RainCastles Blog

End of October and November E-Newsletter - Part 1

Realization…

Recently, I was working on an acquaintance’s introduction to their thesis. I am realizing that I have been very fortunate to learn all that I have by my age. The person I am helping with his thesis is from Southeast Asia and it’s becoming clear to me that although he has a M.A. on paper, some of the basics of setting up and executing a thesis were not part of his education. Fortunately, I am in the process of doing the same myself and have along many resources to help me out. So out come the handouts from my May and summer classes and the notes and the books and the references and the charts….it’s kind of funny. He looked at me at one point and asked me why I have all of this info and if I really used it for mine. I had to explain that, indeed I have been referring to the info I have and that I had classes that help me do just what he is wanting to do—an evaluation of a project.

Chinese Party (as the person who invited me to it called it…)

We had a party at a friend’s place and ate until we were more than full. Have I mentioned that I love real Chinese food? Oh yeah! After a delicious spicy start to the meal, we all worked together to make a course, Chinese dumplings (or potstickers as some may call them). It was a riot with about eight or nine people in a studio apartment making balls of dough or smooshing dough or rolling dough or stuffing and crimping them shut or cooking them up as quickly as they could be made. Each time we had a plate full of cooked ones at the table, we all stopped what we were doing and dove in. A word to the wise, those puppies are hot on the inside right out of the pan. One fellow and I both burned our mouths and hands upon impact, so to speak. It’s ok though: we made everyone else laugh by running to the kitchen faucet for some cold water relief.

After our delicious dining endeavors, most of us headed out for karaoke at one of the other karaoke places in town. This one had a broader selection of English songs and songs in general, it seemed. We rented one of the rooms (turned out to be a big one) and sang until our voices were hoarse. Acquaintances of friends met us at the karaoke and they happened to be new students on the intensive language and culture program. It was interesting how things played out. We all had a good time, but a couple of people asked me how old these American girls were. When I explained that they are probably about 20 or so since they are in college, they had thought they were much younger. I mentioned that perhaps they had something to drink at the other party they were at since they had just come from a costume party. It reminded me a bit of other Americans I’ve encountered overseas, except these girls were acting much less capable than other instances I recalled.

The first group of us ended up leaving a bit after 2am. I felt so bad, the fellow who had offered to drive us home in two shifts was just exhausted—they party had been at his place, so he had been working on that all day too! We offered to walk or take a cab, but he wouldn’t hear of it. So, after we were dropped off near one person’s apartment, I picked up my bike and made it home…although I couldn’t quite get to sleep until a little after 4am.

November

I bought a hair dryer—I know it doesn’t sound like an interesting purchase, but besides blow drying my hair, it’s perfect to warm me a bit when my fingers are cold while typing or if I need a bit of a warm boost while studying. Hey, it’s not my idea, thank my college roommate, Sara, for this strange idea.

I also made a visit to an elementary school. Here are some impressions about the school:

The children are very well-behaved and the teachers are quite good at dealing with students that are excited by visitors. One thing that I was surprised by, but perhaps should have expected was that it appeared all of the students we encountered were Japanese students. I did not see any visible racial diversity.

I was impressed to see some ability diversity in that there were a handful of students 1-6th grade in a special education room, however all of the grade levels seemed to receive the same lessons. I understand that in most cases students visit special ed for an hour or two a day and are mainstreamed with the general population the rest of the time. I saw one boy who was confined to a wheelchair and seemed to possibly have a type of palsy on second floor and he was also at recess when we were outside. I did not see any elevators besides the dumb waiter that is used for the meals carts. I am not sure how he got around. Each time we saw him, he had a teacher’s assistant with him and during recess while other kids played dodgeball, his assistant and a few other kids ran around the yard with the assistant exercising the boy’s arms. I think that this attention and care through the use of touch is very important and I hope that it extends beyond open school days.

The artwork and music ability of the students we observed is quite high comparatively speaking for the 1-6th grades. I was particularly impressed with the students while practicing for a coming assembly. Every student had an instrument (recorder, blow piano, bell) and they seemed to all be trying their best.

In general, the resources I saw at the school were amazing! They had instruments as well as art materials, classroom decorations and health education posters. The nurse’s office was very well outfitted with 3 or 4 beds for sick children and in a large space. There was also ample space in each classroom for the class and I was impressed that there were only 28-35 students in most of the classes. Class size is in good proportion comparatively speaking. I was impressed by the science rooms/labs for the students. The equipment I saw would normally not be available to elementary students in the U.S. They would first encounter it in middle/junior high school (ages 12-14). The only aspect that I thought may be lacking, is the school library. Perhaps, the students/parents utilize the public libraries more in Japan than in the U.S.?

