Kumamoto, I have arrived! We will never be the same!

We woke up early to get on our perspective planes. We were all going our separate ways, and we each had separate agendas and plans that brought us to Japan. There were many friendships formed, and, in some instances, there were old predjudices that were validated or amplified. I left Tokyo with more resolve, for the reason that I came to this country, and even found other reasons for my exodus. I also realized that my country needs change, and I must change if I have any hope of changing my country.

The bus ride from the Keio Plaza Hotel in Tokyo to the airport wasn't as life changing as the bus ride from The Curtis hotel in Denver to the airport. The plane ride to Kumamoto was short and it felt like a step over a stick in the road, instead of a swim through a rushing river. The girl that I sat next to on the plane was nice enough, but she seemed to be looking for some kind of validation that I could not give her. She kept going on about conversation being dead and our dependence on technology being the reason for its death, this was happening while I was watching a movie on my PSP (a game device that also plays movies). I just wanted to be left alone, I love to have conversation, but this flight was something different for me than it was for her. I needed to stew in my thoughts, which I need to do often when confronted with change. She needed somebody to talk to, a person who could help her understand the decision that she made, but we were all experiencing a tumultuous shift. We all deal in our own ways. So, I compromised without her knowledge, I spoke with her for about an hour then I turned on my PSP and offered her the other side of my headphones to watch the movie with me. I'm not sure if this sated her needs, but it shut her up for a while, so I could think.

The people from our schools met us at the airport. At the baggage pickup area, we all grabbed our luggage and it was hard to not notice the large groups of people standing outside the doorway with signs. I became utterly afraid that somehow I made a mistake, and that somebody would find me to be a fraud or just a crap teacher. I have rarely been so scared in my whole life, but looking back I was just nervous...crap your pants, nervous! But, there was a reason that I got this far. I just needed to take a few more steps.

When my baggage finally came around the carousel, what felt like hours later, I walked out to the main area to my new life. Three teachers and my predecessor were standing there with a welcome sign, at least mine didn't have one of my nasty passport pictures stuck on like some other unlucky JETs.

Miyajima-sensei, the balding man in his fourties is my supervisor, Komorida-sensei, an English teacher of Mexican and Japanese ancestry, Matsukawa-sensei, a young teacher who spent time in California, and William-sensei, my predecessor who married a Japanese woman and is starting up a sandal business in Kyushu.

Like most introductions, I am always warm but reserved. Everybody was really interested in me and I tried to ask as many questions of each of them. It was a long drive to Kumamoto City from the airport. I found that Komorida-sensei was born in Mexico and was fluent in Spanish, so I knew that I could practice my Spanish while I was in Japan. The teachers wanted to take me out to get something to eat, so I said that I would like a good sushi restaurant. The sushi restaurant was empty. Everybody ordered for me, and since I am not picky, everything was very good. Halfway through the meal, they all wished me a happy birthday.

I looked up in the air, as though I was carrying the 1, finished my tally, and said, "Yeah. You're right." With everything was moving so fast in Tokyo and then with my trip to Kumamoto, I forgot about my birthday. They all seemed pretty suprised that I forgot, but I haven't placed much emphasis on my birthday for years, I know it is more a celebration for my parents than it is for me.

At lunch, Miyajima-sensei asked me whether I wanted to have a host family. I didn't know how to respond. So I danced around the issue, which English is wonderful for, because I didn't want to make the wrong choice. In the end, I was able to convey that, even though it was a very nice offer, I would rather get settled into my place. Luckily, my predecessor was already moved out, which other JETs weren't as lucky to experience. My compatriots had great stories of their host families, but they all agreed they just wanted to get settled in.

We went to Kumasho (Kumamoto Shyogo Kouku), my school. I met the principal, Kocho-sensei, and some of the other staff. The principal, is a very commanding figure, but he also has a warmth about him. In Japan, the principal takes it upon himself to look after all of the teachers. Even if you don't talk to him or see him very much, you know that he has your interest at heart. I prepared a short introduction for the Kocho-sensei, and my tantosha interpreted everything. The next day was my first day of work, so that would be my real introduction. We stayed for a little while at school, but we left and went to get some things that I would need for my house.

Later that night, we went out to eat again. Miyajima-sensei, Matsukawa-sensei, William-sensei, and another teacher at Kumasho who teaches Chinese. We had a buffet style dinner, in Japan they call it biking (Viking-style eating). It was good, and I was able to get my first idea about what food was like in Kumamoto. Japan is distinct because, for how small the country is, each region is known for some kind of delicasy and each region's food is different. Kumamoto is known for bashashi...I will speak more of bashashi at another time (same bat time, same bat channel).

My first day at school was interesting. I gave a traditional Japanese greeting to the teachers. I was placed in front of the teachers at the morning meeting, and when I was done I was shuffled back into the rest of the faces. I spent my first few week at school trying to figure out what I was supposed to do. I figured out that I wasn't supposed to do much, besides look busy. I had a month to get situated before the students returned. I went out to lunch with some of my fellow teachers and they made attempts to use their English to communicate with me and I made my own attempts, these attempts have been pretty fun, thus far. I have been able to communicate pretty well with everybody, either through English or my training in ESL. Communication is one of the hardest parts of being in Japan, but the challenge has added to my resolve to learn Japanese.

