"This is a transition time in Japan."

A student who has become a close friend spoke the words in the title of this post to me yesterday. I'm quite sure she had no idea just how true that statement is. Of course, we are all in a transition time over here after the terrible earthquake and tsunami on March 11. People in the north are slowly piecing their lives back together and everyone in my part of the country is doing the best they can to help while also returning to their daily lives. But the end of March also marks the end of "year" in Japan, at least fiscally and academically speaking. Our elementary, junior high, and high school students are moving up a level in their classes, and OBC is starting its "new year" with new textbooks and an altered class schedule. We've had many absences in the past couple of weeks since a lot of our students who work for companies in Tsu are busy with year-end duties, taxes, budgets, etc. All in all, it's just a crazy time of year here. It reminds me a lot of May in America: finishing the school year, finalizing summer plans, looking ahead to what will happen in the fall.

I said goodbye to two students on Wednesday, which is what prompted this "transition" blog entry. It turns out that, with the schedule change, this week was going to be our last class together anyway since Peter will now teach that Wednesday class. However, both of them have now discontinued from OBC due to things happening in their personal lives, which is completely understandable. This news was sprung on me at the beginning of our class on Wednesday, so we wrapped up our last 50-minute class with hugs, gifts, and pictures. These ladies have been such a hoot. I usually don't even have to say anything for most of the class. They are a very high level, they're good friends, and they just love love LOVE to talk. I really enjoyed getting to know them, and I can't believe I probably won't see them again. It's so strange to think that I'll be doing this in all of my classes in just four months. How is it already April?

I visited Yuki Shrine here in Tsu a few weeks ago, but I of course haven't had a chance to post pictures. Yuko Shrine has become quite famous for its plum blossoms. Next to the shrine is an absolutely gorgeous garden filled with plum trees. Tour buses come from all over the place - even other prefectures - to see these trees. My students are the ones who told me about it, but many of them are also a little resentful of its popularity. It used to be free, but now, of course, they charge an entrance fee. Most of my students have told me that they haven't gone since the price was hiked to 500 yen. To me, that seems reasonable enough, but to my older students...forget about it. It's actually quite funny to hear them complain about it. The garden, though, is beautiful. I couldn't take enough pictures, and I never wanted to leave. It smelled so good, it was our first true spring day in Tsu, and the atmosphere was so relaxed and peaceful. And these aren't even the cherry blossoms! (Those will start next week.) Enjoy:

I think this tree looks like it's dancing.

This, to me, is Japan: Torii Gate, beautiful nature, Japanese fashion, and technology.

Last Sunday, I invited two of my students over to our apartment for lunch. These are the students who threw me a late birthday party in February; we have lunch together about once a month. One of them gave me a Japanese cookbook for my birthday, and I told her I'd have them over and cook them some Japanese food. Well, let's just say that I have yet to master the art of Japanese cuisine. All of my recipe attempts failed royally, so I ended up making it an American/Italian/recent-college-graduate meal. I made shrimp scampi, bruschetta, and homemade applesauce, Sarah made a salad (She's a vegetarian. Get it?), and Peter made French onion soup and dessert - Oreo pancakes. It was quite the feast, and they really enjoyed it, but the only Japanese part was the green tea and guests. Maybe next time...

I hope this update finds all of you soaking up some spring sunshine. I'd love to hear how you're all doing.

Take care.

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Cautiously Grateful

"It's depressing, but we still have hope."

Our friend Aki spoke these words to me earlier this week, and I can say that, at this moment in Japan, I'm not sure that any feeling is truer. I've heard the word "hope" circulating among my Japanese students and friends here all week, and though it always accompanies a sad shake of the head or a moment of silence as we allow our minds to flash back to the horrible images that have overwhelmed our senses these past days, it nevertheless seems to triumph in even the most mundane daily conversations.

