Have noticed some strange trees around town with orange-colored tomatos growing on them. Turns out those tomatos are really persimmons, and they are neither acidic nor poisonous, as their appearance had convinced me. I was given three today, and shared another with the teacher who had picked them at his father's farm. It was sweet and fleshy, like a peach, but had a flavor closer to honeydew. Another first time experience. I hear they're not the same as American persimmons:
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/ext/senior/fruits/persimmon1.htm
Right now, I'm in school. Actually, I'm alone in the staff room. It's pretty rare that the staff room is empty, but everyone is off preparing for the school festival next Sunday. I won't see it. I'm taking a trip to Kyoto, but I'll also have switched into my second junior high(appropriately named 'Arao Junior High School #2') by that time.
I'm glad that the staff room is empty right now because of the spider on my face. People can't stop staring at it. Of course the whole point was to make them curious, but I'm happy to have a short break from all the attention.
As you know, Halloween, the mother of all holidays, is just around the corner. And as you may or may not know, Halloween holds a special place in my heart. So I decided to make my feelings known, and to aid in the education process I drew a spider in its web on my face. I had to do it with a stubby brown eyeliner pencil and some impossible yellow and black stuff that was labeled makeup in the store... but the kids know what it is and it makes them say 'ehhhh??' really loudly when they pass by. I wrote a short Halloween story and had it translated into Japanese so they can read it and understand that there is a method to my madness. Anyway, Happy Halloween everyone, hee hee ha ha...
Friday, October 29, 2004
Sunday, October 24, 2004
Taiko Arcade Drumming, sigh...
Among other things, I am now in love.
There's this arcade game in the City Mall that has recently acquired the number one spot for my attention. It's the taiko drumming game. He's how it works, and why I love it.
Imagine that before you is a medium-sized taiko drum, in your hands, two rubber drumsticks. You look up at the screen, and a menu appears. You select song #17 from over 50 possible choices. #17 is getting hard, because the difficulty level increases as the numbers get higher. The song choices vary from Mr. Roger's Neighborhood-type kiddy jingles to space rock to quasi-metal. Your song sounds like the disco version of Beethoven's Ode to Joy. After selecting the song, you get a little four measure intro, while you try to catch the beat and poom!-- here it goes!! You follow the smiley faces that appear on the screen, and when they get to a certain point on the screen, you hit the drum. Four red smiley faces appear. Bam bam bam bam! You hit the center of the drum each time. A blue face goes by and you hit the rim, klack!, but you were a beat late, so no points. A yellow face is stretched out on the screen, and you bend your knees and, bada bada bada bada, you roll as fast as possible. Your roll was really fast, so you doubled your score! Then, a big, red, mean face appears, and you wham the drum with both sticks at once, POW!!; then your song is over. After a second, the game tells you that your accuracy was 94%, you hit 46 smileys, you missed three, and you completely missed only five times. Your score is 26,639.
Now your friend Shiho wants to play, so you switch to two-player mode. She gets on the other drum and plays with you at the same time. Sometimes the game lets you fill in the beat for your friend, sometimes she hits and fills in your beats, making a whole new complex, brilliant rhythm. In this run, the beats get super fast and complicated, and your whole body gets into the rhythm. You lose to her by only 478 points, but your accuracy was better this time!
I think playing this game should be manditory for all people studying music in school, and should be part of the requirement to finish any university degree, just because it's so awesome. This game is hot, and I'm in love with it on many levels. It's too bad it's 200 yen($2!!) a pop; I'm trying not to go broke!!
There's this arcade game in the City Mall that has recently acquired the number one spot for my attention. It's the taiko drumming game. He's how it works, and why I love it.
