Most Frustrating Place in Japan: The Post Office

Last week I received a package in the mail from Japan and was surprised and sooo excited when I saw that it was from one of my favorite people-- my former student and current friend, Pyongan. So excited! *Pyongan is funny, sincere, thoughtful, hardworking, determined, smart, engaging, and has a smile that lights up a room-- so full of life!* I opened the box, which contained a woven, hanging scroll style 2012 calendar. Cool! I looked further to find a letter. But there wasn't one. ?? I kept looking, thinking it might be in the bottom of the box or stuck to the inside. But no. There wasn't one. THEN, it hit me. I realized-- he couldn't send a letter, because that would have increased the postage by ￥1000. (= more than $11) This is true. The Japanese post office charges you for including a letter in a package. I am not making this up. This is not a joke. Although it did seem like a cruel joke every time I encountered it. I remember the first time. I was mailing a birthday present to Mia in the States. The lady at the post office weighed the box and told me that the postage would cost about ￥1300. Then she said, 'There's not a letter in here, right?' What?? Of course there's a letter in there! Who sends someone a package without a letter in it?! 'Um, yes, there is.' She recalculates the postage...and the new price shows up on the register...￥2285. WHAAAT?! Are you kidding me??!! You didn't ask me if this package contains flammables, liquids, weapons, or live animals! You asked me if it contained a letter! A 'yes' reply to that question increased the postage price (which is already insanely expensive) by ￥1000?!? I am shocked and going broke. What the heck? The charge is not for added weight. It is for a sheet of paper with a message written on it. Later, I asked my friend, Matsumura San, about this. Her daughter, Yumi, was in college in D.C., so I figured she had encountered the same thing. She told me that she never includes letters in the packages she sends to Yumi...she just writes a note to her on the inside flap of the box. Huh...that's creative. I make a mental note (which is free!) to do the same thing next time, or to just mail a letter in a separate envelope for ￥105. BUT.....I forgot!! I mean, you'd think I would remember because it was such a shocking and expensive experience...but, my whole life I've been including letters in packages, so it's just so natural [LOL!] that I completely space out the insane post office rule. So...once again, I'm asked if there's a letter in the box I'm mailing. AAAAAH! YES! ;\ Yes, there is. Okay, new plan-- because, really, I can't write a very long message on the inside flap of the box...Plus, Japanese stationary is so cool, it's a waste to never get to use it (もったいない)-- so, my idea is to not go anymore to that post office where they know me. I'll go to a different one and fake like I don't understand the question, hoping (and expecting) that they'll just give me the benefit of the doubt, finding me-- by language-incompetence-default-- 'not guilty' of including a letter in the present I'm mailing. This plan also fails. I am so angry about the pure stupidity of having to pay double postage for putting a letter in the package that I ask why? [LOL!] I just realized that to an American audience, it won't seem like asking, "Why?", is an event that would require getting riled up and over-the-top angry. :D BUT, in Japan, no one asks, "Why?" People just follow the rules. To ask is confrontational, and Japanese people don't do that. (in general) So, having me ask, 'Why does the postage increase so much if there's a letter in the package?' probably felt very unnerving to the postal clerks. The lady helping me, all of a sudden, looked very worried. She didn't answer my question...she just continued pushing keys on the computer, while it seemed that sweat would start to form on her brow. If there was a security call button under the counter, I'm sure she had her finger on it. Thankfully the police were probably busy dealing with more serious crimes like stolen laundry [more to come in my next post] so they didn't respond to the call for back-up to deal with the American girl at the post office asking, "Why?" I'm surprised, actually, that the clerks knew the answer...I can't imagine that they would have ever asked their 先輩 (more experienced co-workers) why they had to charge customers double price for a letter. It must have been written into their manual. The reason for the insane charge is: if there is a personal letter included in a package, the postal staff isn't allowed to open the package to inspect it-- out of respect for the privacy of the content of the letter; the package will instead have to be inspected by a machine, which is apparently more costly. "I don't care if you open the box and read my letter", I reply. Confrontational. I mean, I'm joking and smiling big, but this kind of rule-rebellion is no joking matter for Japanese employees...and I'm sure they don't think it's funny. And there's no chance that they will actually allow my box to be put into the ￥1000 less expensive, letter-not-included pile of packages to be searched by hand and risk someone reading my letter. UGH! SO FRUSTRATING!!! What makes it worse-- or just more annoying-- is that I forget this rule repeatedly (??!!), so every time I mail a package and am asked the question, I get caught totally off-guard...the horror shows on my face...so I can't even play it off like I don't understand or just say no. The post office is my least favorite place to go in Japan. By far. THEN, it gets worse. I know-- it seems like this would be the extent of torture that a service-oriented Japanese government agency could inflict on customers who want to share awesome Japanese goods with their friends and family overseas. But, things are not as they seem. Another day, at another post office, I asked the clerk to put postage on a postcard and mail it. I knew right away something was wrong when she took it behind the counter, pulled out a guidebook and ruler, and started discussing with two other postal clerks. I looked at my friend, Chris, not sure if I should crack up laughing or roll my eyes. What could it be?? Clearly there was some serious problem with mailing this post card if it required a 4-centimeter thick guidebook and consultation with multiple people. After a few minutes, the clerk returns to tell me that she can't mail the post card because it's not regulation size. It's 1 cm shorter than standard postcards. Small items cannot be mailed because they could get lost in the mail. She presents me with the following page which she kindly copied out of the guidebook for my future reference.


OhMyGosh. Are you kidding me? Of course not. I do realize that very small items have a greater chance of getting lost in the mail. And I can agree that there may need to be some standard regarding the size of items mailed. But we are talking about a post card that is A centimeter- ONE!- shorter than the standard! I'm not trying to mail a business card. I can't believe this is my real life. Everyone's real life in this country. I mean, I guess everyone doesn't encounter this because most people never try to mail something that's not regulation size. I take the acceptable-size-mail guidelines handbook photocopy and thank the clerk while trying not to bust out laughing as Chris and I exchange looks of disbelief. The next day I went to a different post office, bought a postcard stamp, put it on my postcard, and dropped it in the mailbox myself. やった! ;D Triumph over the system! LOL.

And another thing...

Coffee shops close early!! I just went out-- at 10:30-- and couldn't find an open one! I went to three, at least one of which used to be open until 11:00. Sad. I remember now...thinking that stuff here closed early, but I had forgotten. I'm used to Starbucks being open until midnight. Bummer!

Something else I noticed yesterday but hadn't fully thought through was that when I was at the bank exchanging my yen, a line started forming behind me and my immediate response was to feel sorry. I thought of telling the teller to help them first and that I could wait. But then I realized that it was okay for me to be helped first because I was there first. I thought...this is a very Japanese response-- feeling concerned for those other people and not wanting to cause a problem for them. I mean, I don't think Americans want to cause problems for other people, but I don't think most Americans-- including myself pre-Japan-- would have thought to let the other customers go ahead of them.

