the nikku

Regional Culture Reflection

2011-07-28T18:36:00.001+09:00

As some of you know, I used to joke that coming from Iowa, California
was a different country. A few weeks ago at my brother's wedding, I met
a couple of people from NorCal who said SoCal is a different country! I
guess it's all relative. This post is me trying to think outloud.

At least in my experience in the last two weeks, people in the Nagoya
area seem to be much more outspoken than people were in Aomori. I find
that I don't have to be nearly as shy or reserved, or take pauses in the
middle of my conversations when talking. I find I don't have to fain
dependence or lack of interest nearly as much either - with people from
all age groups. This makes be wonder if it's the group of people I'm in
contact with here (but even my random students from throughout the area
seem to be this way) or maybe it's the fact that I speak Japanese better
now than when I first lived in Aomori. I don't know. One of my
Japanese guy friends in LA warned me that Nagoya would be "new people
and new experiences", and so far I think that that has been true.

Also, there's a Japanese Self-Defense air force base in the area so
there are many people working contracts for Kawasaki (engines,
fuselages, etc.) and Boeing. There are also many Chinese and Brazilian
immigrants living here who I'm told work in the factories, so I feel
that people are more used to seeing foreign people. Even though this is
a somewhat suburban/rural area, I have very few people stare at me when
I go out in public the way they did in Aomori. I used to be able to go
to a restaurant and count on nearly all the heads awkwardly glancing at
me in surprise. I only catch a few children doing that here - which is
understandable.

There's also a little more noticeable littering that goes on on the
railroad tracks and the side of the road. There's still less littering
than in America, but more than there was in Aomori. But maybe that's
because of the increased population density here - and the lack of
garbage cans and nearby stations or convenience stores. This still
isn't Tokyo either.

Finally, this city is famous for growing carrots - like Aomori was
famous for apples. The dirt in the fields is dark and rich. It reminds
me of the spring fields in Iowa. Also, looking at the industrial side
of Tokyo on my bus ride here, it was obviously much wider and taller
than anything I ever saw in Long Beach. Not that Long Beach is the
industrial center of America, but it makes me wonder just how many of
our production jobs are going overseas. And I know these factories are
nothing compared to those of India and China. I have not yet seen the
factories in this area, but I've heard about them.

There's a lot to think about and observe. I was not expecting things to
be so different!! Maybe it's just because I'm new here. What does all
this mean? I don't know. But either way, so far I'm happily surprised!

Japan Prayer Letter

2011-07-09T04:40:00.005+09:00

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

As you may have heard, in two weeks I’ll be heading to Japan to teach English with a church for two months from July 21 to September 23. The church is called the Gifu Full Gospel Church. I became aware of this program through one of my Japanese exchange student friends at Biola University. His father is the pastor of this church. The Summer English Program will largely be a cooperation between myself, the pastor Daiso Koyama and a few other church members. We highly covet your prayers!

The program will take students of all ages from inside and outside the church. It will go from Tuesday to Sunday for about 3 weeks. There will be children’s, junior high, high school and adult classes as well as Bible studies. I’ll also be helping out with services and the youth group. The classes will be held at the main church and three branch churches. A minimal fee will be charged. The church has already begun publicizing the program in the community, and when I arrive, I will also be involved in further promotion. The pastor has asked me to pray for a total of at least 50 students which is the church’s goal.

Please also pray…

· that God would use us and His Spirit to bring new believers into the church.

· that church members and especially youth group members would be encouraged through the program.

· that new members and families would be welcomed into the church.

· for smooth relationships between program staff, church members and the community.

· for quality English lessons and Bible study times.

· for traveling mercies.

Prayer is one of the ways that believers across the globe can be united. I truly believe that prayer does make a difference, and I appreciate each and every one of your prayers! I’ll try to at least send out an update at the end of the program. Thank you in advance for your support!

Sincerely,

Nick

Motivation and goals

2011-02-06T07:11:00.001+09:00

For this weekend's reflection, I'm going to talk about goals and how
they might effect motivation.

So recently, the junior high camp ended and I was asked to work the
college English camp. The maturity level of the students has definitely
changed. :) Anyway.

Again, we gave the students proficiency tests and divided them into an
upper and lower level, but this time, the students were much closer in
ability and the upper and lower level classes aren't so different. The
upper level class is a little quicker to speak up and more confident in
their abilities though.

On the first day of class, the journal question was: "what are your
goals for learning English?" This weekend, I collected their journals,
read and responded to them. One thing I noticed: the upper level
students had much more specific goals about learning English than the
lower level students. So, my observation: goals do seem to effect
motivation in this case.

Motivation, Anxiety and Other Issues

2011-01-16T16:16:00.001+09:00

So, there are some boys in the lower level class who have generally been
a problem. Up until now we could give them the benefit of the doubt,
maybe it was jet lag, maybe they were sick, maybe they were still
getting used to each other, the classes, the food, etc. I have
previously separated the boys and moved desks to the front of the room
for talking, hitting, throwing erasers and coins, etc. However, this
Thursday, the boys were more of a behavioral problem than usual.

In my class, they were blatantly and loudly having an unrelated
conversation in Korean across the room while I was trying explain the
grammar point of the lesson. I realize it might not have been the most
interesting thing in the world, but I was trying to keep it short (under
3 min) and present it in a way that would prepare them for the upcoming
activity. Some might say do the activity first to get them interested,
but at their low level of understanding, I was afraid they would ignore
the activity as well. And trying to get them to write, say or even
repeat contextualized examples is like pulling teeth. I had already
moved the two ring-leader boys to the front, so having few other options
left, I yelled at them for a short bit.

I've said this frankly before, really, personally, I don't care whether
they listen or not, but sometimes I need to act angry to regain control
of my classroom for the sake of all the students and the learning of
material.

After lunch, the other teacher and the department head and I had a
conversation with the two ring leader boys through an interpreter
(thanks J!). At first the boys tried to shirk and blame saying they
hadn't said anything, it was other students - or at least other students
who had started the talking and throwing things. Secondly, the boys
claimed that their "acting out"" was because they "can't understand
anything the teachers say". The boys also claimed that the (very quiet)
girls in class were "always" laughing at their English inability and
calling them names. I personally, I have hardly even seen any of the
girls in class talk to one of the boys. I find this explanation somewhat
hard to believe. I believe that personal motivation is also a key
factor (these boys seem to have been strongly "encouraged" to attend
this camp), and I am still struggling with how to provide that motivation.

We pointed out that other students in the class may feel similarly, and
yet they manage to still pay attention and refrain from having loud
conversations and generally being distracting. We also pointed out that
in very simple forms the boys CAN understand and even communicate -
perhaps even better than some of their classmates. Hopefully that was
encouraging.

I do remember what it was like to sit around in a foreign country and
not at all understand what was going on, so I'm somewhat willing to
except this explanation. If this is the case, then something can be
done to alleviate the anxiety! I am redoubling my efforts to make the
lessons clear and understandable as well as engaging while minimizing
potential embarrassment. We'll see how it plays out this coming week.

But before we talked with the boys, I had never before seriously thought
of "acting out" as a strategy for avoiding language anxiety or
embarrassment. I feel that I have somewhat gained a new vantage point
and hope to add this to the list of considerations that influence my
teaching.

New Year, New Job

2011-01-10T05:04:00.001+09:00

So, I got a job working at an English camp for Korean elementary and
junior high students this January which I am enjoying very much so far.
:) That is not to say it not without it's difficulties.

My first day of real work was on Friday. The boys and girls seem to
still be at the age where they don't like to mix. Which causes some
commotion sometimes with activities, especially partner activities and
games.

On Thursday we had given the kids placement tests (the Michigan Test, an
interview speaking test and a short paragraph writing test). Three of
us teachers supervised all of the tests, and I could really see the need
for clearly defined criteria for the tests. My goal was to work on that
this weekend, but it got pushed back for now. :)

Anyway, there are only 20 students and we have an upper and a lower
level class. In the morning, another teacher and I take turns teaching
each level for an hour and half. We teacher the kids out of a version
of Interchange that targets younger learners called "Connections".

There is a third teacher who always works the afternoon classes (which
are more fun activities). On Friday we tried to do a listening and
writing activity using the movie "Up", but the students feel asleep. We
learned not to show movies to jet-lagged teenagers. :)

Half-way through we changed activities completely to "teaching" football
and frisbee outside to keep the kids active. We at least got to know
the kids better and built better relationships that way. :)

Academic writing topics

2010-12-09T06:43:00.001+09:00

I was researching plagiarism in academic EFL contexts last night, and I
kept running into material about the effectiveness of peer response as
well. I don't think that's as much of a pressing interest for me right
now, but it could be in the future.

If anyone is interested, there's a good pile of books on a table in the
upper level of the library about peer review in academic ESL - unless
the library staff have already cleaned it up and re-shelved it today.

I can't really get mad at you, I'm the same kind of student

2010-11-29T15:32:00.001+09:00

About four weeks ago, I got a new tutoring student. She's very
self-motivated and definitely seeks perfection. The first two weeks she
brought me pages of notes, asking me what is correct and incorrect.
She's also a hard worker, she works full-time and goes to school
part-time so that some of the only free time she has is when our lesson
is scheduled.

Last week we talked about details about how she wants to study
pronunciation and writing. So this week I came prepared with
pronunciation and writing activities. These activities will take some
time. They go step by step through both pronunciation practice and the
writing process.

But she quickly vetoed both! She claimed the first pronunciation
exercise was too easy (of course I'm not going to start her off on
something overly difficult). She said "everyone knows that!" But from
my other students, I know they don't. How can I be sure unless we try?
She then self-selected a more difficult pronunciation exercise for herself.

With writing, the same thing. We were going through a reading,
identifying topic sentences and details when she stopped the activity
and told me "everyone knows that!" and that she wanted to write now
(which was actually the next step). She had been raising her voice the
whole time, so I raised my voice as well and explained to her that I do
not know her exact ability and wanted to be sure she was prepared for
the task.

I think she thought I was actually mad at her because she immediately
apologized. And I've never raised my voice with her before, although
she tends to raise her voice at me at least once a lesson.

But I can hardly be angry at her. She's the same kind of student I am.
If I'm spending time learning something, I want to be SURE it is
actually effective and worth studying! Conversely, I'm very glad that
she's tells me her opinion so often, and I told her so. I just wish
she'd be a little more patient sometimes.

My poster presentation at the CATESOL Orange County

2010-11-10T12:20:00.004+09:00

I'm a few weeks late on this, but here's my reflection on my poster presentation, "Debunking the Myth of the Shy Japanese/Asian Student".

My experience presenting a poster was actually much more positive than I had imagined it being. Through the poster I felt that I could actually share something worthwhile with real teachers, I found it much more useful than regular homework, and I found that I learned even more presenting the material to people. I also learned some obvious things like remembering to print my email address on the top of the handout or at least have some sort of contact card.
My poster was called “Debunking the Myth of the Shy Japanese/Asian Student”. I felt that my material pertained not only to Asian students, but to any students dealing with divisive shyness. While doing my student teaching and helping out at ELSP, I heard many times about how teachers were having trouble dealing with “shy” Asian students. As someone with experience in Asia, I felt this was an area where I could offer my expertise. However, I didn’t want to talk purely from my own experience either so I also researched about six sources on the topic as well. My presentation focused on how the Asian values of modesty, respecting authority, collectivity and saving face effect student behavior. The presentation also recommended some activities that are good for all classes that reduce the negative effects of these values.

However, as much as I tried, I still found the explanation of how these values come out in the classroom very difficult. I was surprised how many people I met had had similar experiences and were actually quite knowledgeable themselves. It was refreshing to meet other teachers who knew Asian students beyond the stereotypes and had developed activities or ways of talking that drew students out as well! I have the email addresses of some of these people, but I still need to contact and follow up with them. It was also great to meet so many teachers from different schools and situations. I also wish we had had more of a chance to meet the CS Fullerton students, but perhaps that couldn’t be helped. Although most people who came by only had a passive interest and really only wanted to talk for maybe three minutes and get a handout, I was surprised at how many people who came by were very supportive and helped me to develop my ideas further. For that I am very grateful.

For the chance to develop alongside the professional community, and the offer something to them as well, I feel privileged. Unlike regular homework, it was great to see many people actually use this information. On a side note, I did have one new Taiwanese student from CSUF come and try to tell me that actually the stereotype was true, and she was a perfect example. However, she took my email address and facebook-friended me! Then we exchanged maybe three or four short emails about the subject. It appears she is not so shy either – in certain situations. I guess everyone grows step-by-step.

Retro Blog, Day 2: team building

2010-08-23T00:43:00.000+09:00

Today the entire team finally arrived and we had a retreat. Here, I had
my first real tastes of Taiwanese food and the family style dining that
I quickly grew to love. We also played a lot of camp-type games that we
would also end up playing with students in our free time. It was a
great time of getting to know the staff that I would work so closely
with over the next two weeks.

Here we got the devotion / reflection guides and started to use them
already in the mornings. They were written by our fourth roommate who
hadn't shown up yet because he was coming directly from another mission
trip. I really appreciated the time the devotions gave us for
reflection and being in God's word.

The toughest thing about these two days was finding out that I had
misunderstood the stipend I would be getting and it would be
considerably less than what I had planned on in my budget for the next
school year. Being in a new country, you go through cycles of happiness
and doubt. In my experience, the waves are usually bigger in the
beginning and smaller later on. At certain points in the day, I was
already doubting if I should even be in Taiwan, and the deal with the
stipend didn't help confirm things. We stayed the night until Saturday,
and by then, although it wasn't what I had expected, I was sure that
this was still the perfect place that God wanted me to be.

The pictures are of the basketball courts, starting a barbecue, and one
of the student helpers from Taiwan giving us a short presentation about
life in Taiwan.

Retro Blogging: E-camp Day 1

2010-08-21T02:11:00.001+09:00

I took off from LAX at 2am. While sitting waiting for the plane to take
off, I met a family who was being sent to the Philippines (or
Indonesia?) to begin work with Wycliffe Bible Translators.

After dinner on the flight, I had some sort of food poisoning from the
chicken and rice (which the stewardesses said no one else on the flight
had reported). I ended up vomiting the food back up in bathroom.
Thankfully I was in an aisle seat.

Being sick for about 12 hours on the flight, I was worried that I'd be
sick for a good part of my time in Taiwan, but thankfully after the
first day or so I was feeling ok again. I don't know why I tend to get
sick on planes.

I came to camp a day early and met some of the staff who also got there
early. This was great because later there would be nearly 50 people,
and that's too many to get to know at one time. Dorothy, my teacher
that I had met up with once in LA, was there at the airport to pick us
up along with some of the other senior staff.

Although I was unaware of it at the time, I had flown from LA to Taipei
with my roommate to be, Gerald, whom I finally met at the Taipei airport
with the others. He proved to be both encouraging and obnoxious.

