Well, it`s the last of my full days at Taga. I was sad last Wednesday when I made my speech to the teachers in the morning. There will be things I miss about this work. The people and the friendly atmosphere. Everyone working together. Although plenty I won`t miss but I don`t want to think about negatives now because I`m just happy.
My ending here has been good. I feel that I have made enough time for everything and everyone I want to. I have visited everywhere that I wanted to visit. I have said goodbye to all of my schools well. I have (and will say goodbye to all my friends well), I`ve made and given and bought meaningful presents for everyone. So I have no regrets I think.
One thing I have been very touched by is the fact that two of my non-base schools have given me enkais – very enjoyable evenings. Aswell as my being paid for (and enkais are expensive) I was given lovely gifts and flowers as appreciation. I have a feeling that it is not usual to have enkais with non-base schools like this especially with an ALT that has only been here one year as I have– and I have been told that it`s because of me and my personality that Kita and Tokai both wanted to. I am very touched by that – I think they did appreciate me. Sure, I didn`t stay late into the evening working on students club activities. I always left on time. I didn`t really mark much students work. But I did make the extra effort in my own way. In ways that I thought were important. I made friends with the teachers I was teaching with. I always took time to talk with them. And I think they must have appreciated that more than I realized before. To practice their English with a native speaker is a rare opportunity for a busy high school teacher. I was an open personality. I was happy around and about the school. I always smiled at people even if I couldn`t talk to them. I was always open to them. It`s such an easy thing to do – just to be open and friendly to people, but perhaps the other ALTs don`t do it so much. Evan probably didn`t as he found the atmosphere at Taga cold – but I have found it the complete opposite – all you`ve got to do is be friendly.
I`m sure I was appreciated for my lessons too – I did have some good ones I remember. When the good ones worked well it was great – getting all the students up and doing something different. Getting a good compliment from the JTE after a good lesson is great. Getting them all concentrated on an activity is great. And it`s true that when you get a student coming up to you, saying they can`t do it, and you give them a hint, and then they work it out for themselves and you see the realization on their face and you get a really big genuine smile from them – THAT, is a REALLY GREAT FEELING.
I`m pleased with the lessons I gave them. My personality was in them – my love of maps, cultural differences, modern culture, places in the world, UK culture, Japanese culture are all what I am interested in so I designed my lessons by that. And I think they did work well overall. I`m liked by my students so they must have respected me in my lessons – not seen me as horrible, nor as a joke teacher. I`ll miss being in the street meeting them everywhere – being said “harrow Bea-sensei!” to everywhere. It is almost like being a minor celebrity in this town – but it`s nice to be liked.
I was so worried about the big speech in Japanese I had to make to all of the school on that stage with the microphone. I fluffed up the bowing (as predicted). My voice was nervous (as predicted) but it was all worth it because I got a really long and warm round of applause from that giant hall (Yao commented that) and I felt very appreciated. It was a lovely way to end. The Japanese love their formailities - I have resented them, felt frustrated by them. But the appreciation you get from doing them is there. It was the first time the students had heard me speak Japanese I expect, and perhaps they respected me for doing it in Japanese and realizing what a hard thing it was for me to do. They still all wave and say hi to me enthusiastically when I see them so perhaps some are sad to see me go.
I`m sad to go too …. But I don`t want to stay! This year in Japan has been the best year of my life so far. I have learnt so much. I have experienced so much. I have grown so much. I have grown up so much. I`ve got new ideas of how I want to live my life in England to be as fulfilled and healthy as I have in Japan. I have truly widened my horizons and I am REALLY REALLY HAPPY.
Tuesday, 28 July 2009
Wednesday, 22 July 2009
Yukata YoKATA!
It`s within my final month in Japan. And yet still! I have sizeable realizations about aspects of Japanese culture being why they are.
The latest eye-opener to me concerns explaining how and why the Japanese move how they do. I`ve always been quite bemused by how the Japanese move. And impressed by it! They tend to move quite quickly. But not in large extensive strides – the manner that most people would move in the west in, if they wanted to get somewhere quickly; they move quickly in a sort of running trot. Small, fast moving steps. Quite lightly on the floor so they are not making thuds. (I have to add an NB here to say that this movement is more typically found among women. Though, men do do this small trotting run also a lot (in addition to regular striding also). It is SO COMMON in a working environment. If there is a phone call someone will leap up from their desk and do the small trotting run to the phone. If someone asks someone to do something/ come here/ go over there – they will do it in the small trotting run.
