Miscommunication!

This morning I went to school for a farewell ceremony for teachers (yeah, even though it's spring break, EVERYONE is at school for sports practice or ceremonies or preparation for the new school year- it's quite shocking! I am the ONLY person that doesn't have to go to school everyday during spring break!) Anyways, I had been playing phone tag with my seventh grade English teacher this week, but we never got ahold of each other. This morning she ran up to me and asked if I was coming to the goodbye lunch for one of the seventh-grade teachers. I thought it had already been planned and I would disrupt the plans, and it wasn't a big deal for me to go and I was planning on going home after the ceremony anyway (I didn't know how much the lunch would cost, and sometimes these things are up to $50), so I said I wasn't going, and she seemed relieved. After the ceremony, I was visiting some teachers in the office and they said I should stay for lunch- they were just ordering out. I wasn't sure what to do, but my favorite secretary convinced me to stay. Before lunch came I helped out around the office and just visited with teachers. Right when the lunch came, some of the other seventh-grade teachers came into the office as they were leaving for lunch. They were like, "Ellie, you're coming to lunch, right?" When I said no, they thought no one had told me about it, so they started calling other teachers to find out what I was doing. I didn't know how to explain in Japanese that I thought it was too late for me to come and that I had told the English teacher I wasn't coming. And then I realized how bad it must look that I was eating lunch with the office staff. And then it was just a huge miscommunication!!! I was so frustrated, my face got red, and as I tried to explain in Japanese I felt worse and worse because I looked so bad- eating with the other teachers... Thankfully, another English teacher came in and helped me sort it out and told me I should go with the seventh-grade teachers, and the office staff assured me it was ok and that they could easily find someone to eat my lunch :) but I still felt so bad. At the lunch place I tried to explain to the teachers what happened (I looked up "confused" in the Japanese dictionary). I hope they believed that it's not that I didn't want to come with them, it's that I thought it was already planned, and my English teacher had made it seem like it would be difficult for me to come. Ahh...the joys of cross-cultural communication!

My Sweet Inaka (Countryside)

When I am in big cities in Japan, I think about how lucky I am to live in a quiet country town. I can't imagine not seeing my students or people I know on the street everytime I go outside! When I was walking back to my apartment after the LONG ride back from Osaka, I saw my neighbor, one of my students grandpa's. He is so friendly and nice, and we walked and talked all the way back to our houses. What a welcome back to my little country town after 4 days in the big city!

Kansai Highlights

Once again, I'm in the process of recovering from an excellent, but exhausting journey. The past four days I spent in the Kansai area of Japan (Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe...) I stayed in Osaka, with my friend Kana's aunt and uncle, but took many day trips around the region thanks to her uncle's stellar driving skills :). Gosh, we did so much that I'm going to try to sum it up as best as I can!

Our hosts were amazing, though a little intense! They were so exciting for us to come and see as much as possible, which meant that sometimes we would only stop at a place for a photo-shoot before we were off to the next site. It was not my ideal style of travel, but it did allow us to see much more than if we would have tried to navigate our way around the area by ourself! I have to admit, though, that I've seen just about as many shrines and temples as I can handle! They all start to look the same after awhile, though we did see some pretty cool and unique ones on this trip!

We took the night bus from Tokyo to Osaka- 8 hours on a cramped bus = not a lot of sleep! But time did pass quickly, and I was able to doze, much to my delight. We arrived to Osaka pretty groggy, where we met Kana's aunt and uncle. On our way back to their house, we stopped at about 5 sites- they were really excited to get started showing us around! So, there are many precious photos that capture Kana and I in our pajama-ridden, glasses-wearing, bad breath-smelling, greasy-looking hair selves. As soon as we thought we were almost to their house we would stop at yet another place! When we finally arrived, they graciously allowed us a shower and nap (which was cut short when they heard me flush the toilet mid-nap and thought we were both awake and ready to go! I learned my lesson- a flushed toilet makes it seem like you're awake, so don't flush it if you want to keep sleeping!) That afternoon we went to Nara, which was a highlight of the trip. We went to a few temples and saw one of the biggest Buddha's in Japan. The coolest part was that it was enclosed in a building, which was absolutely huge!