A Return to American Life

Having been back in the States for a week now, these are my thoughts and observations...

I miss karaoke.
I miss using o-hashi (chopsticks) every day...I haven't yet had a meal that would be most easily eaten with chopsticks.
The airports are noisy.
There are SO MANY white people everywhere!
So many people have tattoos.
America is so much more casual than Japan. たとえば: The Zumba instructor at the gym deciding on-the-spot which song to choose from her iPod play list for the next routine...as opposed to my Japanese Zumba teacher, 木村さん, who always has mix CDs cued up with the songs in order. Also, while I was meeting with a staff member at the school district office to sign my teaching contract and other paperwork, another employee walked in and greeted that staff member with a hug.....during work! while she was doing business with me! A hug!?!
I miss karaoke.
Drinks at restaurants are HUGE, and the servers keep refilling and refilling your glass even if it isn't empty.
"Hot, humid" weather in Colorado is like the one cool day of Spring weather in Gunma.
All the TVs at the gym broadcast in English, which means I can understand all of them...and it's information/stimuli overload.
I miss karaoke.
Horrible Japanese fashion has invaded and is being sold and worn in America.
There are so many overweight people. Many very overweight!
Most guys at the gym are huge...with muscles.
Only a few of the people working out at the gym here look anorexic...whereas in Japan, MANY do!
I naturally walked around the gym locker room barefoot while carrying my shoes. ;) Then I realized I had to put them back on because they were the only ones I had...there wouldn't be another pair waiting for me near the gym door.
It felt really awkward to wear my shoes into the dressing rooms at Old Navy and the alterations shop.
People are really nice! (But the ones who aren't are direct about it!)
Life is easy here. So easy. Too easy?
I miss karaoke.
Sales tax is not included in the listed prices of items.
Sales tax is high.
When I get $100 out of the ATM, it is dispensed in 20s or 10s...not a $100 bill. I had forgotten that we don't deal with such large bills here...since people so often use debit and credit cards. I'm used to paying for my 450 yen white mocha with a 10,000 yen bill! I saw a sign at a coffee shop here that says they don't accept any bills over a 20! :O

There will be more to come...I'm sure...

Good-bye Letters from the ２年生 (8th Graders)

These are some of my fav lines from the ２年生 letters. The cover was drawn (painted??) by one of the girls, Sonoko. :)


I like to speak with Mya resting time. -Masao

No Mya no English. -Marumo

The class of Mya was terrible and happy. -Kotomi E.

Thank you very much for English lessons. Since I was an elementary school student. You are a very kind teacher. Please come to Japan again. I miss you. I want to see you again. You are great. That's why you, remember all the names students and teaches. Be active in the U.S. too. -Kohei Y.

When I am in a difficulty, you always teaches me....Your lesson is so popularity. -Shohei N.

I know you go to school by bike evry day. -Shoko

When I didn't like English, I meat you. I like English very much. -Junpei

My Profile
name. Mariko A.
HPB. 1998/2/6
love. ARASHI (嵐), Mya
like. iPod, CDs, DVDs, books

When I talking to you, then was very funny! I will miss you after you are gone to anywhere. -Keigo

Your smile was charming Mya. -Morio

I won't forget that I spent days with Mya. -Ren E.

Thank you maya. I never forget you. -Aoi Tkhs.

Thank you for learning my name. -Mizuki Nghs.

If I can speak English very well, then I have a lot of things that I wanna talk to you more. -Rina

I don't forget a good memory with you. -Takahiro (a.k.a. Robato)

I think you are great teacher. Because Japanese is difficult. But you learn our name. -Yuya Kdm.

Don't forget me! -Yusuke H.

Dear Mya
Do you have to go to the U.S? You can't come back to Japan? I'm so sad. I think you are good English teacher. When I was a boy, you came to Ohrui elementary school, I was so happy. I miss you. Will you come back to Japan, please. We will welcome you, when you come back to Japan. Thank you very much. I love you. 今まで、　ありがとうございました。　お元気で。 -Toru

Good-bye Letters from Class 3-1

Yesterday was my last day at school with students. ;( I'm really sad...but, surprisingly, I wasn't that emotional yesterday. It was a HUGE relief, because I fully expected to be sobbing on stage in front of 550 students and staff while trying to give my speech twice-- once in English and once in Japanese. Giving speeches is stressful. Giving speeches in Japanese is more stressful. Talking while sobbing is embarrassing. Giving a speech in Japanese while sobbing is my nightmare. I am so glad that I was okay. And I was able to just talk from the stage without crying much and without being super nervous. I got a lot of help with my Japanese translation from my good friend, Matsumura Sensei. :) Right before the assembly where I gave the speech, I had my last class. LAST CLASS!??! It was with a san-nen-sei (9th grade) class. Here are some excerpts from their letters...

I enjoyed your class. Because you teach me a lot of things with your smile. I never say "Good bye". Because I will met you again!! -Kazuya

But I love the class of the Mya. -Chinatsu

You are kind and tender. You are cute and good smell. -Chihiro

That is made annoyingly at class and not breathed in always. However, Mya taught always gently...It is lovery Mya and it exists indefinitely. -Riri

I am poor at studying English paticulaly. But thanks to Mya. I am good at English a little. -Yusuke

When the earthquake occurs, Mya didn't return. Everybody was very relieved. We love you very much. -Momoka

I owe like English to you. -Aika

I think that want to you give something to thank. But I can't. So the letter write hard. -Miki

How was your staying in Japan? good or bad? I lived all this while in Japan. It's a very good place. -Seina

Thank you for the earthquake's happening and teaching English though it was serious. -Katsuhisa

えいごのじゅぎょうでこころにのこっているのは、　here と hear　をまちがえたことです。 -Takahiro

Good-bye Letters from Class 3-4

Reading these good-bye letters makes me laugh and cry. Here are my favorite lines from the students in class 3-4.

I don't forget you. -Hyuga

I like your class of all. -Ryo M.

I like English. Because I can read English. I'm happy to study English with you. -Kota

Because you taught English us I can understand. -Risa

I'm a member of rugby club. I'm famous for the world. -Keisuke

I can hear real English very good! -Shun

I think that English is difficult but it is fun and important. I'm happy to meet you. I'll never forget you. -Takahiro

My name is Ken. I'm from Japan. -Ken

I'll give you a point. Very funny. -Yoshinary [This is an inside joke in this class...One time when I said, "I'll give you a point", it sounded like a Japanese sentence...so it turned into a play on words. We all cracked up! After that, whenever I went to 3-4, it came up again and again.]

