Good Weather Days

Sunday here in northern Okinawa was beautiful. I left the house and was planning on doing a few things in Nago. As I sat down in the driver's seat of my car, the door still open, I felt the heat of the sun on me and knew that I was doing something wrong. I remember thinking, "I'm about to drive 40 minutes to Nago in this weather."

I opened up the glove compartment and took a look at the atlas of Okinawa. Where had I not been on the bike yet? I chose a route that took me south on the 331, turning into the 329 along the coast of the Pacific, into Ginoza. I would then cross the island going west on the 71, head north after reaching the 58, cross back east on a different section of the 329, then retrace the first 30-40 km of my trip south.

I took everything back into the house, changed into my riding gear, and took off on the bike a few minutes later. It was an awesome ride. It was also my first ride with my new full-face helmet, a black Arai that cost me just under 30,000 yen. Not only did I feel safer with the chinbar encompassing my face, but the helmet kept me warmer and reduced wind and engine noise; I felt like the bike was purring along yesterday.

There were a few points on the trip where I really got the bike going. I was passing some slow cars at a long straight downhill section of road when I hit around 95kmh, just under 60mph. It's a very different feeling doing that speed on a bike, let me assure you. But perhaps more fun were the twisties in the roads. I usually took those around 30-40kmh, but the balance and precision required to get through the turns made them for enjoyable challenges. And of course, cruising along the coast at 60kmh was simply divine.

I racked up 100km yesterday and it didn't even feel like it. I'm a lot more comfortable on the bike that I was even a month ago. I'm glad I went through with getting the license and putting the money into this hobby. It's a little bit more adventure in this big adventure I'm enjoying right now.

...

...

Stepping away for a while.

Enjoy your winter holidays.

V

10k

I just mapped out a training plan for an upcoming 10k that will be held in Nago on February 8. Working backwards, the start of this 8-week program just happened to start today, Monday, December 15, 2008. It caught me off guard, but it was good motivation. I put down the training calendar and did my first workout, a strength session using a pair dumbbells and my own body weight.

Tomorrow will be the interesting test – a 4.0 km run. I haven’t run in a while, months I’d say. Sure, I knocked out a half-marathon a few weeks ago, but in terms of getting regular mileage on my shoes, not much has been happening there.

I’m really excited! The motivation of friends and the support of fellow runners are great things to keep in mind when running around the beautiful village that I live in. I remember trying to get psyched up about running in Chicago. Don’t get me wrong; I loved the place with all its neighborhoods and city energy. But getting a good run in usually meant making it all the way out to the lakefront, or looping the park to the west of my apartment for sake of avoiding stoplights.

Here, in Higashi, if I ran north, I could run for hours (at my pace) before seeing a stoplight. The ocean, the quiet, and the lack of traffic – it’s perfect. So I’m looking forward to my first run tomorrow morning, whether before school or during the morning periods (I have no classes tomorrow). And my new running shoes have made it to the local distributor. All that’s left is to put them in my hands…erm, on my feet might be a better idea.

#3

Earthquake this afternoon, 2:35 pm or so. Woke me up from my nap at my desk. Guess I'll study now.



http://www.jma.go.jp/jp/quake/11143900391.html

Until Next Year

I wrote this post in Notepad last Friday (December 5, 2008) and forgot to post it. It's late, but still valid.

***

Today marked my last day at Higashi School until 2009. Sounds like a pretty heavy statement, huh? It is.

This week, in terms of class frequency, starting Monday and ending today, looked like a bell curve. One class on Monday, a few more on Tuesday, Wednesday was the most at four, then Thursday down again, Friday (today) with only one. It went really well.

So as I was wrapping up today's class, I told the kids I'd see them next year. Then I told them I'd see them next year, in Japanese. They flipped out! They had no idea, nor did I expect them too. As third graders, perhaps as with any kid before puberty, I'm not sure they've developed the long-term classification of time that many people use to mark how long they've lived since birth (and guess how long they have until death). I like that, not worrying about it.

Imagine living a life without a (self-constructed or otherwise imposed) sense of urgency, or worry. A day is just a day. Tomorrow is tomorrow and will come without holdup. Yesterday will be forgotten. Is there really anything wrong with this kind of rhythm?

From what I've seen in these past 15 months, kids don't worry too much about what's next. They're guided and instructed by their teachers and while I think this kind of instruction is necessary (I'm not proposing absolute ignorance - that's impractical), it need not be restricting.

Too many people seem to be living a life of "what's next?" Though they may have things very well, they want to make things better. Maybe they think that wanting something better is the only way to be happy? I used to think like that. Better is fine, but you don't have to be miserable trying to get there.

After a few years at the Fed, I started to wonder about my next career move. I could have stayed another year and gotten a nice pay raise over $60,000, plus 100% of my employers 401(k) contributions. Friends were also leaving for well-paying private sector jobs, and I thought, "It'd be nice to try something new and make a little more money." Finally, due to being inspired by my time on, and after, the Mongol Rally, I decided to put my cultural interest ahead of my financial one. And it has made me happiest so far.

You may be tempted to ask me, "Son of Higashi, what are you going to do next, after JET?" I don't have an answer for you now. But I'm not worried about it, about what's next.

ご安心下さいませ

Please, don't worry.

That's what it means.

I purchased a new laptop online Monday through the Dell Japan website. It was easy. The basics of computing seem to translate easily, even in Japanese (though a year of living here and getting used to the language sure helps a lot, too). I picked out a reasonably priced laptop, not top of the line, which would have run over 20man, or the equivalent of $2,000 US, but something that is an upgrade over what I'm currently using (Joe, if you're reading this, your Gateway has done well for the past year, but it's starting to go).

The hardest part of the process was determining how to pay. I could have put the full balance on my Citibank Japan credit card, but I don't like the revolving payment method. So I chose to make a bank transfer, which I could do that day. The other popular method, to pay at a convenience store, would have required me to wait for 1-2 days for receipt of paper instructions. There is no way a boy in want of a toy can wait longer than he has to.

So I hopped along to my bank and processed the 振り込み, or bank transfer, at the ATM. No cash changed hands; it was purely digital. And in Japanese. The only part I messed up was not including my order number in my name field. I called Dell Japan today and told them of the minor mistake I made. They checked up on the order for me, and when the lady called back and left a message, she said it there was no problem.

Cool. That's what I like to hear. Now the only problem is that I have to wait for them to make it, and ship it, and I'll have to be there to sign for it. It's due for delivery on 12/24. Perfect timing. Luckily, there's a neat habit of delivery services in Japan to ship to your place of work in case you happen to be 留守, or not at home.

I can't wait! Oh, and it's a cool olive green case, in case ( =] ) you're curious.

5 To Go

As I logged in to type this, I noticed that this will be the 95th published post. Which means I'm only a few away from 100. What's the big deal?

Really, there is none. I think we just like to look at round (or appealing) numbers. Some might say that 101st is more interesting, because of the vertical symmetry. Or maybe 33rd was better, because it's a double digit (and representative of my birthday).

"5 To Go" might also be indicative of how many days (if I'm lucky) it will take me to get over my newly acquired cold. Luckily, despite feeling less than great toward the end of school, my symptoms alleviated themselves for my last elementary class. I hope this fortune passes into tomorrow and everything clears up by Friday. I'm going to karate, sick or not. Perhaps that's a little excessive. But everyday I miss with Taira-sensei and the others is one less day I have, period.

Time in Okinawa and Japan is ticking away, everyday. I'm not going to miss it let it slip away.

EDIT: Dave's comment made me re-read that last statement, and it did sound like I said I wouldn't miss my time here. Totally not what I meant, woops.

Night Rider

I discovered something last night - wind chill is chilly no matter how it's caused.

Like every Friday, Karate started at 6:30. Once I left my place, it didn't take me long to realize that evening in Okinawa, though still quite warm, is much colder at 50km/h.

The wind really made things kind of uncomfortable, especially on the hands. It made me wonder, too, if anyone has developed a way to utilize hot exhaust fumes to keep the rider warm. I made it to karate without a problem, just a bit cold. I made sure to dry off after practice, since I didn't want a whole lot of sweat evaporating when I made the return trip (colder since it would be later).

I learned my lesson about sundown on a bike. So I plan to start carrying extra layers if I'm going to be driving after sunset.

The other discovery I made was about my headlight: it used to point too low (or so I thought). I fixed it today and might take it out for a short test drive to check the alignment.