Since we were early, we got an ad-lib tour of campus (which didn't
include the popular cafeterias, the gym or the library) and then a tour
of downtown and the famous glass museum.

For lunch we ordered at the cafeteria next to the seven-eleven. This
was where I first realized how knowing little Mandarin was going effect
my communication in Taiwan. I had my first soy milk there which was
delicious. I really loved having soy milk in Taiwan.

In the afternoon, we went downtown and to the glass museum. Then we
returned to campus, helped make posters, played cards, and had dinner.

That's all I remember of the first day. The next day everyone would
come and we would start off full-swing.

Reverse Blogging

2010-08-20T06:52:00.001+09:00

Wow. Taiwan was so amazing I hardly know where to begin. One thing that was great about the E-camp program was that they also highly encouraged journaling and reflection. So in the following days I'm going to post some excerpts from my journals - albeit, two weeks late.

For now, some minor observations and trivia about Taiwan:

People there seemed pretty open and talkative.
Yes, the weather was over 35 degrees C every day and very humid.
Almost all take out food was fried and/or oily.
As with most of the rest of the world, water pressure is not high enough to flush your toilet paper, so you leave it in a trash can by the toilet. Don't let the small things get you down. ;)
Scooters are awesome! Nearly everyone in Taiwan uses them, and they are very fun!
Some Buddhists in Taiwan are actually very serious about being vegetarians.
It is not uncommon to see stray dogs wandering around. My students told me this is because people love puppies but not dogs.
The streets are generally wider here than in Japan.
They drive on the right side of the road.
Don't be surprised if traffic doesn't stop for you.
I agree, Mandarin is not a language you can "just pick up". I generally don't believe in this idea anyway.
Politics seemed to be a somewhat taboo topic, while religion was discussed very openly - this seems to be the opposite of America.
It is very common to eat "family style". I loved this! If you have one of those rotating platforms on the table, what out for random drinks and serving utensils when you turn it.
It is not ok to slurp your noodles in Taiwan. :(
Stinky tofu is definitely stinky.
Shaved ice here is amazing! And they have almost any fruit for toppings. Taiwan is practically tropical.

Ok, that's enough for now. Pictures of things will be on Flickr. Pictures of people will be on Facebook. Enjoy!

Pre-Taiwan Reflection

2010-07-28T11:03:00.001+09:00

Where to begin? Again, my short volunteer experience with Chinese
students here in LA makes me incredibly optimistic about what my
students will be like in Taiwan. They worked hard and most have good
attitudes. However, many things will be different: age, country of
residence, student life vs. retiree. I don't want to have any false
expectations for my students, but I'm hopeful already that this will be
a great experience.

I'm also pretty happy to be working with a local public college, local
instructors, and local churches. It might be overwhelming, but working
with local groups seems to give things more the air of true
international cooperation.

My bags are packed, I have all my nylon clothes and sweat rags from
teaching in humid Japan. Hopefully I'll be able to cope with the heat
and humidity that I've heard so much about.

I'm surprised at the amount of synonyms from Japanese to Chinese.
Actually, historically I guess this isn't surprising as China was very
influential on early Japan. Although it isn't a main goal of my trip,
and it's supposed to be really hard, learning a little Chinese in my two
to three weeks is something I'm looking forward to.

Also, the idea of pairs of teachers who have had at least one year of
experience working in the program before and new "teacher's assistants"
working together. This focus on team says so much. I'm really grateful
that the program seems to value communication, experience and partnership.

I guess that's all for now. If I have a spare minute during the next
few weeks, I'll write some "Mid-Taiwan" reflections.

Volunteer ESL

2010-07-24T07:48:00.000+09:00

On Saturday I had the opportunity to volunteer at an ESL program at a
nearby Baptist church. The program is rather small but respectable.
There are only two levels, a high and a low level class, but both use
good materials and modify them in an effort to make them even more
useful for their students.

The neighborhood is mostly Chinese, and the students are mostly Chinese
as well. They are mostly older students (60+) some of whom have lived
here for nearly 20 years but have always lived and worked in the Chinese
part of town and hence use little English.

The lessons seemed to be useful for the students. In the low level, the
lesson was about occupations. They could use these words to talk about
themselves, their children, friends, relatives, etc. in simple
sentences. In the high level, the lesson was about marriage ceremonies
and customs in the US and China.

In the low level class, the teacher was an older man from the English
speaking congregation. In the upper level class, the teacher was a man
who had taught English in China from the Chinese congregation. Very few
of the students go to the church regularly.

The focus seems to be on speaking skills, but both teachers seem to lack
training on pronunciation mechanics. Of course since they are volunteer
teachers, the pieces of their lessons also sometimes seem to lack a
clear purpose. As a volunteer, I want to find a way to politely make
suggestions without over stepping my bounds or embarrassing the teacher.

UPDATE: I went to the program on Wednesday and was delightfully
surprised to find about four teachers teaching about 40 students. The
activities were slightly more varied with large group, partner work and
small group work. Some of the students from Saturdays also come on
Wednesdays. I was glad to see them again. :)

One of the teachers had been to Taiwan for a two weeks teaching English,
and she gave me the contact information of a missionary turned English
teaching materials maker whose materials they were using. Evidently
this is the same material used in public schools. https://shop.hms.org.tw

There was also one Japanese student there. I was talking to her partner
about the typical pronunciation problems for Chinese speakers. I looked
at her and said, "Kaori, I know you're not Chinese, but that might still
be helpful." She smiled. When we talked later I found out that she had
recently married an American and moved to the States. She mentioned she
hadn't met any other Japanese people since she moved to LA, so I invited
her to a nearby Japanese fellowship that I know of. We'll see how that
turns out.

Even though it will only be for a short time, being involved in this
program has truly been a blessing!

That's what Mr J says

2010-01-29T02:38:00.001+09:00

So, I haven't posted here for a long time. Just before Christmas, I got a car which then enabled me to get a job. I've been working at a tutoring center all this month. There my name is Mr. B. Apparently I bear a resemblance to my predecessor Mr. J. That's what almost all the students tell me.

While I was working with some second graders, we were taking turns going around and checking our answers to a worksheet together. There was a sidebar, and then some confusion as to whose turn it was next. Although I'm fairly certain we picked up where we left off, some students were not happy.

One student said, "The first will be last, and the last will be first."

I said, "Right, that's what the Bible says."

She said, "No, that's what Mr. J always says."

"And it's in the Bible too."

"Whatever."

I let it go at that, and we started checking our answers again. But I thought, that's the kind of person I want to be! I want to be a person whose conversation comes from an informed filling of the Word.

That was already one of my New Year's resolutions, but it looks like I'm going to have to redouble my efforts. It was a good reminder.

How to get a job in Japan

2010-01-24T04:00:00.001+09:00

I just got asked this question again. Someday when I'm not busy being a grad student, I'll start a blog all about how to get a job in Japan. For now, here's an email I just sent out to someone, again, asking how to get a job in Japan:

I'm assuming you have a BA in something unrelated to English teaching like everyone else who wants to teach in Japan. Like any job search, I'd recommend applying more than one place.

Your options are:
1) the JET program http://www.jetprogramme.org/

Everyone applies for this government program. It's dual purposes of English teaching and Japanese culture appreciation means that they get crap "teachers" fresh out of college who know nothing and mostly just want to party and travel.

Because of this, no major city in Japan (i.e. Tokyo, Osaka, Sapporo) uses the JET program. A bit of advice, if you want to work in a major city, don't apply to the JET program. They all use go between head-hunters organizations like:

2) https://www.interacnetwork.com/recruit/

3) http://www.heart-school.jp/en/

4) http://www.rcs-ed.jp/en/index.htm

Beware, #2, 3 and 4 actually hire people whom they consider qualified to teach English at the elementary, junior high or high school levels.

Next, there are plenty of schools where working people and children go to learn English after school and on weekends. They are called "eikaiwa".

5) for more info see here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eikaiwa_school

The big ones listed in the article are GEOS, Aeon, ECC and Berlitz. Follow the links in the wikipedia article, and you can find their websites.

5) job listings:
http://www.ohayosensei.com/current.html

http://seekjapan.joblet.jp/jobs

http://classifieds.metropolis.co.jp/

https://jobs.gaijinpot.com/

About.com also has a great page about this: http://japanese.about.com/od/jobsinjapan/Jobs_in_Japan.htm

Just for fun. How to get a job in Japan: http://anothershittyblogbysomedouche.wordpress.com/2009/06/02/getting-a-job-in-japan-part-1-resumes-etc/

Hope this helps.

Churches and beaches

2009-09-14T07:30:00.001+09:00

I went to two churches today. One was in Japanese, the other was in English.

The English church is an evangelical free church, the denomination I grew up in. They seem to be pretty sound, but I get the feeling I've heard all their messages before. This church is within biking distance from my apt, and lots of people from school recommended it. They also have small groups that I'm interested in. I might check them out seperately. I've been going one place two or three times to get the feel of the church and then checking another. So next week I'll go somewhere else. I have more recommendations from friends.

The Japanese Church is a small Holiness Church (less than 20 active members, and six of those are a family). The pastor and his wife are Korean missionaries who worked in Shinagawa. Today she told me I have "missionary" written across my forehead. There are a lot of second generation or Japanese-American Christians there, so it's nice to talk to people who have similar experiences.

Other than that, I've made some good friends in my program and at my apartment complex. Things are working out pretty well so far. The reading here is heavy, and I worry about completing my assignments on time, but I've done fine so far.

I've got a small work-study as a "conversation facilitator" in an English class for international students, but it's hardly twenty bucks a week. I might look for a part-time job too if I have the time.

Yesterday I went to Laguna Beach with my cousin T and his son M. They tried to teach me to snorkel, but the waves were really surging high. It was still a great experience though. I also got to see their younger boy practice gymnastics.

I guess that's about all for now. I'm gonna try and take some pictures so I have something to show as well as tell here. :) Later!

A New Stage

2009-08-24T06:04:00.002+09:00

So it's been a long time. I've been using the internet at the library downtown and as such haven't had much open access. I've also been busy finalizing details about going to grad school.

So, I left from Aomori Airport two weeks ago today after helping at Living English Camp. Mostly only teachers from Seiai came.

Then I went to Yokohama and helped with the VBS program at Yokohama Union Church. But I had to cut out on that early and leave on Thursday because my visa expired that Friday.

I spent the next week at home with the folks. Went to check out my brother's apartment in Iowa City.

Then I flew to LA on Saturday. I'm staying with my aunt here until I move into my apartment and have orientation tomorrow. I'm planning to get a masters in TESOL and then head back to Japan.

I met a few retired missionaries from Japan (some who went to Tak!) at my aunt's Sunday School class, and sat in front of a Japanese woman during the service. We had a short conversation.

Coming out here to such a large church was a bit of culture shock. But over all it's been great so far. Aunt B has been living in LA for decades, but she moved to this part of town 5 years ago. She said it's been tough to get reoriented, but seems to have found a good place. She has many friends and seems to be a genuine encouragement to most.

...I guess I should change the title of this blog.

More later!

point cards

2009-07-29T15:33:00.001+09:00

after three years, i have about \1000 or $10 worth of ito yo points. what should i get? 〓

what i did this afternoon

2009-07-27T22:10:00.001+09:00

first bowling, then purikura and DDR.

these students graduated last year. it was really great to c them again

immortalized at cafe jeeba

2009-07-26T14:09:00.001+09:00

yesterday the patron artist of cafe jeeba draw a picture of me. she's a seiai grad too. who knew? N

fans from my 3rd grade HS class

2009-07-21T12:42:00.001+09:00

they wrote g'bye messages on these

this is maybe the best present i've gotten yet

my g'bye flowers from school

2009-07-21T10:11:00.001+09:00

this is a bouquet 花束はなたば

in a vase 花瓶かびん

Gospel Concert in Aomori

2009-07-19T15:22:00.003+09:00

Last night I also went to Aomori to see a gospel concert.

The speaker was a famous Korean pastor.

And we ran into some of the boys from Youth Live at Zion Church in Hirosaki.

School Festival Day 1

2009-07-19T15:11:00.002+09:00

Well, the events have started, so I'm trying to keep up. Here you go.

On Friday, I got a surprise exchange student from Boston. She'll be here for about a month.

She asked me, "What's the point of the school festival?" And I think the answer is to have fun. Get friends, family and community members to see the school, and maybe make a little money on the side.

Students show off their skills and type to sell fun junk. It's kind of like a carnival mixed with an open house.

The flower club.
Some kids who have a band.

A maid cafe selling ice cream.
The cafeteria ladies.
Second year English course students going into the haunted house.
More on Monday from the "Stage Show" day. Bye for now!

job related drinking

2009-07-17T14:46:00.001+09:00

On Sunday night, a certain teacher who is famous for drinking, K-sensei, went out drinking with another male teacher, S-sensei.

On Monday morning S-sensei had a car accident that put him in the hospital this week. He wasn't drunk, but he was probably hung over.

On Tuesday the principal made K-sensei write a formal apology and deliver it to the entire staff at the morning meeting.

On Wednesday afternoon, K-sensei came into the teachers' office and asked M-sensei if he wanted to go out drinking after work. M-sensei replied that he might, but he doesn't want to get into a car accident after work.

Since he has been so quick to revert back to drinking on a weekday, it seems that K-sensei's apology was insincere.

my g'bye card

2009-07-14T17:37:00.001+09:00

...and manga. from the "worst" class this year.

My first last class

2009-07-11T10:28:00.001+09:00

...was maybe the hardest.

Yesterday was my last class with a class of freshman who I've been teaching since they were in junior high. They're pretty good at English, and we've talked about how I'll write to them after I leave, etc. I passed a notebook around and they signed their emails and stuff so we can stay in touch. We watched Hannah Montana. They've been asking for that since last year.

When I dismissed them, they refused to leave! I almost cried when I saw their faces. I got them to leave by promising them I'd spend extra time at their stand at the school festival (which I will do). School festival will be pretty hard too. Great, but hard. You know what I mean.

c point plus

2009-07-04T11:44:00.001+09:00

aji is the place to b this weekend! stop by and c nozomi, the yasudas, and my friend odagiri from cafe Delina

also, the elliots r having a special service

Send Off Party Schedule

2009-06-30T09:34:00.002+09:00

See my schedule for my last month or so in Japan here or below.

If you want to schedule sometime to see me. Schedule a time soon. ^_^

the first of the lasts

2009-06-23T21:46:00.001+09:00

my last bible english class will b july 14

my last chapel service will b july 17

2009-06-22T19:02:00.001+09:00

冷し中華 hiyashi chuuka is what u eat when its ungodly humid. like it is today

Flower Day

2009-06-16T22:19:00.001+09:00

Every UCCJ church had "Flower Day" 花の日 this Sunday. Everyone brings flowers to church, we bring them upfront and bless them, and then we send the flowers out to people in the community who are less fortunate.