Thank you for listening to my suffering. When I do not understand it by a class, thank you teaching it kindly. "I'll give you a point" was very interesting. ...I never forget it for the days that I spent with you. -Yuka

I want to be a scientist, so I study science hard. Another dream is to go to other country. I will go to there alone if I become a man. -Souta

Talking with you very happy. -Takeshi [I like this comment because Takeshi never seems happy to talk to me...and I always feel like he doesn't want to talk to me...so I just say hi and try not to bother him. I'm really surprised and relieved that he says he was very happy to talk with me!]

I have ached eye. -Ryouta

Because you return to the your house; I am sad. I want to study English more, and to visit your house. I wanted you to teach English more. I don't forget you for a long time. Thank you for reading this letter from me. -Souki

Please don't forget this school indefinitely. -Chihiro

I want to talking with you many times. So I'm sad. It is hard for me to study English, but I like English. I'll study English hard. -Nami

I've been happy to study with you. -Mizuki

When I talked with you, I was happy. I want to be a good baseball player. Because you will be a good English teacher. -Atsuya

Talking with you was a lot of fun. -Keisuke [He's another boy who doesn't ever seem like he wants to talk to me...Surprising comment!]

I will study English very heard. Because when I meet Mya I want to speak in real English. -Murakami

You were understanding Japanese. So I can speak with you. -Kei

Your advice was a great help to me. -Suzuka

I have been happy to study with you. -Hirata


Me, too! I have been happy to study with you.

Progress Recognized

Today, for the first time, I attempted and successfully arranged for a package from Amazon to be redelivered at a time when I knew I'd be home. =) When I got home from school today there was a notice saying that the delivery service had tried to deliver the box. Usually I would wait until the next day and ask one of the teachers at school to call the delivery service for me. I don't like calling businesses and having to speak Japanese. Trying to read a complicated website in Japanese is also daunting. But today's package contains a book (You Are Special by Max Lucado) that I ordered to use for my final lessons at elementary school on Wednesday, so I really needed the box ASAP. I didn't think I could wait until tomorrow...so I debated about calling my friend and neighbor Sayoko to ask if I could go over and have her call for me...but I thought I'd just attempt the website. At first I really didn't even know what link to click on the company's homepage, but by comparing the kanji with what was written on my delivery notice I was able to figure it out! And I was able to read the online forms enough to navigate my through them...and just a little while ago my box was delivered! やった！ In English, this would just be a little thing, a chore to check off my to-do list. But in Japanese, I feel like this is an accomplishment...and encouraging evidence that my Japanese has improved.

以下の内容で再配達依頼の受付を完了しました。 確認のため、受付完了メールを送信します。 メール送信を希望されていないお客様は、この画面を保存いただくことをおすすめします。 ご利用ありがとうございました。 ※依頼内容に変更がある場合は、下記お問合せ窓口にご連絡ください。

伝票番号	309572035054
再配達のご希望日時	2011年7月11日(本日) 20時から21時まで
お名前	てりあると まいあ
フリガナ	テリアルト マイア
法人名
部署名
お電話番号
メールアドレス	受付完了メールを送信しない
郵便番号	〒 370 - 0046
ご住所	群馬県

Student Good-byes

On Friday I had my last class with 3-3 (3rd grade (U.S. 9th grade)
class 3)...sad!! Masayuki, who is the English gakkari (student in charge of checking in with the English teacher regularly and relaying important info to the rest of the class), presented me with a book of letters from all the kids in the class. Here are some of my favorite lines...

I enjoy going to school every day...Thank you for teaching us native English. --Toshiki

By the way, My hobby is watching TV. -- Keisuke

I don't have dreams so I will find dreams. --Haruka

I'm not good at English. But I like English. --Ayaka N.

Answering my question all the time. I always enjoyed Mya's class. --Yuri

I like fish very much. But you doesn't like fish, doesn't you? Fish is very delicious. So I want you to like fish someday. ...And you always dress well. --Mao

I don't forget you. --Sota

Thank you for teaching. I didn't like English. But I like it now. :-) -- Ayaka I.

We speak and study and have a good time. --Daiki

If I'll be a English teacher, I hope like you!! --Tetsuya

By the way I'm so so. --Rikiya

You have worked hard in this school trying to make us develope English. --Ken

I want be very good father. --Ryuya

I love love love love Mya. Thank you for answering my questions. --Mikiya

I love sweets. Because I can be happy. --Honami

I have a stecker from Mya so I'm happy. --Takumi

my dream is wont to speak English it --Kyouhei

I want to speak English. --Kenta

I'm tired and sad and soso and fine and angly and hungry and sleepy and by the way I love you. --Ryonosuke

Aaah...I'm SO sad to leave these kids. I can't believe I have to say good bye to 20 more homerooms full of kids in the next week and a half and give 7 good-bye speeches, plus try to catch up with the kids in the 4 classes I don't have anymore classes with. やだ。　本当にさびしい。

Clarification of which socks are banned

As I wrote a couple posts ago, we have a new school rule banning short socks. Here is the poster that was distributed to clarify which lengths of socks are banned-- as indicated by the infamous "batsu" X. The acceptable sock lengths are those with a "maru" circle above them. This is still crazy to me.

