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| Navigating Nihon #13 - This One's a Whopper!
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4.16.2004 |
Hello Everyone!
It's your long lost crazy Canuck friend! Apologies for not mailing sooner! I have had an email sitting on my desk top for ages....so I have edited it down to a manageable length (and then added more)! There are no less than 4 months of adventures to cover. I should perhaps include a table of contents so you can skip ahead as you deem necessary. :P
So, it's official!! As of 5pm Japanese Pacific Standard Time on Monday January 26th, I extended my contract for a third (and final) year! I'm still a little unsure that it's the wisest career move but nonetheless the decision has been made, after much deliberation. The JET programme does have a limit of 3 years so rest be assured that I will be home but the summer of 2005...unless I find another job in Asia. I am excited to be staying for the next year as there are still so many things that I want to do!
Now that I have that news out of the way, I'll tell you about my life over the past few months!
Malaysia and Singapore:
For Christmas, I headed to sunny Malaysia to visit my sister! Clare, Dave, Phil, Nat and myself left Ehime on the 19th for Osaka, via an overnight ferry. Dave brought a bottle of champagne to celebrate! It was great fun. Our ferry arrived an hour later than expected and we missed the bus to the airport by 2 minutes so we were a little more rushed than originally planned. The lines at customs were long so by the end we were running for the plane...oops. We got there in the end, thank goodness.
Victoria and Huadan were waiting at the airport when we arrived, it was great to see them! Victoria lives about a 10 minute walk from the Petronas Towers - those two tall buildings that you always see on TV. There is a HUGE mall in the bottom of them - full of boutiques and really cool clothing shops. (Yvonne, you would go NUTS!) Dave, Nat and I also took a quick walk down to Chinatown - the buildings are interesting given the mixed colonial history.
On Monday, after sleeping in we all went out to watch LOTR - wow, what a great movie! It wasn't coming out in Japan for another few months and non of us could wait so we went to see it! It had just come out the day before so the lines were wayyy long. I had booked tickets during the morning but I hadn't gotten a confirmation email. The LOTR line was so long so I went into the other line just to ask if they were accepting internet bookings. The guy behind the glass asked me how many I had requested and what time I had sent the email. I assumed that he was just checking the data bank to see if it had been processed....instead he had printed me 6 new tickets! Woohooo it's amazing what a big smile will get you!
The next morning Dave, Nat, Joey and I headed to FRIM - the Forestry Research Institute of Malaysia, located about 35 min outside of KL. They have a few hiking trails and a canopy walk that are open to the public. It was so nice to be back out in the woods, or more specifically in the Jungle. It was great. The canopy walk was a lot of fun though we didn't know that Nat was scared of heights..... On the way home we stopped at the Batu Caves. Malaysia is covered in limestone and hence there's tonnes of karst. The cave itself was HUGE and beautiful and the speaking guide that explained the significance of the many Hindu statues was very interesting. However, it was quite touristy complete with a trained monkey that you could have your picture taken with....not nice. .
Christmas Eve was as typical as it gets - spent most of the day running around town trying to find gifts for everyone! That evening we had a Christmas Eve BBQ - it was GREAT! Dave and Huadan put the BBQ together - V brought it with her from Canada. It was my first Christmas Eve BBQ, Yummy! Christmas day was fun - but a lot of work. I have now roasted 3 turkeys!!! (did 2 for my adult English class before departing) so I am quite experienced! I totally appreciate all the work that moms do! I don't know how my mom gets the meal on the table for 2pm - we were aiming for about 2 and didn't eat until 5!!!! Moms are amazing!
The day after Christmas we headed to Melacca - a small port town about 2.5 hrs south of KL. Very interesting place but we didn't have much time there and we didn't really plan our time well. We went to a few museums - including the "Museum of Enduring Beauty!" It was dedicated to the art of body decoration - ie tattooing, piercing, neck stretching etc. Very interesting but not for the faint hearted! I never knew that some cultures try to change the shape of their heads! Scary stuff!