Day 2- Mie-ken, Issei temple. We drove a long way to the opposite side of the peninsula from Osaka. The temple we went to is apparently a kind of pilgrimage destination so there were TONS of people there. There were lots of pretty trees around the temple. We stopped at a small island famous for harvesting pearls- it was really interested learning about how pearls are made. After a few more photo-stops (:)) we headed back to Osaka where we made ika-yaki (a kind of squid pancake egg thing- famous in Osaka). I actually enjoyed it because the squid was cut up small, and the whole thing tasted like one of my favorite Japanese foods- okonomiyaki.

Day 3- Himeji castle. The traffic was horrendous everywhere, but especially bad going to Himeji castle. In the morning we stopped at the baseball stadium where high school championships are held every year. We watched a few innings, and everyone kept telling me how famous and popular the stadium was, and how impressed my students would be if I told them I went to the stadium. I'll have to see if they're right... Anyways, Himeji was super cool! It's a big, old, intact castle (most castles are reconstructed due to fire destruction). It is so big, and has so many interesting features, such as small holes that soldiers (samurai, ninja) used to shoot arrows out of during battles, big wells, a huge rock foundation, and very steep stairs. It was definately worth the drive out there. We topped the day off with green tea soft cream...mmm...

Day 4- Osaka! Kana and I went into Osaka with her aunt. They lived pretty far away from the center of town, so we took lots of buses and subways and trains to get downtown. We had the most AMAZING lunch at a famous crab restaurant. It was a set meal, which means you get lots of different, little dishes. So we had plain crab (with an awesome vinegar and lemon sauce), crab sushi, crab salad, crab soup, crab gratin (think mac and cheese), crab rice, and crab tempura. It was all so good, and I am now an avid kani (crab) fan! We did some shopping and walked around Osaka for a bit. We ended the day with a view from the top of the World Trade Center in Japan. On our way home there was a wicked thunder and lightening storm. We packed up our stuff and headed back into town for a last meal of okonomiyaki (famous in Osaka and one of my favorite foods!) Then we get on the bus for another 8 hour ride back to Tokyo. I got back to Tateyama around 11 and slept until 6 that night. I was exhausted!!!

Kana insisted that Osaka people speak faster and do everything faster, which is why her aunt and uncle had made so many plans and did everything so fast, but I think a lot of it was just their style. They were amazing hosts- so much good food! Kana's aunt had set up our room with little snacks and bottles of tea and water, just like a hotel! They had an incredibly cute dog, Momo (peach), who was truly the apple of their eyes! It was a great trip, but I need another nap to make up for a lack of sleep!

Hiroshima

It seems like I haven't written for a long time! I just got back from 4 days in Hiroshima and I'm headed off for Osaka tomorrow. There is too much to write about, so I'll try to sum up some highlights.

Riding the shinkansen (bullet train) is so fun! It certainly isn't cheap, but it's worth it. Some of you may know how much I hate flying. Riding the shinkansen is like flying, but without the motion sickness. The seats are comfortable and you have lots of leg room. It only took 4 hours from Tokyo to Hiroshima, and it's fun because you can see the country as you pass through towns like Osaka and Kyoto.

It was so nice to stay at a house and have lots of good Japanese homecooking (my friend Saki's mom is a great cook!) We spent lots of time just relaxing at Saki's house. After living in my tiny, furnitureless apartment, it is such a treat to lounge on comfy couches and sleep in a bed! There's an old Chinese saying about how you always sleep better in your own bed, but it's not true for me- I always sleep better in a bed while on vacation in Japan!

Seeing the atomic bomb dome and museum was indescribable. I'd studied the bombing before, but I learned so much more at the museum. One of the most heartbreaking things I learned was how many students were killed because they had been out of school working on creating fire lanes in case of an air-raid when the bomb was dropped. While the museum was pretty intense, and displayed some graphic pictures, the most powerful sight was the atomic bomb dome. It is the only building that was left as a memorial to the structural damage done by the bomb. It was chosen to remain intact because it was the only structure left standing near the center of the bomb.

