Japan 2005...

Maiko Makeover

April Showers

April sailed right by. Work continued to be slooooooow. I won't actually have a full schedule till this week. It continued to rain everyday in April. Last week I think God flipped a switch and turned on 75 degree days. My dinner with my teachers went well. Although I guess they thought I wouldn't have food and they showed up 45 minutes early with food. It was a shakey start, but all was good at the end of the evening. I will forever find it strange that they invited themselves to my house in the first place. I did get to go to the fish market which was a really fun experience with Somei. The shrimp were so fresh they were jumping around still.
Oh, good news I only have to teach at five schools now. With a stable batch of students, which I think adds more value to my job. For my birthday I wanted to give my first year middle school students cupcakes, but alas I do not have an oven and they don't like sweets in school. Instead I brought popcorn and "Daddy Daycare." I figured I would give a present to myself not to teach and have the students here some "normal" English (win, win). All of the students that I have been teaching lately have been awesome. Makes me a bit sad to leave.
Somie introduced me to a dish called shabu-shabu a cousin to my favorite dish nabe.

Dinner Party

I had a work dinner party at my house. I am very proud of my table. Onika came to support me. She surprised me with an early birthday cake.

March(ing) Fwd

March seems like a bit of a blur in my mind’s eye. It was cold it was warm, it rained, it snowed. It was full of ceremonies as school breaks for the new school term in March. As a consolation for teaching at so many schools I was not required to go to work for two weeks. Before I get ahead of myself, let me tell you about the ceremonies and parties that followed. Every school has a closing ceremony; the spring ceremony coincides with the eldest students “graduating.” There is also a ceremony for leaving teachers. In Japan teachers have the potential of being moved for the coming school year each year. As a teacher you can be moved to any school in the prefecture since the Japanese school system is federally run. There is no personal consideration taken into account. Also at age 60 you are forced to retire if you are a principal. The closing ceremony was like going to church, more specifically like going to a funeral. The dress code for teachers was a black suite, women-pearls and crappy corsages, men-a white shirt and cream colored tie, principal-wore tails. The teachers whose homerooms were “graduating” had special corsages and no one could pin them on. I came to the rescue and now thanks to me they think Americans are experts at pinning corsages. Clapping was only allowed at the beginning and end of the ceremony, speeches followed bowing followed by speeches followed by bowing, ending with “graduating” students leaving with either no emotion or crying. The ceremony for the teachers leaving was about an hour long, we had to stand in the gym with no shoes, feet freezing and listening to their goodbye speeches and they were presented with flowers. The “enkai” aka drinking party followed. My favorite principal was forced to retire; his speech to his students was well thought and not over their heads like many Japanese speeches can be. His party was filled with tears, I bursting as I had to present him with flowers. This man has been so wonderful to me. He is always attempted to make conversation when I visited his school, took my family out to dinner, showed me his home and town (which was amazing. He gave me a Japanese doll because in March it girl’s month and since I don’t have a father here in Japan he is my Japanese protector. Telling me if I ever have a problem in life he will come and help me. The thing is I have no doubt that I could call him and he would drop everything for me. He is one of my two favorite Japanese persons. His kindness has allowed me to see a side of Japan that can make all of my frustrations melt away.) His party showed me how ridiculous the group system is, why there is such a thing as ageism. The upside is that he is going to USA in about a month and will visit my dad. Also to note that, Arita, painted a portrait of my dad, brother and I, it maybe the nicest thing anyone has everyone done for me as every brush stroke was from the heart. My other party for my middle school was not as emotional. They are a different group. We actually had two meals at two restaurants and they made me give the closing “kampai”(cheers) and so this monkey continues to dance.My vacation time was kept in a low profile mode. I cancelled my trip to Cambodia and bided my time cleaning and becoming addicted to LOST. I went to Osaka for a handful of days with Onika. We stayed at our friend’s Crystal’s place. We at any western fare we could get our hands, admittedly I was disappointed with our over priced meals, but I was having such a good time I hardly noticed. We attempted to go to the movies, but the last showing was at 8pm not 10pm and you have to understand that would be like no movies not showing in Boston or LA after 8pm. I went to a hip hop/reggae festival. I had a blast except for the Japanese pushing. They are like what you see with Michael Jackson and they even managed to bust a barricade, SO stupid. They just push and it is weird and they don’t even know the artist sometimes. There were drugs being smoked, so they do exist here, although they were being smoked by Japanese Yakuza.April has brought cherry blossoms and lots of rain showers. It has been raining for a week straight now, today being the coldest day so far. The opening ceremony was just as dual as the closing, but the dress code allowed for a bit of change of hue-tan whooooooooa, I wore black. The little ones entering into first grade were so cute! The little boys had knickerbockers. Other than that I have three months left, which will pass quickly I am sure. I am on the job search hunt and trying to figure out when exactly I will be in the US. My English department has basically invited themselves to my home next weekend, which by their cultural standards is rude. I am sure it will be fun and fine, that they just want to see how I live. I am realizing more and more how they are just simply not exotic to me anymore, but I will forever remain a mystery to them. So as the cultural, educational and all around representative for the entire United States I will sign off for now as there is a bit of brightness bellowing from the sky.

random spring

Cherry Blossoms and me. My twinkle lights and fresh flowers have saved me from rainy day blues. The painting my principal did.

