So that's why I'm so tired!
Mood:  d'oh
Just finished my second of 12 Japanese language classes this evening. I made an incredible discovery. In conversation practice it came up that the "kids" half my age are getting 1-2 hours extra sleep a night than i am. Oh, my gosh. I try to sleep longer but there just isn't enough time in the day. ah, well. Oyasumi nasai. (nighty, night) I guess i'll go to bed now.

Just rolled over 1,500 miles on my bike odometer. That's miles logged since August, 2003. Not bad, eh?

Personal Introductions
Mood:  quizzical
So confusing sometimes.
I guess like in the U.S. every teacher is different.

Picture yourself presenting a self-introduction lesson for 9 times in a row to the same level of students. There are 10 sections of 3rd graders at Kobu - that's 9th in US. On the last - 10th time - you've got it down to a science and you can do the lesson in your sleep and end it exactly when the bell rings. Now picture doing this for the last time with your Japanese language teacher observing and watching you as you keep checking the clock to make sure that you have time for the whole lesson when suddenly the bell rings for the end of class 10 minutes ahead of time. A blank stare and "Oh, we are on a shortened schedule today." Is the only explanation you get. No "sorry" or "Oops, I forgot to tell you that there was a change today." The Japanese teacher just gathers her things up and leaves you there. You feel like an idiot left on second base with no time left on the clock. I take a deep breath and chant my Japanese mantra, "Don't take it personally," over and over again. Quien sabe.

Now picture yourself doing introductions in the 1st graders class. This Japanese teacher gives me time to do a personal "Hi, my name is______" with every single student (that's 4 sections of about 35-40 kids each) i get to look each student in the eye and have her/him tell me her/his name and then get a personal handshake. Nice!

And picture yourself with the 2nd graders - that's 8th grade in the US - hearing each student get up and introduce themselves to you in the front of the class even before you introduce yourself to them. By 2nd grade they can tell you their name, how old they are and what club they are in and what their favorite hobby is. Most are very happy to tell you in fairly good English that they like sports.... and don't like English! ha ha (only a few say that!)

And then the 3rd graders ... they have been working diligently on their introductions. You've seen their papers with not only the sentences written out but a picture of themselves carefully drawn by each student. You are scheduled in their class but they just turn in the paper to the teacher and the lesson starts in the book. A bit confused, you ask the teacher the next day if the kids are going to do their introductions. Answer: "Why, yes, but you aren't going to hear them." Hm. "Don't take it personally, don't take it personally."

Shorts and t-shirt weather
Mood:  caffeinated
Now Playing: Why can't this last forever?
My first day of the season running in shorts and a t-shirt.
Sakura and tsutsuji, cherry blossoms and azaleas, everywhere.
It's a flower blizzard, hana fubuki, as they say here. It's "snowing" cherry blossoms. Absolutely incredible.

I BOUGHT A BIKE FRIDAY. Yippee. It's being custom made in Eugene, Oregon. If you decide to buy one, please tell them I sent you.

I'm off to meet Miwa, Miki, Tomoko and Akemi, my Japanese girlfriends for another lunch under the cherry trees. yahoo, yippee, hooray.

Memorable Day
Mood:  celebratory
Ichinenseis, first graders, Welcoming Ceremony
We need to learn about this in the states!

More parents with lots of electronic gear to record the big move up to junior high are here. These kids have already been here months ago for a tour of the whole facility. The kids are all assembled in an outside courtyard this morning. Banners with their names are hung on the windows and there is a lot of excitement again to discover new classmates and new teachers. These kids come from three different elementary schools so lots of kids know each other. There are 4 sections of about 35 kids each for a total of about 140 new students. Some big wigs from administration are here. Kocho sensei, the principal, is so handsome in his tux with tails. The PTA are always here and today one of them is even in kimono. i have been instructed to wear my best clothes. Dark colors are a must. My long black skirt and white blouse, i think, are ok for the occasion. Kids line up enthusiastically and march off to their homeroom class for instructions about the ceremony. Within less than an hour we are assembled in the gym. The brass band is playing, and the kids are marched in one class at a time. The 2nd and 3rd graders are seated in the back. Kobu teachers are seated on the left facing them. Administrators including some of their former elementary teachers and principals are seated on the right facing them. Administrators are introduced one at a time and each gives a brief speech. Each student's name is called and each student stands and is recognized. More speeches and then the singing of the school song is sung before they are finally marched out of the gym and off to class. I can't help thinking about how clear it is that these kids are cared for and welcomed with open arms to junior high. They are still self-conscious to be sure, but what a contrast to U.S. junior high that i've experienced. I remember back in Spokane there were kids hiding behind tables because they were so afraid. I don't remember any big whoop dee doo to welcome our kids and make them feel special. I felt that they were treated more like numbers and herded like cattle. Instead of eating in a cafeteria with 100's of kids everyday, these junior high kids will eat with the same 30-40 kids in a quiet atmosphere - well, maybe not that quiet! These kids will take a school trip together overnight - all the kids with just their teachers during the year. They also will do a one-week "Trial Week" experience working in a real life work site provided through connections from the parents and business in the community. I can't wait to see that happen. I've seen pictures on the wall but it will be fun to observe this in person this spring.