Imagine that before you is a medium-sized taiko drum, in your hands, two rubber drumsticks. You look up at the screen, and a menu appears. You select song #17 from over 50 possible choices. #17 is getting hard, because the difficulty level increases as the numbers get higher. The song choices vary from Mr. Roger's Neighborhood-type kiddy jingles to space rock to quasi-metal. Your song sounds like the disco version of Beethoven's Ode to Joy. After selecting the song, you get a little four measure intro, while you try to catch the beat and poom!-- here it goes!! You follow the smiley faces that appear on the screen, and when they get to a certain point on the screen, you hit the drum. Four red smiley faces appear. Bam bam bam bam! You hit the center of the drum each time. A blue face goes by and you hit the rim, klack!, but you were a beat late, so no points. A yellow face is stretched out on the screen, and you bend your knees and, bada bada bada bada, you roll as fast as possible. Your roll was really fast, so you doubled your score! Then, a big, red, mean face appears, and you wham the drum with both sticks at once, POW!!; then your song is over. After a second, the game tells you that your accuracy was 94%, you hit 46 smileys, you missed three, and you completely missed only five times. Your score is 26,639.
Now your friend Shiho wants to play, so you switch to two-player mode. She gets on the other drum and plays with you at the same time. Sometimes the game lets you fill in the beat for your friend, sometimes she hits and fills in your beats, making a whole new complex, brilliant rhythm. In this run, the beats get super fast and complicated, and your whole body gets into the rhythm. You lose to her by only 478 points, but your accuracy was better this time!
I think playing this game should be manditory for all people studying music in school, and should be part of the requirement to finish any university degree, just because it's so awesome. This game is hot, and I'm in love with it on many levels. It's too bad it's 200 yen($2!!) a pop; I'm trying not to go broke!!
Monday, October 18, 2004
Now Aspiring to Teach
I came inside the house just now to find a lizard crawling into my briefcase.
I was coming back from the video store, where I'd rented Karate Kid in Japanese(i.e., 'Best-o Kid'). We've been watching it in English in a ninth grade class, but it's way too hard for the students to follow the plot in English.
They're supposed to be thinking about the big question, 'Why did Julie Sensei pick this movie?', and answering several fun questions about cultural differences and phrases they recognize. I wish that we could have some sort of in depth discussion about Mr. Miyagi being a first generation Japanese-American, or the differences between the American sensei's approach to martial arts and Mr. Miyagi's, or Daniel's growth through the movie, but alas, my wishing is my downfall. I cannot access these young minds; I can't force them to be interested in something that may never be of use to them. So I just focus on planting the seed of curiousity which may or may not sprout one day. That's all I can do.
As you can see, I'm beginning to give up hope that I have a purpose as an ALT. That, I take as a very good thing. It signifies to me that I'm changing; that Japan/my experience is changing me in some way. Losing hope is like having growing pains, one might say: it hurts in one way, but eventually it'll transform you into something with a greater understanding of the world.
My new question these days has become, 'how do I be a good teacher?'. I no longer think that I can be the best teacher, the super ALT that will speak Japanese in three months, that will make friends with all the teachers, and earn the respect of all the students. Now I'm just interested in being a good teacher. I believe that starts with good ideas and a good motivation for teaching. So, I'm determined to teach things that the students can find immediately useful, such as crafts, scavenger hunts, letter-writing(working on penpals in the US), intriguing games and activities, i.e., focusing on what they know and extending just beyond it. These kinds of things are what make me come alive when I teach. Come to think of it, isn't that what I always found so wondeful about my favorite teachers, that they had found something that had made them come alive? (Thanks especially to Manson, for reminding me :) )
Have you got an 'active' idea for this aspiring teacher?
I was coming back from the video store, where I'd rented Karate Kid in Japanese(i.e., 'Best-o Kid'). We've been watching it in English in a ninth grade class, but it's way too hard for the students to follow the plot in English.
They're supposed to be thinking about the big question, 'Why did Julie Sensei pick this movie?', and answering several fun questions about cultural differences and phrases they recognize. I wish that we could have some sort of in depth discussion about Mr. Miyagi being a first generation Japanese-American, or the differences between the American sensei's approach to martial arts and Mr. Miyagi's, or Daniel's growth through the movie, but alas, my wishing is my downfall. I cannot access these young minds; I can't force them to be interested in something that may never be of use to them. So I just focus on planting the seed of curiousity which may or may not sprout one day. That's all I can do.