I think my favorite thing I did in Hiroshima was going to Miyajima Island. One of the three most beautiful sites in Japan (according to some census) is the view of the torii (temple gate) that lies in the water, a few hundred meters from the temple. At low tide, you can walk out on the marshy sand to see the torii up close. It was very cool! We spent a day walking around the island, eating local treats (eel, donuts, and orange soft serve), and visiting different shrines. It was a beautiful day, and we took far too many pictures!

One of my favorite Japanese foods is okonomiyaki, a kind of pancake mix with vegetables and meat, topped with a delicious sauce. In Hiroshima, there is a special, different kind of okonomiyaki that also has noodles and eggs. It was AWESOME! We ate it a few times, and I still salivate when I think about it! If you ever have the chance to try it, I definately recommend it!

Well, that sums up the highlights of my trip. I'm off to Osaka tomorrow- this is an intense time of traveling! I'm a little nervous because I'm taking the night bus- 8 hours all-night! I hope I can sleep!

Questionable English Textbook

I debated whether or not to write about this, but after repeating the passage about 20 or 30 times this week, I think it's necessary. In the first-year English textbook, there is a reading passage that is used to help students practice pronounciation. My glorious job is to help with pronounciation over and over and over... This particularly passage is interesting because of a particular word that is quite difficult to pronounce for native Japanese speakers. I am going to write down to passage (yes, I've read it so many times that it's memorized!), and when you see the word "Earth," remember that Japanese speakers pronounce the "er" sound as "a," and the "th" sound as "ss."

I'm standing on the moon.
I see stars all around.
I also see the Earth.
It's shining over the horizon, just like a ball.
The Earth is blue, and white, and beautiful.
Where's Japan?
I can't see it.
On the Earth, people live in many different countries.
But I can't see any borders.
The Earth looks like one peaceful planet.
The Earth is our mother, and we're all her children.

My English teacher kindly told the students about the dreadful mistake they make when they pronounce "Earth" incorrectly, but it's so difficult that most are not able to make the correct sound. They think it's pretty funny when one of their fellow classmates makes a noticeable pronounciation error!

Graduation

Today was the third-year student graduation, and what an event it was!!! There were three half-day performances leading up to the actual graduation. Yesterday was a full-dress rehearsal- they even practiced each student walking up and accepting their diploma! (I think I commented on the amount of practice in a previous blog...) The students also cleaned (and waxed!) the school everyday for about an hour the last few days leading up to today. It makes me feel bad remembering all the cleaning I did at school- just putting my chair up afterschool so the janitor could vacuum under my chair. It's so different here! Back to graduation- it lasted 2 solid hours, and it was probably the most formal event I have ever been to. All the teachers wore black suits, except the female third-year teachers (they wore kimonos). Some of the parents were even in kimonos! There was so much standing and bowing and sitting. Sometimes all the students would stand, bow, and sit. Sometimes just the graduating students would stand, bow, and sit. Sometimes everyone- teachers, students, and parents- would stand, bow, and sit. It was crazy! I had to stay on alert so I could stand in unison with the other teachers. The two difficult parts of graduation were sitting in the cold gym (except my favorite secretary gave me a hot pack to keep on my back that was AMAZINGLY warm!) and not being able to cross my legs for two hours! All the students were required to keep their feet on the ground with their hands in their lap (girls) or on their thighs (boys). Looking over the sea of students was a pretty amazing sight because they all stayed this way the whole time! I did all I could to not cross my legs, but my back was hurting so bad and I wanted to cross them so bad! One time when I sat down after standing and bowing I realized I had naturally crossed them- so I quickly uncrossed them! I did put my hands under my legs because they were so cold and I wanted to warm them. There were lots of speeches and lots more songs. I really liked how after graduation the first and second-year students made two lines outside the front entrance and clapped as the third-year students left for the final time. Students are more attached to their school in Japan because they spend a lot more time at school than students in America, so graudation is really sad for many students. I couldn't wait to finish the awkwardness of middle school and go to high school! Since students brought their lunch, the teachers ordered sushi bento. I pretty much decided that I don't like wasabi at all! It was smothered all over the sushi, and a few times my nose was burning so bad that I thought I was going to have to excuse myself! I went to volleyball club after school, and of course today was the day they ran 15 sets of the three-story stairs! Thankfully, I was able to finished it, but about a lap after everyone else- I feel so old! Thinking about the sushi I ate for lunch didn't make running any easier! Anyways, I am so glad today is over because I had to wear my suit (only the third time I've ever worn it!). I think it is just about the most uncomfortable thing EVER! And it's hard to layer with a suit, which is necessary to bear the coldness of school. I think I have to wear my suit for the welcoming ceremony for new students, but hopefully it will be warmer in April!