We spent the next few days checking out things around KL - the national museum, the KL equivalent of central park, Chinatown etc. We also went on a night trip to go and see fireflies! This was the first time for everyone except the Canadians. Britain and Australia don't have them (apparently?)!! We took a 2 hr drive out of the city and stopped at a pottery shop and a monkey park enroute. We then went for a delicious seafood dinner before heading to the firefly place. You take about a 30 minute ride out on a sampan through a mangrove forest - the fireflies are everywhere! It was lots of fun! The next morning we left early to go white water rafting. It was supposed to be quite a good location but the water levels were high so there wasn't much white water at all. The most fun was floating down the river through the rapids on our own, outside the boat! I think everyone was a bit disappointed but nonetheless it was a nice chance to spend some time outdoors away from the city. The guides were nice and showed us some fruit that we could eat from the jungle!
On the 30th we departed for Singapore. Singapore was great and we all had a marvellous time! The shopping there was amazing as well! After we checked into our hotel, Dave, Clare, Phil and I went to the 'Battle Box'. Located in the middle of Kanning Park the Battle Box was the last stand of the British army during WW2. This is the location where Britain decided to surrender to the Japanese. A huge piece of history - very interesting. On our first night we headed to the 'Night Safari'. I can honestly say that I was not expecting much, being one who doesn't like zoos etc. Wow, was I impressed! It was awesome! We took a ride around the park in a tram and saw all the animals. The all looked very happy and healthy. The amazing thing was that there were no visible barriers or cages. Many of the animals were allowed to roam free - the non-dangerous ones. The ride goes through the jungle and the animals were fed along the tram route and our guide gave a running commentary. His voice was hilarious - way too enthusiastic! It was great! I asked if there were electrical fences around the animals but apparently there weren't. We were even lucky enough to hear the lions roar -- they were very talkative when we went by. I have never heard anything like that in my life! There is one section where you can get off and walk around and even go through a bat exhibit! The bats they had were HUGE. I have never been so close to such large bats! They were almost cute!
The next day, Clare, Phil and I went to Changi Museum. It is located near the area of concentration camps and was full of loads of interesting things (Actually beside present day Changi Museum.....where they still hold exicutions today). It was a much longer bus ride than we expected but it was worthwhile. That evening I bought some new year's clothes and we got ready for dinner! We had dinner at the hotel. They even had those tacky sets with noise makers and hats etc! Loads of fun! We went downtown to a street party - is was OK. But we had fun crashing the party at the Marriott right before New Years! After that, Clare and I went to a funky outdoor cafe down by the water. The next day I managed to get up and ring mom just as it was new years in Canada! Apparently mom was so busy talking to me that she didn't hear dad at the door and he ended up waiting for 5 minutes outside! hahahahahahaaa (for those of you who don't know, my father was out 'First Footing' a British tradition of walking around the town and returning with various items to bring good luck in the New Year) The two of them are so funny. The apparently stayed up until 3 am drinking in the new year! On New Years day we bought a ticket on the city tourist bus - lets you hop on and off all the way around town. We went to the botanical gardens, Merlion park and Dave and I stopped at Raffles hotel and had a Singapore Sling at the Long Bar! A nice way to spend New Years Day!
My Karate Belt Test:
Wow, I am still alive � a little bluer than when I started � but alive! A few weeks ago I attempted to pass my belt test � I have yet to hear if I was successful! The day started out with various stretching exercises followed by kicking and punching practice. I got through most of this without too much trouble except for the person beside me who continuously made mistakes that threw me off a bit, but enough excuses. Next we did several combinations � be they kicking, punching, elbowing or a mix. I was a little (a modest understatement) nervous so I didn�t do my best Kata(a routine of set movements) but I hope it was enough for my belt. The next part was my favourite part, and shall we say that it left a lasting impression�.the combat! Being the only girl and a white belt I thought that perhaps they might take it easy on me�I couldn�t have been more wrong! I�m not saying that I wanted to be treated like fine china or something but I think the first guy went a bit overboard! I think I got in maybe 3 or 4 punches and a few kicks before he�d had enough and decided to put me in my place�which was inevitably, on the floor! I hadn�t practiced much combat in class so I felt under-prepared but I guess practice makes perfect - - especially with such high motivation i.e. Minimizing broken bones. The second man I fought (did I mention that they were both black belts) was a little kinder to me � he came to my class a few times last year � and I was able to make a bit better of a showing. I only had to fight two times while everyone else fought 3 or 4 times, I guess that was my break - - even though I wanted another go to try and redeem myself. There�s always next time�.which I was told is in June (not a favourable sign!).