I noticed it as a difference from a western way of moving because – although on the surface it is something small – it is obvious enough to strike me as a difference. I imagine that in western countries, in the work place people will slump up from their desk to get the phone. And perhaps trudge over to the phone. Because they are tired from getting up from their chair. Obviously people do move quickly in the west. With those big strides. But I would say generally this is done when there is a large distance to cover. Not within the room of an office. In Japan the fast movement is done over small distances.
When I had noticed this in the past I had always assumed that this interesting aspect of the Japanese was tied up with their strong work ethic. The importance to be a very keen and hardworking and enthusiastic contributory member to the working organization. But this weekend I realized this, was not the only reason.
At the weekend I went to another one of April and Jeff’s wicked parties in the countryside of Fukushima. This time the theme was national dress. What with us Americans, British and New Zealand being a bit thin on the ground re national dress someone suggested that we all buy ourselves yukata (the more informal summer version of the Japanese kimono, and where those). So, me Andrew and Jean went to buy ourselves new Yukata and all the rest of it (all the ties, and the obi belt, and hard structures, and undergarments that all strap you into this quite uncomfortable outfit).
We had a fun day the day after Yukata shopping when Tomoko drove us up into Fukushima, we went to a nature area, went on some fun slide thing which you pay money in a vending machine to use (nature rarely ever just natural in Japan). Went to eat soba in the restaurant, went to the kids park area. Jean sighed that we wouldn`t be doing any walking or exploring or anything. Which I might have sighed at before too. But to be honest I`m used to how the Japanese enjoy nature (unless you are a serious hiker). You should not overexert yourself or find ANYTHING even the tiniest bit strenuous. So we went on the ride, we ate, we mooched around the play park.
Then we went to our favourite café for coffee and cake. (I had tea and a pudding though!). Then we went to the onsen. Not that we had earnt the nice café or the onsen in any way! But the Japanese don`t think like that. If they`re having time off, every aspect of the day should be purely enjoyable and relaxing and JUST fun.
And then after a quick shower and go in the onsen us girls got changed into our yukata. First the undergarment – a kind of white hospital dressing gown, then we had to wrap a towel into a square shape and tie it with a cotton tie around our stomach (just under boobs!). The reason for this is – what is attractive to the Japanese – at least traditionally anyway – is for women to be totally flat all the way down. Therefore you put enough folded towels against your rib/ stomach area to make your stomach come out to the same level as your boobs so you go straight down with absolutely no womanly curves to be seen. Then you put on the yukata itself, pulling back the collar so you show off the back of the neck which is meant to be sexy. Then the obi is tied – Tomoko did a brilliant bow on the back of mine. Then a stiff thing is shoved in between the obi and the yukata. And there`s another tie that goes on somewhere but I can`t remember exactly. All of this amounts to a phenomenally restrictive outfit in which it is very hard to move. You can only take small steps in a yukata/ kimono because you are wrapped up almost like a mummy in all the fabric. And that`s not even considering the ridiculous wooden platform clogs that women have to wear where it is impossible to do anything other than take small steps.
So – my great realization is – that it is the Japanese traditional outfit (which is still very popular today) that is a principle cause of how the Japanese move how they do. It`s not only to look cute – but also strongly caused by the clothing (though the clothing style could of course have been designed over time to create and reinforce this style of movement that is thought attractive. All the movments that associate with the Japanese – the little run, the small slow inward steps in tea ceremony, the kneeling, the bowing: all of these movements are the easy ones to do when you are tied up in a yukata/ kimono so THAT IS WHY. What a great realization J
As an important end note to this subject I have to say how popular the Japanese traditional dress is, to the Japanese people. People love wearing yukata (despite how restrictive and comfortable I found it). There is a genuine fondness for them. I guess that people do find the look of them very attractive. I have to say – they are not something I have found instantly attractive as a clothing style – it is afterall very opposite from western fashions past and present, but, the yukata and kimono style has grown on me over the course of this year. I didn`t buy one for ages because I didn`t like them at first. But, now I finally bought one and tried it on and went to the party in it – I surprised myself and quite liked the look of myself in it! Me and Jean had a lot of fun running about like Japanese people in our yukata, having little races, pretending to serve tea to people, excessive amounts of bowing! (Bowing by the way – is one of the few movements it is possible to do very easily in a yukata. Another very interesting fitting little finding of this evening when I tried one on for the first time … given that the Japanese bow so much!)Given that the Japanese are usually entirely unfussed by fakeness – and do partake in a lot of ungenuine