Tsunami Cleanup

This past weekend I went up north to Miyagi Prefecture (宮城県) to volunteer with disaster relief efforts. I've been wanting to go ever since the earthquake and tsunami struck and definitely wanted to make it up there before leaving Japan. I'm so glad it finally worked out. I was able to go with a great group-- Sarah, Chris, and Sayoko, who are also English teachers, and my friend, Reiko, who is the dietitian at my elementary school. We went to a town called Watari-cho, which is just south of Sendai. I had heard from some other English teachers in my city who went up about a month ago that the town was about 60-70% destroyed, but since it wasn't one of the hardest hit places, there haven't been very many volunteers going there. It's only about a 5 hour drive from here, so we could go over a weekend. We had to wake up around 2:30 to be on the road by shortly after 3:00 a.m. in order to make the drive and find our way to the Watari-cho Volunteer Center in time for the 8:30 a.m. daily job auction. In a room crowded with a few hundred volunteers I struggled to hear and understand the details of each job being introduced. Reiko clarified what the speaker was saying, and when there was a job that seemed like something we could do-- shovel dirt, pull up carpet [at a location where a toilet would be available for us to use] all five of us raised our hands, stood up, and I pushed forward eagerly. Even though the group was only supposed to be 20 people, and several other groups had got up sooner...and the announcer said there were only 3 more spots, I asked him if 5 of us could join, and he agreed. Sweet! We had a job assignment...after 3 months of waiting to go north, 5 hours driving, and 45 minutes of signing up and figuring out what was going on, we were gonna get to help. When we pulled up to our job site, it seemed like we had been tricked into doing Saturday chores for people who were trying to take advantage of the volunteers trekking to their prefecture. The neighborhood didn't look like it had even been touched by the tsunami. !? But a few minutes later we found out that the tsunami HAD reached this far and had flooded the fields with salt water, including those of Mori San-- whose house we had just arrived at-- rendering them useless for years to come. He told a couple of us that he hasn't been able to earn any money since the disaster. In his farming equipment garage he showed us the line on the wall where the water had reached about a meter high. The floor was caked with a thick layer of dried mud that the tsunami washed in. A group of 22 of us-- volunteers who'd driven up from Tokyo, Nagoya, and Gunma (us), as well as Red Cross volunteers-- set to work sweeping out the garage, cleaning out another supply shed, and pulling up tatami flooring that had been flooded. [Cultural Note: We were told that the males should move equipment in the shed, and the females should sweep the garage. It's surprising how gender roles are so clearly defined and blatantly, shamelessly stated here. Good thing I've had lots of experience at school sweeping while the male teachers stand around.] In the garage there was a narrow half-boxed-in ledge that ran the length of the wall. It was also full of dirt, leaves, and debris that had been washed in. Because of the width and shape of this ledge, it was really hard to get the insides cleaned out. When our leader asked us if we needed any tools/supplies other than what we had, we told him we needed a small brush or something. Soon after, we were given a toilet brush. It was the perfect size and worked really well. A few times while working it struck Sarah and I as funny that we were cleaning out the garage with a toilet brush! I'm sure it got more use in that one afternoon than in all the years it may have been used for cleaning toilets. After several hours, once we'd gotten rid of all the dirt, we formed an assembly line to move 15 kg and 20 kg bags of seeds from the shed to the garage. I was so glad to have the chance to meet Mori San and his wife that day, and to listen to their stories. Although it made me sad. Mori San's eyes smiled brightly even as he was telling us about the difficulties he's facing. I wish I could be friends with him. Just before leaving their house, I went to tell his wife that I'm a Christian and that I went to help them because I wanted to communicate God's love for them. I told her that even though things are tough now, God doesn't forget about us or our situation. I also got to give her 1 John 4:9-10 in Japanese: "In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins."


The next day our group was sent to a strawberry patch to volunteer alongside Japanese Self-Defense Forces Personnel (自衛隊) picking up and bagging trash. It seemed kinda funny that we were assigned to the same job as these strong, capable, military-trained soldiers. It was kinda cool though, and we got to talk to some of the young ones during the break times. I was curious to know if they were all from that area or if they were from all over the country. So, I asked several of them. I was shocked and instantly regretted that question when one girl answered that she was from Ishinomaki. There was nothing I could say, other than a stunned, wide-eyed, solemn, "Oh!" Ishinomaki was one of the very hardest hit cities. I'm sure at least some of her family and friends must have been washed out to sea. !!! Oh, man! Another volunteer pointed across the field to the opposite block where there wasn't anything and said, 'My house used be over there.'

When we had driven up to the field, it didn't look like there was really that much debris. Once we got out of the car and walked out to the field, though, we could see that there were many tiny pieces of garbage. I filled my trash bags with sheets of plastic, twisted metal, broken glass, half of a broken CD case, a travel toothbrush case with the toothbrush still intact inside, flower pots, some plastic fork-like things that Chris and I couldn't identify, and grain-of-rice-sized pieces of Styrofoam. And it struck me as so discordant that this mass destruction that was caused in just a short amount of time by the forces of nature has to be cleaned up piece-by-piece-by-piece through the work of people. I mean, I don't know of any better way...but with all our modern technology, it was just surprising that our human hands are still the best means for recovery. A tsunami gets cleaned up by hand. !!

About 150 of us spent a few hours cleaning up in this field that already seemed relatively clean compared to surrounding areas. Yet we only made a small dent. When I think of how many other fields and neighborhoods like this there are AND THEN think of all the fields and neighborhoods that actually look like trash dumps, I cannot imagine how this is ever going to get cleaned up. It seems like it will take YEARS of volunteer efforts. It was a really good experience to go volunteer and to meet people who are living through what I'd seen on TV and heard in the news. But the most overwhelming sentiment I have is that I wish I could have stayed longer, done more, gone back.

Rules Rule Life in Japan

The rules in this country are truly hard to believe-- hard to believe what they are and how many there are. It's like the whole country (well, maybe mostly jr. high.....but not only jr. high!) is an altar boy boarding school. I'm not exaggerating. I mean if it wasn't my real life, I would not believe it. If I was reading this blog instead of writing it, I would definitely think it was just ridiculous. BUT, I hope that you will believe what you read, because it's true-- even though it's ridiculous.

Today I received the "Seasonal Change of Uniform" notice on my desk. Starting today, students are allowed to start transitioning from their winter uniforms to their spring/summer uniforms. This means that they can wear short sleeves if they want to, and girls don't have to wear their vests. This transition must be completed by June 13, meaning that after that date girls won't be allowed to wear vests anymore, and no one will be allowed to wear long sleeves. Even if we have cold weather. We've already had several days of weather in the high 70s, but no one was allowed to wear short sleeves because it wasn't one-week-before-June (i.e. May 23) yet. The acceptable uniforms are dictated by the typical weather patterns of the calendar, without regard for the actual weather conditions. Who thinks this makes sense? [NOTE: Short sleeve shirts and vests cannot be worn together. Vests are only permitted to be worn over long sleeve shirts.]

Other school rules include:
-No plucking or trimming your eyebrows. (This doesn't mean you shouldn't do it at school...It means you're not allowed to pluck or trim them at all-- not even at home.)
-Keep your fingernails clipped short. (Or else, you will be made to go to the staff room and clip them over the trash can before you can go back to class.)
-Girls whose hair is longer than shoulder-length must tie it back with an elastic-- or two, but not three-- that is either brown, black, or navy blue.
-No clipping your hair in the front.
-No perming or straightening your hair.
-No colored socks-- only white.
-During cold weather-- which according to the school calendar is Sept. 26-May 23-- if you wear a coat, gloves, or a scarf, they must be navy blue, black, gray, brown, or white.
-No bringing backpacks into the staff room.
-No wearing sports team uniforms in the staff room.
-Girls may not wear pants, except for when wearing sports uniforms.
-Boys must button their Mandarin collar suit jackets up all the way to the top button (or not wear them at all). If you take your jacket off, you must also take your sweater off because sweaters are not allowed to be seen, even though they're allowed to be worn.
-P.E. uniform jackets must be zipped up all the way to the top (or not worn at all).
-No going into any classroom other than your own.
-No spending the night at a friend's house.
-No going to an arcade without parent supervision.
-No stickers or key chains on school bags or gym bags.
-No food of any kind is allowed to be brought to school. (You must persevere through the hunger (and pay attention in class) for the approximately 5 hours between when you eat breakfast around 7 or 8, have morning tennis, soccer, baseball, or volleyball practice...maybe have P.E. and when you eat lunch at 12:55.)
-Mints are also strictly forbidden.
-Of course, no make-up, nail polish, or pierced ears.
-Even for teachers, there isn't supposed to be eating at school, other than lunch...Unless the food was given to you as a present from another staff member. [This loophole makes the whole rule even more incomprehensible.] **CONFESSION: I have actually snuck a Tupperware container of peanut butter toast into the bathroom at school and eaten it in the stall because I couldn't last the 6 hours between breakfast and lunch. WHAAAT?! Who does this?? This is my real life. This is my real life? This is my real life! OHmyGOSH. I'm always wishing that someone would bring back peanut butter toast for a staff room present.