So, if getting thrown around and beat-up was not enough guess what happened next??? My Sempai had told me to bring a beach towel, which I foolishly assumed was for mopping up the sweat and blood that was likely to result. Boy, was I wrong about that one. So, we all pilled into our cars and drove to the beach, yes ladies and gentlemen THE BEACH! (Reminder: it was February) We did about an hours training knee deep in the water, which was surprisingly not too cold. I think I was still quite warm from the beating that I took earlier. I have to say I quite enjoyed it as it was a level playing field between all the participants white belts up to 3rd level black � there was a great sense of comradery(sp?) and I am really glad that I went.
After saying osu about 100 times it was time to head out to the enkai (party). Osu is a word used to say �thanks�, �I understand�, �I will humbly try my best�, �I agree�, etc. Anytime your Sempai says anything to you it is followed by an osu, showing respect. If I got a penny each time I said that yesterday� The enkai was a lot of fun and it was a good chance to chat with the other members. Yuji-san, the #2 guy was quite enthusiastic to practice his English with Clare and I, and after a few beer he wasn�t the least bit shy. Though I have read a few pieces about karate his explanation of the D� was memorable. The D� is best translated as �the way�, as in Jud� (another martial art), Kend� (Japanese sword fighting � ie Last Samurai) etc. To paraphrase what he said, it is an inner confidence that displayed through humbleness (sounds like a contradiction I know). For example, if you hurt yourself while you are fighting you put on a tough face. The D� is also the idea of the group as opposed to the individual, a common believe that is found throughout Japanese society. Yuji-san also went on to say that Karate is a great levelling ground between different groups (read classes) in Japanese society. Together at the enkai there were businessmen, farmers, mechanics, doctors, teachers etc. It would otherwise be unlikely that these people would be friends as most social groups are based around one�s place of work. Teachers go to teacher enkai's, farmers to farmers and so on. This belt test was as much as a physical exercise as it was a cultural lesson. And so, after a year and a half in Japan I am finally understanding the D� and as always, loving every minute!
Random English:
Here are a few funny submissions that I received from my 3rd year students last week, enjoy!
And I quote:
Kenji went to Iraq during the winter vacation.
He went there with his brother.
It was his 4th visit to Iraq and he stayed there for a week.
He went sightseeing and ate a lot of food.
He saw war. It was very exciting.
He was almost died.
He liked Iraq very much.
Ayumu went to an uninhabited island during the winter vacation.
He went there alone.
It was his first visit to an uninhabited island and he stayed for a week.
He got there by ship.
It was very sunny.
He could swim in the sea.
He went fishing
He saw the forest.
He ate fish.
He liked an uninhabited island very much.
He wants to visit an uninhabited island soon again.
Golfing in Japan!
With the upcoming merger of towns, Mikame's Board of Education will be downsizing. As an unfortunate side-effect my beloved supervisor (Tairyo-san) will be taking an early retirement. So, what better a way to celebrate then to go golfing! This past weekend was the first, of I'm sure many, good-bye parties. A group of 12 of us went golfing for the day and then on to a party later that night. As one might imagine, golfing is no exception to the blanket statement that Japan is an expensive country! But if one wants to continue with the stereotypes, the service provided was exceptional. Each group of 4 had a personal caddy who knew the course inside and out. She offered tips regarding the gradient, wind speed and distance to the hole! This woman knew her stuff! From western eyes though, it was quite strange to see a 60+ woman wearing the oddest outfit (think bowling uniform meets Hindu head dress, quite a mix...I know!!) who stands no more than 4"6' share her wealth of knowledge. You go girl, you tell them how it's done! :) It is quite a role-reversal in this all to often male dominated society. Especially in contrast to the (stereotypically) beer guzzling, cat-calling participants that you are likely to see on the course in Canada. All pigeon-holing aside, it was yet another quirky Japanese experience. So, after two 9-hole rounds the good news is that A) I got better as I went and B) by the miracle of 'the handicap' I didn't come last! (Though I must say, I was a little disappointed at not coming last at it meant that I didn't win the booby prize!). I have yet to understand handicaps - I managed to hit the ball twice as many times as everyone else - but if something works in your favour, just be grateful and don't question it!