New staff Welcoming Party
After a full day of school it's off to our traditional Welcoming Party. Ours is being held at a local Chinese restaurant, not too far from my apartment. Dinner is at 6:30pm. We are all seated at circular tables and one new staff is seated at each table so we get a chance to mingle. Facts about the new staff have been gathered during the day. Through the dinner our MC reads off these facts and staff have to guess who he is talking about. Then that person gets up and gives a little speech to the group. I don't have any idea what the others say so i just speak from the heart in very simple words. My speech begins with a heartfelt: "I love Japan!" This is the entire staff including teachers, administrators, janitors and cafeteria folks. The food keeps coming and coming and coming. I am so full i'm afraid my bike tires will burst when i ride back home. I've been introduced to the Chinese version of sake. It's called louchou or something like that. It's served in a teapot like vessel and it's dark, warm and smooth. Amazingly, i like it. I really try to pace myself with beer and sake flowing. It helps that we've got so much food in our stomaches. This is "ichiji kai," the first stop of the night. (1, 2, 3 ... ichi, ni, san)

Oh, my gosh. I love karaoke! Am I becoming Japanese?

The second traditional stop "niji kai" is karaoke. The last few parties that i've gone to i've been too sick and/or tired to go, but this is the night that i will get initiated into karaoke. Luckily one of the English teachers, Yamada sensei, decided to accompany me or i would have been the only woman. Karaoke is so different here than what i've experienced in the states. The rooms are sound proof and ours has just enough seats for our size group. There are about 8 of us. There are thick catalogs that we can thumb through and pick out our favorite hits. There are hits from the 50's, 60's, and so on. Mostly Japanese songs but quite a few American singers and bands but most songs are not familiar to me. There are a lot of Carpenters tunes! Hah. We decide that it's probably that the royalties are too high for the most popular tunes. That explains why so many oldies are so popular in Japan. That's all they can get in the karaoke parlors. I get to sing a medley of Elvis tunes, which was really fun. The older guys love the old time crooning songs and i learned some of the Japanese songs a bit because I can at least read some of the hiragana but not the kanji. The younger guys introduced me to some of the more popular Japanese tunes - some of which I actually recognize - and can sing along. In the meantime the beer keeps coming. Wow, can these guys drink! They are still going strong at 10pm and it takes another half hour to get out the door. I'm home by 11pm but i'm sure the party continued probably on to "sanji kai"


Thurs. April 8th
This day is dedicated somewhat to preparing to welcome the new first graders (7th grade to us) tomorrow. Classrooms are cleaned again and the gym set up for them. I can't believe how meticulous the Japanese can be. The gym floor is laid out in exact straight lines with the exact number of chairs for each of 4 sections of 1st graders. There are 8 kids taking chairs and individually lining each chair up with a tape measure stretched between 2 boys. Each row the boys move the tape measure to a new mark on the sidelines so that the distance between any two chairs is exactly the same. In about 20 minutes it's all laid out for tomorrow. Amazing. Our janitors at home would have taken 1/2 a day setting it up and it wouldn't have been nearly as perfect. (No offense to janitors out there!)
Lunch with the Kobu teachers.
Chinese restaurant.
New taste sensation: beebinba, something close to that pronunciation. It's a stone bowl that is heated to super hot temperature. Then a rice and veggie concotion is added to it and a raw egg on top of the whole thing. It hot stone bowl is served sizzling on a wooden platter. You stir the whole thing till everything is cooked and the rice is a bit crispy on the bottom from the hot stone. yummy! Just don't get too carried away stirring and grab the hot bowl. ouch.

