Question: Where exactly are you?
Answer: I'm on Kyushu, the southernmost island of Japan. Kyushu is shaped roughly like a backwards 'c', and my town is on the western coast on the inside of the 'c'. The town, called Arao, is midway between the two larger cities of Kumamoto and Fukuoka.
Q: What are you doing there?
A: I was hired by the JET(Japanese Exchange and Teaching Program) to teach English in area elementary and middle schools. The other part of my job is to aid in 'internationalizing' Japan. I do that by participating in cultural events and generally just by being here.
Q: Why did you go to Japan?
A: Well, my profile gives the easy answer, to face new challenges in order to help me grow. The real answer, of course, is complex. I am here to study Aikido, to get a new perspective on my life, to continue the journey towards peace and joy... The more I think about this question, the more I think the answer has to do with becoming less selfish and more giving.
Q: How's your Japanese coming along?
A: The Japanese tutor has returned from England finally, so we start lessons this Monday. I'm extremely surprised at how little Japanese I have learned thus far. Having someone to practice with would make all the difference.
Q: Well then, don't you have any friends, Julie?
A: Umm, you see, well, it's hard to make friends when you don't speak the language, and pretty much no one speaks my language. I have one Japanese friend my age, and some work friends. I have several non-Japanese friends who live from 20 minutes to 2 hours away. Gimme a break, it's only been a month and a half!
Q: Can you drink the water?
A: Kyushu's water is renowned for being the purest in Japan, and I like the visions I get after I drink it.
Q: What is the actual time difference?
A: Believe it or not, that depends on where you are. If you are in Mountain time, I am 15 hours ahead of you. Eastern daylight time, 13 hours ahead. Western time, uh, 16 hours ahead, by my(sometimes faulty) calculations. (BTW, Japan does not observe daylight savings time.)
Q: Does any one here talk about September 11th?
A: Yes, one teacher brought up the subject yesterday. He told me Japan is thinking of the US, and people remember the anniversary. He said people were torn up and shocked, as we were, on that sad day. He sends well wishes to you all today, as do I.
You can always ask me anything by posting a comment or emailing me.
I tell of my day-to-day experiences in a funky Japanese town from my American viewpoint. This blog could also be called 'Bizarro World', 'Notes From Kyushu, a Smaller Island', or 'Teaching English in Japan: Smash Your Ego in 10 Easy Lessons."