As you can see, I'm beginning to give up hope that I have a purpose as an ALT. That, I take as a very good thing. It signifies to me that I'm changing; that Japan/my experience is changing me in some way. Losing hope is like having growing pains, one might say: it hurts in one way, but eventually it'll transform you into something with a greater understanding of the world.
My new question these days has become, 'how do I be a good teacher?'. I no longer think that I can be the best teacher, the super ALT that will speak Japanese in three months, that will make friends with all the teachers, and earn the respect of all the students. Now I'm just interested in being a good teacher. I believe that starts with good ideas and a good motivation for teaching. So, I'm determined to teach things that the students can find immediately useful, such as crafts, scavenger hunts, letter-writing(working on penpals in the US), intriguing games and activities, i.e., focusing on what they know and extending just beyond it. These kinds of things are what make me come alive when I teach. Come to think of it, isn't that what I always found so wondeful about my favorite teachers, that they had found something that had made them come alive? (Thanks especially to Manson, for reminding me :) )
Have you got an 'active' idea for this aspiring teacher?
Saturday, October 09, 2004
Swords, or, Want to See My Scar?
I'm just back from a visit to Arao's very own swordmaker's house. It was my second trip to see (Genrokuro) Matsunaga-san, who is nationally renowned for his katana-making skills, but locally, a virtual unknown. I found him because I happened to noticed a small cartoon character of a man forging a katana on a tourist map when I first arrived, and I kept pushing someone to tell me if a katanamaker really existed here, and if so, to help me meet the guy. Finally, I was informed that someone in my very office at the Board of Education was friends with him, and he called him up and arranged a time for me and a fellow martial artist to go over to his house.
When we arrived on that night, we were greeted by a good ten-man crew of Japanese guests, and one wide-eyed young foreigner from Switzerland who spoke no Japanese. The Japanese guests were Iaido(the art of drawing/cutting with a sword)practitioners, part of the katanamaker's regular gang, I imagined, and the Swiss fellow was doing a one-week homestay with a friend of Matsunaga's, so he was joining them by pure luck that night.
We arrived and were invited to join in the feast. My friend speaks Japanese, so he was able to follow most of the conversation, but I sat in silence, and took in the sight of over twenty katanas in their hilts and wrappings, accompanied by a full set of samurai armor, comfortably resting in the room across the way.
Midway through, Matsunaga started a video that showed cutting demonstrations in several different locations. The Iaidoka made dynamic cuts through the tightly wrapped straw 'heads', for lack of the proper Japanese word, and many cut through the head three times. Some others cut as many as three heads it one continous movement. They all looked accomplished and impressive to me, but the pride and joy of Matsunaga seemed to be the one woman present, who also happened to be a foreigner. We learned that her name was Eliza, she lives in Washington D.C., and currently holds a 6th dan in Iaido. (We learned tonight that she is 3rd dan in Kendo, sings traditional Japanese music exquisitely, does traditional dance, and has a green belt in Aikijujitsu. I'm sure she must be well known in the U.S.) Matsunaga talked of her like she was his daughter--I think either he was her teacher, or they studied Iaido together for many years. She really stuck out in the videos because of being so different, even her kiai was a scream as opposed to the mens' more earthy yells, but they all seemed to take pride in demonstrating together, and she seemed as if she was entirely engrossed. We enjoyed watching the video very much, and noticed that several of the men on the tape were present at the table.