Good day sunshine
Mood:  bright
Today was Opening Ceremonies for a new school year in Japan.
Sunny and warm and I wish this weather would go on forever.

So much is different here from the U.S. There are things about Japan that are frustrating and not fun but these Opening Ceremonies - I'd like to box and bring home to the junior highs in America. Parents show up with their cameras and video cams to record the big day. The kids all assemble in the gym after meeting with their homeroom teachers. They are lined up by class section as they were assigned from last year. Then the homeroom teachers unroll banners and tape them around the gym. There is frenzied activity while kids check out these lists to see who their new classmates will be and who their new homeroom teacher will be. There's lots of hugging friends who are going to be in the same class. A few frowns, but only momentarily, for kids who are being split into different classes. All the new teachers, including me, are lined up on the stage and introduced. We all give a very short speech to the students.

It blew me away when I found out a few weeks ago that teachers switch schools every 5 or so years. This is expected and teachers are assigned to new schools and don't seem to have much warning ahead of time. It seems like this is stressful to me but when I see the excitement and enthusiasm of the kids on that first day it reminds me of opening presents at Christmas. Somehow, I don't think the teachers feel the same way when they get their new teaching assignment a few weeks before the beginning of a new school year. Sure forces people to be flexible. One of my favorite teachers has been assigned to teach at a school that's over an hour's commute from his home. Wow.

Anyway, there's no doubt that there has been a lot of time and effort in planning this day to make the kids feel welcome for another full year of school.


Mary's 2004 Website

Tokyo
Mood:  lucky
Monday, 5 April 2004
Tokyo

My first trip to Tokyo was another successful and fun adventure. Well, not quite all the way into Tokyo but close enough.

My friend Michelle and her seven-year-old son, Justice, are living by Yokosuka Military base just outside Tokyo. Michelle is a special education teacher from Spokane. She landed a job teaching on this base last summer. We've been trying to get together ever since. It's difficult since we both are teaching but have different days off sometimes. Also, a discount ticket on the shinkansen (the bullet train) is 27,000 yen - about $270 round-trip. It's a 2-? hour ride on the train not counting the time it takes to get to and from the train station. A plane ticket is about $200 but then you have to use a train, bus or taxi to get to and from the airport. That takes time and money too; so it's a wash.

I was able to sit in on a class at the base. Michelle teaches special ed to high school students. They are just like kids in the states. Well, of course, most are from the states! Duh. It was an experience shopping on base - wow - cheap. The only weird thing was being at the extreme opposite end of the spectrum from Hiroshima. I feel so strongly about peace that it was remarkable to think about this large group of people who feel much differently than i do. I also couldn't help thinking about how much taxpayer's money is being spent on even such a small facility as this one. I kept wondering how much good we could do with that money focusing just on making peace instead of war. Focusing on love and not fear. Ah, well, i will just continue to do the best i can at learning what it really means to be truly non-violent from the inside out.

Also an enlightening event was going to my first "arcade" in Japan. This is one of Justice's favorite places to go. He is fantastic at playing video games. No way that i can beat him at home on his computer or at the arcade. I spent Thursday and Friday with them and then they were off to Thailand. Michelle won a free week's vacation in Bangkok at a military drawing over the holidays, lucky girl! I stayed behind and enjoyed their spacious 3-bedroom apartment.

Saturday, while Michelle and Justice were getting ready to head out for Bangkok, i hopped on a train and went exploring in Kamakura. This is where the famous Daibutsu, Great Buddha, is located. The sun was shining and warm. It was crowded but a very friendly crowd. The shops were amazing but i'm rather shopped out at this point. I can't get enough of the sakura, cherry blossoms, though. Hiking from temple to shrine was a visual treat. Turtles in the ponds, cranes in the trees and cherry blossoms everywhere made for many "Kodak" moments. The timing was right and i was able to witness an entire Shinto wedding in front of one shrine. I hope that you can view the photos soon on my website at:
Mary's 2004 website. The bride was stunning in a full white kimono with red trim. The Shinto priestess did a mesmerizing dance to the couple. The sound of drums and flutes made me think of Tibet somehow but i was assured that these were Japanese instruments.