And so, after chasing balls around a field all day it was time to head off to the party. All went well and I think my supervisor had a nice time, though I did not manage to escape embarrassment....typical! The party is about to wrap up but there's one last prize to give away - this one is given away by draw! With what seems my limitless amount of luck here in Japan, I was the chosen one! The prize was a putter, and a nice one at that! And as much as I like winning prizes, it seemed a little silly to keep something that would not likely get much use. So, being the kind and practical soul that I am, offered the putter back to my supervisor mumbling in my best Japanese that I appreciate the gift but I don't think I will make good use of it. Normally, this would have been fine - in fact, my supervisor has off-loaded door prizes to me in a similar fashion in the past. It was my turn to return the favour. Or so it seemed...... I'm standing in the room, trying to give this putter to Tairyo-san and everything goes quiet. I run back through the words I just said in my head but I'm sure I didn't mess up and switch a ga for a ka. I don't think I said anything wrong. Then Okuno-san (the man who organized and invited me to the party) leans over and says "Uhhh, Emma. That is a gift from Tairyo to the group. To thank you all for coming!" Ahhh, it all makes painfully embarrassing sense. I mumble that I was just joking and the room erupts in laughter, whew that was a close one! Just goes to show, the cultural exchange and (mis)understanding will continue FOREVER! Makes for a fun story though, eh?
Japan doesn't know what's hit it....oh wait, it's the Bedlingtons
On the 29th of this month I headed to Osaka to meet mom and dad at the airport. It has been great having them here (they don't depart for KL until next week) but man, it's like having 2 parents again! "Emma, clean your room. Emma, watch the old lady on the bike!" We spent the first 5 days of their trip in Nara and Kyoto. Both of which were wonderful! We have been very very lucky hitting Cherry Blossom Season right at its peak, mom has loved every minute of it! Though at times I think she is paying more attention to the flowers rather than the cultural sites! In Kyoto we visited a number of temples and shrines as well as several Zen Gardens. There are sooo many things to see in Kyoto that I think you could easily spend weeks looking around, it's just amazing! If you remember from last year, I visited a Wild boar restaurant and had a great time. So, I took mom and dad back there again. The man who runs the place, Aiyu-san is cheerful and always a laugh. When I ordered 'mountain vegtables' he specifically brought 'a mountain of vegtables' - literally! It was quite funny! He also brought a 'present' of grasshoppers and larvae for dad! Yummy.....Dad ate most of them, I was impressed. Aiyu-san also gave mom a keepsake, it was a fun evening.
On the Friday we had arranged to see the Makio-Odori - or the "Apprentice Geisha Festival". It is held for 2 weeks every year so again, we were lucky to catch it! Before the performance we were able to participate in a Tea Ceremony which was also nice. The show itself was about an hour long and absolutely spectacular! The Kimono that the girls wore were beautiful and the dance was perfectly time and executed. It was great! That night we headed back to Ehime via overnight ferry - - - note to those thinking of travelling to Japan - large rolling suitcases DO NOT fit through train terminals. Almost missed the ferry while toting (read lugging/dragging/pushing) half of Canada and a few kitchen sinks behind us.
Mom and Dad have spent the last week taking it easy around Mikame. I was worried that they might get bored (there is literally nothing to do in town) but that has not been the case at all! They have been talking strolls around town to local shrines, shopping and checking out the ships etc. It's great, mom has her flowers and dad has his boats! I had to attend a welcome party for the new teachers but that didn't stop mom and dad from hitting the town! They headed out, phrase book in hand to one of the restaurants! I was in shock! On Wednesday we had a welcome party with people from the BOE and it was great! The both had a great time eating sashimi and drinking sake, making lots of friends. Dad was as funny as ever, cracking jokes and people were in stitches. My supervisor had bought them both Japanese Fans which were beautiful. In Japan it is not tradition to open gifts in front of people....but mom and dad, not knowing this ripped into their respective gifts. Much to the amusement of everyone present, as I turned beet-red from embarrassment. It was a good laugh! The next day they were in town looking for a place to have lunch and one of the partygoers saw them and took them out to lunch! The friendliness of people here just astounds me! This weekend we are going to head out to Kyushu to stay in a ryokan(Japanese hot spring inn) for a night. I can't wait! I'll be sad to see them go, it's been nice having them here! They head off to KL on the 15th to visit Victoria and I will join them on the 24th. One big reunion!
Better end here.
I hope that everyone is happy and healthy! I'll try my best to get out some more personal emails to each of you - but don't let my tardiness stop you from filling me in on what's new with you!
Much love as always,
Emma
emma found her way @ 6:15 p.m.