Step Up: Running on Iheya

This past weekend was perhaps one of the best weekends of my time here in Okinawa. A mix of planned events and unexpected opportunities turned the four days into a great time.

On Thursday and Friday, the Okinawa JET Mid-Year Conference took place in Okinawa City's Education Center, just like last year. But this time, the presentations seemed to be much better than last years. I think it was a combination of better presentations (and presenters!) and a year of experience that led to me actually enjoying the time spent away from school.

But it was after the conference that things started to get really interesting. Friday night, I crashed with a friend near Chatan, central Okinawa. I woke up early and took the bike back to Higashi, stopping at the A&W in Nago for a late breakfast, around 10:00.

I checked my phone and saw I had a missed call. It was from Roy, the new ALT on Izena Island, and when I called him back he asked me if I wanted to run the half-marathon on Iheya. What?! A half-marathon? 21.0975 kilometers? 13.1 miles? I had to think about it for a minute. Many thoughts crossed my mind, including the following:

• I can't run 21 km...I haven't run for months!
• I'd have to go home and unpack, then pack, and try and catch the last ferry;
• What time is the race? 5:00? That's not enough time!
• Who else is running?
• Do you guys have room for me to crash there?
• I'm not sure...
  
• But if I don't run, I'll regret it...
• Wait, why spend two days at home alone when I could get out to an island and have a blast; and finally
  
• I can do this! I may not run the whole way, but I will cross that line, and I'll do it under 3 hours.

Whoa, where'd that come from, that inspiration? Besides a desire not to let a single good moment escape me during my time here, I gotta give props to David, my friend on Zamami and lifestyle inspirer. Whether it's about running & fitness, ecology, conservation, whatever, this dude excels.

So with the support of friends, the challenge of a bet (I correctly chose my position as 6th of 6), I caught the 2:00 ferry with Cliff, stretched on the ride over, slept for 30 minutes (a little girl woke me up with a misplaced step to the testicles), drank unholy amounts of water, and got ready to rock.

By the time we arrived, the full marathon had started, so only the halfers were still at Mike's place on Iheya. It was a good feeling, knowing that I'd be getting into the race with five other JET adventurers, meeting up with everyone at the finish line, close to three hours spent touring the island before and after sunset. The field where we were to start and finish as full of people and the energy was awesome. I was ready to run.

And so we started at 5:00, making our way out to the main road around the island. Thankfully, I took my heart rate monitor; I made it a goal to stay around 180-185, considering I had no training whatsoever to speak of (unless you count karate). I felt good, never out of breath. It was just the legs, knees and feet (okay, and the incredible urge to want to pull over and squat) that pulled me to a walk after the first 10km. I also walked all the aid stations, because I learned the lesson during the Chicago half-marathon years ago, that drinking water, not inhaling it, is the way to go.

So I took it slow and steady, walking quite a bit after the halfway point. But the energy was still there, the inspiration to finish the race and make this the start of something good, a new habit. And the people were nice, too! After a 500 yen coin fell out of my back pocket, a lady stopped, picked it up, caught up to me, handed it back, then passed me. I told her to keep it, but she wouldn't.

Kilometer after kilometer, aid station after aid station, the distance shrank. The crowds reappeared, the internal energy that was keeping me going kept going. I distinctly remember passing the 1km and 500m marks, knowing that I was so close to being done, to doing this amazing thing.

Climbing the last hill, entering the track and the last 150 meters, I was cheered on by the small group we had, and I picked up the pace to finish strong. Crossing the line, which was a constant shift of staff members so as to have a new finish tape up for the succession of runners, was awesome. I felt good, I could walk, I wasn't dying, and I got my medal (glass, actually). Though I had a lingering upset stomach for a bit, a healthy burp rid me of most of that feeling. The rest of the night was spent lounging around the field, eating and drinking, chatting with the peeps.

The next day was good, sore, but not unbearably so. I could walk, I could climb stairs, I could let myself down stairs, all was good. And I felt like a champion for taking the challenge and getting through it. That experience of the weekend has only led me to want to get back into running. With all the fun to be had and the support to be received, who wouldn't?

So a final thanks to those that urged me to do it - I had a blast and look forward to the next one.

-V

Hmm...

Check out my previous post.

Perhaps you'll understand how it's got me thinking about this as my next career move.

Yes We Can!

Yes, we can.

It's a simple picture of the Oval Office, with a song layered over spoken word of Obama. I cried listening to it, knowing that we've got a man who is going to help us make some serious change, not just for now, but for a lifetime.

Yasumi

Yasumi means "break" or "rest" in Japanese. It sounds better than "have been lazy" or "have had nothing too interesting to want to write," so that's what I'm using.

It's going to be an interesting night, as I sleep through the 2008 US Presidential Election. I'm hoping that Obama comes out on top; it looks like it's going to happen, so I'm not going to lose any sleep over it.

If McCain wins, my decision for whether to return to the US will be affected. Options include more years on JET (learning Japanese, living in Japan, riding motorcycles, i.e. good things!) or moving abroad, to places foreign yet welcoming. I'm glad to be American. I just don't feel the need to owe my life to "it" if "it" makes a really bad decision.

A Better Look

New Bike

I picked up my bike today.
It was a great ride. 80km total from shop to door. Cliff was with me the whole way, making sure that no cages (cars) rammed me from behind or did anything else ridiculous.

The sun set before I thought to get any pictures. But as I'm taking the bike out tomorrow, I'll snap a few before departure.

Oh, and you should hear the thing. It's awesome!

Dum dee dum

Not much going on today. Showed up to school and didn't have a single class. The second grade JHS kids (from all three schools) are taking part in the "Career Challenge" this week. It's a program that gives each of the kids a chance to work for a local company, with assignments varying greatly from office work at the local bank branch, a presumably more involved placement at the zoo in Nago, to a few of the girls spending at week at A&W, a fast food joint that serves "American food."

Since I had only one responsibility today, I took care of that around 9:30 this morning - it involved turning in a request form to my boss for certain seminars that will be taking place at this year's Okinawa JET midyear conference. I also stopped by the town office to get the paperwork that I need to register my motorcycle. I sent that off to the dealership and they should receive it tomorrow. This means they'll be able to complete the registration and inspection work by Friday, and come Saturday, all I have to do is show up and pay.

Well, then I have to drive the bike 77km back to my place. My buddy Cliff is going to pick me up and take me to the shop, then we're going to caravan back. It'll be nice to have him driving with me, for the moral support and knowing that the guy behind me isn't just some random jackass probably not paying attention. If there's one thing I've learned from all the bike classes I took, it's that people do not give enough attention to the task of driving. And sadly, that does nobody any good.

I Found It

Ok, maybe I should say "we found it." My bike-to-be that is.

I went out this Saturday with my good friend Ollie, the one who's taking (and proceeding well through) motorcycle courses down on the south-side of Okinawa. We had been talking about this day for a while and it only took a few phone calls and such to agree on the day.

We met up at our first shop around 11:00. Also in company was an ALT named Chris, who has ridden bikes for around 10 years. Not only that, but his hobby is auto mechanics, as in, he'll do work on someone's car simply for the experience...no cost. Having him along was invaluable.

So our first stop, a place in Naha, was very helpful and very uninteresting. Three of the four bikes from that shop I was interested in had been sold (so much for "updated" internet listings). The fourth bike wasn't even street worthy and wouldn't be until I bought it. So much for test rides. Given that the bike was in pretty poor condition according to Chris (this was the helpful part - he pointed out all the problems), we moved on.

Second shop of the day, a place called Goya Motors. Ollie said it had to be good, because the location I had on my phone matched up with an "x" on his atlas. Much like finding treasure, right? It turns out to be true.

The bike I had on my list, a Yamaha SRX 400, was sitting pretty when we got there. We gave it a brief look, talked to one of the employees (whose first question was, "Marines?"), and the owner of the shop came over and fired it up. It's got an aftermarket exhaust and it sounds burly. Chris looked it over and said, "It's good." So I gave it a test ride.

The front shocks are soft (and are in the midst of being reworked). Everything else was solid. Minor adjustments, to things like the clutch lever, headlight, rear-brake lever, and mirrors, are being taken care of. Should the work they're doing on the front fork suspension not completely solve the problem, the shop offered to obtain new forks and install them for around 4man, $400 US, which would still put the total cost within budget.

