication and lack of genuine communication (mainly still due to the language barrier and cultural differences and structure—although they really are getting better.). I really do love my kids—and really like some of my staff too—but there is only so much progress you can make professionally and in terms of building relationships when you are so limited in so many ways. So other than my professional reasons, also the obvious personal ones remain—my family, best friends and boyfriend are still thousands of miles away. I know I’ll be fine with another 6 months that lay ahead where I won’t see most of them—but to commit to another 18 months—that just is a long time. Plus, although Duane and I are doing super—let’s be honest- long distance relationships can be tough. Especially when you consider I applied for Jet while I was still starting my last year in college—between now and then a lot of things (I hope) shall have changed and even more would in the 18 months that would follow. I’m just so happy everyone has been so supportive! That being said I have made some absolutely incredible friends here and had so many adventures with them which I wouldn’t trade for the world!

So this week is going to be a little tough for a variety of reasons—first the chance that I may have to give the “ummm I’m leaving in 6 months” talk at any time (I just have my fingers crossed that everyone will be understanding and even more so that my town will get another ALT after me – I think I am probably one of the ALTs that visits the least amount of students because of the small size of my village-so I worry with cutbacks and all. It would make it so much harder to leave if I didn’t know someone else would soon be coming to spend time with my kiddies.) Other things going on this week: Friday’s Jet conference—which I am the only ALT I know whose teacher is not coming with them to the conference—apparently my teacher chose to stay at the school for the grade 6 visit and Ocarina practice rather than coming with me to the joint JTE ALT conference. I’m not actually as bitter as I sound—just feel a bit like a child whose parent doesn’t come to the parent teacher interview with them. Anyways, moving on, the third interesting awkward convo of the week will be tomorrow when I have to tell people that I won’t eat whale for school lunch. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Flora__Fauna/Whaling_an_emotional_issue_for_Japan/articleshow/2710948.cms
I am hoping to eat in the staff room and be able to bring my own lunch that day—but we’ll see. Hopefully it won’t be a big deal, but sometimes you never know what will become extreme.
Speaking of extremish and kinda strict… Kiri’s boyfriend had his car broken into this weekend-window smashed and all, which is becoming a too common occurrence in Gifu the past few weeks. He had some school papers which included student information that was stolen from inside the car and so he had to call an emergency staff meeting to apologize. This month our prefecture is really getting strict on protecting student information, grades, and tests-saying all files should be locked at all times and usb drives kept in safe metal locked containers with multiple passwords too. It is the biggest time of the year for testing right now, as it is High School entrance exam week and the stress if found throughout the school—both for staff and imaginably even more so for students. Apparently there were also 3 other occurrences of teacher car break ins this weekend. Consequently, there are staff meetings galore, and her boyfriend had to do major suit and tie-gift food style- apologies. Poor thing. Apparently he even had to apologize to the 3rd grade students and there were some tears shed. Shame and guilt culture all the time. Tonight it will be on the news and tomorrow in the paper too. Yikes indeed. Terrible timing considering we got a handout just on last Thursday about the consequences of teachers not properly storing student information and improper behavior like finding money in an atm and keeping it(note yes I know this is wrong- and she’s being fined by the police etc) but then comes the shame---this reflects bad on all teachers, all of your nationality, all of your town, all nani nani nani (Japanese- what.. blah blah etc etc) . Teachers really are expected to act on a higher level of conduct here as government employees- much more so than back home- often things are taken quite to the extreme though.

More about teacher’s behavior—I learned from Narin an explanation for why some teachers close their eyes or even nap during breaks, in the staff room, even in meetings….
Apparently sleeping on the job- for an upper level employee anyways- is a sign that they are completely dedicated to their job and spent all of their free time working and thus did not have time to sleep at home. Closing your eyes is a sign that you are concentrating on your job, and quick naps show that you want to be at your highest level of performance for your class. Hmmm sound good?

More about student observations… man are the kids ever quiet. Sometimes the JHS ones don’t even seem like kids. I don’t know how much is a matter of manners, how much is respect and adherence to structure, and how much is just plain shyness, but it’s quite unbelievable at times. I dare say you would be hard pressed to find the kind of daily silence and barely audible voices from kids back home. Sometimes I think it’s awesome—but a lot of time I just feel bad for them—although I suppose I could find many things at fault with young people back home too. It’s interesting the way my teacher’s deal with students and not answering questions—a lot of time a student will be called upon, ie in a class round of something simple like “How are you?”- and after they sit with their head down for about 30 seconds, are asked once again, then are quickly moved over. I understand if the student has learning difficulties, or if it happens once in a while, but the teacher’s rarely return to the student even privately to get an answer, and it happens with the same multiple students on a regular basis—in all the grades that I teach. No extra comment or judgement from me at this time. Narin says there are also kids who sleep on a regular basis in his class and the teacher condones it. On the other hand, one of the cool things that happens is some of the determined attitudes some of the students show. When in Canada I am sure that a student who is much slower than the others at reading out loud would eventually just fake it and try to rush through—I have one kid in my grade nine class who will not give up and will stay standing reading out loud for a good extra minute while everyone is sitting—and he’s not embarrassed at all. Sometimes the kids amaze me at how much leadership they show—running practices, meetings, giving feedback etc—but then at other times I am amazed at how they can possess such robotic qualities at the same time.