Tokyo Orientation: Part II

During orientation breakfast was the best meal of the day. Lots of eggs and pork products which made me very happy. I usually would fill up on a ridiculous amount of breakfast food, sometimes gorging myself on enough food for three people. The food was pretty plain but a few things were very interesting. The scrambled eggs were more gelatinous than runny or firm, they had the consistency of those mashed potatoes in a box. Even more queer is that they served cheese, which in itself isn't odd, but it was two kinds of cheese. On the bottom was a slice of Kraft cheese, or whatever processed cheese is your choice, and a wedge of brie placed on top. I'm not really sure if this is a Japanese taste or a poor attempt at accomodating the Western guests.

There were three different rooms where food was served everyday. Breakfast was a really good time to talk with other JETs. I didn't have the forethought to decide beforehand where I was going to be and where other people that I met were going to be, so each meal was unique because I usually ate with people that I had never met before. There were some cute girls that I would look for before I chose my eating arrangements, but I usually woke up with enough time to get downstairs, slam some food, and ride a packed elevator back to my room to change into a suit.

On my second day in Tokyo, there was two events during the morning for all of the ALTs: a keynote and a panel presentation. They were more laid back than the first days speeches, and they didn't last as long either. The keynote speaker was even funny and interesting at points which was a breath of fresh air, considering the stuffiness of most speeches. After the large group presentations, we broke into our respective teaching levels (i.e. elementary, junior high, and senior high) for team teaching demonstrations. After a lunch break, there was another level specific workshop over teaching materials and designing language activities. I was tired. I had my fill of workshops, so I went back up to my room to take a nap. There were three workshops that afternoon, but I was supposed to go out with my prefecture later that night, so I wanted to rest up.

I had my first Irish moment in Japan. I'm not even sure that I would chalk it up to anger, but instead it was a moment where I spoke my mind at an apporotune time but it wasn't seen so by the other party. During the keynote speech, two girls behind me talked for the first 15 or 20 minutes of the speech. I finally turned around and said, "If you guys are going to talk during the whole speech, could you go outside." It was a packed auditorium, and everybody was being attentive to the Japanese gentleman who was giving the keynote. But these two girls were talking about nothing even concerning JET or the keynote, and, as a fellow American, I felt I needed to tell them that they were acting like pompous idiots. I decided to make it slightly more G rated because of the situation.

I took a three hour nap. We went out to a restaurant near our hotel. I was ready for a full Japanese night of dinner, drinks, karaoke, and whatever else the night brought. There were 30 out of 45 of the Kumamoto JETs who attended the dinner, the others went to their embassies for dinner. The restaurant was the type of place where you cook your own food on burners at the table. There was a lot of beer and a lot of conversation, we were able to get to know each other in a more casual atmosphere and it was a good opporotunity to get to know the people that would be the closest in distance, not necessarily in relation, for the next year.

After dinner, I was hoping for some karaoke but, those who weren't going back to the hotel, wanted to go to the top of this really tall building. There was talk of finding a bar after that, so I went along for the ride. It was a chance to ride the Tokyo subway and check out the city from a great view. We rode to the building and when we got there Saleem, our Prefecture Advisor, told us that there was a 1000 yen ($10) charge for getting to the top floor. The poor, South Omaha boy took over and I said that I would wait on the boardwalk for the rest of the group. I brought my DS in preparation, so I played a video game and watched all of the Japanese people watch me, it is really unique being the minority because of the difference that you feel just by looks. I will never know what it is like to be a minority in the most severe, hated way but, being in Japan, I have realized what it is like to be watched at all times. It was over an hour later when the group came back. They had somehow lost one of the group, and there was a lot of discussion whether he would be left behind or if we would wait. It was decided that one of the PA's would stay to check again. The rest of us went back to the station, and got the train back to the hotel. The prolonged search for Landon, the lost JET, had worn everybody out and everybody wanted to go to bed.

While it doesn't seem like the most exciting night, it did end up establishing a view of Japan that I have tried to hold onto; it really is not that different here than America. Of course, there are many differences but I have tried to keep an eye on the similarities.

Both America and Japan are rich, buisness centered countries, but the plight of the poor is still prevalent. We were walking through Shinjuku train station, a humongous subway station, on our way back to the hotel, and I saw many people laying on the ground covered by cardboard boxes or with the boxes standing, in a shanty like way. I was grounded once again, and I was given perspective into my place in this world. A half a mile walk through a train station in Tokyo, looking at people who had given up on capitalism, or whom capitalism had given up on, I was reminded of the excess that I left behind. I thought back to Omaha and my preparations for coming to Japan. The things that I had in my possession before leaving were meager, but in retrospect, the donation of my possessions felt more like freedom from bondage than an act of generosity.

I am in a Westernized country. Japan is not Western in thought or action, but only Western in business, dress, and, to a lesser extent, excess. But, there are many differences that make them completely Eastern as well. "Oh, East is East and West is West and never the twain shall meet." Kippling actually got it right, but not in his most famous line. He was correct in the line following, "There is neither East nor West." Our differences are vast, but in the end we are all human beings getting by.