Tonight, I went back with my friend, and one more friend, of course hoping Matsunaga was going to forge a katana and we could watch. It turned out he wasn't forging tonight, but since we were the only guests this time, and both of my friends spoke Japanese, Matsunaga wasn't shy about bringing out several katanas, a tanto(knife) and two shotguns from the Edo period(1600's?) with sanskrit written on them. I wish I could've understood eveything he was saying about them, but luckily for me, one of my friends graciously attempted to translate what was being said whenever it was possible. No translation was needed, however, when he brought out the BIG sword. This was the longest sword any of us had ever seen(and my one friend actually practices Iaido). Matsunaga told us it was the original size of samurai swords from long ago. In order to draw the sword, he had to take a very wide stance, and twist his body as he pulled from the hilt. It must've been between 4 and 5 feet long--much longer than a regular sword, much heavier too, I'd assume. Love to see him forge one of those babies. He also went into a fascinating monologue on sepuku(ritual suicide), explaining with graphic gestures, the exact locations of the katana's entry and path of slicing for men and the tanto's entry for women. He explained how to tell from the blood splattering about on the walls and ceiling whether or not the samurai's second(assistant) had a good cut. He also noted that by observing the body afterward, it was possible to tell whether the samurai who was commiting sepuku was relaxed or tensed. And then he showed us the scar on his hand that he got in his schoolboy days from a mishap that occured when practicing drawing his sword left-handed.
Halfway in, he showed more tapes of the woman, Eliza, being interviewed on TV, doing Kendo, Aikijujitsu, singing, dancing, and of course, cutting. One of the few gaikokujin(foreigners/outsiders) on the inside, perhaps. She seemed totally in her element.
Matsunaga invited us back to his place to try our own hands at cutting with his swords(and probably to have fun watching us whack away with his precious, priceless beauties--I hope he gives us crappy ones in case we break them!). He also let us know when to come to observe him forging, and told us to leave the car and walk next time so we can join him in a drink afterwards!!
When we arrived on that night, we were greeted by a good ten-man crew of Japanese guests, and one wide-eyed young foreigner from Switzerland who spoke no Japanese. The Japanese guests were Iaido(the art of drawing/cutting with a sword)practitioners, part of the katanamaker's regular gang, I imagined, and the Swiss fellow was doing a one-week homestay with a friend of Matsunaga's, so he was joining them by pure luck that night.
We arrived and were invited to join in the feast. My friend speaks Japanese, so he was able to follow most of the conversation, but I sat in silence, and took in the sight of over twenty katanas in their hilts and wrappings, accompanied by a full set of samurai armor, comfortably resting in the room across the way.
Midway through, Matsunaga started a video that showed cutting demonstrations in several different locations. The Iaidoka made dynamic cuts through the tightly wrapped straw 'heads', for lack of the proper Japanese word, and many cut through the head three times. Some others cut as many as three heads it one continous movement. They all looked accomplished and impressive to me, but the pride and joy of Matsunaga seemed to be the one woman present, who also happened to be a foreigner. We learned that her name was Eliza, she lives in Washington D.C., and currently holds a 6th dan in Iaido. (We learned tonight that she is 3rd dan in Kendo, sings traditional Japanese music exquisitely, does traditional dance, and has a green belt in Aikijujitsu. I'm sure she must be well known in the U.S.) Matsunaga talked of her like she was his daughter--I think either he was her teacher, or they studied Iaido together for many years. She really stuck out in the videos because of being so different, even her kiai was a scream as opposed to the mens' more earthy yells, but they all seemed to take pride in demonstrating together, and she seemed as if she was entirely engrossed. We enjoyed watching the video very much, and noticed that several of the men on the tape were present at the table.
Tonight, I went back with my friend, and one more friend, of course hoping Matsunaga was going to forge a katana and we could watch. It turned out he wasn't forging tonight, but since we were the only guests this time, and both of my friends spoke Japanese, Matsunaga wasn't shy about bringing out several katanas, a tanto(knife) and two shotguns from the Edo period(1600's?) with sanskrit written on them. I wish I could've understood eveything he was saying about them, but luckily for me, one of my friends graciously attempted to translate what was being said whenever it was possible. No translation was needed, however, when he brought out the BIG sword. This was the longest sword any of us had ever seen(and my one friend actually practices Iaido). Matsunaga told us it was the original size of samurai swords from long ago. In order to draw the sword, he had to take a very wide stance, and twist his body as he pulled from the hilt. It must've been between 4 and 5 feet long--much longer than a regular sword, much heavier too, I'd assume. Love to see him forge one of those babies. He also went into a fascinating monologue on sepuku(ritual suicide), explaining with graphic gestures, the exact locations of the katana's entry and path of slicing for men and the tanto's entry for women. He explained how to tell from the blood splattering about on the walls and ceiling whether or not the samurai's second(assistant) had a good cut. He also noted that by observing the body afterward, it was possible to tell whether the samurai who was commiting sepuku was relaxed or tensed. And then he showed us the scar on his hand that he got in his schoolboy days from a mishap that occured when practicing drawing his sword left-handed.
