Greetings from Akune City
Hello All
One year ago today I was sitting in Japanese class at Ritusmeikan University (Rits) in Kyoto, Japan, avidly trying to deepen my knowledge of the Japanese language, culture and familiarize myself with the ancient capitol of Japan and those who reside within it. Many things were on my mind, one year ago today: it was my birthday, I couldn't remember the stroke order of kanji characters and I couldn't get my mind of the fact that I only had one year left of school if I could ever survive the heat of Kyoto, final exams and the long plane-ride home. Suffice it to say I made it back quite alright.
My last year at The University of British Columbia (UBC) was a wonder, a whirlwind, a year that I can look back on fondly, with pride and enormous gratitude. I am a graduated man, set free. And I can feel it, trust me. I explored Vancouver on a whole new level last year, thanks to my good old friends and, of course, new acquaintances. Vancouver is a vibrant city, one that harnesses an international consciousness such that any searching soul could settle down tomorrow and feel comfortable, at home. Although it was difficult-and that is an understatement-to leave Vancouver in the midst of its beautiful spring season, I know that it will always be there, to explore, to enjoy and to offer fulfilling, fruitful experiences, encounters and life endeavors.
This year’s endeavor began in 2001 at Roosevelt High School in Sensei Tashibu’s classroom, my first Japanese class. This year’s endeavor lay dormant for years, that is, until I met Daniel Norton, a Toronto native, in my first Japanese class at Rits. We had lunch at a nearby restaurant (Mickey’s) where Daniel divulged his experience as an Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) for the JET (Japanese Exchange and Teaching) Programme in a small rural town of Yatsuhiro on the island of Kyushu: living in Japan, introducing kids to the English language, learning local customs, eating local dishes, with an extremely subsidized cost of living. What could be better? I applied for JET the following November with every intention to go, if accepted.
The five month application process included a thorough written application, a signed medical form and recommendations. At this point I assumed that this was the pre-prescreening process for the programme. If one couldn’t get their act together and send it over to the Embassy in New York City collated into three separate copies with individual paper clips, they simply would not cut it. I cut it and, in turn, got an interview. Two months after the interview, my very last day of classes as a university student, I opened up my email and learned that I was going back to Japan, not as a student, but as a teacher; I don’t cry very often . . .
I had two months in North America before I left for Japan. I spent a wonderful weekend at Jody and Suzie’s getaway at Hood Canal (Thank you, thank you a thousand times thank you) and when I got back I heard a little voice say to me, ‘’ Go East before you go Far East.’’ So, I packed our bags for New York to accompany my sister, Chloe, before she headed off to Israel. And since I was so close to the Northern border I made a trip to Toronto to see Laura, my bright, beautiful girlfriend (thanks for the ride from Buffalo Arlene!). It was in New York where I received the email that would frame this whole year in an unforgettable way.
‘’We are looking for students, undergraduate and post-graduate, who have a keen interest in Japan’’, said the email sent to me by my boss and mentor Kirsten at UBC. I had been invited to participate in the Imperial visit of Their Majesties, The Emperor and Empress of Japan, to Canada and UBC to commemorate the 80th year of diplomatic relations between the two countries. My heart throbs every time I think of reading that email for the first time. After coming to, I was dressed in a black suit, standing in the middle of Nitobe Gardens at UBC, surrounded by Japanese press, good friends and my favourite Japanese T.A. ever. With the most angelic presence, Their Majesties circumnavigated the garden, crossed the bridge and greeted everyone with a bow, a handshake and, although brief, a heartfelt conversation. I had experienced something surreal. Eleven days later I was in the company of great friends in Seattle enjoying German suds (much like President Obama did today with Mr. Gates, Biden and Sergeant Crowley did today outside of the Oval Office http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/31/us/politics/31obama.html?_r=1&hp) as a sign-off for next year.