Although I've never heard of it in the States, evidently this tradition started in Massachusetts sometime in the late 1800's.

Today at school, chapel was also "Flower Day" 花の日礼拝. Students brought flowers to chapel in the morning. After school, students went out to the community and delivered flowers to people.

The junior high chaplain, three students and I went to an assisted living home for the elderly. On the way there, the chaplain quizzed the students on what they would say when they delivered the flowers あいさつ. Basically the students were going to say, "We're from Seiai. We appreciate you. Here are some flowers for you."

I asked the chaplain what the purpose of Flower Day was 先生、花の日礼拝の目的は何ですか？ He said to thank (God) and thank our neighbor. やっぱり、感謝します。そしてほかの人を感謝します。I said, wouldn't it be nice to tell the people that we thank God for them. じゃあ、その人たちにそのことを教えばいいでしょう。He said no, religion is still a scary thing in Japan, so we should just be vague about it. There's a Bible verse on the card. まあ、やっぱり、日本の中で宗教はまだ怖いものですからあいまい法がいいです。カードで聖書があります。

If we can't even say the name of the Lord to other people, we have a problem. If we are depending only on a Bible verse that is written on a card that people will probably glance at and throw away, we have a problem. And if we follow that line of reasoning, we shouldn't even talk about God to the students because it might still be a scary topic for them too. And we shouldn't even teach the Bible, we should just give them one and hope they read it.

Any one can deliver flowers. We should be able to TELL people WHY we are delivering flowers. We should be able to tell people WHY we are different. This is one of the reasons why no one is coming to our churches or schools - because we never tell them about it! But it's easier this way. Just take away the meaning and keep the formalities.

Some Christians from other churches tell me my school is just Christian form with no meaning. And I try to tell them that's not true. But on days like this really make me wonder if it's not true.

How do I type Japanese on my computer?

2009-06-16T12:48:00.005+09:00

I just had another friend ask again. So here you go:

You can type Japanese on your Windows computer by installing the "Japanese IME with language pack".

Instructions here.

Download here. Choose "Japanese - with language pack".

(After you've installed the IME)

Short cuts:
toggle English and Japanese = Alt + Shift
Katakana = Alt + Caps Lock
Hiragana = Ctrl + Caps Lock

The Blind Artist

2009-06-14T17:06:00.001+09:00

What the blind man sees!

(first shared by my friend Ramone.)

Studio Re:

2009-06-06T14:41:00.003+09:00

Studio Re: has made some films about life in Japan. I found them thought provoking. Have a look:

じてんしゃ　Bicycle

My Story 恵

Mujo no Kaze

Do you have much time left?

2009-06-05T08:49:00.001+09:00

A quick recap of a response to an email from one of my friend's mothers at church at home:

I still have about 2 or 3 months left here. Summer vacation starts in here in mid July (American summer vaca is really long). And technically, I have from then until August 14 (when my visa expires) to stay here.

But in between then I have a lot of things coming up. I'm working on grad school applications. Seems like I'll just make it in on time. Soon I'll be prepping for final tests, then there's the school festival. There's my going away party too. My supervisor at school is already asking me to choose the place and write a speech.

Then I should smooth the transition over for my successor. He says he thinks everything will be ok, but I'm not so sure. I think my job is a little complex.

There's also an English camp I helped out with last year near here the first week of August, and a VBS program at Yokohama that also finishes around Aug 14. :) Since we're still smoothing out details about when my successor will come, I'm not sure if I'll do all that. There are so many chances for ministry in Japan!

sukiya goes eco

2009-06-02T18:31:00.001+09:00

they quit using disposable chopsticks! o(^-^)o

A Cultural Misunderstanding?

2009-06-02T09:40:00.001+09:00

This weekend, the cheerleaders had a retreat. Cheerleading parents cooked their food. On Monday (yesterday) more than half of them were sick. It looks like some sort of food poisoning.

So yesterday we bleached all the surfaces in that entire part of the building. Students were encouraged to wash their hands. This is understandable.

Here comes the cultural misunderstanding:

This morning there was going to be a Student Council broadcast. But because of the food poisoning, the principal had to tell the students what they should do. Because he is on the top of the chain of command, this necessitated hurrying to the gym and standing while the principal was talking.

During the talk, the principal told students they NEED NOT wash their hands with SOAP! Using ONLY WATER will be JUST FINE! While I know this is a common misconception in Japan, I couldn't believe the principal was lying to the students!

And to top it off while he was giving this lecture on "health and hygine" a senior girl fainted and fell down. Does anyone else see the irony?

After this, students returned to their classrooms for the student council broadcast.

In my opinion, a broadcast would have been more healthy for everyone. And it would have saved time too. We went to the gym to listen to the principal lie about health issues that he doesn't know about anyway. I don't know why we went to the gym in the first place.

When I told this opinion to a few teachers, only one agreed with me.

crying in class tonight

2009-05-27T08:31:00.001+09:00

At Bible class tonight, using the new text, the last question was "have you received the Bread of Life?" The lesson was about Jesus feeding the 5000. The other questions didn't quite lead up to it, and I was kind of surprised to read it myself.

And to top it off, the pastor was out of town on business, and the teacher who usually helps me had a YWCA board meeting. So, it was me and two students.

After some discussing about what "receiving the Bread of Life" means, R-san said her mother and younger brother believed in Jesus and had received baptism, but she never had. On saying this, she started to tear up a little.

Whether she saw this or not, W-san chimed in that she believed in Jesus and was baptized about three years ago. However, she also believes people like Buddha and Mohammad were good teachers. While W-san was talking, R-san had a few tears running down her cheek which she tried to dab away with a tissue. .

While I think the atmosphere was fairly open, it didn't look like a subject R-san wanted to talk about more at this time. R-san has been the most devoted student so far. She always comes on time, and is willing to be involved in the lesson. She's been looking for something, and it looks like she found something to think about.

I'm not sure I handled the situation well, but I'll follow up the next time I see her. I want to make sure she knows that whatever her opinion is, whatever she believes, where ever she's at, she's always welcome. And if she wants to talk about it, I want to know why it's such a big deal for someone with two baptized family members to talk about baptism. I know she's the odd one out, but I didn't think just mentioning it would cause such strong emotions.

If you think of it, please take the time to pray for her - and all my students. We could all use it.

my first two japanese books!

2009-05-23T22:24:00.001+09:00

just bought my first two books! 500 yen and this should keep me busy for months :)

Body Temp in C

2009-05-19T08:31:00.000+09:00

With over 100 cases of the new flu in Japan, I thought everyone out there would like to know:

Normal body temp in Celsius is about 36 degrees.

If you have a temp higher than that, be sure to get sure to get some rest. ;)

A good Sunday

2009-05-17T15:32:00.001+09:00

For all these years, I've been going to Japanese church not understanding much. Finally today something (a lot of things) happened.

DL wanted to go and see church this morning, so we went together. Church words are kind of special anyway, and that just makes them hard in Japanese. Even though I've been sitting listening to them for three years it's still difficult for me.

I consulted my dictionary about twenty times just during the message.

At the end of the service, there were the regular wastes of time. Reading the activities in the bulletin. Practicing a new hymn (at this point, all four Koreans left), then the entire congregation stands in one big circle, passes the mic around, and introduces themselves one by one so that you have almost no chance of remembering anyone's name. Then there was 15 minutes where everyone cleans the sanctuary. Then everyone set up tables for the meal. DL made it through all this, but left before the meal started.

I remember the feels of being completely lost in all this. Actually, many times in the past two years I just saved myself the trouble of feeling lonely and embarrassed and left out right.

But the Togi-juku principal said she wanted to eat with me, so I wanted to stay. She mentioned she would come to the Japanese lesson with me and FT if TA and AA came too. She REALLY wants to come and talk with them if it would level up their Japanese. But we ended up getting separated.

I sat and talked with the children's church leader, Mr. Tsugisawa, instead. He's a really hard worker. He's and elder too, and also leads the order of service sometime. We had a serious chat about why people come to church and what we should do to encourage that.

We didn't agree on how to do that, but we both had a chance to consider new points of view. And I'm glad he gave me the chance to talk about something serious. Since my level of Japanese isn't great, people who find the conversation embarrassing can write me off anytime they want. Mr. Tsugisawa usually takes time to listen to me. I really appreciate him for that.

Then, after the meal, there was a Seinenkai 青年会, which roughly translated means "young person's group". There is "High School group" that is regularly held, but no one comes. So I thought this group was like that. But the pastor's wife said to me, "Why don't you go take a look at the Seinenkai?" "青年会ちょっと行って見て。"

This is the best part. What I found at the "young person's group" were two men, (one in his 50's and one in his 40's) and a woman in her 30's. They were studying the Bible, discussing what it means, and talking about how they could apply it to their lives!

All these years I've been thinking there must be something like this at church but I'd never seen it or known how to ask. Even though there were only a few people there, I was so pumped to be there!

Of course, I didn't understand everything they said, but that's not the point. The point is that there are people studying the Bible on their own who think it's important for how they live their lives!

The man in his fifties, Mr. Ota, was particularly adept. Mr. Ota is kind of the janitor at church, and I always had the feeling there was more to him than meets the eye. They were studying the parable of the talents and he said he had always thought the money is not literally money, but what each of us does with the Word of God that we have stored in our hearts. He then gave examples of times he has used scripture when he was feeling lonely, or when a (non-Christian) friend was miserable and asked the others if they had any examples like that or any scripture that they particularly love.

At the end, the woman noted how sad it was that there were only a few people at the "young people's meeting". She especially wanted some more female participation (a rare problem). This meeting is only held on the third Sunday of each month, and frankly, it's kind of hard to find.

We then talked about ways to publicize the meeting both at church and outside of church such as posters, post cards, encouraging other "young" church members to come etc.

This is the kind of stuff that gives me strength to keep going. How is it that I've only now found it now that I'm ready to leave? Yet another reason I have to come back.

Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God

2009-05-16T21:58:00.000+09:00

As I was wondering about what to do next - and what to do after that - I remembered this song. Things come back to you at interesting times.

Where are all the young people?

2009-05-10T15:07:00.001+09:00

After the Mother's Day visit to the graves today there was a "bring your own bento" picnic.

I'm pretty sure everyone there except for the pastor and I were retired. I heard them say things like:

1) "to bad there aren't many young people here anymore."
2) "we used to walk all the way here when I was a student. Students these days could never do that."
3) "all the young people are probably at the Fukuin Church"

Frankly, all the whining got under my skin, but I couldn't find a good way to talk back so I just sat there and listened. Here are the responses I wish I could have said:

1) If you would schedule your events at times that are convenient for working people - most events are scheduled at about 10 am on weekdays when anyone under the age of sixty is either working or in school - young people might come. Also, if you would invite your own family here, there might be a few more young Christians here.

2) I'm sure walking uphill both ways to school was very good for your health, but isn't it nice that students these days only have to walk to school uphill one way? Grow up. Acting like you used to be stronger than students are now isn't mature. It's just a waste of time. Maybe you could try putting yourself in their shoes instead of telling them that shoes used to be bigger when you were young.

3) I've been to the Fukuin Church and the people there aren't any younger. Absence of youth is a problem religions have throughout Japan and the world. Quit looking at the spec in your neighbor's eye. Stop wasting time gossiping about your neighbor and do something about it yourself.

Mother's Day with the UCCJ

2009-05-10T14:44:00.000+09:00

I just got back from the Mother's Day visit to the graves with my church. After the regular service, there was a special trip to the Christian graveyard south of town (just across the road from 座頭石 zatoishi) . Mostly only elderly people with family who had died went.

Interesting history. This graveyard (墓地　bouchi) was bought and founded only 40 years ago. That means since most of the people today were in their 60's and 70's they were 20 to 30 years old when the real estate for the graveyard was bought. And they probably helped build it.

Before this place, the Christians were buried in the Buddhist graveyards. Their burial was prefixed with chanting of sutras and offerings to the ancestors. Since the Christians obviously didn't want this kind of funeral, they bought separate plots and monuments.

In the Christian cemetery, the bodies are still cremated, but only flowers (not food or drink offerings) are put on the graves. The large obelisk in the middle holds all the cremated remains. On the front it says "Salt of the earth, Light of the world". The gravestones are dedicated to families, and it looks like a name is added every time another family member dies. This is ironic since there aren't many Christian families here anymore. I imagine there are also a few gravestones for single Christians or Christians who were the only Christian in their family.

The worship service at the graves was similar to a regular service, it had hymns, prayers, and a short sermon. Sometimes I worry that the order of service and traditions have become more important than the meaning itself (i.e. the saving grace found only in Jesus Christ).

Anyway, here are some pictures of the graveyard. Have a look:

Christ is one, but...

2009-05-07T09:43:00.003+09:00

Here we go again. MG, who was dismissed by the principal on Friday is coming again today at about 10am. I talked to the chaplains about it this morning.

The high school chaplain already had his business card from the principal. She saw the word "evangelical" on it and dismissed it immediately. When I tried to talk to her about it, she said, "This school is UCCJ. He's an evangelical. We have our differences and we have nothing to talk to him about."

"Christ is one!"

"...but we have our differences."

"You could at least meet him."

"I'm busy today. I have a lesson at that time."

We (Christianity in Japan) can't afford to nurse these petty differences. :(

For what it's worth. This is only one step away from her attitude when my UCCJ bosses came from Tokyo and she was "busy".

The junior high chaplain is more open to at least meeting MG. Since he isn't the religion department chair, he really can't do much. But it's a start.

UPDATE: on top of that, I just went into the teacher's office to talk to another teacher, and she didn't have a lesson! When I asked her about it she said, "Oh, sorry. I REALLY thought I had a lesson but I didn't." Isn't that convenient?

Justice in Japan

2009-05-06T16:00:00.003+09:00

Before you complain about how unfair Japan is, remember how unfair it used to be. :)

My "Christian" School

2009-05-06T09:36:00.002+09:00

This is a more major issue than the last post. Writing it here is mostly just an effort to get it out of my head.

On Monday, I met MG (for the first time in about a year). And he asked some fairly simple questions about my school. The answers to which I was ashamed to say - to put it frankly.

MG came to my school last Friday asking our principal if he could hold a Christian concert in our chapel. Our principal replied (and this sounds just like him), "What? Is this one of those religious things? Do you know one of those religion department people? Go ask them."

Those "religion department people" are actually chaplains, and the "religion" itself is actually called Christianity. This was curious answer coming from the principal of a Christian school, so MG asked him if he was a Christian. The answer was a flat "no, of course not."

MG was of course surprised by the answer. And frankly it's sad that we have all gotten used to it here at Seiai.

He then asked me if I think our chaplains are Christians. I said I believe that one is, and I'm not sure about the other one.

He asked me how many of our teachers are Christians. I could think of five off hand. However, these teachers don't get along well with the chaplain whose belief is sketchy at best. And three of them don't go to church very regularly. There are about another eight teachers at school who go to church, but their belief is sketchy.