I think there are many dozen more school rules, but many of them have become so commonplace to me now that I can't even remember them. OH! I almost forgot...There is a new school rule this year: Girls are not allowed to wear short socks. Of all the rules, this one brought the biggest surprise recently. I thought we already had every conceivable rule, but some teachers managed to think up another one! Aah, one more...this is an elementary school rule: (Are you ready for this?! I can almost not even write it without laughing out loud at the absurdity of it.) No putting your hands in your pockets. (If you do, teachers may use packing tape to seal your pockets shut.)

Outside of school there are innumerable societal expectations that regulate everyone's lives, even though they may not be written.
-Be quiet on trains.
-No eating or drinking on trains.
-No eating or drinking while walking.
-Water is mainly for washing, not drinking. You are allowed to drink water, but you will get questions and strange looks. And if you order it at Starbucks, they will give you a 2 oz. shot of water, which you will have already drunk by the time you walk to your table.
-At staff dinner parties and other official functions, there is to be no drinking before the official "kampai" (cheers). Even if you're thirsty and there is a beverage in front of you, you may not take a sip.
-Women should not sit cross-legged when sitting on the floor in restaurants or homes. Sit in seiza. **NOTE from Wikipedia: "Those unfamiliar with seiza will likely find that maintaining it for more than a minute or two tends to lead to loss of circulation, with the accompanying 'pins and needles' feeling, followed by painful burning sensations, and then eventually complete numbness in the legs." Awesome.
-Wearing sunglasses is really, really unusual, so if you wear them, you will definitely get lots of comments about how cool you are and how you look like a Hollywood star. You will have to explain again and again and again how light-colored eyes are more sensitive to the sun...and contort your face to demonstrate how if you're not wearing sunglasses you have to squint when it's bright outside. All of this is just embarrassing. Especially because it's really frowned upon in this culture to draw attention to yourself. (As though you're wearing sunglasses in an attempt to draw attention to yourself and make everyone think you're ultra cool!) ;D

It's hard for me to recall all the rules and expectations that used to be news to me but now just seem normal. ;D The rules in Japan that make me the most crazy are the post office rules. They require an entry of their own. Stay tuned...

English is hard.

To get my education endorsement in ESL during college I had to take Structure and Development of the English Language. I was somewhat interested in and very mind-boggled by the details of English grammar. Now that I'm actually working as an English teacher for people learning English as a foreign language, I realize more and more how complicated some parts of English are. Students, Japanese English teachers, and friends ask me all kinds of questions that I have no idea about...because I've never thought about them...because as native speakers we just use grammar without thinking about it. Even if I do know what's correct and why, it's really hard to clearly explain in simple English the difference in how to use "Who smokes in class?" and "Who smokes in the class?" How about this...why is it okay to say, "People from all over the world...", but not okay to say, "People in all over the world..."?? Is there a difference in how we use, "She couldn't have said that," and "She can't have said that"? Though there's only one small word different, there is a very big difference in the meanings of, "I met her at college", and "I met her at the college". aaah! I actually feel really bad for people learning English.

The News

I always have so many things I want to write about...but not enough time or energy. Lately I've been putting off writing, because I think people are expecting me to say something about the earthquake and everything that ensued-- and is continuing-- but I don't have much to say, really. I mean, I could describe situations that I was in as a result of the earthquake, but they don't seem that interesting to write about. And I don't really know what's going on up north. BUT I have heard conditions are still really, really awful..."worse than what you see on the news"...and that many evacuation centers are being run by the Yakuza (Japanese mafia) who are confiscating donated items and then trying to sell them to victims at astronomical prices. Please continue to pray for Japan and find ways to help the victims. [See CRASH and Asian Access.] Other than these bits of info, the other thing that really stands out to me now about this experience is that I've lost almost all trust in the American media. I don't trust the Japanese government to report the truth either. It's a scary feeling to NEED accurate, potentially life-saving, information and not be able to find it anywhere or know it if you have found it. In the most uncertain days of the aftermath I didn't know who I could believe. Are there any trustworthy, non-hyped, non-secretive media sources??!!

Japanese [Life] Lessons

Some Japanese words I learn because they're grouped together in my textbook, and I study them systematically, saying them to myself again and again and coming up with mnemonic devices to remember them.
This week I studied:
tablespoon
teaspoon
cutting board
kitchen knife
seasoning
chop ingredients
cut in 3cm pieces

I'm not sure when I'll ever use these...but hopefully I'll have a chance to.


Some Japanese words I learn because I'm in a situation where I need them or where I hear them again and again.
Recently I've learned:
ゆれてる (It's shaking.)
ゆれてる? (Is it shaking?)
よしん (aftershock)
計画停電 (scheduled power outage)
放射能 (radiation)
ヨウ素 (iodine)
核の専門家 (nuclear expert)
非難する (evacuate)
じんましん (hives)

These are words I never anticipated learning...but I've learned them without much memorization effort at all, because they've been much more a part of my life than "tablespoon" and "chop ingredients".

My Perfectionism is Unglued

"Are you good at gluing?"

This is a real question asked to me by one of my JTEs (Japanese Teacher of English) this week. I offered to help her glue the covers onto the songbooks she had copied for the 9th grade teachers (including me! Yaaay!) to use when we sang at the Farewell Assembly for the 9th graders, who are graduating next week. I wanted to believe that this question was a joke.....but I didn't really think it was. Despite it being a serious question, I couldn't think of a serious way to respond. All I came up with was an out-loud-laugh and a sarcastic, "Yes, I'm an expert at it." ;D I mean, seriously!! Are you kidding me?!?! AM I GOOD AT GLUING??? Do you think I'm an idiot? Apparently. Do you have any idea about my life? I am a trained teacher. I moved halfway around the world by myself. I live in a foreign culture where everything is complicated and hard to understand. Do you have any idea what I did to get this job? I completed a quarter-inch thick application-- including essays, recommendation letters, transcripts, fingerprints, a background check by the FBI-- in triplicate. I was interviewed intensely by a panel at the Japanese consulate who asked me everything from how I feel about women's rights...and how I'd feel about being asked to serve tea...to how I'd adjust to the role of assisting teachers in their classrooms when I was accustomed to being an independent teacher in my own classroom...how I'd introduce myself to students in simple English...and how I'd explain American foreign policy to Japanese high school students with limited English ability. I was all of a sudden confronted with one of the interviewers speaking Japanese to me-- Japanese that I didn't understand. But nowhere in that insanely long screening and selection process was I ever asked, "Are you good at gluing?"