Hazing

Oh this is just a little school hazing done at the best public high school in Tottori. The two boys posing where the enforcers. I felt like I had walked into "The Wave." They have advanced enough not to cain the children who make mistakes. Really CREEPY!

Spring

Crystal and Onika in Osaka. Onika and I checking out the Cherry Trees on the last decent day I have seen in a while.

In like a LION

February was a jammed packed month. I shall begin at the beginning. On the 1st my fellow ALT left my town for greener pastures back in the USA. Leaving me in some what of a lurch. My employers have seen fit to jam my schedule with all the schools he had been tending to. The official plan was laid out, nine schools a week rotating two schools in and out (yup that's eleven total). On February 3rd it became official that I will not be renewing my contract for another year (yup that mean's I'll be back to the US summer '06). I feel very comfortable and confident in my decision. I am greatly looking forward to coming home. As for the future plans it could be anything from being homeless to marrying the Sultan of Brunei (no, no he has too many wives). My point is I am not sure yet, but anything is possible! The first weekend I participated in "Yukigassen" which pretty much means a snowball festival. My imagination ran wild with ideas of what I was possibly getting myself into. I imagined a more aggressive event much like paint ball. I was wrong the area where you played was about the size of a tennis court, you had to wear a helmet, balls were of regulation size, and the idea was to capture the flag or have more men standing at the end. Our first game was played with adrenaline and confusion. Our second game was much better and focused, we won one! At the event I felt very un-welcomed by the Japanese, who kept making comments, laughing and making unfair calls. It was a fun day but a reminder of how unwelcoming Japan can be. The second week of February I started my new schedule, was filled with opening ceremonies and short speeches. It was a bit overwhelming, but everyone was very nice and glad to see me. On the 12th I boarded a plane to Okinawa. I had the perfect excuse to escape the cold of main island of Japan, my friend, Nick. Nick and I met way back in Munich, about three years ago. He's in the navy and as the stars would have it, just happened to be at one of the american bases in Okinawa. My hotel was right on the water. I got to know the Okinawan bus system really well. Okinawa is an interesting place and as far as I am concerned is very different from Japan. Although I felt for the most part people where extremely unfriendly I did have some good experiences. I met a man who showed me photos of his little island of the coast of Japan. I had to laugh when I had to take of my shoes to enter the Okinawan castle and of course I being the foreigner didn't have socks on. The following day I set off with my ipod to find the various war memorial sites on Okinawa. When I reached my transfer station, the station men looked with fear as I entered in to ask a question. They seemed to ease when I asked in Japanese. My bus didn't leave for an hour but the two other tourist I was tracking hopped on an earlier bus, with my puzzled japanese I asked the driver where he was going. He wasn't going to the Peace Memorial, but he told me I could get off and walk. I said is it close and he said well kind of. Twenty minutes later I found myself standing in basically the middle of sugarcane fields. I found a sign and it turned out I had to walk something like three miles to the memorial. (Up hill that is) A long story short I found a convenient and asked for a taxi. The most extraordinary moment happened next...I found myself at the peace memorial and in search for my great uncle's name. I had hoped, but was unsure that I would discover his name. Among the thousands of names etched in a sea of loss, was William D Kane. The discovery was an extraordinary moment in my life. I can barely begin to describe the profoundness of that moment for me. Okinawa has such a sad history and discovering and observing what I did helps me to grasp all that I learned in college about WWII. I find myself more disillusioned by the Japanese education system. They teach virtually nothing of World War II history. My students have virtually no idea of any part of Okinawan history, I think they have some idea of Hiroshima. The peace memorial was a life changing experience. I headed back to the city to meet, Nick and his friend Sean who unknowing were my valentines after all it was February 14th. Valentines day in Japan is celebrated by the woman presenting a man with a gift. In turn a month later if the man decides he likes the woman he will return the favor by giving her a gift. Hitting home once again how misogynistic Japan truly is. I was delighted though by the sushi and squid chocolate, not to mention the 'hello kitty' goodies, that I could give for gifts. The next day I checked out the most incredible aquarium. On my final day I saw a movie, the first movie I have seen in a theatre since moving to Japan! The following day my dad and brother, Matt, arrived in Japan! We had the most amazing visit together. We did Japan: from Osaka, we went to the 'Naked Man Festival' in Okayama, next was my town little town. For three days I took my dad and brother to work. My favorite principle took us out for an incredible meal and is currently in the process of painting our portrait! My middle school students finaly stepped up to the plate and were a delight. The English department took us out to dinner too. My very, very sweet friend, Somei, brought over two huge crabs, tons of fish and enough rice to feed an army. We bullet trained our way to Hiroshima, dined on Okonomiyaki in a nine person restaurant, walked the hallowed grounds of ground zero of the A-bomb, and headed to an island known for being the third prettiest place in Japan. From there we zipped our way up to Kyoto and stayed in a traditional Japanese inn. We stumbled upon an international day so my dad and brother got to explore the traditional arts and crafts of Japan, which worked out perfect on the only rainy day of the trip. Of course I was very sad to see them go and a part of me wanted to go with them, but I cannot tell you how comforted I am by the fabulous memories of the trip. I can't be sad or homesick!The last week I've been taking it easy as the weather has gotten cold again. I am currently in the process of a "24" (series) marathon. Signing off for now!

