It’s been quite easy to stay busy here, and time seems to slip past faster than ever. So, here’s a quick update.
Every year, about this time, all Japanese schools host a weekend sports day. The concept is basically the same as field day, except the schools are split into two competing teams, there are a number of amusing games in addition to a large amount of sprinting competitions, and students spend weeks practicing and preparing. Every afternoon for the past few weeks students practiced for dance routines, ceremonies, and events ranging from three-legged relays to folk dancing. I participated in sports day events at my largest school. I joined in the folk dance, threw beanbags into a basked held that toped off a twenty-foot bamboo pole, and sprinted as a member of the teachers’ team in the final relay (we were 3rd out of 5 teams.)
The day was quite fun. My personal favorite event was a club relay, in which students representing sports teams (swimmers, runners, baseball players,) traditional sports (Kendo, Judo,) and other activities, such as art, ran a relay in full gear using various themed props as batons. Barefoot swimmers swim caps and swim trunks traded off a kick board while Judo kids ran carrying a floor mat and artists used a large canvas. I think that race would go over well in the States. Sports day is definitely quite an experience, and it was hard not to notice the sense of community among the whole school.
All Japanese students are highly involved in their schools on a daily basis. Schools don’t hire janitorial staff or cafeteria workers (although they do have groundskeepers) so every day students clean the school building together and set up and clean up their lunch. It’s quite fun to watch the students don what look like surgical scrubs and masks to serve up lunch. Students also stay at school much later than their American counterparts, with school days beginning at around 8:00 and ending at five, although some students stay later for clubs or move on to after hours cram schools. Japanese culture is also much more community based. Calling on students individually results in quick flashes of something akin to terror across some students faces, as they much prefer the opportunity to consult with their neighbor about everything, so often splitting students into groups or pairs or teams (for example, in sports day) is necessary to encourage students to excel. The commonly quoted saying that represents a key difference in Japanese and Western culture is as follows:
“The squeaky wheel gets the grease.”
vs.
“The nail that stands up gets hammered.”
It’s quite an adjustment getting used to a culture that operates in a completely different manner than Western society, but as I come to grow a bit more used to it I find it fascinating. As is often the case, I feel I’m learning about myself as a product of Western culture more than I am coming to understand Japanese culture, but so far I’m still enjoying the culture clashes for the most part. I suppose it’s likely to wear on me over time.
Well, that’s a blurb about school life, I suppose I ought to mention what I’ve been doing. I’m still trying to keep myself as busy as possible. Mostly, I try to stay in the habit of running and doing yoga during the week, and on the weekends I head out of Miyanojo to visit friends I’ve made around the prefecture. My Japanese is coming along quite slowly, but I feel like I’ve gained the confidence to just speak, regardless of how well I can say something, which is one of the larger hurdles in language learning. I think that’s the result of seeing 30-odd faces stare blankly ahead when I speak in English and light up a little when I translate. Motivation is a good thing. That being said, I need to study more, since usually by the time I get home and take care of any other plans the last thing I feel like doing is pulling out a Japanese textbook to work through.
This weekend (starting tomorrow!) is Silver Week in Japan, which is a five day weekend created by three consecutive holidays. I’m off to Amamioshima, an island in the Kagoshima prefecture for a few days of soaking up sun, sand, and surf. We also plan to go Kayaking through a mangrove stand. In other words, life is good. I’ll try to make sure I get plenty of pictures to post.
In other news, I’m buying a bike today. Many of my schools are close enough that I can ride to them on a bike, and I figure it’s a great way to get/stay fit.
Hope all is well state-side.
Peace,
Allen
