Tokamachi: Month One (Part II)

The days are still hot here in Niigata-ken, and I can only imagine how hot it must be down south in Kyushu and Okinawa. I am gradually getting accustomed to the idea of living and working in an environment without AC, but my spoiled American attitudes are hard to break. Electricity in Japan is very expensive, so most schools only air-condition the main office and the library in order to keep costs down. If we did this in the U.S., there would be an army of parents and students up in arms against the school boards. However, they also complain when taxes need to be raised to provide basic materials and books, as well, so go figure. AC is a necessity in America, whereas books and computers are not. The teachers here are very dedicated to their jobs and take the welfare of the students very seriously. My supervisor is officially on vacation, but she is spending extra time to help students find jobs for after graduation. Most students at Tokamachi Sogo, as well as Kawanishi Koko, will not be attending college (around 20 or 30%) but this does not affect the level of teaching quality. I'm sure that the students she helps to place in good jobs will remember her for a long time for going beyond the call of duty. Two days ago I went to lunch at a delicious place called "Shinanoya" with Ito Sensei, a technical teacher at Tokamachi Sogo. Ito Sensei speaks zero English, so it was necessary for me to use my limited Japanese to talk with him. I am good at basic conversation and simple ideas, but advanced concepts are hard for me. Nevertheless, I surprised myself and got most of my points and ideas across to him. Ito Sensei lives in Kashiwazaki, on the coast about a half-hour drive from Tokamachi, with his wife and children. He is one of the most genuinely nice and outgoing people I have met since coming here, and if I go to lunch with him enough, maybe I will become fluent in Japanese before I expected! Today, Inomata Sensei and I took the bus to Kawanishi to meet some of the teachers that I will be working with there. Yanagi Sensei is the most experienced of the Kawanishi teachers, and she splits her time between teaching English and working with the tennis club. She is funny and personable, and I think I will enjoy working with her. Watanabe Sensei is much more quiet and subdued, probably because her English is not as good as that of the others. Hopefully, I can help her become more confident with speaking, since I don't think she has had many chances before. Miyake Sensei is a first year teacher who seems to be a little nervous about her first experiences as an instructor, but I mentioned that I was also a new teacher, and that seemed to relieve her a bit. At 21, she is the youngest teacher I will be working with, but I am sure she will do fine. We all went out to lunch and had a nice time talking about everything from the upcoming O-Bon Holiday to public transportation (or lack thereof) in the U.S. I have been amazed to find that most of the girl students, and many of the boys, have dyed their hair in colors ranging from brown streaks to shocking blonde. Dyed hair is supposed to be against the rules in Japanese high schools, but somehow they manage to get around it. My friend Peter from London warned me that the girls at Kawanishi also wear their uniform skirts a bit too high, as this is also the current fashion. I suppose that is no different from students in the U.S. wearing torn jeans and such to school?even in Japanese schools there is a little rebelliousness. Actually, the parents here appreciate the uniform code because it helps to cut down on the cost of school clothing?no word yet on the opinion of the students... Next Tuesday I have to travel north to Uchino, a suburb of Niigata City, to attend our prefectural orientations. The orientations begin at 10:30 am on Tuesday, and since they are not providing us as-of-yet poor teachers with room and board on Monday night, we have to make the trip all on Tuesday morning. I have to be in Niigata City, at least 2 hours away by car and more by bus/train, by 10:05 to catch the shuttle that takes us to the education center. I guess it's feasible, but not very much fun. Anyway, it is mandatory for 1st year JETs to attend, and there will be a beach party at Kobari on the first night, so maybe it won't be so bad. The biggest problem will be that the workshop is scheduled during the O-Bon Holiday, during which many Japanese people travel home to see loved ones or go on vacation. The buses and trains will more than likely be jammed? I guess I'll be buying a car soon after all! Anyway, that's all for now. More to come! Love, Tim