When I say their belief is sketchy, I mean that they seem to not understand that God is the only God, that they are sinners and that Jesus Christ is the only forgiveness for their sins.

What is the point of going to church for years, even decades, if you don't believe in Jesus?

This is the sad reality of my school that I had to explain to someone, again.

He then continued to tell me the story of a Christian mother in his congregation who had gone to great lengths to get her daughter into our school. The mother had hoped that years of Bible classes and chapel services at school might help to push her daughter over the edge and help her to make her faith her own.

Instead, the daughter came home saying the topics being taught in Bible class and the themes of sermons being taught at our school were not even similar what she had heard at church. To be fair, the daughter was not the best expert about the Bible or Christianity before she came to our school.

But still, if even someone with little experience in Christianity can tell that something is not quite right...

This is not the first time, Christians outside my school have asked me if my school is really Christian. I have had both foreign and Japanese Christian ask me that. I've even had both foreign and Japanese non-believers ask me that. Why don't they know?

I have mentioned these things a million times at school. At first I thought it was the language barrier. But now I am sure it's not that. I think staff here just don't have time and don't want to listen.

What is the purpose of this "Christian" school? It seems to be tests, test scores and enrollment. And those are all well and good, but those are the goals of any school. What is the purpose of this CHRISTIAN school? You'd think we could at least tell people about Christianity properly.

When I renewed my contract, the president of the academy asked me if I had anything to say to him. "なんか、お話がありますか？" Having never only met the man twice in my life, I had nothing to say. But this may have been the first time anyone actually took the time to listen to me. If he or anyone else ever gives me that chance, I will have something to say. It will start with:

What is the purpose of this school?

And end with:

Does this school tell people about Christianity? and encourage people to believe in justification through faith in Jesus Christ?

Secretly, this is a large part of the reason I am leaving this school. If anyone would take the time to really listen to me, I would explain it, but...

Family Alters

2009-05-06T08:47:00.002+09:00

If you're in missions in Japan, this topic is always coming up. And while it's not a main focus, it is or some importance. The topic of Butsudans and Kamidanas. Are these religion or just filial piety? Is filial piety religion? Is civil service religion? Is evolutionism religion? etc etc.

Instead of answering all those questions. I'm going to tell a story. And then ask for your opinion.

On Monday, by chance I got to see some new land some missionaries had acquired to build a more central place of worship. It was an old farm house next to a large storage building. Although in meager condition, the farm house itself was old, huge and looked to have been very nice at one time.

It also had a very nice Butsudan. MG said, "But I'm a Christian so I'm going to burn it." I fail to see the logic here. I am also a Christian, but I see no need to burn the Butsudan. I suggested maybe selling it back to a furniture dealer. Using his Biblical knowledge, LE mentioned the Ephesians and how they had burned their books of magic despite their value (albeighit, I would give the Butsudan to the furniture store).

That's true about the Ephesiands. But the Ephesians actually believed in those books of magic. And we don't believe in Butsudans. We just happened to acquire one through the purchase of a house.

I do remember that the Lord told the Israelites to destroy all the foreign idols in the promised land. However, I don't remember Jesus destroying any idols. And while Paul preached against the Greek gods, I don't remember him burning down any temples either.

In more recent history, during the Waring States Period when the first Catholic Missionaries came to Japan, many warlords were ruling under the banner of Shinto or Buddhism. When a Buddhist warlord over took a Shinto kingdom, this necessitated the burning down of the Shinto shrines - and vice versa in the opposite case.

Some warlords did become Catholics. And there is evidence that Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines were burned down in the name of Christianity and the current warlord.

This was around 1600 or 1700. I would prefer to distance myself from this far away past. If MG would like to start off relations with his new neighbors by burning an object that is sacred in their eyes. That's his perogative. All I'm saying is, there might be a more subtle way to do things.

Of course we want to get rid of the Butsudan, but I'm sure there are many options which we have not thought of.

How about putting it out on bulk refuse day? Would that be less offensive? :)

The more major question we're dealing with:

Since the Christian God is ruler and creator of all the earth and demands we worship Him only. We cannot allow worship of anything else by people claiming to be Christians. But does this mean we need to be militantly against the more native religions?

I'm hoping there will be some discussion in the comments section.

I seem to have my best thoughts days after the actual conversation. So to those who were there, no hard feelings. I still love you, I especially welcome your replies and insights. I just posted my ideas here because I'm slow.

Japan Quote: Masks do matter

2009-05-06T08:44:00.003+09:00

Originally from NeoJapanisme, then from here:

What I see in Japan, and maybe this is my own myth, is that behind all these notions of politeness, snobbism etc. The Japanese are well aware that something which may appear superficial and unnecessary, has a much deeper structural function. A Western approach would be: who needs this? But a totally ridiculous thing at a deeper level might play a stabilizing function we are not aware of. Everybody laughs at the English monarchy, but you'll never know.

There is another notion, that is popular now amongst American sociologist, the civilizations of guilt versus civilizations of shame.

The Jews and their inner guilt and the Greeks with their culture of shame. The usual cliche now is that Japan is the ultimate civilization of shame. What I despise in America is the studio actors logic, as if there is something good in self expression: do not be oppressed, open yourself, even if you shout and kick the others, everything in order to express and liberate yourself. This stupid idea, that behind the mask there is some truth. In Japan, and I hope that this is not only a myth, even if something is merely an appearance, politeness is not simply insincere. There is a difference between saying 'Hello, how are you?' and the New York taxi drivers who swear at you. Surfaces do matter. If you disturb the surfaces you may lose a lot more than you account. You shouldn't play with rituals. Masks are never simply mere masks. Perhaps that's why Brecht became close to Japan. He also liked this notion that there is nothing really liberating in this typical Western gesture of stealing the masks and show the true face. What you discover is something absolutely disgusting. Let's maintain the appearances.

small dream

2009-05-04T22:44:00.001+09:00

i havent told anyone yet, but my dream for coming back to japan is small and beautiful

or at least i think so

for a long time i've been wanting to just sit down and focus on a few things. but right now i seem to enjoy having my fingers in everything and knowing everyone

my dream:

come back, teach english at a college. have a bible study at my house once a week or so. teach the bible and the foundational christian truths. have some sort of community dinner once a week too. invite students and teachers to those. b active in a church too. find a wife who believes in all that and share that with her

its sounds pretty small, but making it happen will b pretty big.

what do u think? is my dream too small? :)

Follow the Spread of Swine Flu with Google!

2009-04-30T17:18:00.001+09:00

World Wide Real Time Swine Flu Map

this is a helicopter

2009-04-29T21:31:00.001+09:00

its flying over school with its squadron quite loudly.

ironically, japan is outspokenly pacifist while staying in the top ten for military spending.

why do they train during the school day? and why is the SDF base within a few km of the schools on the south side of town?

Japanese Brazilians pre and post war

2009-04-29T21:07:00.001+09:00

Something interesting I read tonight:

This article deals with the main religious transition that accomplished the
redefinition of Japanese Brazilian identity after the Second World War. State
Shinto was the main world view of the Japanese immigrants in Brazil until the
1950s, playing a key role in the Japanese resistance of Brazilian acculturation
process and in the cognitive dissonance that resulted in the Shindo Renmei
movement. The Catholic Church began its proselytizing inside the Japanese
community in the 1920s, initially attending to Japanese Catholics and the nisei.
After the Second World War the Church participated in the clarification campaigns
against Shindo Renmei. With the collapse of Shinto nationalism the
missionary activities were especially directed towards the nisei and for that the
incorporation of Japanese Catholic symbols proved highly effective. The combination
of Japanese and Brazilian Catholic elements represented the development
of a hyphenated religiosity, facilitating the trend of Catholic belonging
and at the same time offering some cultural continuity.

keywords: Japanese Brazilian — Shinto State — Shindo Renmei — Japanese
Catholicism — Nikkei

Japanese Journal of Religious Studies 35/1: 13–38
© 2008 Nanzan Institute for Religion and Culture

Rafael Shoji

The Failed Prophecy of Shinto Nationalism

and the Rise of Japanese Brazilian Catholicism

13

Rafael Shoji is a Japan Foundation Fellow at the Nanzan Institute for Religion and Culture,
Nanzan University. This research was supported by Japan Foundation and by CNPq
(National Council for Scientific and Technological Development) in Brazil.
The invention of fumie (literally, pictures to be stepped on) is credited
to two shogunal commissioners of Nagasaki, Mizuno, and Takenaka,
between the years 1626 and 1633. Utilized until the nineteenth century
and transformed into an end-of-year ritual in Nagasaki, fumie were effective
instruments for the identification of Christians. All suspected Christians were
requested to desecrate Christian sacred images, especially images of Jesus Christ
and the Virgin Mary. Around three thousand Japanese Christians preferred
martyrdom, and many were exiled as prisoners. Little more than three hundred
years after its use in Japan, fumie were again imposed on the Japanese, a
minority in Brazil, in order to identify people that believed that the Japanese
had won the Second World War (kachigumi). Members of nationalistic movements,
kachigumi were responsible for terrorist activities that had shaken São
Paulo society after the Second World War.

At least half of the Japanese Brazilian community participated directly or
contributed financially to the most important of these movements, the Shindo
Renmei (League of the Subjects Way) a group that promoted the view that the
Japanese had won the Second World War, and that threatened and even murdered
Japanese people in the group that divulged the opposite view (makegumi).
About thirty thousand Japanese were interrogated or arrested during that
period (Morais 2000, 331), many having been obliged to step on the figure of
the Japanese emperor and a Japanese flag as a way to show that they were not
involved with the nationalistic movements and their terrorist acts. Having been
educated from the end of Meiji Era through the beginning of Showa Era, the
majority of the Japanese in Brazil had learned to cultivate the Japanese spirit
(yamato damashii), to believe in the divinity of the emperor, and if necessary to
die for him and for the Japanese imperialism that was to result in the Greater
East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere (daitōa kyōeiken).

The use of fumie in Brazil indicates the inversion of values imposed on the Japanese
in Brazil, aimed at the forcible abandonment of nationalistic Shinto. Before
the Second World War, the spiritual formation of the Japanese was directed to
Shinto ideology, and Japanese schools in Brazil were quasi-religious institutions
promoting this worldview. In this sense Shindo Renmei aimed at the continuity
of Japanese nationalism after the process of cognitive dissonance passed through
by the community after Japan's defeat (Maeyama 1997). This dissonance was
caused initially by linguistic isolation and abandonment by Japanese government
representatives and later by the hope of return to Japan or of new immigration
to the Japanese colonies that were expected after the Japanese victory.
shoji: shinto nationalism | 15

Some studies on the Japanese in Brazil hold that the Japanese had almost no
religious practices before the Second World War, apart from emperor devotion
and certain improvised Buddhist funerary rites. Almost all Japanese immigrants
affirmed that they left religion behind because they expected that their stay in
Brazil would be short (Handa 1987). This general view had a strong influence
on immigrant self-perception and on studies of Japanese religions in Brazil. The
Japanese at that time were educated by Japanese schools to understand State
Shinto as being simply Japanese education, not religion. The ambiguities of that
time blurred the recognition of State Shinto as religion (Hardacre 1989, 36;
Shimazono 2005, 1085), and even now this is a complex issue in political and
scholarly studies (Shimazono 2005, 1081–85). At that time the Japanese State
tried to promote the idea of religious liberty, while propagating State Shinto
through education (Hardacre 1989, 39–40; Shimazono 1089–92).
Nevertheless the immigrants' formation and Shindo Renmei represented a
closer continuity to State Shinto education, as received in Japan and later temporarily
reinforced by the cognitive dissonance caused by the war. Following
a broader definition of State Shinto, Shimazono (2005, 1094) states that "The
advantage of understanding State Shinto with a broad meaning with a certain
organized system is that it would facilitate reexamining the history of religions
in modern times within the entire historical perspectives of Japan." This reinforcement
of a broader concept of State Shinto also leads to a reexamination
of the Japanese Brazilian history since "State Shinto had exerted wide and great
influence not only on the religion but every detail of peoples consciousness in
living" (Murakami 1970, cited Shimazono 2005, 1083). The Japanese State was
not transplanted to Brazil, but the Japanese migrant workers (dekasegi) in Brazil
alone, educated at Japanese schools at the beginning of the twentieth century,
sustained the religiosity of Imperial Shinto even after the Second World War.
Conversion to Catholicism is often seen as a posterior process of social
accommodation promoted by acculturation. In this view, the majority of Japanese-
Brazilians, who were positioned between Japanese and Brazilian religions,
chose somewhat passively to become Catholics, implying strategies of social
acceptance, for example, new ties to a Brazilian Catholic godfather (Maeyama
1973a and 1973b; Nogueira 1991). Catholicism was not the state religion of Brazil,
but at that time was considered the national religion, as a result of four centuries
of monopoly in the religious market. Based on the historical archives of the
Catholic Church in São Paulo and on the records of the proselytizing activities
realized by the Catholic missionaries, this article will argue that this Catholic
turn among Japanese Brazilians began earlier than normally stated and was not
so dependent on a sharp distinction between Japanese and Brazilian religions.
After the dissolution of Shindo Renmei and with the establishment of a Nikkei
identity, nationalistic Shinto came to be progressively replaced by Catholicism
as the main group religion. Representing an ongoing social integration since
16 | Japanese Journal of Religious Studies 35/1 (2008)
the 1920s, this change of religious group was catalyzed by the existence of a
Catholicism directed and promoted by Japanese before the Second World War,
especially because of Japanese Catholic immigrants and the second generation
of Japanese (nisei). They formed elements of the clarification campaign against
Shindo Renmei and were the first to begin the religious participation expected
by the Brazilian society, though combining Japanese and Brazilian Christian
elements.

Issei: State Shinto Immigrants in Brazil

It is possible to observe two great Japanese immigration waves to Brazil, the first
before the Second World War (around 190,000 immigrants) and the other from
1952 to 1967 (around 58,000 immigrants). The areas of concentration were the
states of São Paulo (70 percent) and Paraná (12 percent). The education received
by the first wave of immigrants was greatly impacted by State Shinto.1 Since the
Imperial Rescript on Education of the Meiji Emperor in 1890, State Shinto was
promoted through the educational socialization of all Japanese.
The main factor in Brazil motivating immigration was the need for agricultural
labor, especially after the interruption of slave traffic in 1850 and the liberation
of slaves in 1888. At the beginning of the twentieth century, the Brazilian
economy was in expansion, mainly due to the relative high price of coffee in the
international market. The necessity of labor for coffee farming stimulated immigration
to Brazil, mainly from Europe, which began with waves of Portuguese
immigration starting in 1842 and German immigration in 1852. From the 1880s
on, the number of Italian immigrants quickly grew. Between 1890 and 1899, Brazil
received around 690,365 Italian immigrants, the majority of which had São
Paulo as their final destination. In 1900, the Italian government prohibited immigration
to Brazil, suggesting that new immigrants were being treated like slaves.
In Japan, industrialization and transformations during the Meiji Era provoked
an intense crisis in agriculture and scarcity of land. For the Japanese
government, one of the solutions was emigration, with the intention of starting
in Japanese foreign agricultural colonies able to supply Japan with agricultural
products (Lesser 2000, 155). Simultaneously, the USA restricted Japanese immigration
in 1907, with the "Gentlemen's Agreement," hindering the entry of Japanese
to Hawaii and the continent (Yanaguida and Alisal 1992, 102).