I slept late and stayed in my pajamas till 4pm on Sunday because i was exhausted once again and it was raining, windy and cold. Traveling in Japan really takes it out of me, and i've learned to be nice to myself and recharge the batteries periodically. I enjoyed a few movies on their DVD with surround sound, much better than home! They have an incredible view of the ocean from their living room.

Monday morning the sun is out and i have to go for a walk on the beach before i leave this place. Boy, i sure do miss the ocean. Then it's an uneventful ride back home on the shinkansen. Ho, hum. 200 miles/hour... amazing how you get used to these speeds. It really feels like you are on an airplane without the take-off and landing. I'm in Japan, wow!

Sakura, sakura everywhere
Mood:  happy
Now Playing: Sakura fever!
Wed. March 31st
More sakura viewing with Miki, Yoshie, Didik and Masa.
This habit could be addicting. Okonomiyaki is the dinner of choice this evening.

Tues. March 30th
Rain, rain go away. Nice day to sleep in, and lounge and work on the computer.

Mon. March 29th
Sakura viewing with Didik, Masa and Sanae and her sister.
I'm sitting home reading a book at 7pm at night when the phone rings. It's Didik-san and he's on his way to the Shukugawa for another sakura viewing. I ride my bide to meet them at the station. Didik, his girlfriend, Sanae, and her sister and another friend, Masa are there. Wow, they've brought a whole dinner! Since I've already eaten I just snack and visit. It's a bit on the cool side but still gorgeous. A stroll up the river is just like I'd dreamed it would be when it was so cold and rainy just a few short months ago.

Hiroshima
Mood:  special
Well, this is going to be a long entry, folks.

This is the first time for both Frankie and i on the famous Bullet Train, shinkansen. Its top speed is 200 miles/hour, wow. No problem getting to Osaka on the regular train and a transfer to the shinkansen. It's a bit nerve wracking making sure that we get on the right car. We have reserved seats, it stops, we load very, very quickly, and we're off. I take a little movie with my digital camera to record how fast we are going. From the inside it looks and feels like we're on a plane. The seats and tray tables and the "stewardesses" rolling a cart down the aisle are just the same. No seatbelts are required though. It's a smooth ride and in 1.5 short hours and maybe 2 or 3 stops we are there.

It's a short walk to our hotel where we stash our bags. We are in early and can't check into the room until the afternoon. We intentionally got to Hiroshima by 10:30am so that we would have a full day to sightsee. First on the agenda is a stop at Starbucks to have a cup and get ready to do some exploring. We have a tourist sheet with a "walking guide" of Hiroshima and it is well planned out. It's a 15-minute walk along a river to the Castle. Then another 15 minutes to another park. We wind our way through gardens and stroll down wide lanes with very little traffic and tourists. This is surprising since we had a hard time booking a hotel because everything was full for this school spring break. I am very glad that it took us a few hours strolling and relaxing before we came upon the Dome. It gave me time to get ready for this experience. The Atomic Dome is a powerful, emotional sight. I was expecting that it would hit me hard, but i managed to maintain my composure. There are monuments everywhere in the park to different groups of people who died from the A-bomb. The mood is NOT depressing. Surprisingly, every monument, every thing written that i see is focused on the future and what we can do to NEVER HAVE THIS HAPPEN AGAIN. The message is peace and no more war. That sounds good to me. We find the Children's Peace Memorial. This is a statue in memory of Sadako, a 13 year old girl who died of leukemia 10 years after the bomb hit Hiroshima. She believed that if she folded 1,000 cranes that she would get better. It didn't work, unfortunately for her. It did inspire her fellow students to fold cranes after her death. The idea began to form to build a monument for all the children who perished because of the A-bomb. Somehow the message spread and before people realized what was happening - cranes and dollars were streaming in from all over the world. The monument was built and now one of those "i want to do this before i die" dreams of mine was about to be fulfilled. I had folded some cranes before i left. We folded more on the shinkansen on the way to Hiroshima and we would continue to fold some in our hotel room. We finally placed them in one of the weather proof sheds around the monument on Monday before we returned to Nishinomiya. This was a very moving and significant act for me. I feel more dedicated than ever to focus the rest of my life on peace, nonviolence and an end to nuclear weapons and war.

