There are a number of school refusers in my current school. A school refuser is one who, for whatever reason, refuses to come to school.
We started the school year with 1. Now we have 5.
We did have one boy who refused to come to school during sports festival and associated practices, but is back now.
I wonder if my other school has many now? I remember we had only one as well last time I was there.
Friday, September 18
Thursday, September 10
I think I'll pass.
Tokyo is known for its ridiculously high rent prices for small spaces.
I found this article about a new retail business, closet-sized ...apartments? crawlspaces? addresses for hire? way to slowly drive oneself mad by depriving oneself of the comforts of life?
"Cheaper than a regular gaijin (foreigner) house and more comfortable than the couch at an Internet cafe, oshiire (closet) houses provide 1 1/2-tatami-mat-size (2.5-sq. meter), often windowless "rooms" — picture a capsule hotel pod as your home."
Click here for the rest of 'Half a room, without a view'
I found this article about a new retail business, closet-sized ...apartments? crawlspaces? addresses for hire? way to slowly drive oneself mad by depriving oneself of the comforts of life?
"Cheaper than a regular gaijin (foreigner) house and more comfortable than the couch at an Internet cafe, oshiire (closet) houses provide 1 1/2-tatami-mat-size (2.5-sq. meter), often windowless "rooms" — picture a capsule hotel pod as your home."
Click here for the rest of 'Half a room, without a view'
Wednesday, September 9
Kyuushoku Best Ten and Worst Ten
In no particular order, things that pop up and make an impression on my palate or senses.
BEST (Lunch makes me happy!)
1. Grilled fish with a miso sauce. Mmm mmm mmm. Minus points if I have to pick through bones though.
2. Curry. Always good, whether they go for a traditional Japanese curry or mix it up with some dry curry or more Indian style.
3. Salads with Sesame (goma) dressing. I have such a love affair going on with Goma Dressing.
4. Niku-jaga and its relatives. Beef stew and it always has the right flavors and I don't have to deal with anything strange popping up.
5. Anything that claims to be sushi. This includes Temakizushi (you are given the rice, the seaweed, and the fillings, and you do a 'make your own' sushi wrap) or Chirashizushi (stuff thrown on top of sushi rice) I like the way the rice tastes, and the toppings/fillings are usually good. One time the rice was just normal rice though. Other teachers complained loudly, voicing my thoughts for me.
6. Spinach salads. Mom must have done something to me when I was young because I love the taste of spinach. (Also love - mustard greens (小松菜), garlic chives (ニラ), and Mizuna)
7. Fried (anything). Notably delicious are Shrimp and Pumpkin Croquettes.
8. Fruit, when easy to eat. I also tolerate fresh oranges even though they make my hands all sticky.
9. Tofu anything. Especially in a nicely flavored soup with greens and pork.
10. Desert! Today we had Sudachi (kinda like a lime) flavored Jello.
WORST (Lunch makes me CRY)
1. Noodle dishes. The noodles are invariable overdone and mushy. We did have a semi-decent spaghetti once though.
2. Whole Fishes, ESPECIALLY Shishamo (AKA tiny river fish ready to lay some eggs in your stomach). Even if I am not expected to consume it whole, the process of working around the fish bones with my chopsticks is time consuming and annoying.
3. Natto. Mother of all painful lunches. Worst when someone decided it went ok with mayonnaise. I can handle it though...somehow.
4. Bread. The exception is Pineapple Bread, which has enough moisture from the pineapple to be quite tasty, but usually the bread I get is dry and unappetizing.
5. Rubbery, what are they smoking today? salads. Usually tasteless and boring. Eaten quickly so as to use the better parts of the meal to help one forget about their depressing existence. Honorable mention - that potato salad with apples in it.
6. Tasteless Soup. Please add seasoning.
7. Getting the mushy part of the rice. It's like ...eating mushy rice.
8. Most squid. I only like squid two ways -- dried or fried. Keep your grilled, boiled, whatevered squid out of my life.
9. Salt Salmon. Hey what does salmon taste like if you grill it with a ton of salt until it's the consistency of canned salmon? ...mostly just like salt.
10. Frozen Mandarin Oranges. A crime against nature.
Some things I hated a year ago are gone from the 'worst' list. Prime example is 'purple rice'...I've grown to like the taste of the pickled purple...things which give it its flavor. Hooray for assimilation!