activities – which has pissed me off in the past – this genuine affection and use of their traditional dress in all daily life today is something that makes me feel really happy. Yuakata and kimono are sold everywhere – they are not just a novelty item that live in the past. They are part of Japan`s present. People wear them in summer in all the millions of big and totally insignificant festivals up and down this country. I see women in kimono at train stations throughout all the seasons. Like the tea ceremony which is genuinely alive in all the tea ceremony clubs in schools and the lessons women will take, and like the ikebana (flower arranging) classes and Japanses dance groups (that are always present in festival shows in large numbers from elderly participants though adults, young adults, teenagers, factory workers, kids) there are, these are the aspects of Japanese culture that is not superficialised in anyway. They are genuinely maintained through the will of the Japanese. And that makes me pleased :)
The latest eye-opener to me concerns explaining how and why the Japanese move how they do. I`ve always been quite bemused by how the Japanese move. And impressed by it! They tend to move quite quickly. But not in large extensive strides – the manner that most people would move in the west in, if they wanted to get somewhere quickly; they move quickly in a sort of running trot. Small, fast moving steps. Quite lightly on the floor so they are not making thuds. (I have to add an NB here to say that this movement is more typically found among women. Though, men do do this small trotting run also a lot (in addition to regular striding also). It is SO COMMON in a working environment. If there is a phone call someone will leap up from their desk and do the small trotting run to the phone. If someone asks someone to do something/ come here/ go over there – they will do it in the small trotting run.
I noticed it as a difference from a western way of moving because – although on the surface it is something small – it is obvious enough to strike me as a difference. I imagine that in western countries, in the work place people will slump up from their desk to get the phone. And perhaps trudge over to the phone. Because they are tired from getting up from their chair. Obviously people do move quickly in the west. With those big strides. But I would say generally this is done when there is a large distance to cover. Not within the room of an office. In Japan the fast movement is done over small distances.
When I had noticed this in the past I had always assumed that this interesting aspect of the Japanese was tied up with their strong work ethic. The importance to be a very keen and hardworking and enthusiastic contributory member to the working organization. But this weekend I realized this, was not the only reason.
At the weekend I went to another one of April and Jeff’s wicked parties in the countryside of Fukushima. This time the theme was national dress. What with us Americans, British and New Zealand being a bit thin on the ground re national dress someone suggested that we all buy ourselves yukata (the more informal summer version of the Japanese kimono, and where those). So, me Andrew and Jean went to buy ourselves new Yukata and all the rest of it (all the ties, and the obi belt, and hard structures, and undergarments that all strap you into this quite uncomfortable outfit).
We had a fun day the day after Yukata shopping when Tomoko drove us up into Fukushima, we went to a nature area, went on some fun slide thing which you pay money in a vending machine to use (nature rarely ever just natural in Japan). Went to eat soba in the restaurant, went to the kids park area. Jean sighed that we wouldn`t be doing any walking or exploring or anything. Which I might have sighed at before too. But to be honest I`m used to how the Japanese enjoy nature (unless you are a serious hiker). You should not overexert yourself or find ANYTHING even the tiniest bit strenuous. So we went on the ride, we ate, we mooched around the play park.
Then we went to our favourite café for coffee and cake. (I had tea and a pudding though!). Then we went to the onsen. Not that we had earnt the nice café or the onsen in any way! But the Japanese don`t think like that. If they`re having time off, every aspect of the day should be purely enjoyable and relaxing and JUST fun.
And then after a quick shower and go in the onsen us girls got changed into our yukata. First the undergarment – a kind of white hospital dressing gown, then we had to wrap a towel into a square shape and tie it with a cotton tie around our stomach (just under boobs!). The reason for this is – what is attractive to the Japanese – at least traditionally anyway – is for women to be totally flat all the way down. Therefore you put enough folded towels against your rib/ stomach area to make your stomach come out to the same level as your boobs so you go straight down with absolutely no womanly curves to be seen. Then you put on the yukata itself, pulling back the collar so you show off the back of the neck which is meant to be sexy. Then the obi is tied – Tomoko did a brilliant bow on the back of mine. Then a stiff thing is shoved in between the obi and the yukata. And there`s another tie that goes on somewhere but I can`t remember exactly. All of this amounts to a phenomenally restrictive outfit in which it is very hard to move. You can only take small steps in a yukata/ kimono because you are wrapped up almost like a mummy in all the fabric. And that`s not even considering the ridiculous wooden platform clogs that women have to wear where it is impossible to do anything other than take small steps.