In the 1920s the Japanese agricultural crisis intensified, which contributed to
the growth of rural poverty in Japan. An additional cause of this economic crisis
1. The phases of this new ideology creation were summarized in Hardacre 1989, 21ff. State
Shinto is essentially understood here as a modern reinvention of tradition that emphasized selected
elements in the name of the unity of the Japanese people. It sustained political centralization,
through the assumption of the emperor's divinity, and the imperialist expansionism that caught
Japan in the Meiji Era. On early developments, already noting the reinvention of a religious tradition
and its transmission through schools, see Chamberlain 1912.
shoji: shinto nationalism | 17
was the earthquake in Kanto in 1923, which destroyed a large part of Tokyo and
Yokohama (Yanaguida and Alisal 1992). As a result, the Japanese government
offered great incentives for emigration beginning in 1924. Simultaneously, the
United States, a desired destination for many immigrants, definitively prohibited
Japanese immigration. In Brazil, the need for immigrant labor persisted due
to the continued migration of Italians from rural to urban areas. Brazil also had
an interest in commerce with Japan, something which was negotiated in conjunction
with the acceptance of new immigration quotas (Lesser 2000, 171).
These favorable factors produced an intense wave of immigration to Brazil.
Approximately 56 percent of all Japanese immigrants arrived in Brazil between
1925 and 1935, establishing themselves mainly in agricultural occupations in the
state of São Paulo.

Due to these favorable conditions for Japanese immigration to Brazil, agreements
were ratified between the Japanese and Brazilian governments for the
regulation and reception of immigrant workers in Brazil. One of the main
conditions was that immigration had to be family orientated with each family
having at least three people able to work, but this restriction was frequently
side-stepped by the formation of "fictitious" families, established only for immigration
permission. At that time, family in Japan was strongly organized by a
traditional household system (ie), in which the oldest son was responsible for
the administration of family property and ancestor worship. As a result, often
only younger sons immigrated to Brazil (Maeyama 1973b, 420–25). Given the
fact that the agricultural crisis in Japan was one of the main reasons for immigration,
the majority of immigrants were farmers.

After a while, some of the Japanese reached higher social levels by working
in agriculture as small land owners, many of them colonizing new regions
in the west of the state of São Paulo. The Japanese government, interested in
on-going immigration, tried to recommend the cultural adaptation of immigrants.
In spite of that, Japanese immigrants never intended to stay definitively
in Brazil. Their hopes were still to prosper rapidly and then return to Japan. This
general attitude towards a temporary stay explains much of the immigrant's
resistance with regard to cultural adaptation. Japanese immigrants generally did
not concern themselves with learning Portuguese or integrating into Brazilian
society—something that did happen with other nationalities. Communal effort
was centered in maintaining cultural customs as they were practiced in Japan.
Because immigration to Brazil was family-oriented, normal community
growth was possible. Children were raised like Japanese, especially in rural areas,
and the community created their own schools, which became the main center of
the community activities (Lesser 2000, 167).2 The schools represented attempts
2. Saito (1980, 82) establishes a contrast with Japanese immigration to the USA, which did not
have these familial characteristics. The peak of Japanese immigration to the USA occurred earlier
18 | Japanese Journal of Religious Studies 35/1 (2008)
to maintain and propagate the education that the immigrants themselves had
received (Comissão 1992, 211–15; Demartini 2000). Despite the precarious
conditions of the Japanese settlements, the Japanese language and the emperor
worship characteristic of Shinto nationalism were tentatively taught there. In
1927 the Educational Association of Japanese in Brazil was organized by the
Consul General in São Paulo (Zaihaku Nihonjin Kyōikukai). It was replaced in
1929 by the Association of Parents of Students in Japanese Schools in São Paulo
(Zai São Paulo Nihonjin Gakkō Fukeikai). In some cases the Japanese community
could organize public schools in association with the Brazilian government,
trying to combine the Brazilian curriculum with a Japanese education. From
1936 on, the Japanese Government offered more direct financial support to these
schools through the Association of Japanese Education Dissemination in Brazil
(Burajiru Nihonjin Kyōiku Fukyūkai).

Japanese education was characterized by nationalism after the Meiji Period,
which resulted in a ritualized interpretation of Japanese ethnicity through the
emperor cult and a sense of common origin. In Brazil communal relations
based on Shinto nationalism assumed great importance, given geographic separation
from the traditional Japanese household (ie) and local corporate groups
based on household alliance (dōzoku) in Japan (Maeyama 1973a, 244). Takashi
Maeyama detected the presence of fictitious relationships with a ritualized
interpretation of ethnicity in the image of the Japanese emperor as a tutelary
kami for all Japanese in Brazil (Maeyama 1973b; Maeyama 1983, 185).
State Shinto was indeed the worldview of the Japanese immigrants before
the war. This situation can be analyzed using Marxist theory as the effects on
a superstructure when structure is eliminated through immigration. Without
their social and economic support systems, Buddhism and shrine Shinto lived on
more in immigrants' memories than in their social and religious organizations.
In fact there was little possibility for the establishment of shrines as occurred
in Asian Japanese colonies (Hardacre 1989, 95–96) and Micronesia (Shuster
1982). On the other hand, the attempted continuation of the received civil religion
and the social implications of State Shinto ideology in the new environment
characterized the first stage of the group experience. Schools acted as the
main community centers and temples of this civil religiosity, being responsible
for the socialization of the children in the spirit of the existing State Shinto. As
in the Japanese setting at that time (Hardacre 1989, 108–11 and 121–24; Shimazono
2005, 1089–92), many schools continued to express respect and promises
of obedience before the emperor's picture. The Imperial Rescript on Education
was solemnly read as a holy scripture and nationalistic rituals were tentatively
organized in accordance with Japanese holidays. Self-perceptions as temporary
and, as a result, the immigrants were less influenced by the nationalist education that prevailed in
the Taisho and Showa Eras in Japan. The expansion and stronger influence of State Shinto began
after 1905 (Hardacre 1989, 23).
shoji: shinto nationalism | 19
immigrants generated an attempt to preserve the State Shinto worldview. Education
was aimed to promote yamato damashii, although in a foreign environment
(Maeyama 1973b, 436–38).

At the political level the community leadership depended largely on diverse
associations controlled by the Japanese Consulate General in São Paulo, which
acted as an umbrella organization. Japanese immigration was in fact strongly
subsidized by the Japanese government as a state policy and the Japanese government
contributed to the maintenance of immigration companies and local
associations (Comissão 1992, 137). Relations outside the community were often
stimulated only by economic activities and by that which was strictly necessary
for social acquaintance. In reaction to the closed nature of the Japanese Brazilian
community, Brazilian politicians criticized what they considered Japanese
resistance to acculturation. Despite their recognition of the importance and economic
contribution of the Japanese community many Brazilian politicians were
apprehensive and feared the growing influence of Japanese imperialism in Asia.
In fact, the immigrant worldview based on Japanese nationalism was in many
senses the direct opposite of the melting pot ideology that was being developed
in Brazil at that time. Starting in the 1920s, aesthetic and cultural tendencies
began to reconsider the importance of African and Indian native cultures for
Brazil. According to writer Mário de Andrade, the ability to incorporate foreign
elements, moderating and utilizing these elements in concert with the national
culture, reflected the anthropophagous character of Brazilians. These ideas arose
first from Modern Art Week in 1922, but were later intensified through the academic
work of the anthropologist Gilberto Freyre, who highly valued Brazil's
mixing of races. He established a trend and an anthropological school that still
exist in Brazil.

Mestiço thinking insisted on the necessary assimilation of Japanese in the Brazilian
melting pot. The resulting nationalism strongly influenced the cultural and
educational program of dictator Getúlio Vargas's government. As formally enacted
into law in 1938, 30 percent of the residents in every city had to be Brazilians and
no single foreign nationality could represent more than 25 percent of the inhabitants.
Moreover, all educational books used in schools had to be in Portuguese and
school directors had to be Brazilians. These elements had as their aim a new Brazilian
identity, defending a growing Brazilian nationalism based on assimilation.
As a result, although the nonexistence of a Brazilian identity had earlier been

Swine flu info 豚インフルエンザ情報

2009-04-28T16:02:00.001+09:00

Some recycled info from the JET email list:

Information about the Swine Flu (Influenza A virus subtype H1N1).

Currently classified as a phase 4 pandemic alert by the World Health Organization.

Symptoms:

1) Incubation period from anywhere of 10+ hours to about 7 days (most causes become apparent within 2-3 days) and cause a sudden fever.

2) The fever increases rapidly to a fever of 38-39 degrees celsius (that's about 100-102 for the Fahrenheit people)

3) Other symptoms include headache, muscle aches and soreness, and a general strong lethargic feeling all over the body

Currently the virus is not thought to be completely adapted to spreading effectively from human beings to human beings, but the number of reported cases are on the rise so taking precautions to avoid infection is the wisest course of action.

Things you can to to avoid the flu:

1) Practice good sanitary habits (gargling, washing hands with warm water and soap, etc.)

2) Practice healthy daily living habits - don't overtire yourself or let your immune system get weak

3) Wear a face mask when going outdoors

4) Avoid crowds and going outside when unnecessary

5) Be sure to cook your meat well (poultry, pork, etc.) at 75 degrees celsius (that's 167 degrees Fahrenheit) for at least 1 minute

6) Avoid poultry farms, pig farms, and other areas where livestock are handled

Currently there are no reported cases in Japan, and the Japanese government has stepped up its quarantine procedures at all entry points into the country. Since Golden Week is starting and many people are traveling abroad, I want to make sure that everyone takes all the necessary precautions to stay healthy and avoid infection.

Please remember:

If you are traveling and you don't feel well, first of all, adjust your plans accordingly to give you plenty of time to rest.

If you have a fever of 38 degrees celsius (100 F) or higher you shouldn't be moving- go to the doctor immediately.

You may see more rigorous screening when entering Japan. Obviously, anyone who is infected with the swine influenza virus will not be allowed into Japan, and this includes JETs and Japanese nationals.

J-Pop recomendation: Radwimps

2009-04-25T17:54:00.002+09:00

Some of my junior high students currently love this band. They're called the Radwimps. It's fun teenage pop rock. Enjoy!

Showa Day

2009-04-24T12:16:00.002+09:00

There is a holiday coming up in Japan next Wednesday called "Showa Day". It is a relatively new holiday created by the LDP.

It's purpose is "To reflect on Japan's Shōwa period when recovery was made after turbulent days, and to think of the country's future." However, some see it as a way to memorialize Emperor Hirohito and glamorize the war era.

I didn't know this holiday was new. And besides that, there are few people who are willing to talk about the meanings of national holidays or Japan's past anyway.

Where do Fuji apples come from?

2009-04-23T09:46:00.000+09:00

It's a common misconception in America. Where do Fuji apples come from? Well from Mount Fuji of course. Both are big, both are famous. Duh.

No! Fuji apples come from Aomori. They were first developed in a town just north of here called Fujisaki. Don't believe me? Ask Wikipedia. Or anyone from around here.

A quote from my supervisor in Japan

2009-04-10T10:38:00.001+09:00

This really helped me when I was (recently) struggling with internal politics. It isn't the first time I've had such a conversation, but it was perhaps the most clearly articulated statement I've heard yet.

"...the reason that I have stayed all these years is not because I believe in the church/institution and it's effectiveness at evangelism. Rather, I have stuck around because I value the people I've met -- the real body of Christ.

...

it's difficult for me to equate my lack of confidence in the institution with the people that I meet and deal with every day. I'm not enamored of the church as an institution, but I do love and admire many with whom I work."

The Shame of History

2009-04-09T09:32:00.001+09:00

This is part of an email discussion I've been having with a friend:

Actually when the first protestant missionaries came to Japan because they were so small in numbers - and for clarity's sake - they tried to be one ecumenical group. But when more missionaries came and sending organizations can congregations wanted to see "results", they broke up. That was the first year or two of protestant missions in the early Meiji era.

The catch of the government Kyodan was that it put the church line of authority directly under the government's Ministry of Religion Department. The Buddhists and Shintoists were governed by this ministry too.

Then they started emperor worship in school for a couple years. After that they required all public places to worship the emperor or close the building. When the church complained the government said, "Your kids already do it."

But maybe you already know all this. Basically Christians didn't see it coming, and were trapped under government authority before they knew it. When they had to make the hard choice of God's authority of government authority, they made the wrong choice.

I hear there were a lot of neighborhood patrols and secret police and stuff too. People who just vanished one day after a visit from the police and never returned.

We still don't talk about this much in the Kyodan. The Kyodan wrote an offical apology and clearer statement of faith that they believed in only one God above government authority. But that was a little late - in the 70's or 80's.

I think it's important to talk about this too. Because that way we can learn from history and look to waht to do in the future. Otherwise we will just be stuck with the same problems.

Most of this info I learned in reverse from Christians outside the Kyodan asking me about the Kyodan. Kyodan church goers generally don't like other denominations because they keep bringing this up. And the younger Kyodan members don't even know this history well themselves!

But that's typical. After the war, and the occupation, Japan in general didn't know what to do. They were slow to apologize to the other Asian nations, and then the Korean war started. One of the Japanese Prime Ministers even went so far as to say the Korean War was "a gift from the gods" so that we don't have to have the shame of apologozing. And after that everyone was too busy with Korea, and then Vietnam, the Cold War. It didn't become an issue again for along time.

Even now, I meet few Japanese people who are willing to talk about that time in history. It's mostly hear no evil, see no evil. After the war, Japan became a peace loving pacifist country and an economic giant. That's what most people I meet think about history after the war.

Right now, one of my friends is having a baby out of wedlock. She was the sweetest girl before that. This is probably one of the few major mistakes of her life. I've known her for three years now. She's one of my longest running friends. The baby is due next month. But she and the father are doing the right thing, getting married, having the baby. Looking for a house and everything. It won't be easy, but I actually look up to her for doing the right thing.

But she doesn't see it that way, she sees it all as shame.

From this experience, I think what they say about guilt and shame in this country is true. She doesn't seem to be all that guilty about her choice herself. But whenever anyone mentions it even slightly, she is obviously heavily ashamed. She feels she can't come to church or anything. She'd rather just aviod the problem. See no evil, speak no evil.