Like I mentioned in my previous post, this experience in Japan has helped me recognize my own culture. And I think it is actually one of the best things about this whole experience-- partly because it was so unexpected...and partly because this overarching knowledge will affect the rest of my life. I mean, I came to Japan expecting to learn about Japanese culture and Japanese people's ways of doing things, but it has come as a really big surprise to me that I've learned so much about American culture and myself. A great surprise! =)

And in the case of Ms. AreYouGoodAtGluing-- a terrible surprise. ;[ This is a teacher who is an eXtReMe perfectionist. (Except of course when it comes to creating worksheets with awkward and wrong English and THEN asking me to check them 5 minutes before class, and when I point out 2 or 3 of the several English problems, responding with, "Well, I've already copied them, so I can't change it." When I dare to point out one more serious error that shouldn't be presented to students on a worksheet, she says, defensively, "Okay, that's enough.") Anyways, back to the point. This is a teacher who thinks that her way of doing things is the right way and that no one else can do as good of a job as her. So even if I am good at gluing, if it's not her way of gluing, it's not acceptable. We recently started a point card system where kids can earn stamps on their point card if they answer questions in class or initiate English conversation outside of class. She was really reluctant to allow me to stamp kids' cards instead of telling her who initiated English conversation so she could stamp their cards. Sometimes I do stamp their cards, but if she's around I'm a bit nervous about it. (!!!) Tolerating such condescending, micromanaging, I-can't-trust-you-with-anything treatment from her for the past 2 years has been terrible! Being a semi-perfectionist, like-to-have-things-done-my-way, excessively-attentive-to-inconsequential-details-person myself, I can relate to this teacher. THIS is terrible...to realize that I have been guilty of making other people feel as terrible as she makes me feel. UGH!! Working with her and being on the other side of the situation has been like a mirror reflecting the light back to the base of my light house (see post from Feb. 9). It makes me want to abandon my tendency toward very specific expectations and give people the trust and freedom to do things their way, even if it's not my way. Even though I REALLY like details to be attended to in certain ways ;D I REALLY, REALLY never want to make anyone feel like this perfectionist makes me feel. Although this isn't a lesson in American culture, it is a valuable lesson about myself...and I'm thankful for the experience.

Did you know...?

On my bulletin board at school I have a section called "Did you know?" where I post facts about American jr. high, American holidays, etc. that I figure most Japanese jr. high kids and teachers don't really know. From time to time, it occurs to me that there are random things about Japan that most Americans don't know. For example, did you know that Japanese toilet paper isn't perforated?

Did you know that most public restrooms don't have hot running water?

Did you know that in most prefectures all elementary and jr. high kids AND teachers eat school lunch every day?

Did you know that before lunch is served, the principal has to go to the kitchen and eat his/her lunch first to taste-test it? [I just found out about this last week!! I always wondered where my principal went every day before lunch. HA!]

Did you know that during the summer when it's really hot, the regular size milk cartons that we usually get with school lunch are sometimes replaced by extra large cartons of milk to help quench thirst? (!!?? Seriously, who wants to drink more milk on a hot day??)

Did you know that Japanese people don't really drink water much? (They drink green tea.)

Did you know that a lot of jr. high teachers wear sneakers for their indoor shoes at school even when they're wearing suits? (??!! On that note-- a side story--> One day at the beginning of last year I saw one of the new teachers wearing Crocs with his suit, and I thought, 'Oh, that looks nice!' And then I thought, 'Something is seriously wrong with the fashion here if wearing Crocs with a suit seems "nice"'!!) :P

Next, did you know that in jr. high, attendance is taken by teachers with clipboards and class lists checking the shoe cubbies at the school entrance to see which kids haven't changed from their outdoor shoes to their indoor shoes (indicating that they haven't arrived at school)? (You can see that #20 in class 3-4-- fourth from the top, second from the right-- wasn't at school the morning I took this picture...because his/her indoor shoes are still in the cubby.)

Did you know that you can't take leftover food home from most restaurants?

Did you know that at restaurants you usually only get one menu to share between everyone at the table?

Did you know that you're expected to be quiet (as in, not talk) on trains?

This list is turning out to be longer than I planned, and I could keep going...but it's dinner time. So I'll save others for another post. Hope you learned something new!

The base of the lighthouse is the darkest.

Yesterday on her way past my desk and out of the staff room to go to the weekly staff meeting (which I don't attend), 荒木先生 Araki Sensei said-- in her endearing way-- "Mya, bye." = ) Then 藤井先生 Fujii Sensei followed and raised her hand in a dramatic wave and proudly busted out the three words of English she knows, "See you again!" This was the happiest moment of my day. I had actually had a good day with many happy moments, but this surpassed them. To be called by name...to be addressed by someone who doesn't have a specific need to talk to me, but does anyway...these are the makings of a happy moment. It reminded me of my trip home during Christmas...and that I still haven't written about it.

Each time I go home-- to the States-- I notice something different...things I never noticed when I lived there...things for which I previously had no lens of comparison through which I could see them. At one of the first training seminars I went to soon after arriving in Japan the keynote speaker said, "The base of the lighthouse is darkest." At the time, I considered it for a moment and thought it was kinda interesting...kinda. Now, 2 1/2 years later, after having gone back and forth between Japanese life/culture and American life/culture several times, I'm blown away by the reality of this comparison. My experience in Japan can now light the base of the lighthouse of my American life experience. This past trip home the thing that stood out to me most was HOW FRIENDLY AMERICANS ARE!!! I mean, seriously! I was really in disbelief! えっ！　アメリカ人はいつもこんなにフレンドリーだったん？！ Woah! Have Americans always been this friendly?!

I went to the dentist-- a new dentist, whose office I'd never been to before-- on Friday, the day after I arrived in the States. Then I had to go back on Monday for a follow-up visit. When I walked into the dentist office Monday morning, the receptionist immediately beamed, "Hi Mya! How was your weekend?" !!! "Hi Mya...How was your weekend?"...!!???! NO ONE EVER says that to me! (Well, actually...two of my closest friends here, Matsumura San and Shiyo, both of whom have lived in the States, do ask me.) Within a few minutes the dental office staff knew more about me than the people I work with and sit next to in my Japanese school staff room EVERY DAY. Crazy! I was soooo happy! This was THE BEST way to start off my time at home in the States. It was a striking reawakening of my senses to the friendliness and openness of Americans.

When I went to the bank to exchange my ￥ for $, both tellers who helped me asked right away if I had come from Japan...how long I've been here...what it's like to be in Japan...if the shopping is good...what I do here...if I can speak Japanese. "Wow! That must be so exciting!" they said. One of them told me all about the experience she and her husband had when they lived overseas many years ago. I thought to myself: 'Personal interactions like this would never happen in a Japanese bank.' (Although, if I-- a blond foreigner-- initiated such conversations with Japanese bank staff, they may go along with it. If they're extremely friendly by Japanese standards, they'll think of a question to ask in response to me initiating a conversation.)

