It's Only Been Five Months?

My first semester is over. Bam. There it is. And here I am back in the States enjoying the holidays.

Before I boarded my plane to Japan in July, I promised myself to be open-minded and flexible, to listen to others, and to extrovert as much as possible (within reason). I needed to embrace and practice the humility necessary to living in a country, which despite its internationalist push, is still very much grounded in its own cultural roots. While I was hired to teach English in Japanese schools, I needed to adapt as much as possible to a Japanese lifestyle including learning Japanese.

By far language was and continues to be my greatest challenge here. Understanding and speaking a foreign language can be an incredibly frustrating experience. I pride myself on my fluency in English: to suddenly lose that overnight was admittedly a shock. Recently I found myself streaming American TV after work: I think it is because I miss English. I miss understanding the exact essence and meaning of a situation. I think it took me several months just to comprehend Japanese: speaking is an ongoing work in progress. While I studied it in high school and college, I wasn’t a serious student which hampered my learning and comprehension. I pay for that mistake daily!

And yet I relish the challenge. I grumble and complain; I laugh to myself saying, “What were you THINKING in that particular moment?” And yet I am growing and learning. I throw myself into new experiences and suffer perhaps a few ego bruises but otherwise emerge a bit wiser or at least more thoughtful than before. My comprehension increases daily: even while I may not understand every word in a sentence, I pat myself on the back for “grokking” meaning from gestures, the tone of voice, or simply the context. Every day is a lesson in communication both in learning Japanese and in teaching English. Undoubtedly the most important lesson I am learning in Japan is how to be a more effective communicator.

When I travel and tell people I live on Goto, they are utterly surprised. Goto is inaka or the rural countryside far removed from the glitz and glamour of The Big Cities. Aghast they inquire, “How do you survive?” In truth Goto is perfect for my purposes: not too many people here speak English so it encourages me to focus on improving my Japanese outside of school. As Goto is the inaka the students will benefit the most from my abilities as opposed to English-saturated cities like Tokyo or Osaka where English speakers are a more common phenomenon.

Even the locals wonder how I ended up in Goto. More often than not I notice people staring at me. I might as well be an alien. It would be unnerving if my ego didn’t get a kick out of the whole experience; I am accustomed to experiencing this surprise. At times it makes communication difficult as curiosity can quickly turn into caution: “Unknown entity approaching fast on radar! RED ALERT! SHIELDS UP!” More often than can be considered coincidence, some people will dramatically change course at the grocery store upon seeing me approach. You can’t win them all. When I do have the chance to interact with Japanese people, it is typically cordial especially when I speak Japanese however broken it may sound. Even through language and cultural barriers sincerity shines through.

As far as school, it is going really well! I especially enjoy my elementary schools. It is humbling to see how excited my students are to see me; it is even more humbling to see the effect I have on them. As one example with Christmas fast approaching I endeavored to explain St. Nicholas, the Christian progenitor of the secular Santa Claus. I told my students how my family celebrated Christmas twice—once on St. Nicholas Day (12/6) and a second time on Christmas. My teacher recently told me outside of class that her students are now calling Santa Claus St. Nicholas! More often than not my students are eager to practice English: my goal is to find ways to maintain this excitement, to keep the passion alive and thriving.

Unlike some ALTs I typically supplement my teacher’s teaching; I do not create lesson plans but provide the proper pronunciation and perhaps devise games from time to time. This makes teaching extremely easy and was truly the best way for me to transition into this new job. Yet I am hoping to take a more active role in teaching next semester. Having earned my co-workers’ trust and confidence (hopefully) I want to make the classes more interactive, to introduce “living” English instead of textbook English. I want kids to speak whatever English they can at any given moment instead of sticking to the script or hesitating when I ask the most basic questions. I’m ready to test the waters and take this gig to the next level.

Simply Conversing

Lately I have found myself enjoying conversations with random Japanese people. When I was Christmas shopping in Nagasaki, I talked with a shop owner while perusing his souvenirs and merchandise; his store has been open for over twenty years. We simply shot the breeze and I ended up buying some of his merchandise as gifts. I totally intend to visit him again next time I am shopping in Nagasaki!

I was hungry so I grabbed dinner. A couple left after I arrived so it was just me and the chef/owner, an older woman in her 60s perhaps. We talked the whole time I ate there: she even gave me a second bowl of rice with my dinner. I even ate WHALE sashimi while I was there. Honestly it’s pretty fatty and the taste is average. I don’t know why the Japanese bother killing it. We covered a range of topics from international politics to noisy Chinese tourists to our favorite meals; her daughter (about my age) is a nurse but helps out at the restaurant from time to time. She asked for me to come back next time I was in town to which I responded, “Absolutely.”

In Fukuoka I mostly drank craft beer in the afternoon and evening. I visited two craft beer pubs and had great conversations with the bartenders. They were familiar with American craft beers to my gleeful surprise. While craft beer does not yet have the same momentum in Japan as it does in the States, I am confident that enlightened individuals such as these bartenders and the customers who patronize these bars will build up the momentum create a new template for beer that is currently offered by Asahi, Sapporo, and Kirin. This is an international revolution which transcends cultural and linguistic barriers!

Capsule Hotel Musings

My night in Fukuoka was my first night in a capsule hotel at First Cabin Hakata. It was a great experience: better than any night in a hostel. It cost 5,000円 or $42.58 as of 12/22. My room simply consisted of a bed, TV, and a secure lock box: a spacious bathroom, shower, and bath pool were shared with the other tenants down the hall (no breakfast included). From what I understand capsule hotels were designed for Japan’s renowned salary men: men who worked say in Tokyo but lived far away from their job had a place to stay in case they worked late and missed the last train home. As a traveler preferring to travel on the cheap, it was a great option for me. Curiously enough there was no door to my room but instead a screen that I pulled down. And yet the hotel was quiet and because of the lock box I never worried that something would be stolen. The staff courteously stowed my giant suitcase--"Big Red--while I stayed there even allowing me to drop it off early and pick it up late. Additionally I was given a comfortable set of pajamas to wear.

Hakata 2

Hakata 1

Hakata 3

Men and women were separated into two different wings. I should add that the shower and bath were common areas: the showers had no doors and the bath was open to all. The Japanese don’t have the same body consciousness that we do in the U.S. After my first time going to an onsen or hot spring four years in Akita I am used to this cultural practice now; I have no choice! Could you stay in a capsule hotel? It’s a unique experience!

Now that I am back in the States I fully intend to enjoy my vacation. I will write again when inspiration strikes!