As we made our way towards the Museum we discovered the reflecting pond and "eternal flame." I had read that it isn't really eternal. It will be extinguished on the day that the last nuclear weapon is dismantled. Then we saw the Cenotaph. It contains a stone chest housing a register of those known to have died of exposure to the A-bombing. This is a simple granite arch that frames it all. As you stand in front of this arch you can see through it the reflecting pond with the flame and the Dome behind that. I was taken by surprise by the emotion that swept over me as i viewed the destruction and hope of a new world so simply framed in one single sight. I wish that George Bush and all his cronies and all the leaders in the world who think that they are going to solve problems by blowing people up could stand in front of this arch. I wish that they could come and walk through this park and experience that feeling of peace and hope of a new way of living. I wish that they could walk through the museum and see the images of bodies with skin and clothes dripping off of children and read the accounts of people's stories not only of that day but of the radiation poisoning that lingers on and makes this horrible experience continue for years and years in people's lives.

I hope that you will click on the hot link and take the time to read the letter from the Mayor of Hiroshima. A new one is written every year to the leaders of the world pleading for peace and the end of nuclear weapons.
Peace Declaration

So on a lighter note:
Q: When is an air conditioner not an air conditioner?
A: When you are in Japan.
Frankie and i finally checked into our hotel room late in the evening. It was roasting hot on the 9th floor. No windows to open, they are all sealed shut. We played with the air conditioner controls but nothing stopped the stream of hot air blowing into our room. I went downstairs to try in my broken Japanese to plead for some cool air. It was very clear that the air conditioning didn't come on until the weather gets much hotter. They did assure me that they would turn the heater down. We roasted through the entire night. In the morning I called and complained again that we were miserable. The man at the desk asked if the air conditioner was still turned on. Why, yes, it was. Well, that controls the heater in the winter and since i had left the knob in the "on" position - the heat continued to blow. If I'd just turn the air conditioner off the heat would stop! Well, duh! What do i know?

Miyajima and photo opportunities
Miyajima is an island very close to Hiroshima. The Tori or Floating Gate is one of the three most photographed sites in Japan. Luckily we had done our homework and timed our visit when the tide was in. Later that evening, it wasn't nearly as spectacular when the tide was out and the gate stood in mud! From Hiroshima you take a train to a station within walking distance of the dock where the ferry takes you to the island. This is really set up for tourists and was a cinch to figure out. The ferry ride was about 20 minutes long. Gorgeous views both ways of the island, gate and Hiroshima skyline. Of course, Frankie and i wanted to hike to the top of the mountain. Her knees are hurting a bit and she is planning to run a marathon next week so we are a bit concerned about how much hiking to do. Downhill hiking is a killer on knees. After getting lost for a while we had to hike back down to the bottom and try again. Of course it keeps getting later when you get lost. Hunger got the better of us, and we stopped in the village for the most yummy okonomiyaki that i've had yet. We sat at a bar that is right next to the big grill where we watched the cook spread batter on the grill just like for a crepe. Then cabbage is stacked high on the pancake. Then a couple of pieces of bacon are added to the top of the heap along with spices and dried salmon flakes and more. Then more batter is lightly poured over the whole thing. Somehow he manages to flip this huge thing. The cabbage cooks down and when it's done some kind of sauce that looks a lot like BBQ sauce but doesn't taste as strong is brushed on top and then a mayonnaise spread is squirted on top. It is sooo yummy.

So now we have plenty of energy to head out up the hill again. With our map - that doesn't seem to work for us - we head out with the plan of getting to the top and then hopping on a tram for the trip down to save on Frankie's poor knees. The hike up reminds me of Yosemite. Steps, steps, and more steps and some gravelly paths that we are so glad that we are not going to have to walk back down. When we get to an overlook with some incredible views, Frankie asks the simple question: "What time is it?" There is a sinking feeling in our stomaches as we notice the sun getting lower in the sky. We hurry over to a little coffee hut and ask directions to the tram, oh, and by the way, "What time is the last trip down?" "Sumimasen. It leaves in 5 minutes and there is no way that you can catch it. It's too far away."