Some perspectives that I found especially “Japanese” through my American eyes, were the many different footwear a child must wear during the course of a school day. I also noticed that the students have so many bags and so many things that they must bring to and from school—I wondered how they find time in the day to use all that they have in and around their desks and still learn! I was quite impressed with all of the “Ohaio gozaimas’” and “konnichiwas” I heard from the children. They were quite willing to say hello and I was surprised by how much they defer to older people—it’s part of how well they behave, I think. I also noticed the uniforms, of course. Personally, I think that uniforms are a good idea, assuming that the parents can afford them or they are provided for students. After noticing all of the same book bags for students, I was aghast when I noticed how much they cost at the store. It is an outrageous expense that has no apparent benefit—not to mention that they are quite heavy. I would be concerned for my child’s health having to carry such a heavy backpack also made heavier with books, etc. (I know for a fact that there have been studies regarding back problems for children with packs too heavy for their frames during their growing years.)

I found the school impeccably clean and no graffiti on the walls or in the toilets. I also really appreciated the list of duties that students must do on a rotating basis--everything from saving energy to handing out papers and so on. I think that this is an important aspect and helps students learn a community-focused way of living. It shows that their actions can have an impact on others, positively or negatively. I feel that this is lacking in some regards in the U.S.

The meals demonstrated on the hallway poster looked quite nutritious and to be plenty of food for active kids. Other hallway posters I noticed that seemed to be promoting learning English phrases were a nice reminder of students coursework, but I noticed a couple of errors. I cannot remember exactly what they were. I also appreciated the posters and artwork made by the children and displayed in the classrooms, hallways, and so forth. All in all it was a really nice trip and I really enjoyed the opportunity.

Internal Culture Clash

I have noticed that each time I have encountered a German here I have been amazed at how rude they are. I think I have kind of adapted myself to interacting with Japanese people and to try to jump to interacting with a German is tough for me. I know that when I moved to Germany, it really took a good amount of time to be able to handle how low context Germans are, although they are similar to Americans in that way. I think now I am trying so hard to understand the higher context Japanese, that when I encounter a German, they seem so out of place. It’s not to say I don’t like the Germans I’ve encountered, it’s that I have a tough time interacting with them in mixed groups. I am often encouraged by others to speak German because they want to see how good my German is, and then I interact the way I would in Germany/US, I feel that I am being quite rude in my actions compared to others, mostly Japanese, around me. Yeah, well, it’s just an observation…

I also got my haircut. Yeah, it’s humid here like the belly of a hippo. I think I am going to go real short in the spring and for the summer…I am just hoping that I survive the summer heat and humidity. People have asked me what the humidity is like: it’s Tanzania, Florida ain’t got nothin’ on this, kind of humid…looking forward to the summer. “Ha-ha-ha” al a James Early Jones.

Ah, yes, my colleagues and I decided we have to have a party since one of our colleagues was returning to Viet Nam. We decided to have a big ol’ BBQ over at one colleague’s place. It was a great time, but a bit different than at home. We were primarily in their front yard and near “patio doors.” I quote those because they were like our patio doors, except they step in and out of the garden, which was their front yard, about 10”x10”. We set up three good-sized grills and at first I wondered why we needed three…well, we only ended up using two of them any way. We, the women, got the food prepared in the house and once it was all sliced up for the grill, we went outside where the men were trying…emphasis on trying…to start a fire. It was funny…a scene from around the world. Of course I had to take pictures. Once they were able to get the charcoal (real charcoal, not briquets or something) with some help from the women and kids, we started grilling stuff. I have noticed that all of the meat are sliced small and thin and have wondered why. Well, I am slowly realizing that it is because it takes more energy to cook thick meat—something that is very expensive here in whatever form. It was also good news since as we put food on the grill everyone just kind of crowds around and grabs at stuff they think is done. It was funny, and made me think if creating a Monty Python skit about human crows—ok so that’s just my mind working away on a scene that was not familiar to me!

One thing that I noticed that seemed very Japanese, as I’d imagine, is that at one point, most of the women were inside handing the food out the sliding doors and passing drinks out and empty cups in and the such. Then those who were tending the BBQs were passing them food from there. Not a bad deal since it was cooler and out of the sun in the house, but the space of the doorway is so small and your meal depends on the wills of others. Still, it struck me as a unique action.

At one point, we ran out of charcoal, so two colleagues along with the kids ran to the store. They were gone quite a while and of course without charcoal we just sat around talking and the such. At one point, one poor colleague from China shifted on the little table that I was afraid of sitting at, at it collapsed with her legs pinned in it—all of the food slid onto her and the ground. Oh, it was a mess. Fortunately, I was next to her and she is small, so I was able to help pull her upright and that allowed her legs to come out of between the table and the seat where they were being leveraged and pinched by her body weight. She was fine, probably with some bruises, but I think she was so embarrassed she just wanted people to forget that it happened. She also kept apologizing for breaking the table, more than I could imagine someone doing at home. Probably a cultural difference…I’m guessing maybe more so Japanese than Chinese.