Halfway in, he showed more tapes of the woman, Eliza, being interviewed on TV, doing Kendo, Aikijujitsu, singing, dancing, and of course, cutting. One of the few gaikokujin(foreigners/outsiders) on the inside, perhaps. She seemed totally in her element.
Matsunaga invited us back to his place to try our own hands at cutting with his swords(and probably to have fun watching us whack away with his precious, priceless beauties--I hope he gives us crappy ones in case we break them!). He also let us know when to come to observe him forging, and told us to leave the car and walk next time so we can join him in a drink afterwards!!
Tuesday, October 05, 2004
Time
I just returned home from the first Japanese tutoring session I've had since I arrived in July. I'd been waiting for this night for so long. I've mentioned my poor Japanese skills in passing, but now I will admit that this is not a passing concern for me. I want to learn Japanese, but I haven't been able to. I've been too busy living in Japan, working, training, practicing, etc.
When I can study, I memorize small phrases or words I hear frequently or have looked up. My godsends have been the three language tapes I brought with me and my Japanese-English dictionary. If only I could switch August and September around I would have known what to study way back when I arrived, rather than sitting at my desk at the Board of Education twitling my thumbs for a month. I don't blame myself for not learning the Japanese language during that time. I blame the JET program for not giving me reasonable options of where and how to learn Japanese. I will say that there were classes offered in Kumamoto once a week, but they were very pricey. I went to a sample class and frankly, I wasn't impressed with the Japanese teacher's grasp of the English language--the teacher didn't make sense to me. Which is related to my issue with non-Japanese speakers teaching English in Japan, but that's another blog, I think.
What it all comes down to is that I want JET and Japan to be what I want them to be, I mean I demand it, but I only end up with a bruised skull from banging my head on the wall. I will learn Japanese slowly, not thoroughly or systematically, but slowly, with much effort. I will never know the answers to many of my questions about the language or about Japanese culture. Those who live in the box cannot see outside the box. The box is Japanese(all that the word implies). I love the box. The wrapping paper is beautiful--on the outside. From the inside I might've found some of the contents ugly or distasteful, but I will never be inside to know. Of course, I live in my own box. I wonder what that looks like from the outside?
I know that other people have been through this sort of experience before. I'm not the first foreigner to set foot on the shores of Nippon. But who wrote the book on 'Transitions of the the First-time Foreigner Living in Japan'? Boulder Book Store, do you read me, are you out there? Does this exist?? I hope what comes next is: foreigner relaxes, basking in the knowledge of things that cannot be changed. I didn't even intend to change anything, except myself. So that's got to be the point; my reality cannot exist here as it is. I must allow the blossom to wilt and drop, so the shoot can form a new bud, a fresh bloom for a new season. I take it one day at a time, and I also rely on knowledge to guide me.
The tutoring session went well. The teacher had to cancel for next week--she'll be out of town--little does she know, I'll be basking in the sunlight of acceptance.
til next time
When I can study, I memorize small phrases or words I hear frequently or have looked up. My godsends have been the three language tapes I brought with me and my Japanese-English dictionary. If only I could switch August and September around I would have known what to study way back when I arrived, rather than sitting at my desk at the Board of Education twitling my thumbs for a month. I don't blame myself for not learning the Japanese language during that time. I blame the JET program for not giving me reasonable options of where and how to learn Japanese. I will say that there were classes offered in Kumamoto once a week, but they were very pricey. I went to a sample class and frankly, I wasn't impressed with the Japanese teacher's grasp of the English language--the teacher didn't make sense to me. Which is related to my issue with non-Japanese speakers teaching English in Japan, but that's another blog, I think.