So I'm going to pick it up next Saturday with the help of Cliff. And after getting it back to Higashi and riding it arond a bit, I'll have a very nimble and light bike on my hands. One I hope to enjoy, won't mourn over if I happen to lean it at a stoplight, and plan to ride every chance I get.

*cough*

Second day off from school, as predicted. The coughing is starting to really kick in and the lozenges aren't doing anything. Think about it. The coughing comes from the bronchial tube, not the esophagus. How is eating a piece of candy going to help me stop coughing? Whatever. I'm taking it easy again, hoping to get some study in, too.

Ugh...

I am sick. I've had runny/stuffy nose the past few days and today the coughing started. I'm doing my best to fight it, mainly by sticking up for my belief that "working through it" is bullshit (there are some parts of Japanese work ethic that don't mesh with my perspective, especially as a non-vital employee). Took today off and got some much needed sleeping down-time. Most likely going to take tomorrow off, too. There's a small chance I could stand through a JHS class or two, though I'd hardly be effective and definitely wouldn't want to be there. There is zero chance I'd be able to make it through an elementary class: I'd either come off worse for the effort, or the class would be boring as I'd be substituting energy with something very much down tempo. Besides, last time I was sick at school, over ten people contracted the cold I had. What happened? They all took sick days.

List of things to do relating to the bike

1. purchase helmet
2. purchase jacket
3. purchase pants
4. purchase boots
5. purchase (better) gloves
6. purchase other protective gear as necessary
7. transfer old license to new license (awesome 25-minute window twice a week)
8. narrow list of bikes under 25man to 5-7 (so many to choose from)
9. visit shops and inspect each bike (bring snacks) - Saturday, 10/18
10. pay for bike (inc. insurance, registration, etc.) - Sunday, 10/19
11. enjoy

Woo...

Today, I passed my 400cc bike test on the first try.

Though I was a little nervous heading down to Nago this morning, by the time it was my turn to get on the bike, I had breathed the tension out and was ready to rock.

I was the fourth out of five test-takers. The course went very well, with me losing some points by forgetting to check over my shoulder at two points on the course. Here are some details of what I remember during the test.

Slalom: TIME Goal, under 8.0 sec; MY Time, 6.7 sec
Balance Beam: TIME Goal, over 7.0 sec; MY Time, 7.3 sec
Emergency Stop: 40km/h to stop in 11 meters; MY Speed 45km/h to stop in 11 meters

In practice, I was getting around 10.0 seconds on the balance beam. But as my last instructor reminded me, it's better to ride the beam too fast than to fall off. Since falling off is failing, and going to fast is only a loss of 5 points per second (and passing is 70 / 100), I went fast today.

It just went really well.

I'm heading back around 4:00 to get my new license. And this weekend, I'm thinking of taking my first look at the bikes Okinawa shops have to offer.

UPDATE: Well, poo. I took at nap yesterday afternoon and didn't wake up until 4:00. So even though I got to the driving school to pick up my graduation certificate, I missed the 25 minute window (4:00 - 4:25) on one of the two days per week (Monday and Thursday) that the police do license transfers. *sigh* So while I'm done with classes, there's still a little more wait until it's 100% official.

Ready, Test, Go!

Today was the last lesson of my motorcycle career.

To give you the summary, obtaining a license in Japan consists of proceeding through two levels of lessons. The first tier, regularly eight lessons, consists of just getting comfortable with the bike, riding, balance, etc. Tier two, nine lessons with lots of simulator work, takes those basics and works on refinement of basic motoring skills. It also teaches the rider a lot about the safety of riding a motorcycle, something I cannot stress enough, considering that being on the road with large automobiles is surely fraught with some danger (and having fallen off the bike once, later realizing that if the guy behind me doesn't stop soon enough, it's over).

So it's test time. But only on Monday and Thursday mornings. I had today (Monday) off as a comp day for the sports festival this past weekend. If only I was ready today... So now I'll have to ask at least one of my co-teachers, and hopefully only one since I'll be passing, for pretty much a full day off.

I'll show up at the driving school at 8:30 and check in. They'll tell me (and any others taking the test that day) what course we're driving. We'll get an explanation of the course, the testing points, conditions for "not continuing" as I like to put it nicely, etc. Then, we'll take our turns. Starting with a half lap to get used to the balance of the bike we'll be riding that day, we'll continue past the starting point and start the test. 70 / 100 is passing. Minor infractions (doing the balance beam too quickly, taking a turn incorrectly, forgetting to verify before turning) are 5 points off. Other things (like coming off the balance beam too early) are instant "not continues."

I had a little nervousness today, just thinking about the test. Hopefully, that helps to dull the shakes I'll have come test time. But I felt good, and my instructor today was really awesome. I hope I have someone as confident and cool as him grading me. I'm not saying he'll be less strict, but...hmm, what am I saying then?

Anyway, I'm taking my test next. And then I'm buying a bike. And you can bet I'll be posting pictures of that thing when the time comes.

In other news...

I'm voting for Obama and Biden.

If they lose...(update to come later)

Role-play

In today's 3rd grade junior high school class, we did a bit of role-playing focusing on today's grammar point, "I asked ~ to ~." Here's what one pair of boys came up with.

A: Hey, S-kun. Good morning.
B: Hi, T-kun.
A: How are you?
B: I'm hungry. How about you?
A: I'm sad.
B: Really, why?
A: Yesterday, I asked Mr. Takayuki to go to Mt. Tamatsuji.
B: What did he say?
A: He said, "I'm sorry, I can't go. I've got a date with your wife."
B: WHAT?!
*Japanese Teacher of English almost dies laughing*

Hahaha, I love my kids.

Step 1: Reduce

I decided today that there is too much material "shit" in my life.

Looking around my apartment, I found item upon item that I haven't used recently, enough to be kept around, or at all within that past year of my life here in Higashi.

So starting Monday (the first of my two comped days for the sports day we've got coming up tomorrow), I'm going to go through each room and remove the unnecessary things from my life. Consider it a decimation of the household, though I'd be happy to remove more than 10% of all the things I own.

In the end, I hope to be able to glance around my apartment, viewing all 12 tatami mats in their uncluttered glory, looking at my large kitchen without seeing bags of "saved" things that I'll use at some other point, breathing a sigh of relief at the sense of peace that is going to envelop me as I head from physical attachment to vacated space.

That being taken care of, I'll have to take care of the ant problem next.

Taking My Own Advice

There's a mantra that I use in every class I teach. Actually, I seem to use it a lot outside of class as well. It's something I believe that all people should try to do. Yet when I look at the things I do myself, I find that I'm often forgetting to take my own advice. The mantra?

"Don't worry." ki ni shinai de

When we're playing a game (elementary) or doing an activity (junior high) in class, I try to tell the kids over and over, "Don't worry about making mistakes. If you talk and make a mistake, I'll correct you. If you write and make a mistake, I'll help revise it. But if you never say or write anything in the first place, I'll never know what you're thinking." I try to use myself as an example. I remind them that I make mistakes in Japanese all the time, sometimes embarrassingly so. But I still speak it. I'd have a very hard time otherwise.

Outside of the classroom, in a more adult setting, I often hear myself uttering "don't worry" to friends. Perhaps they're just having a shitty day, or something's going down at work that's ticking them off, or maybe they're having issues with another person, or even themselves. And it's really easy, sometimes, to get into a spiral of increasing desperation. I've done it many times. Something goes a little wrong, I start to think of how much worse it can get, and while it hardly ever turns out that way, having put myself in that negative frame of mind, I can't get out of my train-wreck thought process so easily.

So why not take my own advice? Don't worry.

Two nights ago, I was a little low because I was thinking about Thursday's four elementary lessons, a few of which I felt a little under prepared for (my own fault). So I started to worry. What if they don't go well? What if the kids are in bad moods or not feeling energetic? What if they turn into a gang of little angry people, and kancho me to death?

Turns out, everything is fine. The kids are happy enough just to see me walk into the room, because they know it's going to be an interesting and fun 45 minutes.

Today was also a great example. After getting an awesome activity recommendation from Sam last night, I used it in today's 6th grade class. It was a hit! It's called "Bilingual Challenge." The goal is to make it around the circle, clapping a rhythm (think Queen's "We Are the Champions"), chanting things like numbers, weekdays, or months (something sequential), alternating between English and Japanese. So the first kid might say, "ichi," and the second kid has to say, "two," and so on. The kids were into it and even when mistakes happened and we had to start the chant over, they were laughing about it. There was no pressure; it was all in good fun. And now that they know it, we're going to try "months" on my next visit in a couple weeks.