So – my great realization is – that it is the Japanese traditional outfit (which is still very popular today) that is a principle cause of how the Japanese move how they do. It`s not only to look cute – but also strongly caused by the clothing (though the clothing style could of course have been designed over time to create and reinforce this style of movement that is thought attractive. All the movments that associate with the Japanese – the little run, the small slow inward steps in tea ceremony, the kneeling, the bowing: all of these movements are the easy ones to do when you are tied up in a yukata/ kimono so THAT IS WHY. What a great realization J
As an important end note to this subject I have to say how popular the Japanese traditional dress is, to the Japanese people. People love wearing yukata (despite how restrictive and comfortable I found it). There is a genuine fondness for them. I guess that people do find the look of them very attractive. I have to say – they are not something I have found instantly attractive as a clothing style – it is afterall very opposite from western fashions past and present, but, the yukata and kimono style has grown on me over the course of this year. I didn`t buy one for ages because I didn`t like them at first. But, now I finally bought one and tried it on and went to the party in it – I surprised myself and quite liked the look of myself in it! Me and Jean had a lot of fun running about like Japanese people in our yukata, having little races, pretending to serve tea to people, excessive amounts of bowing! (Bowing by the way – is one of the few movements it is possible to do very easily in a yukata. Another very interesting fitting little finding of this evening when I tried one on for the first time … given that the Japanese bow so much!)Given that the Japanese are usually entirely unfussed by fakeness – and do partake in a lot of ungenuine activities – which has pissed me off in the past – this genuine affection and use of their traditional dress in all daily life today is something that makes me feel really happy. Yuakata and kimono are sold everywhere – they are not just a novelty item that live in the past. They are part of Japan`s present. People wear them in summer in all the millions of big and totally insignificant festivals up and down this country. I see women in kimono at train stations throughout all the seasons. Like the tea ceremony which is genuinely alive in all the tea ceremony clubs in schools and the lessons women will take, and like the ikebana (flower arranging) classes and Japanses dance groups (that are always present in festival shows in large numbers from elderly participants though adults, young adults, teenagers, factory workers, kids) there are, these are the aspects of Japanese culture that is not superficialised in anyway. They are genuinely maintained through the will of the Japanese. And that makes me pleased :)
Saturday, 18 July 2009
For the SAKE of it.
My mood swings quickly in Japan. It`s because of the whole intensity of the situation I think. Either nice things happen and I`m so overwhelmed by the niceness of people (like the enkai with the Hitachi kita teachers on Friday – where we went to a wonderful Japanese sushi restaurant – fantastic food – great conversations – and I was given two beautiful presents), or I`m so pissed off with the stupidity of certain situations.
I still can`t get over the time wasting – the life wasting of working in a Japanese organization. We are just here for the SAKE of it. Nobody thinks about things objectively from outside of the structure. The structure is how it is so we just do it. Teachers work until late but on Friday I stayed late to wait for the teachers because of the enkai. They say they`re busy – but to be honest the teachers room didn`t look massively busy to me. They were chatting, reading newspapers – some were working but it didn`t seem all that efficient to me. Why ON EARTH don`t they just get their work done and GO HOME and see their family instead staying at work until some stupid hour.
I have realized in my time here that people just like to fill the allocated time. Nobody stops to think and suggest how things could be made more efficient – perhaps that meeting isn`t necessary for EVERYONE to attend/ necessary at all. They must adore their structure as some kind of safety net.
I think about the spot club activities – staying at Kita I heard the band practicing until 6 (3 hours after school) – and I know this will happen everyday. Yet they didn`t sound very good. You would think – for a band that practices 3 hours a day and weekends too would be world class for that amount of practice! But for me it is a kind of proof – that this system isn`t effective. They`re filling time in the band practice. Just going through the motions. Not really trying to improve. Just happy to be with each other and fill the time. (I`m not ranting at the fact they like to be together – the group spirit that is created as a result of this time filling doing a collective activity is quite an amazing thing). I just wish they could step outside of themselves sometimes and relax – follow another interest – do something independent. But perhaps they don`t want to.
And the sport – when I cycle to my yoga class at 6 on Monday evening I always see the football team training hard. And I know that’s the case every evening. And the weekends too. I remember my supervisor in response to my exclaimation at this saying – yes – but the Japanese aren`t amazing Olympians despite this vastly different level of practice between Japanese students and others around the world. Which is true. Which is also proof of ineffectivity of the excessive practice. I remember talking to Joel – an ALT in Ooarai who participates in basketball – he told me his theory – that it is just endless training – endless little drills – they only play in competitive games for the last 15 minutes of practice. And I can believe it! I went along to badminton club because I was interested in it but I only wanted to do it for an hour I said.