BEST (Lunch makes me happy!)
1. Grilled fish with a miso sauce. Mmm mmm mmm. Minus points if I have to pick through bones though.
2. Curry. Always good, whether they go for a traditional Japanese curry or mix it up with some dry curry or more Indian style.
3. Salads with Sesame (goma) dressing. I have such a love affair going on with Goma Dressing.
4. Niku-jaga and its relatives. Beef stew and it always has the right flavors and I don't have to deal with anything strange popping up.
5. Anything that claims to be sushi. This includes Temakizushi (you are given the rice, the seaweed, and the fillings, and you do a 'make your own' sushi wrap) or Chirashizushi (stuff thrown on top of sushi rice) I like the way the rice tastes, and the toppings/fillings are usually good. One time the rice was just normal rice though. Other teachers complained loudly, voicing my thoughts for me.
6. Spinach salads. Mom must have done something to me when I was young because I love the taste of spinach. (Also love - mustard greens (小松菜), garlic chives (ニラ), and Mizuna)
7. Fried (anything). Notably delicious are Shrimp and Pumpkin Croquettes.
8. Fruit, when easy to eat. I also tolerate fresh oranges even though they make my hands all sticky.
9. Tofu anything. Especially in a nicely flavored soup with greens and pork.
10. Desert! Today we had Sudachi (kinda like a lime) flavored Jello.
WORST (Lunch makes me CRY)
1. Noodle dishes. The noodles are invariable overdone and mushy. We did have a semi-decent spaghetti once though.
2. Whole Fishes, ESPECIALLY Shishamo (AKA tiny river fish ready to lay some eggs in your stomach). Even if I am not expected to consume it whole, the process of working around the fish bones with my chopsticks is time consuming and annoying.
3. Natto. Mother of all painful lunches. Worst when someone decided it went ok with mayonnaise. I can handle it though...somehow.
4. Bread. The exception is Pineapple Bread, which has enough moisture from the pineapple to be quite tasty, but usually the bread I get is dry and unappetizing.
5. Rubbery, what are they smoking today? salads. Usually tasteless and boring. Eaten quickly so as to use the better parts of the meal to help one forget about their depressing existence. Honorable mention - that potato salad with apples in it.
6. Tasteless Soup. Please add seasoning.
7. Getting the mushy part of the rice. It's like ...eating mushy rice.
8. Most squid. I only like squid two ways -- dried or fried. Keep your grilled, boiled, whatevered squid out of my life.
9. Salt Salmon. Hey what does salmon taste like if you grill it with a ton of salt until it's the consistency of canned salmon? ...mostly just like salt.
10. Frozen Mandarin Oranges. A crime against nature.
Some things I hated a year ago are gone from the 'worst' list. Prime example is 'purple rice'...I've grown to like the taste of the pickled purple...things which give it its flavor. Hooray for assimilation!
Tuesday, September 8
Tuesday, September 1
空気を読めるように Learning to 'read the air'
I was reading this column, Cultural Conundrums: Can you guess when to guess?, and it made me think of an incident that happened, oh, yesterday.
The column covers the idea of omoiyari, something akin to empathy, which in Japan means you guess or assert knowledge over what another person is thinking, and act according to that assumption. The column further states that this is seen in Japan as 'good' but in the US and many other places would be considered 'arrogant.'
Last week, the school nurse passed out some papers for ordering lunch for the coming sports day this Saturday. She also had some pictures of the food that was being offered. I looked at all of this, decided it was not for me. She brought it up briefly every morning in the meeting, I listened quietly and reaffirmed internally that I would bring my own lunch and save money and eat healthier.
Fast-forward to Monday. I had elementary classes all day, but stopped by the junior high to print something out from my computer for my teacher. As I was leaving, I saw the school nurse in the hall. She greeted me, and I greeted her back. Then she brought up the lunch thing. Uh-oh. I actually had this happen last year at my other school's sports day (in which I was subjected to the eating of two cold hamburgers with cheese on them) and could tell I had made an error this year as well. She told me that since I hadn't ordered anything, and she was worried I wouldn't have any food, she had ordered me a hamburger.