As my dad and I were walking out of the bank my dad said, "Hi", to a lady we passed. I knew he didn't know her. Well...I thought he probably didn't know her....But....he just said, "Hi", to her...it seems like he must know her...no I'm sure he doesn't...my dad's just friendly...but, REALLY? I couldn't completely convince myself and fight off the temptation to ask, "Do you know her?" Of course the answer was, "No". Of course, but still hard to believe. Americans say, "Hi", to people they don't know. Again, Japanese strangers greet me-- a blond foreigner who gives them a chance to put to use the English words they remember from jr. high-- but I don't think they ever do this with each other. And unless they're obaasans or ojiisans (around retirement age or older), according to my Japanese teacher, they probably think I'm strange if I greet them first.

I love when Araki Sensei talks to me. She uses a few words of English, and I can tell she's happy to connect with me. She'll never know how much of an impact those few words and her smile have on me-- an American working in Japan...the only American in our school-- surrounded by 580 Japanese staff and students every day.

Kimono in Kiryu - 桐生の着物

Here are some pictures from yesterday and also from last month when I went with my friend Reiko and a couple of her friends to try on antique kimonos and wear them out and about for the day. Until recently I never wanted to put on kimonos, and I especially didn't want to be seen in public wearing one. Whenever I've seen other foreigners wearing kimonos I've thought they looked strange...because kimonos are obviously Japanese, and they (the women) are obviously not Japanese. I don't know...they just seemed out of place and big and goofy wearing them. It came up in conversation with my friend, Shohei, and I asked him if he thinks foreigners who wear kimonos look weird. He disagreed with me and said that when he sees a foreigner wearing a kimono he thinks, "That woman really loves Japan." hmm... I finally decided to give it a try. Surprisingly I have enjoyed wearing them.

This is my friend Reiko, who is the dietitian at my elementary school.

This is the obi, which is wrapped around your waist and fastened at the back in various designs.

Some thoughts on education...continued...

Continuing from November 26th...the story I really wanted to tell was about the ridiculous rigidity of the test-focused education system and how it often affects English students (which includes all jr. high students). I'd heard multiple stories from Japanese friends describing the same scenario I'm about to describe, and I was always baffled in disbelief. But when I actually experienced it myself, it was SO appalling and frustrating. It really makes me wonder how this place stays in business. Well, I guess as long as they stay in the testing business, they'll come out on top.

The day the 8th grade English mid-term was handed back, I stopped one of my students, Ken, in the hall and asked him how his test was. He said, "I hate Japanese English." At the beginning of this school year, Ken and his family moved back from Washington, where they had spent about 2 years. Having gone to American school and learning English as a Second Language-- as opposed to English as a Foreign Language, as kids in Japanese schools do-- Ken speaks and writes English naturally. Better than the English teachers. Much better. He shouldn't even have to take the standard English class but there isn't a differentiated (leveled) program, so there's no other class he can take. Poor kid! When I ask him what he means by saying that he hates Japanese English, he shows me one of his test questions that was marked wrong, but that he believes is actually correct. Aah, "I hate Japanese English" means 'I hate English that is awkward and rigid and used to pass tests, not to communicate.' We had recently studied map/directional related words, like: right, left, beside. On the test, students were supposed to write the Japanese word that means "across". Ken's answer was marked wrong because he had written the Japanese word that indicates being diagonally across, rather than the word that means directly across. Although the word catty-corner/kitty-corner exists, it's not like we use it all that often...AND the word "across" could obviously be used to describe something that is catty-corner to something else. I tell Ken that I agree that his answer is correct. He has already talked to the Japanese English teacher about it, but she disagreed. He asks me, "Can you talk to her and get me some points?" / "Yes!" I respond with determination-- hearing the words of Roy, my principal in America, resound in my head: "We do what's best for kids"...while, in the same instant, recognizing that I'm not at Antelope Trails anymore, and these words that I believe with all my heart aren't so easily carried out here. Of course I will go advocate for Ken. But I'm afraid. I shouldn't have to fight this hard with other teachers (!!) to do what's best for kids...but I do. I do have to fight hard because this is a system that is about test scores more than it is about kids as individuals. To people outside this system, this probably all sounds pretty dramatic for something as inconsequential as "across" vs. "catty-corner", but it's not just about this incident. It's about this system that creates this incident again and again in school after school, sending the message to kids that what matters is thousands of memorized words and formulaic, right vs. wrong English on written tests-- not using English as a tool for communicating with people and understanding media. So, I take a deep breath, put on my game face, and go into the staff room and approach Ken's English teacher. I try to be confident inside, while showing humility in my approach. I am on the low rung of the ancient ladder of Japanese school hierarchy. Despite being a native speaker (the only one in my school) and a trained, licensed teacher, with an educational emphasis in ESL (English as a Second Language), my knowledge (I'm not saying I'm an expert or anything!) and opinions have no bearing in this system. I'm abandoning my post on the bottom rung by approaching this veteran Japanese English teacher to question her decision to count a correct answer wrong. (Even now, a month and a half later, just thinking and writing about it makes me sigh with tension.) I use my gentlest, indirect English to bring up the issue with her. She explains that the word Ken wrote means diagonally across, not across. I listen and use my Japanese listening sounds and pause and then finally say that I think (ha! "I think") in English, "diagonal" can also be expressed using "across". She says, with firm frustration in her voice and countenance, "I know". "But in the textbook it says..." "We taught [this meaning]."

Are you kidding me?!?! You are counting this proficient English speaker's correct answer wrong because he didn't write the answer that you taught from the textbook??!! RI-DICULOUS! And even though he knows he can use English-- which is what matters-- he's now in this system where test points matter, so he's distraught over those missed points. I have to go back to Ken and say that I'm very sorry but the teacher won't give him credit for that answer. I try to reassure him that what is important is that he can speak English; at the same time, I acknowledge that I realize that as a student those points matter to him. I try to encourage him by pointing out that in the course of his academic career-- intense as the Japanese jr. high career is-- those few points won't make a difference. I just don't get this teacher's kind of thinking at all. I don't think she's a bad teacher either. She explains grammar clearly and tries to make learning engaging. But this prevalent philosophy of only accepting the answers "we taught" is a crime.

Thank you God for such a great day!...continued...