So I'm deciding to take a little more of my own uttered advice and to listen to a more experienced (and did I mention amazing?) teacher.

I'm not going to worry.

Move Along

Today, I learned an interesting thing about the Japanese school system.

At my small school (where five of the nine grades only have one student), there is a girl who barely ever comes to school; she is the only one in her class as well. This week alone, she was present for about 6 of the total 28 periods held. It doesn't really affect me, but I noticed it when the three English classes we had scheduled were canceled due to her absence (I just end up studying when this happens).

So I asked my Japanese Teacher of English (JTE), "what's going on with K-chan?" My JTE explained that K-chan often doesn't come to school because she isn't feeling well. What kind of illness? Headaches (which I confer, given sufficient intensity, can be debilitating), stemming from what my JTE thinks is a psychological/emotional disorder. My JTE is not a professional psychologist, but I think after working with kids for long enough, one is able to obtain an idea of the problems some children might face. So I trust her words.

"So JTE-sensei, how many classes is a student allowed to miss before having to retake a school year?" The surprising answer: they won't have to [retake the school year].

My JTE told me that, at least through the end of junior high school (that's 9th grade here in Japan), students are invariably advanced despite any lackings in their performance, attendance, behavior, etc. I was a little shocked. Why not really shocked? Because like I said, it doesn't really affect me as I have no vested, long-term interest in Japan's school system (if I start raising a family here, I'll change my view). I'm just amazed that a national school system would push kids through the educational system they're required to participate in, bringing them to the ripe old age of 15, where they, not having been fully educated because of their frequent absence from school, are no longer required to attend school.

The case of K-chan is particularly worrying, however, because of her apparent dislike and problems with the Japanese writing system. Consisting mainly of a character system with around 2,000 characters in "general use" (meaning most used in daily life), I can't help but think this girl is going to grow up illiterate in her own country. Imagine, that you only learn 2 letters of the English alphabet a year, starting in first grade (kindergarten would make the math work better, but just pretend) with the most used letters coming first. But somewhere along the way, you stop studying, stop caring, and then you stop going to school after only having the chance to learn 20 of them. What about the other 6 that you never learned? And what about the last few years where you didn't really want to learn new letters anyway? Imagine just not knowing.

So I'm reminded of a line from the original Star Wars, you know, the good one, where Obi-wan Kenobi convinces the Stormtroopers to let them pass without consequence, the final lines of the sequence being, "Move along. Move along."

High school, says my JTE, is another story. They'll boot you out in no time.

PS - and for the nerd in all of us, this is just awesome.

Gone Batty

Some weeks ago, when Sam visited Okinawa, and joined Kerri and I on a tour of the place, we went to Okinawa World. Part of the tour included a walk through a tropical garden of sorts. It was mainly a collection of fruit-bearing trees (there's got to be a term for this, right?) laid out for a nice walk after the underground cave exhibit. I took note of a few of the trees, mainly because of the distinct shape of the fruits.

A few days ago at school, someone brought a plate into the teachers' room and implored us all to have a bite of the fruit that it bore. I asked what it was. "gu-ah-ba," the person replied. Ah, so that's explains the bat living in my tree.

And so, I have discovered that I have a treasure in my back yard.

I got home today, and with the typhoon-influenced winds pushing hard through my village, a fruit from the tree right outside my door had fallen to the ground. I went to pick it up, took a look at it, gave it a whiff, and sure enough, it's "gu-ah-ba." Guava. I have a guava tree in my yard. I am super-excited!

Why? Well, not only is it a little awesomeness of the rural lifestyle that I've come to inhabit, but it's also a sign that good things can be grown in this yard of mine. I started a compost pile some months back, but the complete lack of rain has made things very hard and compact lately. And the tree I started to eliminate, in just a few weeks time, has made a startling comeback (though a friend recommended cutting it all down, drilling into the stump, and pouring gasoline into the hole; not sure if I want to try lighting it, too, for fun's sake). So I've got a lot of work ahead of me if I want to actually turn this yard into a decent place to grow things. Right now, the wild grass and weeds are owning it.

But think of the possibilities! I'm going to take a few of the less fortunate fruits, the ones rotting on the concrete nearby, for example, and try to plant them in a place where they'll prosper. So while I'll have to settle for one guava tree, who knows what my predecessors to be will have in store for them.

And just to reassure you, these guava taste really good.

Okinawan History

I have been bouncing around a few blogs lately regarding the upcoming US Presidential election. Ugh. Anyway, I stumbled upon a very interesting site related to the history of Okinawa before, during, and after World War II.

I found this tidbit in one of the first few links:

I have the honor to enclose copy of a self-explanatory memorandum for General MacArthur, September 20, 1947, containing the gist of a conversation with Mr. Hidenari Terasaki, an adviser to the Emperor, who called at this Office at his own request.

It will be noted that the Emperor of Japan hopes that the United States will continue the military occupation of Okinawa and other islands of the Ryukyus, a hope which undoubtedly is largely based upon self-interest. The Emperor also envisages a continuation of United States military occupation of these islands through the medium of a long-term lease. In his opinion, the Japanese people would thereby be convinced that the United States has no ulterior motives and would welcome United States occupation for military purposes.

My interest is so piqued by this short memo. I'm afraid I may be laying off the studying until I've read the entire site.

Check it out for yourself, too at Nirai Kanai.

Dey say dere's a tah-phoon a-coming...

If the reports of the approaching typhoon (and accompanying speculations of those reports) going around are to be trusted, then there is a chance the flight I booked for this weekend, to fly up and see Sam, may never take off.

I will be blunt in saying that if this happens, I will f'ing lose it. It would clearly be just another example of Nature's bias against, and inability to exact any sort of fair treatment toward, me.

The next chance I would have to get up to Mie-ken, let alone for a three-day weekend, would not be for at least the next three weeks. This is due solely to upcoming "sports days" at each of my schools. Though I won't do anything of any importance at these events, I go. It's ok. I get a free bento and I don't have to really do anything (and I get the comp days, too). But I'll be honest in saying that I'd be a much more willing participant/specatator/supporter/anything you want me to be, really, if I get on that plane Friday.

PS - keep track of my daily stress level by checking out the Japan Meteorological Agency's typhoon forecast.

Save a Tree, Save the World, Two Sticks at a Time

Inspired by Dave

Back on Track

Yeah, damn right! That's the hope anyway, to get back into a good rhythm. Summer break was immensely restful and very fun, and Brent's visit made it all the more the awesome experience (especially for him I'm sure). Five weeks flew by and some of what I have to show for it is a reduced bank account, sore body parts from my bike fall, and a pretty good tan.

And now it's time to get back to the life I chose to start almost two years ago.

I can believe it. I wanted to say I can't believe it - meaning how fast the time has gone - but then I realized that everyone says that. Why don't you believe it? Perhaps a better way of phrasing it would be, "I have been unaware of the large period of time that has passed, and am treating it as if it were a much smaller period of time, and upon reconciling the two, I realize that what I feel I experienced and what I actually experienced are two very different senses of passed time. I can't believe it."

Anyway, diatribe concluded, today is Tuesday, the second day of the second term of the Japanese school year, also the second day of school of my second year as ALT on the JET Programme.

It went really well! While the JHS kids are stuck in morning tests, the elementary kids are in full energy mode. I doubt they sat around all summer, but when I remember back to my life as a student, by the end of summer break, I was so ready to get back to school, to see my friends, to wrap paper grocery bags around my textbooks, to sit in the hallway and goof around, to just have something to DO!

And such a desire remains as an adult. I enjoyed my time off, the days spent lazing around the apartment, putting everything in order, reducing clutter, cleaning, catching up on my laundry, etc. If it weren't for my trip up to mainland to visit Sam and meet Kerri, and for the two weeks Brent spent here, I think I'd have gone out of my mind. Perhaps that's not exactly the case; I would have been studying Japanese, doing more exercise, and taking more photos. But you get the idea. Time off is great, as long as when it ends, and we have something to go back to doing.

This week, I'm back to doing. I picked up my Japanese studies again and am happy that I still remember what I spent the past six months learning. Exercise (running, leg training) is on hold as I wait for my left knee (or a ligament or tendon therein) to stop bothering me, though swimming has proved to be beneficial. Karate is also on hold. Bike lessons have pretty much been bumped to the weekends (7 lessons to go, the final being my practical test, which I'm going to ace!).