I never knew that an airplane had more than 40 rows. I was in seat 41, on the window, with some service box under the seat in front of me and a sleeping Japanese man to my immediate left. Ten hours later I was checked in at Keio Plaza Hotel in Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, home of the busiest train station in world, in the biggest metropolis in the world-to pay respect where it is due, Mumbai, Mexico City and Sao Paolo are right up there, it is debatable. The orientation in Tokyo took place solely inside of the hotel, or what one of our advisors called ‘’limbo land’’, ’’hotel buffer zone’’ or as I called it ‘’Am-I-really-in-Japan-or-am-I-in-a-five-star-bubble Inn’’. The best part about Tokyo was when my roommate took me to this restaurant/bar to get ‘’the best pastrami sandwich in Tokyo. Two stop on the Yamanote line put us in the centre of Harajuku, referred to by many as the street fashion capital of the world. The sandwich was great, but my roomy had obviously never been to Three Girls Bakery (give it another try Captain Pickard!). The owner, referred to all over Japan as ‘masta’, a great conversationalist. My favourite part, however, was that the whole time I enjoyed my sandwich and beer (Yebisu, try it) I was surrounded my thousands of Jazz records with Ella and Louie in the background. I could have stayed in that place listening to records for weeks.
Needless to say, flying down south to Kagshima was a huge relief.
‘’Mr. Asher Ramras’’, read the sign held by Mr. Momokita and Mr. Shinsaka-my two new supervisors and life lines to my livelihood in Akune City-at Kagoshima International Airport. I bowed (45 degrees) and said a brief self-introduction in Japanese, whereupon I bowed again, as one should always do. When I stood erect again I faced two flabbergasted men; their jaws were on the ground. I was almost blown over by their sigh of relief as we exited the airport into the 31 degree weather-the average humidity in Kagoshima during the summer hovers around 75%. I spoke Japanese. I was in. I was to be understood, for the most part.
It only takes about two hours to drive from the airport to Akune city. We rolled straight into the parking lot of the city’s official office where I met my new co-workers, desk and the mayor of Akune city, population 24,000 and change.
I was whisked off to the grocery store, A-Z (pronounced, Eh-Zeddo), before being taken to my new apartment. My room number is 206; this has happened to me before; my room number of my dorm room at Rits I-House was 206; I had to tell the story to Shinsaka-san. My apartment (referred to here on in as 206) is charming, noticeably lived in and has the smell of fish food, not fish, fish food. It is usually hotter inside 206 than outside-Japan has some of the best cooling systems in the world. I have already set up a new gas range as to continue my gastronomic adventures and my refrigerator already smells of kimchi, the local, homemade brand.
Last night was a special night. I was invited out to dinner by Nagafukata-san, the head of general affairs at the Akune Board of Education (BOE), and was told that we were to be joined by two special guests. Hustle and Bustle is the rough translation of the restaurant that we went to. We were soon joined by Hashiguchi-san, general project manager for Akune, who shared an ice-cold beer and one of the best homemade eggplant dishes I have ever had.
The fourth person to join us in the second floor tatami room was Takehara-san, Mayor of Akune; I would soon learn that Takehara-san is one of the most well-known mayors in all of Japan. As I was treated to a set meal of Korean barbeque I sat and listened to some of the most profound rhetoric I had ever heard from a Japanese politician; Mayor Takehara is, admirably, ahead of his time and thinks on at what I like to call the ‘next-level’. He repeated himself over and over again that he is a citizen of Akune and never intends to loose sight of that aspect of his identity. He is truly the people’s mayor. Then again, last night was an entirely Japanese get together so I presume I missed a couple of points. One thing I did take away, however, was what Mayor Takehara intends for me; by this time we had left the restaurant and entered a yakitori joint for some drinks and a late night snack. To drastically paraphrase Mayor Takehara, my role this year is to not only introduce what he called the global language of English, but to also express to the Elementary students that along with language learning comes cultural exploration and lasting connections with the outside world. What I conveyed in Japanese to Nagafukata-san, Hashiguchi-san and Mayor Takehara was something that they all appreciated, took a moment to think about and then, eventually and luckily, understood and appreciated: the world is a vast place; everyday, more and more people are adopting a global consciousness through international travel and language study; here I am, in the midst of the children of Akune and the vast globe.
Today is my birthday. I turn 22 years old today. I want to send out a heartfelt, longing and loving thanks to my family, who I miss dearly, Laura, who I miss dearly, and Barbara, my Aunt, who will soon embark on an amazing journey of her own to the east. Our frontiers are endless and this is not the beginning.
This year I would like to share with you, readers, some Japanese linguistic culture, that of proverbs: 井の中の蛙大海を知らず。The frog in the well knows nothing of the great oceans.