It's your long lost crazy Canuck friend! Apologies for not mailing sooner! I have had an email sitting on my desk top for ages....so I have edited it down to a manageable length (and then added more)! There are no less than 4 months of adventures to cover. I should perhaps include a table of contents so you can skip ahead as you deem necessary. :P
So, it's official!! As of 5pm Japanese Pacific Standard Time on Monday January 26th, I extended my contract for a third (and final) year! I'm still a little unsure that it's the wisest career move but nonetheless the decision has been made, after much deliberation. The JET programme does have a limit of 3 years so rest be assured that I will be home but the summer of 2005...unless I find another job in Asia. I am excited to be staying for the next year as there are still so many things that I want to do!
Now that I have that news out of the way, I'll tell you about my life over the past few months!
Malaysia and Singapore:
For Christmas, I headed to sunny Malaysia to visit my sister! Clare, Dave, Phil, Nat and myself left Ehime on the 19th for Osaka, via an overnight ferry. Dave brought a bottle of champagne to celebrate! It was great fun. Our ferry arrived an hour later than expected and we missed the bus to the airport by 2 minutes so we were a little more rushed than originally planned. The lines at customs were long so by the end we were running for the plane...oops. We got there in the end, thank goodness.
Victoria and Huadan were waiting at the airport when we arrived, it was great to see them! Victoria lives about a 10 minute walk from the Petronas Towers - those two tall buildings that you always see on TV. There is a HUGE mall in the bottom of them - full of boutiques and really cool clothing shops. (Yvonne, you would go NUTS!) Dave, Nat and I also took a quick walk down to Chinatown - the buildings are interesting given the mixed colonial history.
On Monday, after sleeping in we all went out to watch LOTR - wow, what a great movie! It wasn't coming out in Japan for another few months and non of us could wait so we went to see it! It had just come out the day before so the lines were wayyy long. I had booked tickets during the morning but I hadn't gotten a confirmation email. The LOTR line was so long so I went into the other line just to ask if they were accepting internet bookings. The guy behind the glass asked me how many I had requested and what time I had sent the email. I assumed that he was just checking the data bank to see if it had been processed....instead he had printed me 6 new tickets! Woohooo it's amazing what a big smile will get you!
The next morning Dave, Nat, Joey and I headed to FRIM - the Forestry Research Institute of Malaysia, located about 35 min outside of KL. They have a few hiking trails and a canopy walk that are open to the public. It was so nice to be back out in the woods, or more specifically in the Jungle. It was great. The canopy walk was a lot of fun though we didn't know that Nat was scared of heights..... On the way home we stopped at the Batu Caves. Malaysia is covered in limestone and hence there's tonnes of karst. The cave itself was HUGE and beautiful and the speaking guide that explained the significance of the many Hindu statues was very interesting. However, it was quite touristy complete with a trained monkey that you could have your picture taken with....not nice. .
Christmas Eve was as typical as it gets - spent most of the day running around town trying to find gifts for everyone! That evening we had a Christmas Eve BBQ - it was GREAT! Dave and Huadan put the BBQ together - V brought it with her from Canada. It was my first Christmas Eve BBQ, Yummy! Christmas day was fun - but a lot of work. I have now roasted 3 turkeys!!! (did 2 for my adult English class before departing) so I am quite experienced! I totally appreciate all the work that moms do! I don't know how my mom gets the meal on the table for 2pm - we were aiming for about 2 and didn't eat until 5!!!! Moms are amazing!
The day after Christmas we headed to Melacca - a small port town about 2.5 hrs south of KL. Very interesting place but we didn't have much time there and we didn't really plan our time well. We went to a few museums - including the "Museum of Enduring Beauty!" It was dedicated to the art of body decoration - ie tattooing, piercing, neck stretching etc. Very interesting but not for the faint hearted! I never knew that some cultures try to change the shape of their heads! Scary stuff!
We spent the next few days checking out things around KL - the national museum, the KL equivalent of central park, Chinatown etc. We also went on a night trip to go and see fireflies! This was the first time for everyone except the Canadians. Britain and Australia don't have them (apparently?)!! We took a 2 hr drive out of the city and stopped at a pottery shop and a monkey park enroute. We then went for a delicious seafood dinner before heading to the firefly place. You take about a 30 minute ride out on a sampan through a mangrove forest - the fireflies are everywhere! It was lots of fun! The next morning we left early to go white water rafting. It was supposed to be quite a good location but the water levels were high so there wasn't much white water at all. The most fun was floating down the river through the rapids on our own, outside the boat! I think everyone was a bit disappointed but nonetheless it was a nice chance to spend some time outdoors away from the city. The guides were nice and showed us some fruit that we could eat from the jungle!