To say this past week was a whirlwind would be an understatement. We watched the news unfold last weekend with misty eyes and heavy hearts. The level of devastation is unfathomable, and I continue to be cautiously grateful that, at this moment, all is well in Tsu City. We didn't understand how serious this disaster was until Sunday, when the dust had metaphorically and literally begun to settle, statistics started rolling in, and people started speaking. Classes at the beginning of the week were sad; all of my students' emotions were still fresh. Talking with my high school students on Monday was poignant. I'm not that much older than they are, but to see how sad and scared they were saddened and scared me. Another student told me of her grandson who, after the quake, drove over a bridge, only to learn that it had collapsed when he was only a kilometer past it. I teared up multiple times and had to force myself to "be the teacher" and take control of the conversation. Thankfully, I had the luck of the Irish on my side this week, and my St. Patrick's Day lesson became the relief that we all needed. My students took more interest in it than they might have otherwise; they welcomed the break from the headlines.

As the week progressed, the threat of nuclear meltdown gripped all of us, and I finally got scared. OBC has been honest about the fact that we may have to go home if things get worse, but at this moment, I am perfectly safe here. Scientifically speaking, I'm 700+ kilometers away from the nuclear plant, but the American media has a way of clouding or realistic judgment. Mie is a very, very safe place to be right now, even though the news casts make it look like the entire country is ravaged. Rumors ran rampant on Thursday and Friday to the detriment of those of us over here who really were worried. But things have calmed and are semi-stable for now.

Many of my Japanese friends still feel guilty doing anything "normal" when so many of their fellow country people in the north are suffering so much. The solidarity and respect I've seen here has been overwhelming, and you can't go anywhere now without seeing donation boxes, all of which have money in them. In fact this weekend, we went to our usual montly Beatles concert, the profits of which were donated to earthquake relief, and the melting pOt, where the cover and 100 yen of each drink sold were sent up north. Today, Sarah and I got massages from my stuent's brother-in-law, and he donated part of his profit to disaster relief. I'm doing my part to support the local economy, help those in need in the only way I can, and continue living my daily life for the sake of my own well-being.

It'll be years before Japan fully recovers from this. I've been moved in this past week by the stories, images, emotions, support, and reverence I've seen for and in this country. These are in incredible people, and their strength and selflessness is noble. Thank you again, all of you, for your continued thoughts, prayers, and concerns. I appreciate the outpouring of support more than you know, both for me and my well-being along with the well-being of my students, friends, and the thousands of Japanese people who have been far more affected than I have been. Again, the three of us here at OBC are lucky to be where we are, and we continue to be cautiously grateful.

May God hold you in the palm of His hands, dear friends.

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I'm safe.

I'd like to thank my former Journey group leader for reminding me that this a good forum to let everyone know that we're okay here.

We're safe here in Mie. Thanks so much for all of your concern over the past day. The three of us OBC teachers, along with the staff and students, are perfectly okay. Yesterday afternoon, I felt the earthquake while I was home for lunch, but it felt like the one that happened when I first got here in July: just a small tremor, something that happens fairly reguarly, nothing to be alarmed about. I had no idea until I got to school last night that it was part of the biggest earthquake in Japan's history, and that it brought with it a tsunami warning. Here in Tsu, they evacuated the homes near the coast, but everyone and everything ended up being fine.

As you know, though, the destruction up north is devastating, and it'll take years for Japan to rebuild from this. I know some of the people here are naturally pretty distraught, so keep those prayers and good thoughts coming. They need 'em.

I hope this update finds all of you well.  Take care.

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March Madness

GOOOOOOO TIGERS!
*cheers*

Of COURSE my sister would make it to the state basketball tournament the year that I leave the country.  That's the thought that is consuming me at the moment, as I just received the news.  (Thanks, Facebook.)  I couldn't listen to the game because I was teaching, but I'm hoping I can catch the first round next week.  I soooo wish that I could be in the Cities next week to watch the excitement unfold.  Congratulations, Amanda and the rest of the Tigers!  I am so proud of all of you!  I've even got a few of my students cheering!