Augh! Frustration hit me (self-directed, at my failure to behave appropriately to avoid this misunderstanding), since the last thing I wanted was another cold hamburger. I quickly stated that I had planned to bring my own lunch, but if there was nothing that could be done about it... The nurse cut me short, praising my ability to prepare my own lunch and apologizing for ordering something for me, and then telling me not to worry about it and to bring my own lunch as I had planned.
All this said, it's just one of those situations where yet again false assumptions were made about me. I suppose sometimes I feel integrated to the point where I expect to be treated like those around me, but people ascribe much different thinking to me on account of my otherness, or their perceived barriers to communication with me. Now, honestly, I like the school nurse. And given this article, I think she only responded how culture conditioned her to. Additionally, if I had stated to her that I planned to bring my own lunch, instead of merely tossing out my order form without comment, she would have been spared the situation of making an incorrect judgement call.
I'd like to think both of us learned something from this exchange however. She may have learned to reevaluate her assumptions of foreigners in general and me in particular, and I remembered that I need to be sensitive to the cultural norms which differ in the US and Japan and respond accordingly.
The column covers the idea of omoiyari, something akin to empathy, which in Japan means you guess or assert knowledge over what another person is thinking, and act according to that assumption. The column further states that this is seen in Japan as 'good' but in the US and many other places would be considered 'arrogant.'
Last week, the school nurse passed out some papers for ordering lunch for the coming sports day this Saturday. She also had some pictures of the food that was being offered. I looked at all of this, decided it was not for me. She brought it up briefly every morning in the meeting, I listened quietly and reaffirmed internally that I would bring my own lunch and save money and eat healthier.
Fast-forward to Monday. I had elementary classes all day, but stopped by the junior high to print something out from my computer for my teacher. As I was leaving, I saw the school nurse in the hall. She greeted me, and I greeted her back. Then she brought up the lunch thing. Uh-oh. I actually had this happen last year at my other school's sports day (in which I was subjected to the eating of two cold hamburgers with cheese on them) and could tell I had made an error this year as well. She told me that since I hadn't ordered anything, and she was worried I wouldn't have any food, she had ordered me a hamburger.
Augh! Frustration hit me (self-directed, at my failure to behave appropriately to avoid this misunderstanding), since the last thing I wanted was another cold hamburger. I quickly stated that I had planned to bring my own lunch, but if there was nothing that could be done about it... The nurse cut me short, praising my ability to prepare my own lunch and apologizing for ordering something for me, and then telling me not to worry about it and to bring my own lunch as I had planned.
All this said, it's just one of those situations where yet again false assumptions were made about me. I suppose sometimes I feel integrated to the point where I expect to be treated like those around me, but people ascribe much different thinking to me on account of my otherness, or their perceived barriers to communication with me. Now, honestly, I like the school nurse. And given this article, I think she only responded how culture conditioned her to. Additionally, if I had stated to her that I planned to bring my own lunch, instead of merely tossing out my order form without comment, she would have been spared the situation of making an incorrect judgement call.
I'd like to think both of us learned something from this exchange however. She may have learned to reevaluate her assumptions of foreigners in general and me in particular, and I remembered that I need to be sensitive to the cultural norms which differ in the US and Japan and respond accordingly.
Thursday, August 27
Bowing
This is almost another edition of 'You know you've been in Japan too long when...' but today I tackle the complex question of bowing.
Most westerners know that bowing is something like the 'Japanese handshake'
Well, that is true, although the ACTUAL handshake is increasingly used in typical handshake situations, in keeping with the westernization of Japan. However, bowing has a broader scope than 'How Do You Do?', being employed for various situations not limited to introductions.
We had our opening ceremony for the second school semester yesterday (...there's one for each of the three semesters, as well as closing ceremonies, as well as a graduation ceremony in March and an entrance ceremony for new students in April which PRECEDES the opening ceremony, later in April...), and as usual there were a number of bows.
Kore de nigakki no shigyoushiki wo hajimemasu! Ichido, rei! is how these things start out. To translate, 'Henceforth we begin the opening ceremony. Bow once!' ...everyone bows! Yay! There are about 8-10 bows during this ceremony, including bows to any speaker before and after their speech, and a closing bow.
If you want to imagine a graduation ceremony, take this and multiply it by 60.
