Cool

I suppose the title could be a reference to the recent weather we’ve been having, as it’s not nearly as warm as it was perhaps a month ago; definitely not as warm was it was when I first got here. Instead of a t-shirt, I’m usually doubling up with a sweater and a light jacket. It’s not bad once I get going, but waking up and stepping foot into my tiled bathroom is rough, though invigorating.

The end of this week, Friday, February 8, is the deadline for JET Assistant Language Teachers to turn in their forms declaring their decision to re-contract for another year or not. I am re-contracting. And I’ll tell you why.

I have wanted to come to Japan for many years. Where the initial interest sparked, I can’t exactly remember. But it’s been around for a while and here I am, to stay for a while.

I love working with kids. While I had little to no interaction with the little beasties for my stint as a stiff in Chicago, it wasn’t hard to get back into it. There’s really nothing like the innocence of children just learning how to do most things for the first time (in an academic sense). To see the face of a 3rd grade elementary student light up when she perfectly pronounces, “brush your teeth,” and I give her a thumbs up is an awesome thing.

I want to learn Japanese to fluency (see previous post). Sounds hard? Nope. I don’t believe it. Sound like a large commitment? For sure it is. If my internet mentor/pep-talker has anything to say about it, there’s nothing to be afraid of. Just get out there and listen (to Japanese), learn, enjoy, practice, prioritize, and don’t listen to the people who nay say.

I love Higashi. Vastly different from the cityscape I came from and the ones to be found on this island, the quiet life is much better for me than I expected. Benefits of small village life include knowing lots of people, being exposed to new people quite easily, and getting to see parts of Okinawa most people don’t and won’t ever know about. The only downside is having to drive and therefore owning a car. But it’s not that big a deal, especially since there is almost no traffic to speak of in the village.

Aside from the emotional reasons that I’m staying here, there’s also a practical side. Like anything, I imagine, it takes time to get used to new surroundings, new work, new relationships, etc. With that in mind, to stay only one year would be…how can I say this with impact…like an abortion. Of potential. Having only learned a little about Higashi, about Okinawa, its people, my neighbors, the kids and the teachers, the language, how to play the sanshin, karate, teaching, etc. – well, to step out now would be a horrible idea. Not only I would have all this learning come to an end; so would the people who I see every day or every week. There’s something to watching children grow and develop and become able express themselves. Considering I’m (less than) a child in Japanese ability, they don’t really know much about me. Maybe it’s selfish, wanting to be known, but by learning the language and sharing about myself, I think I stand to find out quite a bit about others as well.

And what better model for exchange is there than that - getting to know people around the world.