On the 30th we departed for Singapore. Singapore was great and we all had a marvellous time! The shopping there was amazing as well! After we checked into our hotel, Dave, Clare, Phil and I went to the 'Battle Box'. Located in the middle of Kanning Park the Battle Box was the last stand of the British army during WW2. This is the location where Britain decided to surrender to the Japanese. A huge piece of history - very interesting. On our first night we headed to the 'Night Safari'. I can honestly say that I was not expecting much, being one who doesn't like zoos etc. Wow, was I impressed! It was awesome! We took a ride around the park in a tram and saw all the animals. The all looked very happy and healthy. The amazing thing was that there were no visible barriers or cages. Many of the animals were allowed to roam free - the non-dangerous ones. The ride goes through the jungle and the animals were fed along the tram route and our guide gave a running commentary. His voice was hilarious - way too enthusiastic! It was great! I asked if there were electrical fences around the animals but apparently there weren't. We were even lucky enough to hear the lions roar -- they were very talkative when we went by. I have never heard anything like that in my life! There is one section where you can get off and walk around and even go through a bat exhibit! The bats they had were HUGE. I have never been so close to such large bats! They were almost cute!
The next day, Clare, Phil and I went to Changi Museum. It is located near the area of concentration camps and was full of loads of interesting things (Actually beside present day Changi Museum.....where they still hold exicutions today). It was a much longer bus ride than we expected but it was worthwhile. That evening I bought some new year's clothes and we got ready for dinner! We had dinner at the hotel. They even had those tacky sets with noise makers and hats etc! Loads of fun! We went downtown to a street party - is was OK. But we had fun crashing the party at the Marriott right before New Years! After that, Clare and I went to a funky outdoor cafe down by the water. The next day I managed to get up and ring mom just as it was new years in Canada! Apparently mom was so busy talking to me that she didn't hear dad at the door and he ended up waiting for 5 minutes outside! hahahahahahaaa (for those of you who don't know, my father was out 'First Footing' a British tradition of walking around the town and returning with various items to bring good luck in the New Year) The two of them are so funny. The apparently stayed up until 3 am drinking in the new year! On New Years day we bought a ticket on the city tourist bus - lets you hop on and off all the way around town. We went to the botanical gardens, Merlion park and Dave and I stopped at Raffles hotel and had a Singapore Sling at the Long Bar! A nice way to spend New Years Day!
My Karate Belt Test:
Wow, I am still alive � a little bluer than when I started � but alive! A few weeks ago I attempted to pass my belt test � I have yet to hear if I was successful! The day started out with various stretching exercises followed by kicking and punching practice. I got through most of this without too much trouble except for the person beside me who continuously made mistakes that threw me off a bit, but enough excuses. Next we did several combinations � be they kicking, punching, elbowing or a mix. I was a little (a modest understatement) nervous so I didn�t do my best Kata(a routine of set movements) but I hope it was enough for my belt. The next part was my favourite part, and shall we say that it left a lasting impression�.the combat! Being the only girl and a white belt I thought that perhaps they might take it easy on me�I couldn�t have been more wrong! I�m not saying that I wanted to be treated like fine china or something but I think the first guy went a bit overboard! I think I got in maybe 3 or 4 punches and a few kicks before he�d had enough and decided to put me in my place�which was inevitably, on the floor! I hadn�t practiced much combat in class so I felt under-prepared but I guess practice makes perfect - - especially with such high motivation i.e. Minimizing broken bones. The second man I fought (did I mention that they were both black belts) was a little kinder to me � he came to my class a few times last year � and I was able to make a bit better of a showing. I only had to fight two times while everyone else fought 3 or 4 times, I guess that was my break - - even though I wanted another go to try and redeem myself. There�s always next time�.which I was told is in June (not a favourable sign!).