Once the folks getting charcoal returned we ate ourselves silly and just stopped at some point. Of course, we were nearly ready to send out a search party since they had been gone for so long. During that time, one colleague started playing catch with the kids in the street. They were all having a great time. A bunch of the guys, including the German visitor, all took turns playing catch.

We decided to clean up since it was getting late and as I overheard something like “the family is getting tired” was explained. So we all dutifully cleaned up and cleared out the front yard. Once that was done, they invited us inside…to sit down and talk a bit more—so we filled their living room and spilled over into the tatami room. I like Japanese homes. The rooms can be expanded or contracted by the sliding of a few doors. There were about twenty-five or so of us and we all had a spot to sit on the floor and kids and a few colleagues tried odd human tricks in the middle…of course, then the food came again. Whatever we couldn’t finish outside was made into a yummy hash and everyone got a small plate of it. Although we all grumbled at how full we were, we ate it up and had a few more drinks. Leaving early didn’t seem to be on anyone’s mind now that we were inside. So we talked and laughed and played with the kids and whatnot. At last, a colleague’s family was there and she wanted to get her kids home early-ish for bed, so she offered to give a few others rides and me a ride to or near campus. I really appreciated that!

Some of the grammar-focused classes I have been attending are just becoming more of a pain than helping me with functioning. That and the fact that I am in three Japanese classes of some sort at the same time, has me spending a bit too much time on a peripherial focus of my time here. So, I am planning to drop the written/grammar classes and concentrate on the spoken classes of “Nihongo Model Class” and “Elementary Japanese” that moves along quickly with verbal learning—these are both much more Freire-friendly learning environments.

I also had a health check this month. It was like a conveyor belt, first an x-ray of the chest. Apparently, all students have to have one each semester!?!? Too much radiation, if you ask me—unfortunately, that means in April I have to have another. They are so paranoid about TB because it’s been on the rapid increase the last few years apparently. Then you either used a “Pee Pole” or dropped yours from that morning off. You get weighed and measured (down 12lbs since departure) and then you are off to blood pressure check. Of course, by now I have been successful using my limited Nihongo and even the words I looked up last night to memorize for this occasion—but that also means that my BP was a bit higher than normal. Then I go to the eye check, where I am supposed to say in Japanese up/down/left/right for which way the “c” is facing. Then to wait a little while until I may see the doctor. During this wait, I met a student from the U.S. She’s an art student from Florida and is in the language & culture intensive program. She is frustrated that all of the other students are drinking their scholarships away and doesn’t really seem to hang out with them much other than in classes. She seems nice enough, but I am realizing that I am a bit older than the traditional student, aren’t I? : ) Well, we talked for a bit and plan to meet sometime for coffee, it might be good if she is having a rough time finding folks not keen on drinking. Once I got in to see the doctor, he explained everything in English and all is normal and fine, no worries, problems, etc. He even had the x-ray and everything. The whole check-up was a bit less than an hour. I took this time to ask about my swollen ankles and he said it could me many things (hmmm, where have I heard that before…), but that they look fine and I shouldn’t worry unless it gets worse or there is pain.

Wouldn’t you know it, the week after a health check, I got sick! Yeah, well, I think I have determined that I kept scallops in the fridge a little too long and was too much of a tightwad to throw them away when I realized it….

Here’s and interesting website about things made in Hiroshima: http://www.pref.hiroshima.jp/shoukou/shousei/original/S10-e.html

One day this past month, on my way there some girl on a bike hit me from behind—I mean really, how daft do you have to be!?! She clipped me good and although I didn’t go down, something with my wheel and brake isn’t quite right now. She didn’t even stop, all she did was ride past and yell something. What a B! Then I saw her just about 10 meters ahead then run into two bikes head-on, this time fully colliding. By the time I got there, she was gone and the two guys were kind of shell-shocked like I had been. We just looked at each other and tittered since neither of us knew what to say or do. I hope whatever she was rushing for was worth risking life and limb. (And I secretly hoped that she would be late for it!)

Hey, it seems that I am the in-house English assistant. Naw, there have been some journal deadlines and so many colleagues are asking me to proof their abstracts. It’s not a problem since the majority of the folks who ask are already friends and I am happy to do so. It’s interesting though, there are all of these Japanese journals and they only have abstracts in them based on the research one is working on or preparing for presentation/paper at a conference. It’s really a different way of doing things. I especially learned this when I asked what style they were using, the response was “whatever is in this journal.” I looked at it and there wasn’t a perceivable standard style, nor did it say anywhere the style requested. Must be nice…

Posted by cassl001 at November 30, 2004 3:21 AM