Welcoming Party 2
Mood:  a-ok
Just got back from a 2nd "Welcoming Party" with the Kobu junior high English teachers.
We went to a really nice Japanese steak house tonight. It is much more than just steak. I had shredded jelly fish, raw beef, giant prawns, grilled tofu, shitake mushrooms, onions and giant garlic cloves, a broth with different types of mushrooms and small shrimp and fish steamed in it, fish cooked with an egg batter over it, and I won't even go into the stuff we ate AFTER the dinner while enjoying karaoke. Oh, and did I mention beer and wine? Oh, and I had a 1/2 hour bicycle ride to get back home.

Nighty, night.

Stormy weather
Mood:  not sure
The azaleas were gone in a flash.
The rhodies and dogwood blossoms and we are getting pummeled by torrential rains and pounding winds.
The first rosebuds of the season are tentatively peaking out through the rain drops.
We are getting a taste of the rainy season to come, and we look forward to it with trepidation.

Dental Checkup
Mood:  a-ok
I wonder what it would cost in the U.S. I am covered under the national health care program in Japan while I'm here. The trip to the dentist yesterday consisted of a check up including a full x-ray of my teeth and a lesson on how to brush and use a special appliance to keep my gum disease under control. I was given a full explanation of how important it is to follow the instructions including full color pictures of examples of gum disease. My teeth were gently and thoroughly cleaned and a small cavity was filled all in the space of one hour. The cost - 3,500 yen - which included the specialized appliance and enough brushes to last me 6 months. That's about $32 US.

My first doctor visit cost about $30 also. This doctor did full blood work on me and reported my cholesterol etc. as well as prescribe some medicine for a stomache ailment that i couldn't shake (must have been something i ate!)

Why can't we, in the U.S. have full health care for our people? We're rich enough to build bombs and fight other people's wars but not rich enough to take care of our own. Sad.

Wonderful weekend
Mood:  energetic
Now Playing: Good day sunshine
It's a weekend and the sun is shining. The typhoon strength winds have ceased and I have nothing to do. yahoo.

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!