So, if getting thrown around and beat-up was not enough guess what happened next??? My Sempai had told me to bring a beach towel, which I foolishly assumed was for mopping up the sweat and blood that was likely to result. Boy, was I wrong about that one. So, we all pilled into our cars and drove to the beach, yes ladies and gentlemen THE BEACH! (Reminder: it was February) We did about an hours training knee deep in the water, which was surprisingly not too cold. I think I was still quite warm from the beating that I took earlier. I have to say I quite enjoyed it as it was a level playing field between all the participants white belts up to 3rd level black � there was a great sense of comradery(sp?) and I am really glad that I went.
After saying osu about 100 times it was time to head out to the enkai (party). Osu is a word used to say �thanks�, �I understand�, �I will humbly try my best�, �I agree�, etc. Anytime your Sempai says anything to you it is followed by an osu, showing respect. If I got a penny each time I said that yesterday� The enkai was a lot of fun and it was a good chance to chat with the other members. Yuji-san, the #2 guy was quite enthusiastic to practice his English with Clare and I, and after a few beer he wasn�t the least bit shy. Though I have read a few pieces about karate his explanation of the D� was memorable. The D� is best translated as �the way�, as in Jud� (another martial art), Kend� (Japanese sword fighting � ie Last Samurai) etc. To paraphrase what he said, it is an inner confidence that displayed through humbleness (sounds like a contradiction I know). For example, if you hurt yourself while you are fighting you put on a tough face. The D� is also the idea of the group as opposed to the individual, a common believe that is found throughout Japanese society. Yuji-san also went on to say that Karate is a great levelling ground between different groups (read classes) in Japanese society. Together at the enkai there were businessmen, farmers, mechanics, doctors, teachers etc. It would otherwise be unlikely that these people would be friends as most social groups are based around one�s place of work. Teachers go to teacher enkai's, farmers to farmers and so on. This belt test was as much as a physical exercise as it was a cultural lesson. And so, after a year and a half in Japan I am finally understanding the D� and as always, loving every minute!
Random English:
Here are a few funny submissions that I received from my 3rd year students last week, enjoy!
And I quote:
Kenji went to Iraq during the winter vacation.
He went there with his brother.
It was his 4th visit to Iraq and he stayed there for a week.
He went sightseeing and ate a lot of food.
He saw war. It was very exciting.
He was almost died.
He liked Iraq very much.
Ayumu went to an uninhabited island during the winter vacation.
He went there alone.
It was his first visit to an uninhabited island and he stayed for a week.
He got there by ship.
It was very sunny.
He could swim in the sea.
He went fishing
He saw the forest.
He ate fish.
He liked an uninhabited island very much.
He wants to visit an uninhabited island soon again.
Golfing in Japan!
With the upcoming merger of towns, Mikame's Board of Education will be downsizing. As an unfortunate side-effect my beloved supervisor (Tairyo-san) will be taking an early retirement. So, what better a way to celebrate then to go golfing! This past weekend was the first, of I'm sure many, good-bye parties. A group of 12 of us went golfing for the day and then on to a party later that night. As one might imagine, golfing is no exception to the blanket statement that Japan is an expensive country! But if one wants to continue with the stereotypes, the service provided was exceptional. Each group of 4 had a personal caddy who knew the course inside and out. She offered tips regarding the gradient, wind speed and distance to the hole! This woman knew her stuff! From western eyes though, it was quite strange to see a 60+ woman wearing the oddest outfit (think bowling uniform meets Hindu head dress, quite a mix...I know!!) who stands no more than 4"6' share her wealth of knowledge. You go girl, you tell them how it's done! :) It is quite a role-reversal in this all to often male dominated society. Especially in contrast to the (stereotypically) beer guzzling, cat-calling participants that you are likely to see on the course in Canada. All pigeon-holing aside, it was yet another quirky Japanese experience. So, after two 9-hole rounds the good news is that A) I got better as I went and B) by the miracle of 'the handicap' I didn't come last! (Though I must say, I was a little disappointed at not coming last at it meant that I didn't win the booby prize!). I have yet to understand handicaps - I managed to hit the ball twice as many times as everyone else - but if something works in your favour, just be grateful and don't question it!