The other great things about Wednesday (Ha! "other"-- as though saying "goukan" instead of "gouka" (as I described in my previous post) can be called a great thing!) were: that I had several LONG, interesting, meaningful conversations with teachers... 岡田先生　Okada Sensei-- who I wish could be my father-in-law-- and I, along with 前川さん　Maekawa San sometimes joining in, talked about the difference between priests and pastors, Protestant and Catholic beliefs, God's grace and His love that doesn't have to be earned, the history of Christianity in Japan (click here to read some for yourself), 隠れキリシタン-- "hidden Christians" who lived their faith in secret while Christianity was banned in Japan, the mirrors and statues they made that secretly depicted Jesus and other Christian images, difficult to understand Bible translations and modern/easier to understand translations...He told me that he has rented and watched many DVDs that show Bible stories (because they're easier to understand than actually reading the Bible) and that he's really interested in the stories! We talked about having faith, building trust with God like we build trust with people, and I got to show him 1 Corinthians 1:25- "For the foolishness of God is wiser than the wisdom of men, and the weakness of God is stronger than the strength of men." (!!!! It was so great!) A couple times during this morning-long conversation he joked, 'Maybe I'll become a Christian today.' Please, PLEASE pray for him! Although Maekawa San was busy working and only joined the conversation intermittently, she overheard all of it...please pray for her too. This conversation left me with about 13 minutes to do some actual work before

It was time to go to lunch with 下田先生　Shimoda Sensei...which was another great thing about the day. As a foreigner, as a non-native Japanese speaker, as a person who teaches all grade levels and thus doesn't have a grade level team to be automatically included with, as a person who rides a bike instead of driving a car and thus can't invite people out to lunch...days without school lunch (days the students are on vacation, but the teachers work) are often stressful-- all morning wondering if anyone will invite you to lunch with them...hoping someone will invite you to lunch with them...hoping you won't feel like a tag-along...sometimes hoping they won't invite you because you don't want to go to the restaurant they're considering going to, and you know that as the foreigner/non-team member/bike rider you won't have any say in the decision and you'd really be happier just going home for lunch or grabbing some fast food at a grocery store. SO, it put me at great ease when shortly after I got to school Shimoda Sensei asked if I wanted to go out to lunch together and then suggested one of my favorite restaurants, which I had introduced to her the last time we went out. (Can I say that? that I "introduced a restaurant" to her? In Japanese, that's how you say it: introduce. Although it doesn't sound too weird to me now...I remember thinking before that it was weird English. Man, it's crazy how messed up your head gets with your own first language when you don't hear it constantly!)

In the afternoon when 秋山先生　Akiyama Sensei was passing by my desk, I asked him how his New Year's was. This led to another surprisingly long (all afternoon long!) conversation. It went from the coat he bought for 50% off and how Japanese people are really into name brands (apparently the 7th grade women teachers in particular! ;) shhh!), but teachers are mostly rather plain in their fashion choices (shhh!) to how he's seen on TV how Americans spend Christmas with their families and he thinks that's surprising and how I think it's weird that Japanese people go on dates for Christmas because there's no connection to the real meaning of Christmas...but then I thought, well, non-Christians in America "celebrate Christmas" and those celebrations don't connect to the real meaning of Christmas either, at which point his eyes got big and he said in disbelief: 'There are Americans who aren't Christians?!?!', 'Yeah!! Most Americans aren't Christians!', 'Most??!!', 'Well, less than half...I mean, if you asked them many people would say they're Christians, but...' Then he asked if the others were Muslims. Yes, there are Muslims...Jews, Buddhists, Atheists (a term he'd never heard before (in Japanese))...many different people. Then he said, it must be hard if you get married to someone who believes something different from you. I told him that a devout Christian probably wouldn't marry a non-Christian. We talked about Christians in Japan, the history of Christianity in Japan (twice in one day!!?), Christian schools in Japan, one of our students who wants to go to a Christian school, how most Japanese kids who go to Christian schools aren't Christians but some become Christians during their time at those schools. Around this time, 清水先生 Shimizu Sensei was passing by and asked what we were talking about. She joined the conversation, and we talked about a million other things...how she went to a Christian preschool, how during college she used to go to church with her friends and sing, and how everyone at church was soo nice, and how Japanese people mix Buddhism and Shinto (Akiyama Sensei had also never heard of Shintoism!! What?! This is the indigenous and former national religion of Japan. And most Japanese weddings are conducted at shrines in the Shinto tradition. I'm shocked that he doesn't know about this!), about sects of Buddhism and denominations of Christianity. The conversation somehow turned to Akiyama Sensei and how he's uncertain about his future. 'Uncertain about what?', I ask. 'Whoa, you're just gonna ask like that??', he replied, taken aback. With all this normal conversation and lack of awkwardness going on all day, I felt so comfortable and must have forgotten that I was talking to a Japanese person!! 'Oh! Okay, I won't ask, since you're Japanese...but Americans ask that kind of question.' To him, it must have seemed like such a personal question, even though to a typical American it would seem really off to hear a friend say that they're worried about a lot of things, but not follow up with a question. (Right?) Then Shimizu Sensei said, 'It's okay to ask Japanese people. They can just answer what they want to and don't have to say what they don't want to.' It was a relief and a pleasant surprise to hear her say that. I was feeling really bad about stepping out of line (LOL!) and making Akiyama Sensei feel on-the-spot. He went on to say that he's concerned about...jobs...passing the R-I-D-I-C-U-L-O-U-S exam process for Japanese teachers...not being married yet, and Shimizu Sensei saying that although she got married when she was 24 she thinks it's better to get married later (Akiyama Sensei is almost 29). And on and on the conversation went. Becoming a teacher in America, speaking English, English education in Japan, motivation to learn a language. I really can't believe how long we talked. At one point I think I went into career counseling mode and was suggesting job possibilities to Akiyama Sensei. I learned that there aren't full-time collegiate sports coaches (well, at least not for volleyball) in Japan.

These conversations made my day so fulfilling; and I really don't know how they happened. I feel like I could have just as likely (MORE likely) sat at my desk all day with barely anyone talking to me. I mean, it's not only me...it's not like everyone is chatting it up with each other and ignoring me...it's just that conversations like this don't seem very common at all amongst teachers at school. It was such a surprise! I seriously got about 20 minutes of work done the entire day...and I even stayed an hour late. I remember my first day back last year was like a slap in the face. The silence. The lack of questions from people (i.e. How was your trip home? and so on). THE AWKWARDNESS. But this first day back was まったく違う entirely different. hmm... It was great! Thanks, God!

Before I left, Akiyama Sensei came back to my desk and said quietly, 'Thanks for asking what I'm concerned about.' =) Soo pleasantly surprising! They do want to be asked questions! (??)

最後に Lastly, it is really exciting to realize that other than lunch with Shimoda Sensei, these conversations were 99% in Japanese. !! I mean, my Japanese really is so rudimentary (really.) but it's cool to be able to notice that I spoke and listened to Japanese for hours straight, on so many different topics. :) よかった。 I realize this is a reeaaaally long post: sorry if you're bored. I suspect it's impossible for people who haven't lived this life to understand the impact that a day like this can have...but I wrote a lot because all of this meant a lot.