I’d like to thank the Academy for this prestigious
award. I’d also like to acknowledge my
fellow nominees. Such talented and
gifted actresses. To the cast and crew who
worked tirelessly on this project. The
(insert superlative) Director, (insert name) for your vision and for taking a
chance on me. Thank you to (insert
actor’s name) for your patience, wisdom and good humour. I love you.
To the most wonderful husband a gal could ever hope to have. (insert beloved’s name), you're my rock, my best friend, my soul mate! (Camera zooms up to spouse's tear streaked face). I love you so much, and our perfect little
kids (insert ridiculous names here). Mommy loves you very much. Drone on for another two or ten
minutes. Cue music, wrap it up, lower
mic into the stage floor, close curtains, go to commercial… NOW.
Hopefully I’ll sound a lot more heartfelt than that!
My sister in-law told me that I would not be the same after
this experience. All I hoped for was that
if I was going to change it would be for the better. It takes a lot to immerse oneself into
another culture. But it happens all the
time. People come and go all over this
world, constantly moving, experiencing new things, meeting new people, and
learning more about themselves in the process.
On the surface I didn’t do anything new or spectacular. I’ll go home and people will soon tire of my
stories about Japan, and expect me to buckle down and ‘get on with it’. But I know for myself, this experience has
been a ‘game changer’. I don’t want to
go back and do the same old same old.
Things that were important to me then are not so much now, and Japan has
largely been responsible for this perspective.
And for that I am truly grateful.
Some of the things I valued really made no sense at all. What a boring life it would be if I didn’t
step outside the box once in a while.
And if you’re gonna venture beyond the boundaries of the box, what
better place to experience fresh new things than Japan. You can’t get more different than this place. Except for maybe most of Africa, all of the
Middle East, and the former Soviet Union.
I won’t forget the kind gestures of people whose culture and
language were completely alien to me. If
only they had been entertaining an angel, they’d definitely be rewarded for
their generosity and hospitality.
In school, the Vice Principal is referred to as ‘Kyoto Sensei’. I don’t know his real name, and neither does
anyone else it seems. He is simply known
by his title. There are two individuals
whom I’ve met here who hold this position.
They are living testaments to what it means to lead quietly but always
by example. I wouldn’t say that I’m chummy
close to either of them, but I have admired them both from afar, and often
thought if I could just be a little like them, in terms of work ethic and solid
values, maybe there’s hope for me yet.
Kyoto Sensei from Elementary School has always been kind to
me. Even though he speaks very little
English he tries very hard to include me in all things. I’ve had the freedom to ask him questions
about all sorts of issues affecting Japan, from the Tsunami to American
Military Bases deconstructing the countryside to the disputes over territory
with China. I’ve appreciated his candor
and his honesty. He works extremely
hard, jumping to every call, whether it comes from a teacher or a student. No task is beneath him. He’s one of the most reliable people I’ve
ever met. It was him that told me that
the most important words in Japanese are ‘Yoroshiku Onegaishemasu’. Respect is paramount. He is deeply devoted to his Buddhist faith,
is extremely proud of his culture, committed to his family and dedicated to his
work. He told me once when he asked
after my health that as long as his family are well, his colleagues and the
children they teach are well, life is good and he is happy. Wow, such a lovely, humble man.
The other Kyoto Sensei is from Junior High School. He too works extremely hard. He is also very clever and articulate. I admire him because he is consistent. People who are constant have my respect. There’s nothing worse than working with
someone who’s ‘all over the show’. Regardless
of the situation, his composure remains the same. So secure.
He is a man who has the kind of professional integrity you wish you
could lay claim to yourself. Cool as a cucumber this customer. He has a way of maintaining a professional,
collegial distance without having to assert any power. He is the Vice Principal after all, and
deserves a certain level of respect, which he easily receives from staff
because he is a good person, not because he is the 2IC. I’ve enjoyed my chats with him. You can tell when someone’s ‘clocked out’ of
a conversation. You look into their eyes
and there’s just no one home. I’m happy
to say that while my conversations are not the wittiest or even the most
enlightening, he definitely tunes in. It’s all about connections isn’t it? Wonderful individual.
The one thing I admire about all the teachers I’ve worked
with is how much they care about their students. They put in long ‘over and above the call of
duty’ hours I feel. They are at school
long before I get there in the mornings, and long after I’ve left for the day. And school vacations here apply to students
only! The teachers are back there, Monday morning,
working till Friday for the next few weeks or so until the kids get back from
their break. It’s amazing. And there are no complaints. It’s just the way it is here. I hear the teachers come in after class, and
talk about this child, or this student.
When their voices are lowered, they are concerned about something
particular to that student or students.
When they’re animated and smiling, they’re celebrating something about
that particular student or students.
Everything these kids do is significant in the eyes of their
teachers. Students know that their
concerns or issues will be taken seriously.
Students approach teachers with the confidence of knowing that their queries
will be attended to. It’s strange at
times to watch. These teachers are their
educators, their coaches, and their counsellors. I even see a degree of parenting on a daily
basis when I go to school. One time a
student who practices kendo came hobbling into the staff room. All the teachers immediately rose from their
chairs to investigate. He’d done
something to his toe, and the Maths Teacher (yes the Maths Teacher) sat on the
floor with him, lifted his foot up to the light to examine it and then
proceeded to apply a band aid to his wounded toe. I mean the boy was 14 and the teacher’s
expertise presumably lies in the field of Mathematics not Medicine. Does that sound perhaps a bit over the top to
you? I have a hard enough time touching
my own feet, let alone someone else’s.
Children are definitely valued here, which is how it should
be.
My first summer here was blighted by a powerful typhoon that
had hit the lower part of Japan. While the
prefecture I lived in received a battering, it was the prefecture below us that
truly suffered. Several people had lost
their lives due to landslips and rising waters, and several areas were
significantly damaged. As is Japan’s
way, this particular prefecture received nationwide support and
assistance. So much so that many people
volunteered to go down there to help with the clean up. The teachers in my prefecture were due for a
salary increase. Instead, they had
agreed that a percentage of that guaranteed pay rise be sent to the affected prefecture
instead. I don’t know the exact figure,
but considering this was a slice off every single teacher’s earnings across the entire
prefecture, it must have been quite a sum.
I don’t know if other prefectures had done the same but I wouldn’t be
surprised if they did. Where else in the
world would something like this happen? How do you get so many people to agree
to such a deal? It’s simply amazing to me.
You can’t get more sacrificial than playing with someone’s money. (Movie reference: Friday – Big Worm: ‘Playing
with my money is like playing with my emotions’). I don’t know why I thought of that.
I remember discussing with a good friend, how great the
customer service is in Japan. I know
that when I leave I’ll miss it. I was at
McDonald’s one night, and I ordered my usual hamburger, fries and milk
shake. While waiting for my order, I
looked out the window to see a car just to the right of the drive thru. The occupants of the car too were waiting for their order. A few moments later, a female staff member
exited the door, carrying a tray with two big bags of food on it. She handed it over to the driver of the vehicle,
stepped back and began bowing to the man.
He drove off, and she bowed once more, and stood there until the car had
rounded the corner. I just thought
wow. I know that bowing is part of the
Japanese culture, but when you see it being practiced somewhere as commonplace
as McDonald’s (no disrespect to the Golden Arches, I do love you) you are
reminded of how good you’ve got it here…until you leave of course.
This particular entry has been quite muddled but as I’m writing,
memories keep popping in my head which I feel compelled to jot down. Hopefully you get the gist of what I’m trying
to say. #LoveyouJapan #Ta
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