Kyoto

Kyoto, Matt and dad learn the art of tea pouring, game time, and shrine seeing.

Hiroshima

Hiroshima and the bullet train.

house

Cooking at my house and my new garden.

teaching

Teaching with dad and Matt. We give my junior high school students their first taste of peanut butter and jelly.

Matt and I the first night in Japan. Day one of great food! We checked out the Osaka Castle the next day and the Naked Man Festival that night. The men run around getting water spread on them and the get to a temple where they try and capture a stick. Warm sake and fun by all!

Fish

The fish!

Peace Memorial

There is me lost and what I saw when I was lost. The peace memorial and my great uncle's name

Castle

All the building in these photos have

reconstructed. My personal favorite are the businessmen on tour. No matter where they go or what the weather they always look the same.

Arsenic and Old Lace

Images from the play. Post play party that's the photo with big wierd doll.

Happy New Year!

My new year was ushered in on the beaches of Thailand! I left a very snowy Japan on December 23rd. Having truly feared I would get snowed in. It took me five hours to get to Osaka when usually it should take about three. I happily boarded the plane with Rashad, a fellow teacher from my town. As we sat in our seat browsing the movie listings, the passenger sitting next to me arrived placing her various belongs in the front seat pocket, when suddenly the passenger behind her said excuse me and she yelled, "I can't go anywhere asshole." Rashad and I almost died in a fit of "I cannot believe what just happened laughter." I spent my vacation mostly south of Bangkok. I lingered on the beaches reading through several books, took advantage of Thai massages and cheap spa treatments, dined on exquisite Thai curries and noodles, rock climbed, explored the black markets of designer copies, was blessed by a monk, just to name a few things. I traveled down to Kuala Lumpur for about thirty-six hours. Their reserved, colorful, respectful culture was refreshing. Only to return to a very snowy and cold Japan. Haven't had this weather for twenty years. So I am told... Traveling back was what some may say was a laboured journey. They gave me the wrong flight information in Bangkok and I missed a connecting flight and one holding back tears/Ally McBeal moment lead to another, when I finally found myself home a mear twenty-four hours later. To make it clear I could have flown to the USA and back in that time. I've spent the last several days at home in bed. I was delighted to find my flannel sheets had arrived from the US. Good old LLBean has become a life saver. I no longer have to turn on my electric blanket on to warm the sheets to go to bed. I have a feeling my new love for my flannel sheets will find me in bed when ever possible, reading the stack of books I have composed and promised myself to read before the winter is out, as well as enjoying my very cheap black market DVD collection on my laptop. My professional life here in Japan is at the moment in a bit of an upheaval as Rashad is leaving and the Board of Education has decided I should take over his duties as well as my own. Very sadly this means my very favorite elementary school days are most likely going to be cut down to a bear minimum. Everything just boiled over this very morning so the situation is still foggy. As it stands right now I will not be re-contracting, but returning home in June. My schools are greatly disappointed. My thespian days are numbered, as we will finally be performing our play next week. I can't wait until it's over! It's been a lot of fun, but I am ready for the finished product. It should be interesting as most of the cast as of this week is sick. No, really it's going to be great!I am looking forward to the months of ahead. I have journeys already planned through July. Of course all subject to change. I am most certainly looking forward to spring when I will get to stop battling the cold! I think I've said it before but I'll say it again, I feel like a pioneer woman sometimes lugging and filling heavy kerosene containers in and out of my house. The roads are so icy I've become some what of a professional ice skater on my walks to work. Of course the driving which I thought couldn't get any slower in Japan has slowed down ten fold. I hope you find some of my accounts humorous as in many ways I have to because things are simply just so different. Happy and Healthy New Year!Love to All!