What it all comes down to is that I want JET and Japan to be what I want them to be, I mean I demand it, but I only end up with a bruised skull from banging my head on the wall. I will learn Japanese slowly, not thoroughly or systematically, but slowly, with much effort. I will never know the answers to many of my questions about the language or about Japanese culture. Those who live in the box cannot see outside the box. The box is Japanese(all that the word implies). I love the box. The wrapping paper is beautiful--on the outside. From the inside I might've found some of the contents ugly or distasteful, but I will never be inside to know. Of course, I live in my own box. I wonder what that looks like from the outside?
I know that other people have been through this sort of experience before. I'm not the first foreigner to set foot on the shores of Nippon. But who wrote the book on 'Transitions of the the First-time Foreigner Living in Japan'? Boulder Book Store, do you read me, are you out there? Does this exist?? I hope what comes next is: foreigner relaxes, basking in the knowledge of things that cannot be changed. I didn't even intend to change anything, except myself. So that's got to be the point; my reality cannot exist here as it is. I must allow the blossom to wilt and drop, so the shoot can form a new bud, a fresh bloom for a new season. I take it one day at a time, and I also rely on knowledge to guide me.
The tutoring session went well. The teacher had to cancel for next week--she'll be out of town--little does she know, I'll be basking in the sunlight of acceptance.
til next time
Friday, October 01, 2004
A Vent (a.k.a., can i have some interest with those fries?) + More on Aikido
I don't think there is one student in my junior high who wants to become fluent in English. I thought some kids would be interested in talking to me in English, or would want to ask me questions about America, or would want to know how to say this or that in English, or would show any interest in the English language or me as a foreigner whatsoever. But so far, what I get are shy glances, giggles, and many many many 'Herro's(not a joke). Now, this is partially a cultural thing. I'm pretty sure it is not common practice for students to stay after class to ask the teacher questions, and it is also not common practice for students to visit teachers after school. So I wonder how the students ever get to ask their questions. They certainly don't do it in class. This isn't my main frustration, though.
As you may already know, the structure of Japanese and English are very different, so different in fact, that English is not taught here(in Arao, at least) in terms of sentence structure. For example, 'I bit the dog' is not explained 'subject, verb(past tense), direct object'. It is explained 'I bit the dog' means 'blah blah blah' in Japanese. Please repeat after me, and memorize this sentence.
Isn't that an incredibly confusing way to teach a language!? Because of this kind of semi-'phrasebook' style of teaching, it seems to me that many children here think English is impossible to learn! They are taught that it is quite disorganized because of a lack of structure, yet who can blame them?
I can't understand: 1. why English language teaching was set up this way, 2. whether the true intention is for students to learn English, and 3. why I am here if the students gain nothing from my presence in the classroom. There are obviously cultural differences that I am overlooking, but I must say I'm astounded at the lack of interest in learning English!!
As an aside, I got a lot of questions about Aikido training in Japan since my last post. Let me address some of those:
As far as being a woman, I don't feel that I've been treated differently from the men in the dojo. If anything, I feel as if it's one of the only times I am not aware of being a woman. Most of the time in Japan, I am aware, not that being aware particularly bothers me, but I do notice the women serving tea, making flower arrangments for their boss' desk, etc., and women very easily take on these gender roles, as do men in their particular roles. But on the mat, the roles seem to fall away. I don't know why, but I think it's a blessing. Really.
Same goes for being a foreigner, except of course, for the language barrier. Earlier, I reported that I was able to intuit much of what was being said, which is still true. On the other hand, there are times when I'd really like to know what I'm doing wrong, or what the teacher said, and at those times I am lost. It can be somewhat overwhelming, but at least it gives me more inspiration to learn the language, ne?