Tsumaranai!

gosh, this is the first time since I've started my blog that I haven't had an interesting story to tell for a few days in a row! School is pretty ridiculously boring- they practice for graduation for hours everyday. It's a little hard to handle sometimes- they practices standing, bowing, sitting, bowing, bowing, bowing, singing, bowing, marching, clapping, bowing...get the picture? As most of you know, I don't really do much at school, and last week was pretty tough to bear. This weekend was fun- had a potluck movie night (with WAY too much food!), saw a friend from Western who came to Tateyama to visit a Japanese friend, went hiking/walking around Kamogawa, ate Thai food in an old train car, went to church, took a nap, made cookies, and am still in the process of psyching myself up to go to school tomorrow. Oh, I watched "Office Space" last night, which is quite applicable to my life right now, especially the line- "I do about 15 minutes worth of work all week." I'm going to Hiroshima this weekend, which is super-exciting because it is the number one place I've always wanted to visit in Japan. I've posted lots of pictures on my snapfish account- it you want to access them but don't know how to, just email me and I'll send you the link. That's all for now- Happy Monday!

Free Willy

I finally ate whale. I was a kind of whale jerky, and it tasted like fishy beef jerky. I couldn't get the image of Free Willy out of my mind as I was chewing away. I ate it at an enkai, which is a drinking party with snacks. Enkais are very popular in Japan as a time for socializing outside of work. About 20 teachers went to the enkai tonight. Sometimes they are quite pricey, but tonight, much to my relief, wasn't too expensive. Anyways, it was the first enkai I went to where EVERYONE gave a speech about today's graduation party performances and graduation in general (including me! Mine only last about 10 seconds, while some people talked for almost 10 minutes!) The food is sometimes a bit sketchy to me, but tonight there was some pretty good stuff. Enkai's are pretty fun because the teacher's are more relaxed (and a bit drunk:) and are more comfortable using their limited (and sometimes strange!) English.

The doctor Part II

This morning when I came to work my vice-principal wanted to make sure I was prepared to see the doctor. He showed me his insurance card and then was very curious to look at mine (I think I have a newer version). He was very impressed with my card because it is smaller than his. Then he asked me if I had an appointment and money (I asked him if I could borrow some, which he thought was pretty funny :). Throughout the day my principal would remind me/comment that I was leaving early. Good times...