There is one more piece of awesome news. But I'm not going to type it here just yet. If you didn't hear it from me before you (eventually) read it here, my apologies. But I don't think you'll hold it against me.

Biting It

Wednesday, while Brent was off doing some stuff on his own, I took two hours of bike lessons. The first hour was on the simulator, where I was to maneuver my way through a virtual world of traffic, crosswalks, and stupid pedestrians. My favorite parts of the simulator were when random cars performed what I will now refer to as the "Okinawa merge." It's not actually a merge, rather an abrupt pulling-in-front that causes everyone I know to exclaim how poor Okinawan drivers are. The other was the pedestrian with no regard for traffic laws, or perhaps the fallen logs in the middle of the highway. And of course the elementary school student running down the middle of the street like a moronic child.

It went well, the instructor saying I did a good job (despite my missing the first "right turn" instruction offered by the program).

The second hour was back on the real bike. I didn't realize it first, but I had bike #9, a bike which I've only ridden once before and had severe problems with. The first time I rode it, the clutch was jerky, which made the fine maneuvers in the crank and slalom tricky. Today, it felt weird because I spent an hour on the simulator; I felt like my balance was a little off.

My second instructor (everyone is assigned a random instructor for each of their lessons, the idea that each instructor will have a chance to watch how we ride and offer feedback that others might have overlooked) told me that we'd be starting with turning practice, as in taking the large outer turns - while staying within the dotted turn lines - on the course in three scenarios: 20kph (also referred to as "safety turning"); 30kph with the bike in gear; and finally 30kph with the clutch pulled at the moment the turn begins.

The first two were easy. 20kph turns are no problem, hence being called "safety turns." The 30kph turn with the bike in 3rd gear also felt pretty good. I'd taken turns like that before, so it was just a matter of feeling the good balance and riding in through. The last scenario, the one where I'm supposed to pull the clutch, release the bike from gear, and coast through the turn, didn't work out so well.

As my instructor told me I would, after pulling the clutch and releasing the bike from its engine friction, I started to drift toward the other lane of traffic. He had told me what to do in this situation - apply the rear brake and slow the bike, hold as tight an arc as possible and not wander into the other lane. Sadly, I did more than what he told me to do and applied the front brake as well. This locked the front wheel in the turn, which caught the road, jerked the bike out from under me, and threw me onto the asphalt at 30kph, the bike skidding about 3 meters before coming to a rest on its left side, gasoline dripping onto the driving course.

I rolled onto my chest with my elbows underneath, assessing myself. My instructor came over immediately to check if I was okay. I was. My head hurt with the pain I get during any sudden jarring impact, the left side of my ribcage was stinging slightly, and my left ankle hurt a bit. It felt as if I had taken a really heavy tackle that I wasn't ready for. But perhaps that unpreparedness was what kept everything so minor. I don't remember the interval between the bike jerking and me realizing I had fallen, so I don't know what I did. Perhaps nothing. Perhaps I just kind of went limp, which I think might have been the best thing to do.

The elbow and knee pads I was wearing I'm sure saved me from having a very bad day. The long pants and shirt also kept my skin where it belongs. My helmet never touched the ground and luckily I wasn't pinned under the bike as it skidded to a stop.

After getting off and out of the road, my instructor lifted the bike, ran the gasoline out of the engine, gave it a few turns to make sure it was stable, made sure I was okay to ride for the rest of the hour, and we continued on our way. We did not return to the turning practice - I suspect that I'll have to cover it during my next lesson. And while I may be just a little bit hesitant to get the bike into a 30kph turn, I'll be certain of what I'm supposed to do, and even more so of what I'm NOT supposed to do - apply the front brake in a turn.

Front brake is only used when braking in a straight line. No other time. Period.

It's also just a little interesting that this comes the day after I was talking to Sam about the future of my bike ridership, and the experiences she's had with family members and friends who ride, or rode bikes at one point. And of course, Brent and I talked about it, him sharing a story of a former baseball coach who, driving behind a girl one day, witnessed said girl in a bikini coming back from the beach doing 70mph (miles per hour!) with no protection and losing control. When the coach stopped his car (the coach was an EMT at one point of his life) and checked on the girl, all he could do was call 911 (we presume she died). Though I already knew it, riding a bike, even only 1km, should not be taken lightly.

So I have a much better idea of what I'm getting myself into, or onto. I'm wiser now; I hope safer too. And to wrap it up, here's a couple shots of my first souvenir.

Return

Got back to Okinawa with Brent today. Heading to Tokashiki tomorrow and spending Saturday night there. Returning Sunday, will chill for a bit and just do whatever we kind of feel like. Updates and pictures later, when it's not 1:00 in the morning and I have to get up at 5:00.

Bye for now.

To hold you over...

海を見えるレストラン or 'Restaurant where you can see the ocean'

'Memoirs of the Battle of Okinawa' @ Okinawa Peace Memorial Park

Wall Shisa @ Okinawa Ocean Expo Park

Dolphin experience center @ Ocean Expo Park

I teach more than just English

A Day Early

My posting schedule doesn't have me writing until tomorrow. But tomorrow is a busy day and the start of my 10-day travel with getting up early, catching the bus to the airport, and flying to Nagoya. I doubt I'd find the time to write much in the morning; I also can't imagine wanting to sit down and type anything after arriving and getting straight on with whatever sort of activities are going to happen.

I'll give you a rundown of the itinerary though:

Depart: Okinawa, Arrive: Nagoya
2 days: Ise-cho, Mie-ken
2 days: Nagoya-shi
Depart: Nagoya, Arrive: Tokyo, Meet Brent at the airport
3 days: Tokyo
Depart: Tokyo, Arrive: Kyoto
3 days: Kyoto
Depart: Kyoto, Arrive: Okinawa
8 days: relaxing, hanging out, exploring

It should be an awesome trip, especially as it's my brother's first trip out of the States. I'm hoping to introduce him to some great culture, food, and friends. One of the things he excited for is the Orion Beer Festival - a weekend long "thank you" party from Orion Brewery to thank all the people who drink their beer. It involves two days of excellent eisa performances and highly discounted draft beer. I went last year and had a blast - this year should be as good if not better.

Brent departs on the 31st and then I start the second semester of school the next day, the first day of school work of my second year on JET.

Despite having had many experiences where I find myself thinking that time is just moving too quickly, I still haven't gotten used to it. Perhaps that's because the feeling is always relative. I know I've mentioned this before, but I think it also has to do with each new day being a smaller amount of time of our total lives than the previous day was.

Any way you count it, it's year 2 of JET for me. There are a number of things I'm really hoping go well this year, none of which are the kinds of things that will just fall into my lap (does anything really do that?). They'll all take a good bit of work and effort to accomplish. As always, there's the drive for fluency in Japanese. But there's a few more, the kinds of things that I can't quantify - like fluency. But I know that if I just go for them and do my best, stay relaxed, and keep smiling, they'll be some of the most rewarding parts and memories of my time here in Okinawa.

Because ultimately, "it's not where, but who you're with, that really matters."

PS - I will do my best with the now-regular Friday and Tuesday posts during Brent's stay in Japan. Worst case, I'll write some short things and post them all when I get back. Later!

A New Habit

I've been out of studying for a little while now, mostly due to putting sleep before flashcards. But some recent reading I've been doing has inspired me not to let myself slack off like I have for the past week or two.

The crux of the reading I've been doing is this: "You're not bad at what you're trying to do - you're just not used to it...yet. Keep going. You'll get it eventually."

Doesn't that just make total sense?

Think about it. A child is born into the world knowing nothing of language or speech patterns or vocabulary or grammar. He passively listens to the language of his parent's, and one day, words start coming out of his mouth. Then come phrases, followed by simple sentences, followed by long sentences, followed by fluency and speech so rapid one can't help but think, "He must have been doing this his whole life."

Well, the same things goes for everything I think.

Want to play the sanshin well? Start playing. Don't sit around and think about how you want to play - just play.

Want to speak Japanese or another foreign language? Don't sit around and discuss studying - just study. Words, grammar, kanji, whatever. Find it and use it.

Want to run a marathon? Then start running. Even if you can only do 2 minutes, if you keep doing it, 2 minutes will turn into 2 hours...you just have to keep doing it.