I think this is the same way Japan in general (and church goers of Kyodan churches) feel about the war. Let's just ignore it and talk about peace and pacifism.

By the way, "See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil" is Tokugawa Government propoganda.

And "Japan is all one race, one culture, one family" is Meiji Government propoganda.

Now, back to work. ^_^

Spring has sprung!

2009-04-06T16:46:00.001+09:00

Here in Japan, April is not only the beginning of spring. It's also the beginning of the fiscal and school years. It's the time of year when people retire, and people find new jobs. It's also the time students enter a new junior high, high school or college for the first time.

Especially this year, there have been many new beginnings and ends.

Let's start with the ends:

My manic-depressant English teacher retired.
The older female gym teacher retired. She was one of few people at school who bothered to teach me useful Japanese.
My pastor at church in the morning retired.
The head of ecumenical missions in Japan was let go.
My supervisor within Japan is returning with his wife to America to look after his aging father.
The first class of freshman I taught just graduated.

Now for the beginnings:

We hired two new part-time English teachers. I can't wait to meet them.
The younger female gym teacher is getting married this Saturday! And it'll be my first Japanese wedding. :)
There's a new incoming class of students.
One of my friends is having a baby in May!
We have a new pastor downtown.

I guess that's about it. But it's still exciting. :)

Pachinko stats

2009-04-06T10:50:00.001+09:00

These are borrowed (recycled) from MutantFrog Travelogue and Bloomberg:

Introduced in the 1920s, pachinko is played by about 13 percent of Japan's population, who fed 23 trillion yen into the machines in 2007, according to the Japan Productivity Center for Socio-Economic Development.

Numbers are down from 16 percent of the population and 29.6 trillion yen in 2003, a drop that was caused by a regulatory crackdown on types of machines that encouraged heavy gambling, according to a February 2007 report by CLSA Asia-Pacific Markets.

13,000 Parlors

Japan's 13,000 pachinko halls—more than one for every 10,000 residents—are located throughout the country around train stations, along highways and in entertainment areas.

That's a whopping 13,000 parlors, compared to:

3,800 McDonald's stores

1,102 Sukiya beef bowl stores (they edged out Yoshinoya in 2008)

About 50,000 convenience stores. 7-11 is Japan's largest convenience store chain with 12,071 stores.

where am I going?

2009-04-06T09:59:00.001+09:00

In a facebook comment, I just thought out where I am, where I am going, and why. Many thanks to the many people who are wiser than me (and the Spirit of God), whose voices I seem to now hear inside my own voice. Compared to who I was two or three years ago, I can hardly believe this is me talking.

Here's the comment:

Really treasure the time you have with people here. But I bet you already know that. :)

As I plan events at school, and read about events at church and around town, I'm starting to realize I won't be here for some of them!

Spring is the season of change here, and it seems like this time around everything at church and at school is changing. And I kind of want to stay and see how it turns out. But I chose to leave before I knew all this would happen!

Really, I don't care about the school, or the denomination or the other institutions. I like these people here.

But I can't stay here at this school like this. I want to become stronger. And by that I mean I want to become a better teacher, and be in a place where I can spread the gospel more clearly. That's why I'm going home.

Thanks for listening.

No, No. Yes!

2009-04-04T17:10:00.001+09:00

There's a Bill Cosby gag that goes like this:

"When your mother asks me if I like something. My strategy is this: 'yes, yes, no'."

"What?"

"Do I look good in this dress? -> Yes. How about this one? -> Yes. This one? -> No."

And in general, this is my philosophy as well. I usually say "Yes" it anything (reasonable) the first time, and "No" later on.

I just read that in Japan, proper manners require the opposite. When invited to do something or have something, proper manners require that you turn down an offer at least twice before accepting. The causes the giver to insist that you do something.

I think this borders on manipulation, however, few people strictly follow the moral code anymore anyway.

Just something to keep in mind if you're in Japan. Keep trying, even when you get turned down. The person might be waiting for you to insist!

improved filing

2009-04-03T11:20:00.001+09:00

Although classes start next Wednesday. I still don't have my schedule or class lists. So today mostly I've been filing all of my lessons and papers from last year (and throwing out / recycling a lot of extra stuff).

You know, it's hard to tell if you're improving by just looking at the students day by day. It's also hard to tell by their grades because there are always a few great kids and a few slackers in every bunch.

Not to toot my own horn but, as I filed away all my old tests and lessons I could definatly look at them and say to myself, "you've improved." And in a small way that made my day today.

Spring has sprung.

2009-04-01T11:58:00.002+09:00

It's true. It's getting warmer, plants are blossoming, and North Korea is up to something again.

Oh yeah, and Japan won the World Baseball Classic too. Kudos!

a letter to Mom and Dad

2009-04-01T09:48:00.001+09:00

I'm always glad to hear from you. No matter what the medium. :) It seems I always get sick when traveling. Yesterday on the train home, I started to get a cough, and it's worse today. I'm required to work a half day today - mostly I'm just cleaning up my desk because I don't even know my class schedule for next year yet. :(

I can't even begin to say how sad I'll be to miss my brother's graduation - and the family reunion.

This retreat was perhaps the best of all three years. We had a good match of younger and older people - short term and career missionaries - and we all got along pretty well. We voiced concerns about how the gospel is being shared in Christian schools to our mission board of Japanese nationals (who also attended) as well as talking about the specifics of how our interdenominational relationships work.

For the first time, I felt like they really listened and we really communicated. I overheard the general secretary talking in Japanese with another chairman about how it must be hard to teach and preach the gospel at the same time, and how we need more missionaries but he hopes regular lay people understand that it's their job too. It's nice to know people at the top have the same concerns that we do. Because sometimes in the day to day it doesn't look like that at all.

I had a conversation with my Japanese national boss on the same subject. Both he and a woman from the Board of Missionary Concerns said they'd be sad to see me go. So did my missionary friends I helped with VBS last summer. I was surprised to hear a missionary chaplain from one of the universities say the same thing. I didn't think he even knew my name! You never know what you've got till it's gone I guess.

Before the conference we did some sight seeing in Tokyo. We went to Tokyo Tower, the Imperial Palace, etc. The next day my fellow teachers met up with one of their students who will be studying in Tokyo soon, and I met up with my friends from college. They're doing ok, mostly just working ALOT these days.
In Japan it's typical for a boss to ask a worker to work "unpaid / unreported overtime", and they do it! One has a few part-time jobs and uses the excuse that she's only part-time to not work overtime. However, the other is a bit more quiet and "loyal" - in the Confucian sense - and actually works those hours. She's been working from 9am to 9pm a lot recently. We talked about that for a bit.

Her grandmother is in ill health and the family goes to visit her every Sunday (the ONLY day of the week everyone is not working). Besides filial piety, she says this is the only chance she gets to see her real family during the week too. So she hasn't been going to church much.

However, on Sunday her grandmother was having a small operation and the family was told not to visit. So she came to church at my missionary friends' church with me on Sunday. We both made a friend at summer VBS last year. She was volunteering there too. She's an amazing Christian young woman. Especially for a young single working person in Japan these days. It was really great to see her again.

I'll tell you all about her later since this email is getting long and I should get back to work.

At the conference I could speak whichever language I wanted to and most people understood. I came back to the office today and was speaking a mix of Japanese and English and was surprised for a bit when staff didn't understand me fully! Just to be able to meet like minded Christians and be free to express myself was quite the vacation.

Today is exactly four months from my last day at work. I'm beginning to realize how quickly that will come here. See you guys soon!

English Camp went well

2009-03-23T09:07:00.003+09:00

Just a quick note to let you know that English camp went well. I fine tuned lessons that I'd done last year, but the kids were great too. They were the real reasons camp was so enjoyable. :)

A quick look from the school website:

Spring break has suddenly started, and I'm off to Tokyo for a conference. More later.

Senator Charles Grassley sticks his foot in his mouth

2009-03-18T13:40:00.003+09:00

Today Mr. Grassley stuck his foot in his mouth here saying that members of AIG should do the humble Japanese thing and commit suicide before apologizing.

That defiantly made the news in Japan this morning. And although no one had ever heard of Tom Grassley or my home state before. They have now.

Yes, it's true the AIG bonuses are horrendous. And Japanese people are famous the world over for committing suicide. But there's no reason to put the two of them together right now.

UPDATE: on the drive home with my co-worker Senator Grassley was on the TV again. My co-worker laughed. He wasn't offended at all. He said, "It's funny because Japanese people aren't crazy like that any more (i.e. samurai style harakiri or WW2 kamikaze type suicide)."

I feel like I'm not important

2009-03-18T10:12:00.001+09:00

I feel like I'm not important at school...

When I am asked to change grades for students simply because they are "advanced course or 特進 students".
When other teachers teach a class called Oral English without me once a week, which actually has no speaking or communicative English. It is all grammar from the regular textbook. It is just a quick fix to cover up a requirement by the Ministry of Education that requires us to teach Oral English twice a week.
When no one listens to me or takes the time to explain things to me.
When I get a three word explanation in English of a fifteen minute long discussion that was in Japanese.

All of these happened at department meetings this week. And then there's one more meeting at 2 o'clock today. This is one of the real contributing reasons to why I am leaving. But it's difficult to explain to staff whose whole career has involved making these kinds of compromises at school.

I've been baptized!

2009-03-13T10:30:00.001+09:00

This morning only junior high students have class. And with only the junior high students in the chapel, the high school chaplain delivered perhaps the most personal sermon I've heard her give. It went like this:

"Today is the anniversary of my baptism. I was baptized in high school. This marks a time when I realized Jesus Christ was not just a person, I realized He is my Lord. I went to church for many years, and then I got baptized.

And I'm not the only person who has been baptized. The people who came here long ago from America to start this school were also baptized, and so were the Japanese teachers who helped to found this school.

For many of you, this school is your first experience with Christianity and Jesus Christ. You might wonder why people get baptized. I even wonder that sometimes myself. But actually the truth is that God calls us to baptizism. You might think that you chose this school, but in fact, Jesus chose you. I encourage you all to think about baptism."

The largest critism of Christian schools in Japan is that they are Christian "in name only" (形だけ). And despite how dangerously close this sermon came to that reality, I told the chaplain after the service that I really enjoyed hearing about her story and her Christian life, and I'm sure the students did too.

It's not much, but it's a start　だんだんでね？ Maybe it's because the stress of final tests is finished. Who knows. Things are looking slightly up.

an invitation

2009-03-12T10:40:00.001+09:00

The other day during her coffee break, the high school chaplain invited me out for "rotating sushi" someday. But not right now because she has the shaken 車検　(mandatory car exam) coming up and might not have money left after that. In fact, she has NEVER been to rotating sushi in town during the TWENTY years she has lived here.

There is an English teacher in my office who seems to be friends with the chaplain. They go around at the school festival together. They went bar hopping 二次会 after the office party together. They eat lunch together, etc. However, the chaplain didn't invite that English teacher (although she was even involved in the conversation).

Although the chaplain speaks some English, she invited a different English teacher (who was not involved in the conversation) to come with us. This got me thinking. She's single, and if this one English teacher isn't her friend. Then she really doesn't have many friends. This could be the cause or the effect of her personality.

And although I really don't want to go with her (because of her personality). Because she is the chaplain and I want a chance to talk with her - get her to think about what she is doing here - I'll accept. I probably should have done this before, but she's always been so unapproachable and cantankerous that I never tried. I'm still a little scared.

So we'll go out for sushi. Some day, after final grading, after junior high English camp, after the conference, right around the time I'll start seriously getting into my grad school apps, we'll go out for sushi then.

PS - I also just got an invitation to a co-worker's wedding that I'm really looking forward to. It'll be my first wedding in Japan!

excerpt from the mail part 2

2009-03-10T14:00:00.000+09:00

Actually it's refreshing to have someone truly interested in life here. Most people just ask "So, how's Japan?" Like I can tell them in five minutes or less! :) That's actually where I got the new subtitle for my blog. I think after a week of being home and talking with Mom she understood "how things are going" here.

Or perhaps everyone wants to know, but no one has the time. That's what the blog is for. :)

I speak in chapel every month except for March because March is almost entirely spring break. The school year starts in April here (with the cherry blossoms, and the fiscal year), so actually spring break is one of the larger breaks here. Spring, summer and winter vacation are each about a month long.

Since few of my students are Christians, I usually talk about salvation and personal belief in Jesus Christ. However, I also talk about aspects of the Christian life, like reading the Bible, praying, loving one another, etc. and how those have changed my life as well. I often use stories from high school or college that I think the students can relate to.

I speak in English, and I try to keep it simple. Every time I speak there is a paper made for each of the students. It has:
    1)   the hymn in English
    2)   the Bible passage in Japanese and English
    3)   my sermon word for word in both English and Japanese

The bilingual sections are side by side so students can quickly find the meaning. Most hymns in Japan are translations of German or English, so we sing only English hymns they already sing in regular chapel, and by the tune they have a basic what they are saying - the corresponding hymn number is also printed on the paper if they want to look it up.

The eight Japanese English teachers take turns translating my message every month. I'm very grateful for their help.

I find it amazing that the school continues to have chapel everyday, and Bible readings everyday. Even though very few of them believe. In fact, I'm most surprised by the teachers who adimately deny faith in anything, but still stand up for having chapel everyday.

...the principal considers chapel a 15 minute waste of time in the morning, and a chance for disciplinary problems to occur while all the students are sitting together.

Japan has a history of not trusting outsiders. This is another topic I could talk about forever, and there is plenty of history there as well. In my city of 180,000 there are less than 100 Caucasian foreigners - apparently in the 70's there were about 10. There are many more Asian foreigners in town, however, these foreigners tend to blend in. Some even go so far as to change their full names to a Japanese name. America is known for being a melting pot. Japan is known for being "homogeneous". For now suffice it to say that I am the only foreigner at my school.

All my students are Japanese. Living here it is very difficult to explain the difference between ethnicity and nationality. In the Japanese mind they are one and the same. In fact, I once taught a lesson on describing people. It started by describing hair and eye color. I had to use color pictures because, of course, none of my students had blond, brown or red hair. (What did you do for props before the internet?) One student raised her hand and said, "NB. We all have black hair and black eyes. We will NEVER use this." I said, "Perhaps you'll leave the country, or meet a foreigner on the street in town someday."

The same is generally true for church goers. Christianity still has a reputation as a foreign religion. Sometimes I meet host families who bring their host child to church - even though neither have ever been to church! However, foreign Christians do tend to seek out churches, and I have met Christians from Brazil, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, South Korea and Africa at church. Most of these were exchange students from the local public university.

As you might know, the Korean church is particularly strong. And I have co-workers in Tokyo who are Korean and sent here through a Korean denomination. One of the pastors at a church on the south side of town is also related to a Korean family and he and his wife usually help out the Korean students who come to town.