Sorry for jumping around a bit and making this the longest blog ever—but I keep adding parts to it and never posting. So a quick note on Japanese New Years (which I felt a bit of the effect of when I got back but was away for the actual New Years). Japanese people do not give Christmas cards, but rather give New Year’s cards (which I got too! Whoo hoo!). Children also get otoshi dama which is gift money from their grandparents, uncles, aunts, sometime parents etc (and they tried to get me to give them the first day back too!) Their version of boxing day is something called “Lucky Box” which is available for purchase during the first few days of the new year- which contain products that you do not get to pick but are supposed to be filled with goods worth 5 times what you are paying for them. This year Kiri had a Tofu one in her house while her sister visited. For multiple days after New Years- it is lucky to eat mochi and practice calligraphy so I have got to experience that first hand. For more info on New Years check this out http://mothra.rerf.or.jp/ENG/Hiroshima/Festivals/27.html I’ve also been introduced to the daruma character. Who has no eyes, and you color one in when you make a wish and he sits with one eye until the wish comes true, when you then color in the second eye. Neat eh? For more info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daruma_doll
On New Year’s eve this year whilst everyone was out visiting the shrines (jinja), it snowed 70cm in Neo (I think I already mentioned that but since we are having quite a mild winter so far everyone in town won’t let me forget the one snowfall). I also came back to news of staff car accidents and snowboarding accident. All which have transformed the tone of the staff room the past few weeks. One teacher is still in the hospital for a few more months. We’ll all hoping for her quick recovery. Accompanying the new year is more talks about appropriate behavior, safety, and no drinking and driving.

Parties also are in full force in the holiday season. Always lots of food and drink- with this season’s most popular dish being sukiyaki (where you dip the nabbe (pot) food into a raw egg before eating it. Quite tasty!

I’ve been busy planning multiple trips coming up in the spring. This weekend upcoming after the conference I am going to go snowboarding in the mountains with a huge group of Jets. Upcoming is a potential trip to Nagasaki, another to Hiroshima, and then of course Thailand. So much to see! So little nenkyuu! Such is life! I just hope I can fit in Okinawa too!!
Other than that, my life has been filled with reading, studying Japanese, watching tv that Duane and Narin downloaded and burned for me, hanging out with my crew (and constantly defending to my students and staff that Narin and I really are just friends!) and Karaoke of course! My house remains cold, but the stink bugs have left! And fortunately the gas heater I use everyday hasn’t caused permanent damage as far as I can tell!

School was pretty entertaining last week as I got a chance to have a “Let’s enjoy English Cooking” class with my grade 6 class. It was originally going to be making Udon from scratch, but last minute was changed to Spaghetti with Meat Sauce instead. Sometimes I am not sure who was more entertaining- the teacher or the kids! My teacher forgot to buy beef, and onions and got tomato sauce instead of tomato paste so our meal was quite more basic than anticipated and almost impossible to screw up. Still they gave it their best shot I think at times! I am not sure I could handle being a perma home ec. teacher! Between the kids asking every 2 seconds “Is it good now? Can I add it now? Now?” and the one who decided since I told her earlier that we didn’t use giant chopsticks in Canada to stir and later saw me motioning to “stir your pasta” (action done with my hand and not an imaginary spoon) decided that I meant to stick her hand into the boiling water to stir—eeks! Barely caught that one in time! Everything turned out ok in the end though—and a few of my boys have found a new love for oregano!

As I may have mentioned earlier, my Japanese study is going ok. Sometimes it is difficult to believe it or not, find people who will help you practice (it takes lots of patience, plus all the Japanese people want to practice their English). But overall I am satisfied enough with the progress I made. It’s really cool being able to measure exactly how much I’ve learned the past few months—considering I didn’t know a thing when I got here! Still, I’m learning just as much about my own language and culture as the Japanese. I suppose the old saying holds true about having to leave home to really learn about your own culture.

While I feel somewhat like the culture shock is setting in all over again- I’m reminded of the old IC motto that you can’t live in two places at once and sometimes you have to sacrifice staying in contact too much with home, for truly living your life here. With that note and a bow and two hands presentation of this way too length blog entry, I’m off to get back to living in Japan- and not just writing about it!

Take Care
Hope everyone is well and sticking to all of their resolutions for 2008!

Julz

Ooh and for those Devonians out there, everyone here is getting excited for the upcoming trip! Time to go join in the staff meeting where they are talking about the trip right now! Wish I could go too!

Ooh and one random piece of trivia I learned—remember Sadako and the 1000 paper cranes—story from elementary school? She was a girl dying from cancer resulting from the atomic bomb in Hiroshima? Well she did make 1000 cranes! In fact 1200! The author just changed the story for effect!