I'm getting back into my study habit, and starting a few new ones: twice weekly blog posts (or at least writing them to be posted later, in the event I don't have 'net access), even if I don't think I have anything to say; and taking my camera with me wherever I go, taking pictures of whatever I see, because I'm not going to get better at taking photographs if I don't start taking photographs. I might even throw in a little bit of meditation every day, because let me assure you, there is too much stuff running around in my head on any given day. I could use the personal respite.

So what is it that you want to do? Whatever it is, start today. And don't stop. Just keep going. You won't be perfect, but nobody's expecting you to be. You'll probably even make a lot of mistakes or doubt if the method you're using is right, or if what you're doing is even worth it. It is totally worth it! You'll get there. And imagine how rewarding that day will be when you can play everyone's favorite traditional songs on their traditional instrument, or talk to anyone you meet in their own language, or run around your town or city for hours at a time, taking in sights you'd never see in a car.

Every day is another chance to get a little bit better. Why wait?

A Year, 年を通して

Four days ago, on August 1, I turned 1 in Okinawan time.

I have lived abroad for one year. And it feels good. Here's to another year. Or as my supervisor and superintendent put it as I signed the official contract that lasts until July 31, 2009, "また一年間、宜しくお願いします。"

Of course. I'll do my best.

Dandy

Like I do a few times a week (perhaps more than is healthy for my wrists), I updated my Facebook profile status last night. I typed, more or less, that I was feeling pretty dandy. Still am. I had a great weekend. The sun is shining. And I feel good (imagine me smiling with a twinkle of light off a bright and shiny tooth).

The only problem is that I don`t really know what "dandy" means. So here`s a little bit about what I found out about the word...

dandy (n.): a man who is greatly concerned with the elegance of his appearance
dandy (adj.): very good

Needless to say, when I saw the noun definition, I had a laugh at myself - good choice of words, Weiss! I`m sure there have been a few times where I acted like a dandy, to the point of obnoxiousness (apologies to those who had to bear it?). The adjective definition, though, was what I was going for. Very good; very good, indeed.

In case you`re really interested, you can read about the history of the word "dandy" at Wikipedia by clicking here.

I'm too sexy...

for my car, too sexy for my car, doesn't get me very far.

Well, whatever, it's turning into a piece of crap. Or I'm just not treating it very well.

For example, after karate today, Cliff dropped me off at the usual beach meeting spot (how cool is that - we meet at the beach like it's no big deal? Never did that in the States!). I unlocked the FRONT driver's side door. I then pulled the handle for the REAR driver's side door. And I hear something break, fall through the interior of the door, and land with a *thunk* at the bottom of the door. After unlocking said door, it won't open. No matter of movement on the rear driver's side door handle will open it.

I broke a car door. I had to reach inside the car and use that handle to get the door open. Clearly, the reason for this is because I'm too sexy for my car. Or I'm too stupid. Let's pretend this is a "Choose your own Adventure" and you get to decide. If you choose sexy, ...

Special events

I've been working since Thursday, but it's been great, because it's not the typical work of a teacher or ALT on summer break (perhaps sitting in an office). Instead, Higashi has been host to 30 students and 6 teachers from Hawata, Yamagata-ken participating in the 14th of a series of annual exchanges between the two towns.

We've been lucky with weather, especially considering Typhoon 8 about hit Taiwan had a significant chance of turning northeast and ruining a lot of our outdoor activities. Instead, we were able to make everything happen, from the afternoon of Physical Adventure at Higashi's Eco-Park, to the Ocean Experience day and final evening BBQ yesterday.

A student leaping from the 10m tall "jump-pole"

Especially interesting was me being asked to play and sing a very well known song called "Shimanchu nu Takara" at yesterday's BBQ. Nervousness was low, and I attribute that to the years of performing on stages in front of people and having taught the kids of Higashi for a year. And I know the song by heart. What I didn't know so well were the guitar chords. Unfortunately, wind was high, and the chord sheet kept getting folded in half, meaning I couldn't see. After getting a little bit flustered but unable to fix the problem or stop they song (you can't stop the music!), someone finally realized what was happening and came to hold the paper down. After that, it was smooth sailing. Of course, everyone was in high praises, despite my knowing that I could have done better (I've resolved to rock next years whatever special event).

Today is the farewell meeting, a 15-minute goodbye to be held in a couple hours from now. The students and teachers will then head to the Churaumi Aquarium and a few other places before taking their lodging for the night in Naha. Tomorrow they return to Hawata, hopefully taking with them some pretty fun memories.

So yeah, I've had to work this past weekend and another day or two yet. But it's not the normal sitting in an office kind of thing most people do all their lives. For that reason, among the many many others, I'm so glad to be on JET.

Learning from scratch

I recently signed up for motorbike lessons at the driving school in Nago. My friend Ollie and I are working on this together, though separately - as he lives on the far south of the island and I live north. We're both taking the middle class license class (400cc and below). And today (Thurs) was my first day on the bike.
It was awesome! Sure, I didn't actually do that much, other than learn how to lift the bike from a tipped position (heavy - use your legs!), how to mount, operate all the basic controls, set the bike into a standing un-manned position, manage the clutch and gas, manage simple turns, proper acceleration and braking, and enter into traffic.

My instructor today, Uechi-sensei, was cool and he inspired confidence in my own ability right away. Though I forgot to turn off my blinker for about half a lap, and stalled the bike 3-4 times (once in 4th gear going sooo slow - but I was only following his lead), I didn't drop it and it felt really good. There's definitely a lot of room to improve in shifting, meaning reducing excessive revving or smoothing out the starts and gear changes. But who wouldn't have lots of room for improvement after only one formal lesson. I once rented a 125cc bike in Thailand for two weeks, but that thing seems like a toy compared to a 400cc machine.

So I'm really excited to get back and knock off a lesson here and there. Since I had already successfully converted my US license to a Japanese, not only is the class cheaper, but the coursework is reduced to practical lessons only, meaning just driving and nothing in the classroom. This is good news, since it let's me get done more quickly, but not too quickly as to blow through everything and not learn any good skills.

In fact, the course consists of 17 total classes: 9 in the first step (or １段階 ichi-dankai) and 8 in the second. After succesfully completing the first step (and I believe after an evaluation), I'll move on to the second step, completing the course with a succesful run on the examination, which includes the following: basic setup and manuevering, slalom, the ippon-bashi (google it), emergency braking, rough terrain (maybe?), the crank (think Tetris shapes on the road), the figure 8, and various other basic safety considerations when turning, accelerating, braking, etc.

Perhaps the coolest part of it all is having to have bought gear for the class. I got a helmet and basic leather gloves as required. Of course, once all is said and done, I'll have to upgrade the gloves to something more suitable to my style. And boots; don't forget boots. But I'm not going to worry about that. There's still at least a month to go before finishing the course, given intermitent work assignments, travel, and my brother's visit to Japan.

But rest assured, once Ollie and I have completed our training, passed our tests, bought and insured our bikes, and reached beautiful points on Okinawa on two wheels, we'll flood you with pictures and stories and have a good time doing it.

Late Night Surprise

I drove home very late (early?) this morning, leaving my friend's apartment around 3:30. Though he graciously offered me a spot to crash, I preferred to get back and wake up early, getting some things done at my place before the day gets too hot.

As I sat down to eventually turn my computer off, I couldn't help but hear something that sounded like a critter munching on something. Thinking it might have been a dog (or worse!) that had dug into my compost pile, I took a look. And I was amazed to see a bat hanging in the tree just outside my doors.

He was chomping on whatever type of fruit grows in whatever type of tree that I have yet to decided to eliminate or not. He had a furry head of white hair, and his wingspan was easily 2.5 to 3 feet. I was going to try and snap a dark shot of him, but as I was creeping to get my camera, I bumped the mouse, illuminating the screen of the computer that was in standby, and he flew away. I'm not sure if the events are related (bats don't see well, right?), but it was still cool enough to have watched him for those few moments.

Another one

Earthquake.

Tuesday, 16:47 JST

More info can be found here.

Was stronger than the quake last year, and I was at school, which made a difference in that it became quite the buzz for a while. Nothing serious, just shaking and rattling, though this one seemed to have two distinct stages: weak, and stronger. When the strength changed, just for a minute I thought, "Uh oh, I hope this isn't a pattern."

30 seconds maybe. Over and done with. Is it normal to feel this way?

硫黄島からの手紙

It is not often that I watch a movie that very deeply moves me.

And so I was surprised tonight when watching "Letters from Iwo Jima" to be terribly saddened by the history it was portraying - of men forced from their homes, their wives and children and family, to be put into a position often resulting only in death; of men shooting each other for no reason other than having been told to do so; of men with nothing but the hope of survival.