And so, after chasing balls around a field all day it was time to head off to the party. All went well and I think my supervisor had a nice time, though I did not manage to escape embarrassment....typical! The party is about to wrap up but there's one last prize to give away - this one is given away by draw! With what seems my limitless amount of luck here in Japan, I was the chosen one! The prize was a putter, and a nice one at that! And as much as I like winning prizes, it seemed a little silly to keep something that would not likely get much use. So, being the kind and practical soul that I am, offered the putter back to my supervisor mumbling in my best Japanese that I appreciate the gift but I don't think I will make good use of it. Normally, this would have been fine - in fact, my supervisor has off-loaded door prizes to me in a similar fashion in the past. It was my turn to return the favour. Or so it seemed...... I'm standing in the room, trying to give this putter to Tairyo-san and everything goes quiet. I run back through the words I just said in my head but I'm sure I didn't mess up and switch a ga for a ka. I don't think I said anything wrong. Then Okuno-san (the man who organized and invited me to the party) leans over and says "Uhhh, Emma. That is a gift from Tairyo to the group. To thank you all for coming!" Ahhh, it all makes painfully embarrassing sense. I mumble that I was just joking and the room erupts in laughter, whew that was a close one! Just goes to show, the cultural exchange and (mis)understanding will continue FOREVER! Makes for a fun story though, eh?
Japan doesn't know what's hit it....oh wait, it's the Bedlingtons
On the 29th of this month I headed to Osaka to meet mom and dad at the airport. It has been great having them here (they don't depart for KL until next week) but man, it's like having 2 parents again! "Emma, clean your room. Emma, watch the old lady on the bike!" We spent the first 5 days of their trip in Nara and Kyoto. Both of which were wonderful! We have been very very lucky hitting Cherry Blossom Season right at its peak, mom has loved every minute of it! Though at times I think she is paying more attention to the flowers rather than the cultural sites! In Kyoto we visited a number of temples and shrines as well as several Zen Gardens. There are sooo many things to see in Kyoto that I think you could easily spend weeks looking around, it's just amazing! If you remember from last year, I visited a Wild boar restaurant and had a great time. So, I took mom and dad back there again. The man who runs the place, Aiyu-san is cheerful and always a laugh. When I ordered 'mountain vegtables' he specifically brought 'a mountain of vegtables' - literally! It was quite funny! He also brought a 'present' of grasshoppers and larvae for dad! Yummy.....Dad ate most of them, I was impressed. Aiyu-san also gave mom a keepsake, it was a fun evening.
On the Friday we had arranged to see the Makio-Odori - or the "Apprentice Geisha Festival". It is held for 2 weeks every year so again, we were lucky to catch it! Before the performance we were able to participate in a Tea Ceremony which was also nice. The show itself was about an hour long and absolutely spectacular! The Kimono that the girls wore were beautiful and the dance was perfectly time and executed. It was great! That night we headed back to Ehime via overnight ferry - - - note to those thinking of travelling to Japan - large rolling suitcases DO NOT fit through train terminals. Almost missed the ferry while toting (read lugging/dragging/pushing) half of Canada and a few kitchen sinks behind us.
Mom and Dad have spent the last week taking it easy around Mikame. I was worried that they might get bored (there is literally nothing to do in town) but that has not been the case at all! They have been talking strolls around town to local shrines, shopping and checking out the ships etc. It's great, mom has her flowers and dad has his boats! I had to attend a welcome party for the new teachers but that didn't stop mom and dad from hitting the town! They headed out, phrase book in hand to one of the restaurants! I was in shock! On Wednesday we had a welcome party with people from the BOE and it was great! The both had a great time eating sashimi and drinking sake, making lots of friends. Dad was as funny as ever, cracking jokes and people were in stitches. My supervisor had bought them both Japanese Fans which were beautiful. In Japan it is not tradition to open gifts in front of people....but mom and dad, not knowing this ripped into their respective gifts. Much to the amusement of everyone present, as I turned beet-red from embarrassment. It was a good laugh! The next day they were in town looking for a place to have lunch and one of the partygoers saw them and took them out to lunch! The friendliness of people here just astounds me! This weekend we are going to head out to Kyushu to stay in a ryokan(Japanese hot spring inn) for a night. I can't wait! I'll be sad to see them go, it's been nice having them here! They head off to KL on the 15th to visit Victoria and I will join them on the 24th. One big reunion!
Here's a pic of mom, dad and I enjoying the sakura in Kyoto!
Better end here.
I hope that everyone is happy and healthy! I'll try my best to get out some more personal emails to each of you - but don't let my tardiness stop you from filling me in on what's new with you!
Much love as always,
Emma
emma found her way @ 6:15 p.m.