The doctor

Tomorrow I am going to the doctor so I needed to ask my vice-principal if I could leave school early. When I told him I was going to the doctor, he looked so worried and asked if I was ok. I assured him that everything was ok, but that I just needed to visit a doctor. Then I told him what time I was leaving, and he told me that of course it was ok for me to leave school early. As I was talking with another person in the office staff, I could see my vice-principal looking at the train schedule. He found which train I was going to take and then told me I should leave earlier to make sure I would make the train! So we decided that I would leave a few minutes earlier just to be safe. How nice of him to make sure I would make the train. I have heard people often talk about the insincerity of Japanese friendliness and helpfulness, but the office staff at my school is so genuinely nice and helpful! After school, when I went to the office to turn my name card over and say goodbye, the secretary that I often speak English with called me over to her desk. She told me that the principal and vice-principal were really worried about me because I had to go to the doctor. So then I had to explain to her why I was going, and again assure her that I was going to be ok! They were also worried that I wouldn't be able to communicate with the doctor, but I told her he speaks excellent English, so there was no need to worry! I really love the office staff! Earlier that day they gave me some "omiyage" (souvenirs) from their office staff trip to the northern island of Japan, Hokkaido. And then, the principal gave me special "private" (as he called it!) omiyage, which means it was just from him and not the rest of the staff. It was some stamps with pictures from Hokkaido. A nice little gift! I am really sad because the Japanese school year is ending in March, and there will be a new principal at my school. I have grown to look forward to my afternoon chats with the principal over a snack of green tea and rice crackers. I am going to miss him a lot!

Skype

Right now I am talking with my friend who just moved to China using Skype. It's so cool! We are talking over the Internet for FREE! I have heard about it before, but was too lazy to download it and figure it out. But it is really so easy! If you want to call me for free, just go to www.skype.com and download it! It's really unbelievably easy!

Roku nen-sei

I have been going to give mini-English lessons to the fifth and sixth-graders at a local elementary school. I loved going to visit the first and second-graders, but the older kids are a bit more of a challenge (it doesn't help that there are 40 to 50 kids per lesson, and they don't let me have the gym so space is an issue). There is this one little roku nen-sei (sixth grade) boy that just cracks me up. Before, during, and after the lesson he always comes up to me and says ALL the English words he knows, as well as an accompanying gesture. For example, he will say "open," and the spread his arms apart, then he will say "close," and put his hands together, as if he is opening and closing a door. He's quite a character!

No autographs, please

Yesterday I had dinner at one of the office secretary's homes. I always go to the office to speak English with her (and talk about movies- she's a fanatic, just like me!). This month is the "doll festival" in Japan, so all houses with daughters have elaborate doll decorations at their house. I have seen pictures, but had never seen the dolls in someone's home. The dolls are displayed on a kind of pyramid depicting a wedding scene (the purpose of the festival is somehow to ensure/hope that their daughters will get married someday- I'm not sure of the details). Anyways, I brought my photo albums to share with her family (she has two daughters). Now, some of my Japanese friends have told me that certain members of my family look like famous people (enter Dad as Bruce Willis :) before, but my friend and her family insisted that we all looked like celebrities, and that Dad not only looked like Bruce Willis, but "Jack," Kiefer Sutherland's character from "24" (very popular in Japan). So, Dad, if you're reading this, don't let your head get too swelled...and, if you're thinking of becoming a celebrity, just move to Japan : ) you already have a fan club! (Oh- they also thought I looked like Michelle Tanner from "Full House" when I was a child...right... : )

Secret English

I love talking with teachers at my schools because they are not afraid of my English/Japanese mix that I use to communicate (students often don't understand my Japanese because they are so surprised that I am speaking it!). I have been surprised that so many teachers know as much English as they do- some I can communicate with entirely in English, without using any Japanese. At one of my schools, the teachers in my office (the seventh grade teachers), don't speak much English, though. In fact, the only teacher I can speak English with is my English teacher. Last week, I was in the office with the music teacher. Out of nowhere, he starts asking me about my spring break plans, in excellent English! We have been in the same office for almost 6 months and he has barely spoken a word of English in that time! Maybe he was embarrased to speak in front of other teachers, and only felt comfortable when we were alone. As he was talking, I realized he knows far more English than I know Japanese! It was so weird! (and cool!) And then yesterday, the same thing happened. He was fiddling around with a Japanese instrument and starting telling me all about it- in English! I've come to learn that Japanese people are often very self-conscious about speaking English. In my experiences, many people only want to speak if their English is perfect. If I only spoke Japanese if I thought it was perfect, I would never speak! I know that my sentences sound like cavemen language when I speak Japanese, but I have to speak it or else I can't talk to anyone! Me like talk!