March Madness in the court is accomanying just as much madness in real life.  I always feel like I'm busy and having something to do, but now that I've sat down to write about it, I just can't pinpoint it.  I think it's just the basics of our day-to-day here: lesson plans, teaching, socializing with students, socializing with friends, keeping in touch with everyone back home, making travel plans, and somehow managing to relax a little.  I have no idea how this week has gone so quickly; it's practically the middle of March.  Before we know it, cherry blossoms will be here, and then I'll be just a few short months away from returning to the U.S.  But I have so much to do before that!

In keeping with the theme of disjointedness that seems to have taken over this entry, here is a list of the random thoughts I've got to share with you today.  Before I sat down to write this, I had a lot more.  They'll come to me later, I'm sure.  In the mean time, enjoy:

1. While teaching my students about Lent this week and how many Christians give something up as an offering to God, one of my bolder adult women said, completely seriously, "I'm glad I'm not Christian."

2. While at dinner with a student last week, I ate raw horse meat.  It was prett good.

3. Sarah and I finally saw "The King's Speech" last weekend.  It was FANTASTIC.  I understand why it won Best Picture, and I was surprised by how funny it was.  And Geoffrey Rush?  A gem of a performance.

4. In the past week, I've received shortbread cookies from London, olive oil from Spain, cookies from Hokkaido, a postcard from the van Gogh exhibit in Nagoya, and some White Day chocolate.  And this is about average.  My students are so generous.

5. Great teaching moment: One of my Wednesday night women brought in the English textbook that she studies outside of class (because she's that committed...seriously) to show me that she recognized some of the words in it because I had taught them to her (see: "jargon" and "synonymous").  She said, "I noticed these words, so I thought, 'You are a really great teacher!'"  Well, she's a pretty good student.

Also, as we enter this Lenten season, if you've got a prayer or two to spare, please send them this way.  I've written before about Mr. Yokota, the 91-year-old founder of OBC, WWII veteran, devout Catholic, and all around champion human being.  He passed away this week, so on top of everything else happening at OBC (it's the end of the academic year in Japan), his family is dealing with the loss of a father, grandfather, and friend.  The three of us were able to stop by the church for a sort of visitation last night to pay our respects, which I'm grateful for.  He was, without a doubt, the most amazing person I've ever met, and I am blesssed to have gotten the chance to speak with him on a few occassions.  He was a faith-filled man, and I have no doubt that now he is exactly where he should be.

Take care, dear friends!

March 3 was "Girls Day," or the Hina (Hina Doll Festival). On Girls Day, all businesses (and I mean all) put Hina Dolls on display in their windows as they are supposed to keep bad luck away.

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Tales of Tokyo

I remember watching Sofia Coppola's Lost in Translation back in high school after it was released on DVD and thinking, "Japan seems like a totally different world.  I doubt I'll ever visit Tokyo."

It's amazing how much things change.

I spent this past Sunday on a whirlwind tour of Tokyo.  Sarah and I hopped on a night bus at 10:20pm Saturday and arrived at Ikebukuro station in Tokyo at 6am on Sunday.  Our friend Aki was one of the 32,000 people (yep, 32,000) accepted into the Tokyo marathon (it's a lottery entry), and our fellow teacher Peter successfully snuck into - and completed - the marathon.  So, that was our reason for making a day trip to the biggest city in the world, but in reality, we spent a lot more time taking in the city than cheering on the runners.

Ikebukuro in the morning.

We started our morning by hopping no the metro before the sun came up and heading over to Bunkyo Gakuin University.  Sarah studied abroad here in the fall of '08 (back in when I was in Ireland), so she showed me around her old stomping grounds.  I know a few other people who have studied abroad here, so it was fun to see the neighborhood that is so rich in CSB|SJU history.  It's like any study abroad location: nothing can compare with the sense of home you feel there.  I mean, I studied abroad thousands of miles away from Japan, but I could just feel how special the place is to so many.  Plus, I absolutely love cities in the morning.

Sarah was at home again!

Nezu Shrine

Nezu Shrine

So many wishes.