My theory is that the reason these kids aren`t particularly good at what they do – is because the motivation for doing it doesn`t come from them. They do it because of the teachers. They do it because of the structure. They do it to fill the time. To be in the community of the school. The competitive and internal motivation doesn`t come from them personally in general.
They`re doing it for the sake of it – like so many things in Japan. Japanese people have an amazing ability to keep going with things/ put up with things that they don`t like. Teachers complain about the fact they have to work so long in the evening – because “everbody does”. But many have complained to me – so why the hell don`t they change this ridiculous situation! Why doesn`t someone speak out against the structure. It strikes me as crazy, but they just live within the structure – for safety. I can`t work in this way. So I`m getting out.
I won`t miss the work life. But I`ll miss the social life a lot. And Japan itself. Of course I`ll miss Japan. But if I`m being objective here – I suppose that much of what I like about Japan itself is inextricably linked with how they work – the politeness, the civic mindedness, the safety, the consideration of others, the kindness – it is created by the manner of growing up and working in the such structured and community intensive settings that frustrate me so much.
I still can`t get over the time wasting – the life wasting of working in a Japanese organization. We are just here for the SAKE of it. Nobody thinks about things objectively from outside of the structure. The structure is how it is so we just do it. Teachers work until late but on Friday I stayed late to wait for the teachers because of the enkai. They say they`re busy – but to be honest the teachers room didn`t look massively busy to me. They were chatting, reading newspapers – some were working but it didn`t seem all that efficient to me. Why ON EARTH don`t they just get their work done and GO HOME and see their family instead staying at work until some stupid hour.
I have realized in my time here that people just like to fill the allocated time. Nobody stops to think and suggest how things could be made more efficient – perhaps that meeting isn`t necessary for EVERYONE to attend/ necessary at all. They must adore their structure as some kind of safety net.
I think about the spot club activities – staying at Kita I heard the band practicing until 6 (3 hours after school) – and I know this will happen everyday. Yet they didn`t sound very good. You would think – for a band that practices 3 hours a day and weekends too would be world class for that amount of practice! But for me it is a kind of proof – that this system isn`t effective. They`re filling time in the band practice. Just going through the motions. Not really trying to improve. Just happy to be with each other and fill the time. (I`m not ranting at the fact they like to be together – the group spirit that is created as a result of this time filling doing a collective activity is quite an amazing thing). I just wish they could step outside of themselves sometimes and relax – follow another interest – do something independent. But perhaps they don`t want to.
And the sport – when I cycle to my yoga class at 6 on Monday evening I always see the football team training hard. And I know that’s the case every evening. And the weekends too. I remember my supervisor in response to my exclaimation at this saying – yes – but the Japanese aren`t amazing Olympians despite this vastly different level of practice between Japanese students and others around the world. Which is true. Which is also proof of ineffectivity of the excessive practice. I remember talking to Joel – an ALT in Ooarai who participates in basketball – he told me his theory – that it is just endless training – endless little drills – they only play in competitive games for the last 15 minutes of practice. And I can believe it! I went along to badminton club because I was interested in it but I only wanted to do it for an hour I said.
My theory is that the reason these kids aren`t particularly good at what they do – is because the motivation for doing it doesn`t come from them. They do it because of the teachers. They do it because of the structure. They do it to fill the time. To be in the community of the school. The competitive and internal motivation doesn`t come from them personally in general.
They`re doing it for the sake of it – like so many things in Japan. Japanese people have an amazing ability to keep going with things/ put up with things that they don`t like. Teachers complain about the fact they have to work so long in the evening – because “everbody does”. But many have complained to me – so why the hell don`t they change this ridiculous situation! Why doesn`t someone speak out against the structure. It strikes me as crazy, but they just live within the structure – for safety. I can`t work in this way. So I`m getting out.
I won`t miss the work life. But I`ll miss the social life a lot. And Japan itself. Of course I`ll miss Japan. But if I`m being objective here – I suppose that much of what I like about Japan itself is inextricably linked with how they work – the politeness, the civic mindedness, the safety, the consideration of others, the kindness – it is created by the manner of growing up and working in the such structured and community intensive settings that frustrate me so much.
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