Another situation I bow in everyday, although it is somewhat similar to the previous, is Morning Meeting. In the morning at 8:30, the bell goes off and everyone rises to their feet. The leader for the day starts us off and says Ohayo gozaimasu! (Good morning!) and we all in unison say, Ohayo gozaimasu with a bow and then sit back down. It's kind of funny because most people are sitting back down mid-bow, and rarely do people actually stand all the way back up before sitting down. Same at the end, but the greeting is changed to Kyou mo ganbarimasho! (Today also we will do our best), with the response of Ganbarimasho!
Another thing about bows is you almost always return them. One case I can think of where people tend not to though is the service industry. The cashier, the receptionist, the fast food employee, all will do a perfunctory bow after they hand you your change or answer your questions or finish your order. There is also an epidemic of 'phone bowing', similar to the 'phone nod' wherein one bows on the telephone because in a normal situation one would be bowing, but since it is on the telephone it is meaningless except as an indicator of how ingrained ones bow reflex is in.
And I have definitely picked up the reflex. This morning, an old man pulled to the size of the 1-car-sized road that leads to my house to allow me to pass by him. I bowed as I passed by, he bowed back. Common courtesy.
Most westerners know that bowing is something like the 'Japanese handshake'
Well, that is true, although the ACTUAL handshake is increasingly used in typical handshake situations, in keeping with the westernization of Japan. However, bowing has a broader scope than 'How Do You Do?', being employed for various situations not limited to introductions.
We had our opening ceremony for the second school semester yesterday (...there's one for each of the three semesters, as well as closing ceremonies, as well as a graduation ceremony in March and an entrance ceremony for new students in April which PRECEDES the opening ceremony, later in April...), and as usual there were a number of bows.
Kore de nigakki no shigyoushiki wo hajimemasu! Ichido, rei! is how these things start out. To translate, 'Henceforth we begin the opening ceremony. Bow once!' ...everyone bows! Yay! There are about 8-10 bows during this ceremony, including bows to any speaker before and after their speech, and a closing bow.
If you want to imagine a graduation ceremony, take this and multiply it by 60.
Another situation I bow in everyday, although it is somewhat similar to the previous, is Morning Meeting. In the morning at 8:30, the bell goes off and everyone rises to their feet. The leader for the day starts us off and says Ohayo gozaimasu! (Good morning!) and we all in unison say, Ohayo gozaimasu with a bow and then sit back down. It's kind of funny because most people are sitting back down mid-bow, and rarely do people actually stand all the way back up before sitting down. Same at the end, but the greeting is changed to Kyou mo ganbarimasho! (Today also we will do our best), with the response of Ganbarimasho!
Another thing about bows is you almost always return them. One case I can think of where people tend not to though is the service industry. The cashier, the receptionist, the fast food employee, all will do a perfunctory bow after they hand you your change or answer your questions or finish your order. There is also an epidemic of 'phone bowing', similar to the 'phone nod' wherein one bows on the telephone because in a normal situation one would be bowing, but since it is on the telephone it is meaningless except as an indicator of how ingrained ones bow reflex is in.
And I have definitely picked up the reflex. This morning, an old man pulled to the size of the 1-car-sized road that leads to my house to allow me to pass by him. I bowed as I passed by, he bowed back. Common courtesy.
Tuesday, August 25
Jiminto wins the Youtube battle.
As a followup to my last blog entry, here are some videos from Youtube. (Apologies in advance for clunky translation, I tried to keep the spirit of the language and be accurate. Accuracy is another thing I may have failed at.)
Both the LDP (Jiminto) and the DPJ (Minshuto) have Youtube presences, but the LDP rules the day when it comes to style. If you forgive their cheesy logo.
Drawn by a four year old! (probably)
But I question the logic of the commercials, which prominently feature current PM Aso glaring at us. I suppose his glare conveys his sense of responsibility and ability to protect us from terrorists.
Narrator: Who can really protect your life and this country's future? Jiminto.
Highlights - Lion King worthy soundtrack, Taro Aso glaring into my soul.
This is another Jiminto add
Woman: Oh! It's you.
Man: Welcome, it's been a while. It's not just lip service, we're now making policies like this.
Woman: All right then, why don't you show me?
Man: This store's 'Manifesto-men', our best Ramen. We'll win or lose based on it.
Customer 1(American): There's not enough oil!
Man: Ok, we'll supply more.
Customer 2(Resembles Shakaito president Fukushima): Wait, weren't you going to stop supplying oil?