I can't even imagine what it must have been like. I can only be glad that nobody I've ever known has had to endure a situation like that.

I Wonder as I Wander

[Uta no Hi: Sunset at the Begin Concert, Nishihara]

I remember singing this song (though being most impressed with Chanticleer's version of it) when I was younger. The lyrics I barely remember; if I took the time to look them up, I might lose interest in typing, so just bear with me and pretend I know what I'm talking about.

I'm pretty sure the song has a religious connotation, but again, I'm not sure. The title strikes me the most, however.

Eleven months have passed since I came to Japan last year. In that time, I have met amazing people, spilled my heart and feelings to some of them, made connections that will never be broken - stretched as some may already be through time and distance - and put myself to the task of learning to speak and understand Japanese as a Japanese. I was so determined to come on JET a while back, that I never took the time to imagine what I wanted to do next.

Just today, as I was sitting with friends, chatting about time spent in Japan, time yet to be spent here by some, and the upcoming departure of others, I thought, "What's next?" The simple answer is "another year in Okinawa, duh." And so I settled down for a minute. Then my brain did what it always does: it jumped ahead and asked, "And after that?"

There was no answer. There is no answer. I have no idea what I want to do with my life. If you ask me (please don't, I already have, see?) what I want to do after JET, I'd say, "Be happy, healthy, and in love. With a stringed musical instrument in my hands." Great answers, yeah?, and there's not much more I desire. Practically, some money has to be made and saved to some extent, but the money doesn't make life more valuable. It helps to make things available, and then perhaps interesting and entertaining, but haven't most of us had those moments where just by lying around and doing nothing, the best of the best just springs forth spontaneously? Or by teaching Elementary school children - they are the most amazing people sometimes. I don't remember ever having bought a laugh. I don't remember ever having bought a memory. And I've certainly never bought any of the feelings that well inside of me and bring me happiness, misery, or contentment.

And so I was wondering today, what next? I need to shorten the time-line, say perhaps to this week, or tomorrow. Or even just a few hours from now. You wanna know what it is I'm thinking about? I'll give you this miserable hint: _ _ _/_ _ _ _/_ (think I) _ _ _ _

PS - It's a happy thought, in case you read this post wrong. And no, it's not the upcoming Kanken.

Last Minute Notices

I purchased a ticket to a concert that starts at 1:00 this Saturday. The ticket cost me 3,800 yen.

I got a phone call from my supervisor yesterday (Thursday). My next week's school changed their schedule and the event that was to be held on a normal Monday, will now be held on this Saturday. My supervisor told me I had to go. Meaning I can't go to the concert. Meaning 3,800 yen went to a pretty piece of paper.

There is a systemic problem in my village (and some other ALTs complain of a similar situation in other towns and cities) where I am poorly informed of events both voluntary and mandatory. Poorly, meaning eventually, but at such a last minute, that any plans I had made previously have to be changed drastically or dumped or I just don't go to the (voluntary) village functions. One such example was two weeks ago when I was to fly to Tokyo to meet some friends. Two weeks after I book the tickets (for a weekend trip), I'm told I'm needed to be an MC for a speech contest (they found a replacement).

I've brought this problem up with all the people I work with, but the only way I can see to get any real change started is to put it on the agenda of the next village English meeting (principals, teachers, and boss). I have a feeling if I started popping last minute news on my schools, the earth would explode.

Third Time's Charm?

I had another driving test today. It was scheduled for the afternoon at 1:00 pm, not at 8:30 like I had originally thought. I discovered this last night, which was great, since I got to stay up a little later and study. And since the last two tests that I failed were morning tests, I figured a change of appointment would maybe play a part in my luck.

Apparently, it did. I passed today's test with what seemed to be a perfect run. The instructor made some encouraging comments about two turns in, and I chatted with him for a little bit, before getting back to the business of passing.

Today, I made sure to spin my head and my shoulders when looking in my blind-spots. I even called out each mirror and location to which I looked, letting the instructor know that I was checking everything all the time.

One of the tougher spots on the course, the kirikae - or the "crank" - a Tetris-shaped piece path through which we have to maneuver without hitting the curbs or any of the poles set up around it, went really well today. Last time I backed up just to make sure I didn't touch anything. But today, I had plenty of room and breezed through it. The S-curve went well, too, though in all three times I took it, I was certain my front bumper was going to rub the curb - but it never did.

I pulled into the final parking spot, where the instructor told me to get out. After checking to see that no (imaginary) traffic was coming up behind me, I opened the door, checked below the door for dangerous items, stepped out, and walked to the other side of the car (where the instructor was sitting), when he gave me the good word: "Pass."

Four of us passed today, today being the third visit for two of us, fifth visit for the other two. We spent the next hour or so doing paperwork and just reveling in being done with the hardest part of the process. I go back Monday for a 30 minute lecture, on driving safety I presume, after which I will be handed my Japanese driver's license. Good timing, considering applying for a replacement Illinois license from Japan is proving to be a real pain in the ass.

All in all, I spent Y12,000 on driving school, Y12,000 on test paperwork, Y10,000 on tolls to get to Naha, Y10,000 on gas for the five trips needed to get it all done (two for paperwork and three for driving test attempts), and 5 days of holiday for time off school. Approximately $440 for the whole deal (though tack on about another $40 for Monday's gas and tolls). I'm glad to be almost done spending (wasting?) the time and the money.

Sweat, Study, Sweat, Repeat

It's first trimester test week here at my small school. The first three periods of each day for the next three days are reserved for student test taking. The afternoon classes are still in session, but will primarily focus on study for the next day's tests.

This means I have a lot of time free for the next couple mornings. I've been using that time to review for my upcoming kanji test on July 11. The test will cover 420 of the basic (1,945) kanji that all students study (up through 3rd grade elementary). While knowing more kanji is nice (note: I did the Heisig method and can recall all 1,945 writings from a keyword, but can't read them all), it's the increased vocabulary (and increasingly difficult grammar) that is paying off. I can now listen to a number of sources and pick out a lot more words that I couldn't before. I think it's a lot like buying a new car. You don't notice how many there are on the road until you're driving one. So, while the words have been floating around Okinawa through various utterances and broadcasts (放送 housou), now that they're floating around in my head, it's starting to make sense.

On the other hand, it's hot. Maybe not so much hot, because Arizona is hotter for sure, but humid. The two minutes prior to typing this were what gave me the idea for the title. I felt a drop of sweat running down my chest, so I pressed my shirt against it only to have the purple turn dark purple, wet. Only one of the schools in Higashi has a/c in the teacher's room - this is not one of them. And I have to say, I don't regret giving up on the "let's see how long I can last without using the a/c while I'm sleeping or at home."

And in very other news, I passed my 進級試験 (shinkyuu shiken) karate test last Saturday. Photos and stuff to come in another post.

Busy

I spent the three-day weekend (Monday was a memorial holiday here in Okinawa, and though I have not done the research to determine why, I will presume it is in memory of the many thousands that died in the turmoil of the Second World War) running around and having a blast.

Starting with Saturday morning, I helped MC the first half of the performance before dashing out at half-time to make my way to Naha to catch a flight to Tokyo to meet Andrew and James, a couple of great guys I met on the Rally two years ago.

We started the visit right, with a can of beer in front of the Shinjuku bus terminal. Our first attempt at a bar for the evening - one themed after a mixture of a prison and emergency medical procedures - was not successful, after being told we'd have a table in 15 minutes. I had given my name to the hostess, and when I went back to check on how we were progressing in terms of getting seated, I saw that my name had been penned out. And not just penned, but that really thorough looping penstroke that one uses to completely obliterate any trace of writing. Though we were told we'd only have to wait five more minutes, we decided that we'd have better chances elsewhere. This was also the first moment of several during my time in Tokyo where I thought to myself, "This kind of thing wouldn't happen in Okinawa!" followed by, "I didn't know I already missed it that much."

But our second night was a little better. The day wasn't spectacular, because our plan was to check out Harajuku and even take a few opportunities to chat with any willing people. But the rain kept everyone...I'm not sure really, but wherever it was, it wasn't where we were walking. I was happy to make a nice impulse buy for an Indiana Jones type sidebag, instead of having to trek around with all my miscellaneous items in my pockets.