Boulder Aikikai and Honda Sensei's dojos actually have a lot in common, but here are some differences I noticed: Training can be intense at both places, but here partners mutually agree to break for 5 minutes or so in the middle of class to rest. I'm still not used to that, so I don't break and the old guys love it. They seem to enjoy practicing straight through; it's the younger people that choose to sit out the most. Another difference is that here we follow our stretching warmups with footwork and breathwork practice. A different teacher leads stretches than footwork practice, and finally Honda teaches the main part of class. Class is in a budokan, a martial arts practice hall, so there are many other arts being practiced there while we train, including kendo, jujitsu, karate, iaido, and even Tae Kwon Do. It makes for a lively and noisy time. We have our own space though, so we don't worry about them and they don't worry about us. Class size varies, but average is about twenty. The dojo is about an hour and a half drive for me one way, a hefty little commute, but I think it's worth it.
And in reference to your question, Jay, about the tendency I noticed in people here towards nonaggression(maybe 'subdued' aggression is more accurate), Aikido fits in well with that kind of thinking. My understanding is that Aikido is designed to blend with an attacker's energy, to dissolve the point of impact, so yes, I think my observation holds true there. As far as nonconfrontation, people are not shy in their attacks, so I would say that's different than my observations off the mat. I haven't found a way to understand those two things together yet...
As you may already know, the structure of Japanese and English are very different, so different in fact, that English is not taught here(in Arao, at least) in terms of sentence structure. For example, 'I bit the dog' is not explained 'subject, verb(past tense), direct object'. It is explained 'I bit the dog' means 'blah blah blah' in Japanese. Please repeat after me, and memorize this sentence.
Isn't that an incredibly confusing way to teach a language!? Because of this kind of semi-'phrasebook' style of teaching, it seems to me that many children here think English is impossible to learn! They are taught that it is quite disorganized because of a lack of structure, yet who can blame them?
I can't understand: 1. why English language teaching was set up this way, 2. whether the true intention is for students to learn English, and 3. why I am here if the students gain nothing from my presence in the classroom. There are obviously cultural differences that I am overlooking, but I must say I'm astounded at the lack of interest in learning English!!
As an aside, I got a lot of questions about Aikido training in Japan since my last post. Let me address some of those:
As far as being a woman, I don't feel that I've been treated differently from the men in the dojo. If anything, I feel as if it's one of the only times I am not aware of being a woman. Most of the time in Japan, I am aware, not that being aware particularly bothers me, but I do notice the women serving tea, making flower arrangments for their boss' desk, etc., and women very easily take on these gender roles, as do men in their particular roles. But on the mat, the roles seem to fall away. I don't know why, but I think it's a blessing. Really.
Same goes for being a foreigner, except of course, for the language barrier. Earlier, I reported that I was able to intuit much of what was being said, which is still true. On the other hand, there are times when I'd really like to know what I'm doing wrong, or what the teacher said, and at those times I am lost. It can be somewhat overwhelming, but at least it gives me more inspiration to learn the language, ne?
Boulder Aikikai and Honda Sensei's dojos actually have a lot in common, but here are some differences I noticed: Training can be intense at both places, but here partners mutually agree to break for 5 minutes or so in the middle of class to rest. I'm still not used to that, so I don't break and the old guys love it. They seem to enjoy practicing straight through; it's the younger people that choose to sit out the most. Another difference is that here we follow our stretching warmups with footwork and breathwork practice. A different teacher leads stretches than footwork practice, and finally Honda teaches the main part of class. Class is in a budokan, a martial arts practice hall, so there are many other arts being practiced there while we train, including kendo, jujitsu, karate, iaido, and even Tae Kwon Do. It makes for a lively and noisy time. We have our own space though, so we don't worry about them and they don't worry about us. Class size varies, but average is about twenty. The dojo is about an hour and a half drive for me one way, a hefty little commute, but I think it's worth it.
And in reference to your question, Jay, about the tendency I noticed in people here towards nonaggression(maybe 'subdued' aggression is more accurate), Aikido fits in well with that kind of thinking. My understanding is that Aikido is designed to blend with an attacker's energy, to dissolve the point of impact, so yes, I think my observation holds true there. As far as nonconfrontation, people are not shy in their attacks, so I would say that's different than my observations off the mat. I haven't found a way to understand those two things together yet...
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