Although there are a few students who come here for Christian teaching - these students usually come from Evangelical churches and are usually disappointed to find only "Christian information" here.

There are also students who come here because their parents came here. Two of my best students are a brother and sister who are children of a single mother who was a student here 20 or 30 years ago. Families who have a lineage of coming here are usually proud of that.

However, the fact is that most come here because they have no other option. Of course we are more expensive, and in the current economy, parents and students usually choose the cheaper and better funded public schools. (Japan hadn't quite recovered from the "Asian market crash" yet either before this came) And being in the "rural northeast" funds are especially tight.

Starting in junior high, there is a complicated entrance exam system in Japan. I liken this system to a college scholarship award program. There are standardized tests, essays, and even interviews. The days and procedures are outlined by the government. Students can try one public school and one private school. Basically, most of our students take our test as a backup in case they fail the public test. We are well aware we were most of our students' second choice.

I believe our tuition is still affordable. In fact in a last ditch effort last year, we lowered both teacher salary and tuition 20%, and our enrollment just about broke even.

Because of the entrance exam system, schools don't consolidate, they generally just close. We recruit some students from neighboring prefectures for sports - they generally live in dormitories and go home on the weekends. And it's not uncommon for some of my students to have an hour to 90 minute commute on the train and bus one way from neighboring towns.

With school uniforms, economic mix is hard to gauge, but I gather we have students from both poor and wealthy families. Once in my third year elective English class we were talking about globalization and wealth. Two boys were talking to each other.

"Your wealth is a PSP. My wealth is this chocolate bar."

"A PSP is not wealth."

"Yes it is! NB! Is a PSP wealth?"

I had to agree that a PSP was an indication of wealth. Although these two boys were friends outside class, I get the feeling that students are well aware of the income gaps between their families.

(sorry for the spasm of topics)

excerpts from a mail to my aunt

2009-03-10T08:14:00.001+09:00

Actually, you picked a great time to write. It's actually Saturday here. We have an orientation for new students this morning, so I'm quasai-working this morning.

About China and Japan. I think the major differences are:
    1) size, both in area and population. Japan is an island, China is a continent.
    2) Japan modernized/industrialized first so the changes haven't been as rapid in Japan (but still faster than in the USA)
    3) China was a British colony
    4) Japan tried to colonize Asia during World War II.

I think all major differences stem off from there. Do you know much about Asian culture and history? I have to admit when I first came here I didn't know much.

About being a missionary teacher. That is still something I am struggling to define. All members involved seem hesitant to define my position.

The basic guidelines I have been given:
from my school:     1) you will teach 14-18 English conversation classes a week
                        2) you will speak in chapel once a month

from the UCCJ:   be an "active" member of a church.

(After I had been here two years I received a "pre-arrival packet" that had a bilingual introduction and a bilingual "ways I am willing to help at church" check list that I could have used at church)

from the RCA:   be a "Christian presence".

Almost everything else is up to my discretion. Which is kind of nice in some ways (I have friends at other schools who are slightly more restricted by all their requirements), but frustrating in others.

Let's start with the school. The irony is that we are a Christian school whose current administration is not at all Christian. In fact even among the teachers there are only a few Christians (about 4 believers, and 8 church goers out of 60 teachers).

As for lessons on the Bible and Christianity, we have both a junior high and a senior high chaplain who teach those lessons. I teach only English conversation lessons, however, the junior high chaplain and I are trying to plan an "after school bible study club" for next year - any students would be welcome to join.

Oh, and my salary is paid 100% by my school. So I'm very low over head for both the RCA and the UCCJ.

Interesting bit of history: from the 1800's until about 1970, the school itself was half funded by the Methodist Church and the UCCJ. Remember that up until that point Japan had been considered a small poor country in the West. Many of the main line denominations were here on "social justice" missions. However, in the 1970's Japan appeared to have become an economic power and many of the mainline denominations began to withdraw their funds and staff. Which brings us to today where they get no funds.

About grad school. I have filled out my FAFSA, but my grad school apps are pending. I have my top five schools list, and applications for them in hand. However, this week is final tests, and then junior high english camp, and then my spring break begins. I hope to get my grad school apps done then. But first I have grading to finish here.

I'd like to go to grad school in California because there seems to be plenty of English work then, and there are many opportunities to work with Asians there. Both the Japanese and Korean churches are strong on the West Coast. In order I'm looking at
    1) BIOLA in LA,
    2) Azusa Pacific in LA,
    3) Multonamah in Portland
    4) Uni of St. Cloud in MN
    5) Uni of IA

And if all of those fail I'm also looking at ESL certificate programs in Chicago and Denver as backup.

Like I said, I'd love to go to school on the West Coast, but with the economy, I'm worried about whether I can swing it.

Chain of command story #2

2009-03-09T16:44:00.001+09:00

Story #2: I was out to eat with some friends Saturday night my European friend was saying how she can't understand why no one else ever stands up to her rude and always yelling boss - except for her. When being yelled at she simply says:

Yeah, I understand.     はい！わかりました。

I'm doing my best.      がんばります。

It's just fine.            もういいです。

We asked our Japanese friends if they would ever talk back to their boss. One doesn't currently have a job, and the other says her boss is great. So this was a "what if" conversation. Both of of our friends emphatically said no - they would never talk back to their boss.

Well then what would you do?

"I'd just take it. Endure it."

For how long?

"Until whenever."

Would you look for a different job?

"Not really, no."

Why not talk back?

やっぱり、喧嘩が面倒だから。　yappari, kenka ga mendou dakara.    "Because fighting back is a pain."

But don't you feel like crap when they yell at you for no reason and don't listen to what you say? or harass you?

"Well yeah, but... まだ喧嘩より我慢の法がいい　(mada kenka yori gaman hou ga ii) it's still better to put up with it than fight."

As westerners, it's simply inconceivable to think would talk like this about a work situation, but it happens all the time here - and it was like this when the economy was good too

chain of command (立って社会)

2009-03-09T16:31:00.001+09:00

I learned a new word this week. It's tatte shakai (立って社会). It means the cultural chain of command, the pecking order, the totem pole. In Japan it's very important.

Today, case in point: today, tomorrow and Wednesday are all final test days. Students have tests first through fourth periods, and then they can go home for lunch and take the afternoon off. For teachers there are usually administrative and department meetings until about 2 or 3 pm. After the meetings are finished, the principal calls all the teacher's offices and gives them permission to go home early.

However, today the principal is at a meeting in Aomori City, and won't be back to make the call. Apparently last week after the graduation the principal saw some teachers going home early without his permission (even though there was nothing to do and it wasn't exactly a school day). Apparently the principal got mad about this and yelled at the teacher(s) and their supervisors.

So today, even though all the meetings were finished by 2:30, and there is nothing to do but grade tests until Friday, everyone is waiting around the end of the work day (technically 4:30). My supervisor realizes this is BS, but he doesn't want to fight. So today at lunch he announced that he was taking paid leave for the afternoon and he would be happy to fill out the paperwork for anyone else who would like to - two other teachers joined him.

I find it absurd sometimes how knit-picky the pecking order is here. Like I've said before, micro-management seems to be a desirable thing here in Japan, but I can't fathom why anyone would want it that way.

a good laugh

2009-03-06T15:02:00.000+09:00

Yesterday after lunch, a student came running into the office saying, "There are cigarette butts in the toilet!" This isn't the firs time this has happened at school, but this was in the main hallway right next to the offices. Who could be so presumptuous to smoke right next to the teachers' office?

As you can imagine, a few teachers went into inspect it. The student discipline office was called, the vice principal was notified. One of the gym teachers took some disposable chopsticks (this is another use for them) and fished the cigarette butts out of the toilet.

"These are awfully hard," she said.

But it turns out they weren't cigarette butts. They were pieces of Toppo (a small long candy stick made of chocolate covered in waffer).

The vice principal was renotified that the problem was actually Toppo not tobacco.

in Japanese:
もしもし？すみません、先生。問題はタバコではなくお菓子です。トッポです。　はい！そうでう。すみません！しつれします。

and we all had a good laugh about it in the office.

Today's good laugh: an English student wrote, "...and I have many chances to speak English with our Native American teacher NB."

(The student meant "American" and/or "native English speaker")

this one takes the cake

2009-03-04T18:33:00.001+09:00

This afternoon, at four thirty on a Wednesday afternoon, the high school chaplain comes in and says "coffee, coffee! I need some coffee for my hangover!"

Her conversation with me starts like this:

"NB, have you ever had a hangover?"

"Yeah, but just a headache. Nothing too serious."

"Well, I have a hangover today!"

"It's Wednesday isn't it?"

"Yeah, well after the graduation ceremony, I went out with some of the other teachers..."

This hangover was evidently so bad that in the morning she didn't drive herself to school.

After she had finished her coffee, she went into the neighboring office, made more coffee, and retold the same story. Is this just a cry for attention?

If she was drinking with other teachers, I'm sure they had hangovers too. But none of them felt obliged to spend their afternoon telling the rest of the staff about it. And those teachers are not the chaplain or the head of the religion department either.

I've said it before: why is someone who should be one of the best examples one of the worst? ugh.

My new favorite J-Pop song

2009-02-25T21:11:00.002+09:00

Angela Aki is my new hero. Why can't English speakers write pop songs like this? Maybe they're too busy with bling.

See the song with English subs here:

The real video here:

retirement

2009-02-24T13:03:00.001+09:00

Right now the high school chaplain is in our office using our coffee and
taking a coffee break. She's chatting about how she ONLY has 20 years
left until retirement.

If we weren't counting down the days until she leaves already, we are
now. This defintaly goes on the list of things NOT to do in the office.

Necessity is the root of learning

2009-02-23T20:10:00.001+09:00

When I first started learning Japanese, one of my first lessons was
about occupations. When I first learned the words for doctor and nurse,
I thought to myself, "When will I ever use these words? Who cares?"

However, when I met some med students and was having a conversation
about their daily clinical jobs, I was dumbfounded from the start.

Then when I actually went to the hospital myself, I learned the words
for doctor and nurse - among others - REALLY fast.

As they say, necessity is the root of invention - or in this case, learning.

Now, how can I bring this motivation for learning into my classroom?
Just a thought.

What's your problem?

2009-02-23T16:45:00.001+09:00

Our college prep course students had a great writing activity the other
day. Students answered the question "What is your problem?" anonymously
on half a piece of paper, then the papers were shuffled and given out to
the students again. The receiving students wrote advice to the anonymous
students and signed their name. All this was done completely in English.

The English teacher showed the papers to the homeroom teacher - a
science teacher. She read all the students problems (in English) and
just by their problems she could easily guess who they were.

The biggest problem in college prep course (where they usually have
school until 5:30 or 6) is that students fell they have no free time.
Imagine that (translation = "well, that was a no-brainer").

end of the year religion dept meeting

2009-02-23T13:13:00.001+09:00

Today's religion meeting was about making bulletins for the "graduation
chapel service" this Friday. Never mind what the service is about, how
and when we make the bulletins was most important matter.

I asked when exactly we were going to make the bulletins. And the high
school chaplain told me, "NB, you know, those special pieces of paper
with the order of service and the nice ribbon. We make them every year,
right?" I KNOW. I asked WHEN are we making them. The other dept members
quickly told me.

She has problems listening. I heard a rumor she has depression too, but
I think that's just an excuse to be lazy.

Another teacher has been on the dept board with us ever since I came
here. Today after school there will be a meeting for new members of the
depts. There's a yearly rotation. Evidently he'll be leaving the
department this year. He said, "Well, it's been three years, and I've
had a lot of experiences here. I'd like to thank everyone for
everything." And the high school chaplain, religion dept head, she
laughed at him! Unbelievable.

The high school chaplain quickly dismissed the meeting and left. We
thanked the other teacher for his three years of service. He knew what
we meant.

I used to think that maybe these were isolated incidents, or maybe I
just wasn't understanding the Japanese well. But now I KNOW this is just
the status quo for the chaplain. I'm trying to put down my angst, pray
for her, and speak the truth in love. But she is SO dense. I'd
appreciate your prayers too.

On a side note, praying for my pastor at church (or perhaps his upcoming
retirement in March) has helped his preaching. He had energy, and
delivered an understandable and applicable message on Sunday about
having joy in all circumstances. That is not the status quo there.

valentines day

2009-02-17T11:26:00.001+09:00

in japan, women give men chocolate on this day.

i usually dont get any from students because we have entrance tests on that day. (so that our students can go on dates?)

but this year some students remembered me. 二年ぶりに学校でバレンタインのチョコ！

next year's outlook

2009-02-17T08:15:00.001+09:00

Judging by entrance exams, next year's students will be even less able
than this year's students. Department heads make comments on the tests
of students who don't do well on the entrance test. I didn't know that
before yesterday.

Last year the meeting was from 3pm to 5pm. This year the meeting went
from 3pm until 7pm. The department heads are all tired today.

As you can imagine, this is not very good for morale.

I sent the JH chaplain a mail about starting a Bible study group last
night. It shouldn't, but this news makes me doubt even what I can do,
but as M-kun reminded two or three times last night: It's not about you.
It's what God can do.

Prayers are always appreciated.

pizza time

2009-02-16T23:21:00.001+09:00

for maybe the first time in my life here. i talked openly about christianity with some young jp christians.

even though we didnt have much positive to say, it was great to know we have the same Lord and purpose

why havent i met people like this at my own church?

anyway, we'll meet again and redouble our efforts

thanks for inviting me Mrs E. ;)

The numbers are (most) important

2009-02-16T10:05:00.005+09:00

Today we checked the entrance test. The multiple choice was read by a computer, but of course we had to check the written part by hand. With eight teachers this took about an hour and a half.

We spent the first ten minutes debating how many points we would take off for misspellings, misordered sentences, and wrong verb conjugations, etc. Our choices seemed a little strict to me this year.

I said we should form a policy about what we will and won't accept on the entrance test so that we don't have to debate every year.

As it turns out, the averages from the multiple choice section were "too high". So we were especially strict on the short answer section to drive the scores down. This looks unethical to me. Shouldn't students get a fair chance?

Especially at a school where we accept all students - except for maybe the bottom five - especially at a school where students already feel like they are at the bottom of the bucket, we should at least give them a chance to get a decent score and feel good about themselves.

(Entrance tests are one of the many parts of life in Japan that lead people to a feeling of hopelessness. I don't know why we do it at all.)

I say, the students are most important. More than their grades, or their uniforms, they should at least feel encouraged and enabled instead of shot down and nagged all the time.

EDIT: after 2 hour meeting to double check the pass/fail results with EVERYONE. I learned that 60% is an ideal average for each section (English, math, etc.) of the test. This separates the outstanding students from the ok and just average ones.

We used to have a standard of 150 points (out of 500) or more to get into Seiai. However, our standards are a little lower these days.