We traipsed around Ueno Park (home of the Chinese-rented pandas!) and into the Ueno area of the city before hopping on the metro once again and heading over to Shinkjuku to watch the start of the race.  We spotted both Peter and Aki among the masses of people and enjoyed watching all of the crazy costumes that people donned for their big run: Spider-Man, Mario and Luigi, Care Bears, a ballerina...  I gotta say, though, that of all the places to run a marathon, I think Japan would be last on my list.  People don't cheer!  They are reserved and respectful, even in a city like Tokyo.  Polite clapping, maybe.  But hootin' and hollerin'?  Forget about it.  If I were running (and let's be honest: that's never gonna happen), I'd need support from the crowd. 

This is what Tsu is missing: a nice park in the middle of the city.
Ueno Park

First light on Ueno.

Runners!

Sarah and I continued our tour in Shibuya, which you may all know for its famous scramble crossing.  It's one of the biggest street crossings in the world, and pedestrians flood the streets from all sides when they're given the "walk" signal.  It was pretty dull early in the morning, but by lunchtime, the number of people was unbelievable.  When I pictured Tokyo, that is what I pictured. 

In the crossing

Bird's eye view from the famous Starbucks

We did some shopping at the famous Shibuya 109 department store and enjoyed a long lunch at Dubliners' Pub (Guinness on tap!), but the best part of Shibuya was seeing the Hachi statue.  Before I left for Japan back in July, My whole family and I watched the movie Hachi starring Richard Gere.  It's a dog story, so my dad insisted that we rent it, but every time we tried to, it was already checked out.  We finally got it a couple weeks before I left, and like most dog movies, I ended up crying like a baby.  I had no idea that it was based on true story about a real dog named Hachi who faithfully waited for his owner each day at Shibuya station.  Well, it naturally made the top of my "Must See in Japan" list, and it was really the only agenda item I had for my trip to Tokyo.  Everything else was just a bonus!

Guinness is still delicious.

Welcome to Tokyo.

109

Hachi

After Hachi, we walked to Harajuku, the famously kitsch shopping area, and Meiji Shrine, one of the most famous in Tokyo.  After taking in even more Tokyo culture, we headed across town to meet up with Peter, Aki, and some of his friends for dinner.  Needless to say, they were both in a more than a little pain after the marathon, but they were in good spirits.  Two hours later, we were back on the night bus and arrived in a rainy Tsu City at 6am Monday.

Meiji Shrine

Meiji Shrine

Harajuku

Oh, and I should say something about the night bus: AWESOME. My one Greyhound experience was less-than-stellar (I swore I was going to get some kind of disease from either the person coughing The Whole Time behind me or the seats that reeked of years of uncleanliness), so I had low expectations for a night bus trip, even in the conscientious country of Japan. Well, the bus was fantastic. Three rows of individuals seats filled the bus, they reclined almost fully, and they even gave us blankets! Full curtains covered all the windows, the lights were turned down, and the ride was completely pleasant. It was a fabulous way to travel.
Tokyo is a great city, but not at all what I expected.  It's big and busy, but it's clean and organized and welcoming.  I know part of the reason I feel that way might be because I've already lived in Japan for almost 7 months, so I have a pretty good handle on how things are done around here - kindly, conscientiously, and conveniently.  But I never felt like I could get (too) lost in Tokyo, and I never for a moment felt unsafe - or even much like I was in a huge city.  But then again, I absolutely love city life.  The one thing that surprised me, and honestly disappointed me a little, is that Tokyo is so modern.  I'm used to visiting cities like London and Paris, which certainly have their modern areas, but that are so rich in history you could spend days taking in the historic sights and learning about the city.  Tokyo has its history, of course, and my tour was certainly abbreviated, but after having visited so many historic places in other parts of Japan, I was surprised by how thoroughly modern Tokyo is.  But it's an incredibly lively and livable city.  I can't wait to go back.

Oh, and as far as Lost in Translation goes, Sarah and I actually walked past the Hyatt hotel that Bill Murray stays at in the film.  How's that for full circle?

Ja mata ne!

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