Ok, so we are more than a little disappointed and worried about Frankie's knees. She is a real trooper and never once complained. We took a different route that turned out to be much easier although a bit longer. Whew. We get back down as everything in the village is closing and the ferry ride back is almost in the dark. The city lights are quite a treat at the end of a long day. We're happy!
Shopping rounds out our trip and a bit more sightseeing in a warm, friendly, positive, well planned city. Frankie is a great traveling companion and i'm hoping for a few more adventures with her in the future.

If you'd like to view some photos, I should have them up on my website shortly. Just click on the link below.
Mary's 2004 website

Our last English Class
Mood:  blue
Monday, March 22nd
Frankie, John and I have been teaching a Monday evening English class to 25 adults from Nishinomiya. This was our last night. We have our regular lesson followed by a "graduation" ceremony. We're down to about 20 adults now but that isn't bad! Many of our students managed to come every single time. Their English has really improved, I think. We're tired but we are pretty much obliged to bicycle off to a "graduation/goodbye" dinner. The restaurant is close to the train station near our apartment - so that is nice. We're upstairs in a tatami room. Very cozy. So much food, but so good. Lots of pictures taken and a good time is had by all. Amazing how recharged a person can get when sharing food, beer and joy with such an enthusiastic group.

Traditional Japanese Dance
Mood:  bright
Fujima style Japanese dance.

One of the ladies at the Sogo Center, our main office, gives me free tickets every once in awhile. These tickets were too good to pass up. They were 5,000 yen each so I asked my friend Miki if she wanted to go. She was thinking of having her husband come and so called the number on the ticket to try to purchase an extra one for him. Miki told the woman that she had never been to a traditional Japanese dance like this. The woman was so impressed that she sent Miki two more free tickets! So I invited another teacher friend, Reiko. Atsuo, Miki's husband, couldn't make it so it was just we 3 girls. The theatre is in Osaka and is a Bunraku Theatre, a form of puppet theatre but this was a special performance of students of the Fujima style of dancing. I have to describe just a bit of the dancing but you really had to be there. One of the dances was a Spring Blossom dance. Paper petals floated down from the ceiling onto the stage. The little girl appeared to be about 12 years old to me. I was told later that this was a woman dancing this role. She sure fooled me! Traditional Japanese instruments accompanied the dancers. Sometimes I really enjoyed the music and sometimes it was very foreign to me - almost Tibetan or Chinese. One of my favorite dances was a story about a husband and wife quarreling. The baby is upset that they are angry and the grandmother tries to intervene. Now, realize that I'm just guessing on all this because even Miki and Reiko who are native speakers couldn't understand the words! Anyway, the husband and wife, we think were supposed to represent thunder and lightning - a very stormy dance. There were another few dances that involved what is called "hyagawari" a man slips in backstage of a dancer and pulls some strings on her kimono and with one swift jerk, voila, her kimono is ripped off to reveal a second colorful kimono underneath. Now that was impressive! One kimono would be hot. I can't imagine dancing in two layers of all that material on stage. Plus the material around her waist never moves. There was a dance involving a sake god, I think, and a lion with red, yellow and white streamers that reminded me of a Chinese dance. There were two spectacular dancers in orange costumes with flowing red wigs. Not sure who they were supposed to be but wow were they colorful! I just kept thinking about all my dancing buddies who would have loved this performance. Lucky me.


Saturday, March 20th
Lasagne for my Japanese friends

I got brave and made lasagna for two of my favorite Japanese families today. Sasaki sensei is one of my all-time favorite English teachers. He is also the coach of the Hamakoshien baseball team that I've written so much about. He has two young boys and it was a pleasure to have him and his wife and kids to dinner. Also, I've written about the Osawa's in the past. They have three boys; two are twins, and a girl as well - big family. Taku was at English camp this summer, and we hit it off from the start. He is a very determined boy who really loves speaking English. Taku and his twin brother, Shin, are in baseball club, so I watched them play many games last year. Mr. Osawa is a baseball fanatic and every game that I went to I was happy to visit with Tamie, his wife and him. I was a bit nervous fixing a dinner for 5 adults and 5 kids but I think that everyone enjoyed themselves. Tamie brought some wonderful hors d'oeuvres so I didn't have to worry about that. There weren't many leftovers and I ended up with a bottle of sake so that ain't bad, eh?