A littler later on in the afternoon, James and I wandered around Isetan, a relatively high-class shopping establishment in, Shibuya was it? We ate some amazing gelato (I got green tea/vanilla), purchased 50g of 黒毛和牛 kurogewagyuu and marvelled at its deliciousness, and wandered around five levels of department stores looking for the most expensive item from each class of goods. Our most ridiculous find was a pair of mid-length leather boots, with the design of a flowing dragon shaped into the leather. Care to guess at the price?　￥661,000 (highlite the previous space for the answer)

We finished off the main portion of our Tokyo time with 飲み放題 nomihoudai at a great place called Gonpachi, on the 14th floor of a building in Shibuya (though the rain and clouds obscured all the good views). We weren't simply amazed with how good the selection was for the price (three hours for ￥2,500), but also by the service. At one point, we ordered a round of 梅酒 umeshu, a plum liquor, and manager asked us, "And how about a three beers with that?" He also came by when our time limit was almost up, making sure we got one last round for the money. And not to mention the food that we ordered - succulent.

Our last, and most costly, venture was karaoke. Last, because we had to make the 2:00 curfew at the hostel. Most costly, because though I read everything about what we signed up for, I failed to "understand" it. So though I had the money to cover the bill, it was more than I was expecting - but I wasn't really expecting much, since I was off my ass drunk. And finally, upon trying to hail a cab, we were solicited by charming woman working for a soapland. Using the short chat for Japanese practice (lots of new words!), we had to cut her off and get to sleep.

Andrew and James are in Okinawa this week, coming up to Nago tomorrow or the next day. I pondered the thought of getting them into a few of my English classes at my school one day this week. I'm sure it would help to give everyone - students and teachers - a little boost to the week. I'll keep you posted (and write those backlogged stories another time).

PS - though I was not there to see it, apparently one of my students placed third in the Kunigami JHS English Story Telling Contest. It's funny, out of all three I was asked to help, I spent the least time with him just based on bad scheduling. I'm not sure what to think about that... (^_~)

I could be...

Today was busy. I had five classes: two junior high school classes and three elementary classes. The elementary classes I run on my own and go for 45 minutes. For the junior high school classes, (50 minutes) I team up with the Japanese Teacher of English and we work through the lessons, run activities, working with and off of each other to help the kids along. Today, however, my JTE had to leave after lunch, so I had to run fifth period by myself (the JTE took yesterday off as well, because her daughter had a fever, so this was my second straight day teaching the 2nd grade JHS students alone). It was a good day (though tomorrow's post will be in honor of the 3rd grade elementary girl who got a bloody nose during my class).

But let me tell you about a feeling I had yesterday.

I walked into school at 8:10 and found a note on my desk. It was from my JTE asking me to handle the 2nd grade JHS class. Tall orders for me, having not prepped anything and having the class in just about half-an-hour. *takes a break to turn on the AC, because sweat is dripping on my keyboard* So I picked up the textbook, took a look at the upcoming lesson, and it all just clicked. I headed to my JTE's desk and found the new vocabulary cards for the lesson. I also picked up the "passports" the kids had made the previous week (the lesson covers taking a trip to London). I happened to have my own passport on me since I had to make photocopies (applying for a replacement Illinois license), and I always carry my inkan, or personal seal, and I took that as well to add a little something to the process I had in mind.

So I walked into class, briefly explained why the JTE wasn't there (in English for their practice, Japanese for mine), and started class. Warm-up questions, new words, reading practice, then finally acting out the dialog with me as the Passport Official (stamping with my seal of ワーィス, wa-isu), we ended with 5 minutes to spare. Not bad considering it was all a last minute operation.

So why the big deal? How about running my first class alone, using real lesson materials (not a silly game to waste time), having the kids mostly understand what was going on, and even getting them to laugh and kind of enjoy themselves, and not feel stressed by any part of it, from planning to finish. Wrapping up that class yesterday was the first moment since I've been here where I thought to myself, "I could be a teacher." You know, a real one, with my own subject specialty and a classroom of kids to call my own.

I've been thinking about why it all went so well. I'm not sure, but it might have to do with something a friend got me thinking about a few days ago. She had commented about how I seemed much more chilled out than the first days I was here, and I replied to the effect of, "yeah, I think I've started to find my rhythm." Putting that into a musical context, I'm sure we've all had the experience of listening to someone/watching someone dance without rhythm; it's painful. Now, check out somebody who can keep the beat, make the most of the music, and even improvise when needed, well, now you've got a great performance!

This is starting to sound like boasting; that is not my intention. I just want you to try to understand this little milestone I had 10 months into the JET Programme. Remember, it's not just about me teaching the kids English. It's also about the kids, the teachers, the parents and all the various aspects of Okinawa and its culture teaching me something about themselves, and even a little something about myself.

Coming up tomorrow: Harry Potter unsafe for kids?

Just...good!

I took my second attempt at the Japanese Driver's License practical test, the last step to complete the conversion from my Illinois license. I failed because, according to the proctor, I didn't turn my head enough when looking to my left and right when making turns. Seeing as it was a hot Friday, I had spent 8,000 yen and 6 hours just to take the test, I wasn't expecting to be in a good mood for a while.

Luckily, the fit of discontent passed well before I even started to head home. So with the rest of the day off, I spent some time taking care of little things that I often neglect, like putting away mail and organizing my closets, simple - yet simply overlooked - tasks, and I took a two hour break on one of the beaches of Higashi. It was nice to walk in the sand and swim in the water with no hurries, no sounds of heavy population. Though I did proceed to karate later that night, the encounter with nature (and the brief nap that followed) rejuvenated me for the night.

And things got fun on Saturday. Elina held a party at her place in celebration of her birthday and, as always, it was a great chance to hang out with some of the JETs in Okinawa I don't often see. The strangest thing about this fact, and I wonder to myself all the time, is why I don't make more of an effort to get my ass in gear and spend time with these people who I really like, who given the opportunity would most likely turn out to be some great friends? I'll have to think about this a little more, especially since one of my long-term goals for my time on the JET Programme is to never look back and think, "If only I'd..." Yep, ok, that's going on the white-board right now.

So the night passed well. I'll most likely avoid red wine for a while, because drinking it on a hot night didn't give me the best of feelings. Awamori (the local Okinawan alcohol) with ice and water makes a much more refreshing drink. Among other things, I found myself pondering my maternally-rooted (pun) hair loss, lying briefly and comfortably in the lap of a fellow JET, and meandering into the Sea of Japan at 2:00 in the morning, sans clothing, doing my best to make the sea phosphorescence glow with every quick flick of the feet or hands.

I slept really well, with a mixture of blanket and floor pillow to keep me warm (the A/C was running at this point). I woke with a pretty good hangover headache and I didn't want to move. But the desire to remain prone stemmed not from the headache so much (I had a migraine headache at the "Sea Experience" day a few weeks ago and I fought through it without meds for the kids' sake, so headaches don't hold so much sway on my ability to function). I don't know how to say this well...I was in a good position and didn't want to move; a really comfortable sort of thing. I know I'm not doing a decent job explaining this, sorry, but it was good.

Once everybody was up and at them, Chiye, Elina and I decided to test out the wireless capabilities of our Nintendo DS's. We started a grand-scale run of Mario Kart DS and it was really fun! I don't know what I'm going to do without a good match of racing for a while. Those of us remaining wrapped up the day with some sweet dishes at a local cafe/woodworking shop and a trip to the waterfall and shrine in Kijoka, Ogimi.

Today I only had one class (junior high school first graders) and it went really well. The kids were talkative and lively, and happily participated in the activity. I've got the 2nd and 3rd grades tomorrow, as well as kindergarten, and all the elementary classes will happen later this week. Sometimes, I catch myself worrying about my ability to get up in front of the kids and 1) teach them something useful and 2) keep it interesting for everybody, but I find that once the bell rings at the start of class, all those worries go away. It kind of lends some weight to the fact that I tend to think about things too much, when doing them would just solve most of the problem (that I've invariably built up in my head).

It's approaching one year on the JET Programme; I'm truly amazed at how quickly it went. So here's to not wasting time thinking about all the things I could do, but actually doing them. Here's to not wasting time thinking about all the fun people I could be seeing, but actually giving them a call and seeing them. Here's to not just letting time pass, but making it work for me...making it all really GOOD!

PS - It turns out my high school has listed me as a "Lost Alumnus." (Class of '98) It sounds kind of cool, doesn't it? I think so. But it really only means they don't have any (up-to-date) contact information on me.