Man: Ending supply.
Customer 3: There's not enough local ingredients...
Man: That's silly. Look, here's some more.
Customer 4: There's no growth here, is there?
Man: Nonono, Look, here's some.
Child: Treat children well too!
Man: Yes, yes, yes. I'm sprinkling on 26,000 yen's worth of furikake!
Woman: Isn't this totally different than what you made in the beginning?
Man: No,no. It was this from the beginning.
Woman: Huh?
'Just by trying to please everyone, you can't make everyone happy. Unwavering policies, Jiminto'
This commercial is on the offensive, with the man running the ramen shop bearing a resemblance to DPJ party president Hatoyama. It paints the DPJ as a bunch of 'flip-floppers' who will give everyone a handout or lip service and have no principles.
Checking in over at DPJ headquarters, the youtube action is much more subdued. The LDP channel had tons of snappy, quick commercials, but the DPJ's channel is more focused on (long, boring) speeches by DPJ politicians. I do give them props for their main video, which features subtitling and sign-language so anyone can follow along with what is being said. Also, Hatoyama comes across as a good public speaker and he never glared at me.
There were only a few actual commercials I could find, all very similar in style. Here is one:
Narrator: You're feeling anxious about the problems of healthcare and pension. For the sake of your way of life, the government must change.
Hatoyama: First, change political power!
Narrator: We are the DPJ.
However, lest you think that the LDPs style wins them the substance war, you have to remember that the LDP has been in power almost continuously since the end of WW2 and therefore are held accountable for wasteful government spending, pension and healthcare issues, and the myriad other things that the DPJ is calling them out on constantly with the battle cry of Seiken Koutai!
The election takes place on August 30th.
Both the LDP (Jiminto) and the DPJ (Minshuto) have Youtube presences, but the LDP rules the day when it comes to style. If you forgive their cheesy logo.
Drawn by a four year old! (probably)
But I question the logic of the commercials, which prominently feature current PM Aso glaring at us. I suppose his glare conveys his sense of responsibility and ability to protect us from terrorists.
Narrator: Who can really protect your life and this country's future? Jiminto.
Highlights - Lion King worthy soundtrack, Taro Aso glaring into my soul.
This is another Jiminto add
Woman: Oh! It's you.
Man: Welcome, it's been a while. It's not just lip service, we're now making policies like this.
Woman: All right then, why don't you show me?
Man: This store's 'Manifesto-men', our best Ramen. We'll win or lose based on it.
Customer 1(American): There's not enough oil!
Man: Ok, we'll supply more.
Customer 2(Resembles Shakaito president Fukushima): Wait, weren't you going to stop supplying oil?
Man: Ending supply.
Customer 3: There's not enough local ingredients...
Man: That's silly. Look, here's some more.
Customer 4: There's no growth here, is there?
Man: Nonono, Look, here's some.
Child: Treat children well too!
Man: Yes, yes, yes. I'm sprinkling on 26,000 yen's worth of furikake!
Woman: Isn't this totally different than what you made in the beginning?
Man: No,no. It was this from the beginning.
Woman: Huh?
'Just by trying to please everyone, you can't make everyone happy. Unwavering policies, Jiminto'
This commercial is on the offensive, with the man running the ramen shop bearing a resemblance to DPJ party president Hatoyama. It paints the DPJ as a bunch of 'flip-floppers' who will give everyone a handout or lip service and have no principles.
Checking in over at DPJ headquarters, the youtube action is much more subdued. The LDP channel had tons of snappy, quick commercials, but the DPJ's channel is more focused on (long, boring) speeches by DPJ politicians. I do give them props for their main video, which features subtitling and sign-language so anyone can follow along with what is being said. Also, Hatoyama comes across as a good public speaker and he never glared at me.
There were only a few actual commercials I could find, all very similar in style. Here is one:
Narrator: You're feeling anxious about the problems of healthcare and pension. For the sake of your way of life, the government must change.
Hatoyama: First, change political power!
Narrator: We are the DPJ.
However, lest you think that the LDPs style wins them the substance war, you have to remember that the LDP has been in power almost continuously since the end of WW2 and therefore are held accountable for wasteful government spending, pension and healthcare issues, and the myriad other things that the DPJ is calling them out on constantly with the battle cry of Seiken Koutai!
The election takes place on August 30th.
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