Some days

2009-02-15T12:35:00.002+09:00

Some days I wonder why I even bother to go to Japanese church, and today is one of those days. What follows is a rant.

Today many students from Gijuku visited our church (as they are required to once a month). There was a decent sermon about how the church is one. After there was a giant "have everyone who attended today say your name" time （called jikoshokai 自己紹介) and then students were given a stamp on the bulletin to prove they had attended. 本当に教会の意味は何だろう？みんたいな。

What was the point of this giant self-introduction time? To learn names? why? So that hopefully those students can develop relationships and continue coming to church so they can someday have a relationship with Christ. I think that's what they're trying to do.

But what happens? Church members stand around awkwardly (komatteru 困ってる) and students run out the door. I've been trying to stand by the door and talk to these students, but I feel like I can do very little. I've been hoping someone would see me and come and help me, but I'll have to find a way to be more blunt next time.

And to top it off today, what did church members do instead of welcoming students and trying to build relationships with them? They had a giant meeting to wash all the slippers in the church. In a denomination that is STARVING for young people, I find this unbelievable. マジでありえない。

I feel SO useless.

I guess the same thing happens at home. But here, outside my own culture, it's like "Duh!" I've spent too much time here being angry at the local church, but I just can't seem to help it at times like this. If you can, please pray for us. Thanks.

busy day

2009-02-07T12:26:00.001+09:00

today i went skiing in the morning with a lady from church. from here i go bowling for the private schools assoc, then the snow festival at the park, then an office party.

why does everything have to happen on the same Sat?

this is the owani station alligator. in japanese wani means alligator - however none live here :)

this is NOT eco style

2009-02-06T18:37:00.001+09:00

How's School?

2009-02-06T10:54:00.001+09:00

Another excerpt from an email to an interested friend:

Like I said, currently at my school they are really running low on
funds. Enrollment is steadily going down, and they've started all kinds
of new programs to try and get people in the door, but nothing has
really worked and basically everyone is working harder and getting paid
less. This is great for moral.

The high school has always had a college prep course (tokushin) and a
basic course (ippan). It also has a related college that was birthed
from the high school in the 70's, but now we're pretty separate.

Five years ago we started English and Nursing prep tracks in high school
as well. At the time enrollment had gone down from 10 homerooms per
grade to 7 homerooms per grade. The college had started English and
Nursing specialty programs to try and up enrollment, and encouraged the
high school to do the same. The theory was that students from our school
would go to the college (this partly worked for the nursing program).

When I came (three years ago) we had also started a junior high program
to try and keep the doors open. The junior high also has basic and
college prep tracks (college prep junior high is just too serious). As
you may or may not know, college prep in Japan means you have lessons
until about 5pm.

Also, to try and up enrollment, we have started separating students by
ability - even within the basic track. Apparently if our average test
scores are higher, we might get more students. So for example, this
year's first grade homeroom 1E had an average score of 100-85 on the
entrance exam test, 1D 85-65, 1C 65-0, 1B 65-0, and 1A 65-0. In this
way, students could achieve have the chance to, and students can't won't.

Since the school needs enrollment, we generally accept students who got
any double digit score on the entrance test. We might even accept a
single digit score if they will be good for a sports team.

As the sole native teacher at my school, they like to spread me around,
and advertise me on the front page of the junior high and high school
programs. This basically means that I see classes from almost every
section of the school once or twice a week. I'm everywhere at once every
week. This gets to be kind of stressful during grading times, as most
teachers grade about four homerooms, and I grade about 14 homerooms.

Speaking of grading, I do the paperwork in Japanese (I have translations
of the paperwork that various members of the English department have
done for me). And I also go to all the meeting, but I don't work
Saturdays unless there's a special event. I also don't do clubs.

The principal came about five or six years ago. He has made a lot of
these program changes unilaterally without asking the faculty for advice
- just telling them what to do. But that's typical Japanese bureaucrat
management.

The former principal usually asked the faculty for advice, and he was a
Christian. The current principal is not a Christian and was chosen
because "he was a good volleyball coach and a respected community
member". However, most of the faculty dislike him.

He usually fights with the high school chaplain. He would like to get
rid of chapel in the morning, prayers, special Christmas and service
events, etc. Since he is not a Christian he see these as a waste of time
and a chance for students to be "undisciplined in their studies".

However, the high school chaplain herself seems to be preoccupied with
up holding the rituals of church - even the rituals of our school -
rather than actual faith in Christ. If there are no events coming up,
she usually cancels religion department meetings. However, her general
comment about meetings, events, and the school in general are "mendou"
and "taihen". She is usually short and blunt with both students and staff.

Since she is chaplain she only teaches 12 lessons a week. However, she
seems most interested in going from one staff office to the next taking
coffee breaks and gossiping. She attends an area church, but refuses to
do "pastor-like" work at local churches like preaching when a pastor is
absent, teaching a Bible study, etc.

With the addition of the junior high we also hired a junior high
chaplain. He actually helps in the local churches, and is usually polite
and encouraging.

Finding a Christian teacher who is willing to talk openly about their
faith other than the junior high chaplain has been difficult. There are
a few, but most of them are older (one will retire in about three
years), and I wonder what will happen here when they are gone. As I've
stayed here, they've become helpful, but they still keep their distance
a little - only about half of them attend church regularly themselves.

Most of the other teachers here will say Christianity is a great
teaching and they respect it, but after that they don't really care. And
that's ok. That's what generally happens when you need to staff a
Christian school in Japan.

I've thought of trying to start a student or faculty Bible study. But
I'm worried that between classes I won't even have the time myself.

There are many great teachers here, but most of them don't speak
English. The junior high English teacher is a great guy, very open, and
he will be the chairman of the English department next year.

There are many great students, and it's usually nice to see them around
town. As I've stayed here and attended PTA meetings, it's even been nice
to get to know their parents and see the families around town. It's a
small town here, only 180,000 people. :)

Obama Quotes

2009-02-03T12:47:00.001+09:00

I was talking to a friend the other day about how empowered I felt after
hearing Obama's Inauguration Speech. He said, "Yeah, it's like you can
feel proud to be an American again."

That said, I'm gonna use some Obama quotes in my upper level elective
high school classes. He uses some great parallelism and contrasts. I'm
gonna weed out the longer more vague ones, but here the rough list.

My top 20 Obama quotes (+8):

Our health care is too costly, our schools fail too many, and each
day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen
our adversaries and threaten our planet.

Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real, they are
serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a
short span of time. But know this America: They will be met.

On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear,
unity of purpose over conflict and discord.

We understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned.
Our journey has never been one of shortcuts or settling for less.

It has not been the path for the faint-hearted, for those who
prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and
fame.

It has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things --
some celebrated, but more often men and women obscure in their
labor -- who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards
prosperity and freedom.

They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual
ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or
faction.

Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and
begin again the work of remaking America.

And we will act not only to create new jobs but to lay a new
foundation for growth.

10.

We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our
cars and run our factories.

11.

All this we can do. All this we will do.

12.

The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big
or too small, but whether it works, whether it helps families find
jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is
dignified.

13.

Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the
answer is no, programs will end.

14.

To spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the
light of day, because only then can we restore the vital trust
between a people and their government.

15.

Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for
good or ill.

16.

The nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous.

17.

As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between
our safety and our ideals.

18.

Know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman
and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and we are
ready to lead once more.

19.

Earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with
missiles and tanks, but with the sturdy alliances and enduring
convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect
us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew
that our power grows through its prudent use.

20.

With old friends and former foes, we'll work tirelessly to lessen
the nuclear threat and roll back the specter of a warming planet.

21.

For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness.

22.

Know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not
what you destroy.

23.

We will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.

24.

To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to
make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish
starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like
ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford
indifference to the suffering outside our borders, nor can we
consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the
world has changed, and we must change with it.

25.

For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the
faith and determination of the American people upon which this
nation relies.

26.

Our challenges may be new, the instruments with which we meet them
may be new, but those values upon which our success depends,
honesty and hard work, courage and fair play, tolerance and
curiosity, loyalty and patriotism -- these things are old.

27.

What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility -- a
recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to
ourselves, our nation and the world, duties that we do not
grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge
that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of
our character than giving our all to a difficult task.

28.

This is the source of our confidence: the knowledge that God calls
on us to shape an uncertain destiny.

Excerpts from a letter to Mom

2009-01-26T12:43:00.001+09:00

This Monday school is back in full swing. A few kids are still home
sick, but everything seems ok for the moment. Thanks for praying.

I'm teaching Bible English class this Tuesday again. First time since I
got back. I seem to have a new crop of students. Last time was mostly
college students. This time seems to be people who haven't come to
church for years. It'll be interesting to have some believers in Christ
(and some people who only believe in church) in the class again.

The more I stay here, the more I realize this is going to take a lifetime.

The high school chaplain here has been a little extra odd lately. She
doesn't seem that engaged in planning chapel or events, she cancels
religion department meetings. She canceled today's meeting - even though
other members have things they want to talk about - saying, "next week!
next week!" Let's say she is not growing on me.

Reading the paper over lunch

2009-01-22T13:14:00.002+09:00

Most of the students have gotten influenza. All students are now
dismissed from school except third year high school students because
they have only one week of school left before finals. So I read the
Japan Times over lunch and it ended up being quite informative.

For those of you without Facebook, here's an overview:

Why English isn't being taught well in Japan? Hear it from a Japanese
teacher. (like I've been saying, micro management by an uninformed and
distant national bureaucracy which leads everyone to a feeling of
hopelessness):
"Shame over poor English level lies with education ministry"
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fl20090120hn.html

The Burakumin are a minority in Japan who is discriminated against
because of their family history or being involved in "unclean" acts
prohibited by Buddhism or Shintoism - like butchering animals:
"Breaking the silence on the Burakumin - Minority community has plenty to
offer"
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fl20090120zg.html

"2channel" the largest post board on the web, and the most influential
place on the Japanese internet:
"2-Channel Gives Japan's Famously Quiet People a Mighty Voice"
http://www.wired.com/culture/lifestyle/news/2007/04/2channel

Enjoy! ...I'm gonna get back to work now. ^_^

Small influenza outbreak

2009-01-20T09:08:00.000+09:00

Yesterday the flu took out 12 of our students, and 4 of our teachers.
Two of those teachers were in my office, and 4 of those students were
mine. Besides that, there are some regular colds going around too. We'd
all appreciate your prayers. :)

An interesting read

2009-01-19T20:58:00.001+09:00

This guy is an interesting (and dense) read that I just don't have time
for right now: http://www.gregoryclark.net/

But maybe I'll tackle it over spring break.

Japanese New Year's Phrases

2009-01-11T07:12:00.001+09:00

Even though the New Year was last week, you'll still hear these Japanese
phrases everywhere:

"Happy New Year" (from most formal to informal) =
akemashite omedetou gozaimasu! 明けましておめでとうございます！
akemashite omedetou!
yoi otoshi wo! 良いお年を！

"I'm counting on you this year as well." =
kotoshi mo yoroshiku onegaishimasu! 今年もよろしくお願いします！
kotoshi mo yoroshiku ne!

These phrases only come up once a year. Seize the moment and use them as
much as you can now! :)

Culture Shock in My Own Culture!

2009-01-09T22:54:00.002+09:00

Last night in Tokyo I met a friend in Kichijyoji, then I ran back to the
short-termer's dinner at the Shibuya Outback. I was half an hour late -
the story of my adult life. I ran in and I was in a panic, everyone was
there and had already ordered. I had just gotten done with a 2 hour
Japanese conversation with my friend, so I didn't even look at the menu,
I just asked the waiter in Japanese what he recommended and I took that.
A relatively simple Japanese conversation. I didn't even think twice
about it.

The conversation after that went like this:

"NB, I wish I spoke Japanese as well as you."

"Well, I've been here for two years."

"Me too."

"Oh, well... I guess I need it more in the country."

Then I got all はずかしい (embarrassed)　and 困ってる (didn't know what
to do). Where am I from again?

After more than two years here, I'm tired of the "Japanese level"
conversation. But I guess learning to deal with that - or rather
encourage some language ability - comes with the territory.

On that note, my opinion on Japanese is: if you're living in Japan, you
should learn some. It shows you're actually interested in the people and
that you care about them. And as well as you know someone in English,
with most people, you'll get to know them better in their own language.
And as an added bonus, it makes your everyday life in Japan easier.

---

On a cuter note, I was at fellow missionaries N and N-san's house. Mr. N
is American, Mrs. N is Japanese. I was speaking Japanese with Mrs. N.
Not because she's Japanese (she actually speaks English incredibly
well), just because that's the language the conversation started in.

On a side note, that's my general policy on which language to speak:
speak the language the conversation STARTED in unless one of you is
obviously misunderstanding.

Anyway, while we were talking in Japanese N's son, L-kun said to me in
English:

"Nick." (Japanese conversation continues) "Nick?" (Japanese conversation
continues) "Nick!"

"Yes?"

"Can you talk Japanese?"

"Yes, I can."

"Oh, me too."

The kid has a lot of heart for someone hardly starting kindergarten. It
was perhaps the most touching part of the trip.

In both situations, I wish I'd had more time to just be.

deja vu?

2009-01-01T06:17:00.001+09:00

Last Tuesday (when I was in Japan), I found myself sitting at a bar with
some friends. And it occurred to me that the last time I had been to
this bar was more than a year and a half ago. At that time I had had a
talk with some guy friends about how having a girlfriend in Japan was a
necessity. At that time I had felt so alone, I was convinced they were
right. And when I had the opportunity come, I seized it.

Fast forward back to the present. Now I sit at the same bar, listening
to a friend talk about how he is worthless because he doesn't have a
girlfriend (and I've just broken up with my girlfriend), and this seems
like an obvious lie. I remember falling for it too. A person's purpose
for living can't be completely wrapped up in just one other human being.
True, this can be a part of a good life, but it's not everything.

Another friend tried to tell him that there was meaning in his life
because he was still studying in Japan. My friend had been here long
enough to know that just studying in Japan is not enough reason to give
meaning to your life. :)

Recently, I've been thinking, even if I became a great English teacher
(and even had a family) that wouldn't be enough in itself to give life
meaning either.

My drunk friend was also trying to prove to everyone what an "asshole"
he is. He's coming to realize he is no where near perfect - as are we
all. For that matter, his future girlfriend will never be perfect either.

As Christians we have a relationship with the only perfect being, God.
It sounds crazy, but more than drinking, or girlfriends, cars or iPods,
this gives meaning to our lives. The Bible tells us how to live for our
own benefit - and how to benefit others. It surprises me how quickly we
give that up and forget what we have.

As for my drunk friend, he didn't want to hear that at the moment. But
when the opportune moment comes, I'll be there.

Sitting in the exact same place, similar situation, but my opinion has
completely changed. What a difference a year makes.

the american example

2008-12-24T12:45:00.001+09:00

i think the USA should realize everyone follows their lead