Breakfast at hotel
I joined Jason, Kevin, Karen and Katie for breakfast in the hotel. We started saying some good-byes. Jason and I are on the same two flights, but neither Kevin nor Katie are with us. I said good bye to Karen and Roger in the lobby as their bus was ready to leave for the airport.
After breakfast, Kevin, Jason and I took a walk around Shinjuku for some last looks, pictures and discussion. There was nothing especially interesting going on, but we wanted to make the most of the time we had left.
As we waited to leave the hotel, a number of volleyball teams began filtering in. The world volleyball championship for men’s teams is being held in Tokyo. I saw members from Serbia & Montenegro and Italy. They were quite tall.
12:25pm: Leave hotel
The trip to the airport took nearly two hours due to traffic. The check-in agent was very nice to me when I asked if there was an exit row seat available. There wasn’t one, but he changed my seat assignment so I have a window seat instead of a middle seat for the long flight to San Francisco.
The airport has a good selection of stores. Jason, Rachel and I (all on the same flight to San Fran) had lunch at McDonalds before heading through security. I also worked hard to spend the last of my yen and purchased some green tea kit kats and a Japanese chocolate candy. After passing through security, we saw a large gathering of people with cameras and video equipment with press passes. The word in the crowd was that an American negotiator with North Korea over nuclear weapons was coming through. We hung around to see the action and I took a few pictures, but I don’t know who the guy is or what he has been doing. I’ll have to do some research on that when I get home.
Oops – I spoke to soon. As I type this while waiting for our flight, the video images are being shown on the news. The dialogue and info on screen are in Japanese though so I still don’t really know anything more.
I’m hoping the flight to San Fran is smooth and I can get some sleep. This is a long day. I slept about 5 hours last night and have been up since 8:15 this morning. After our 10-11 hour flight, we’ll arrive in San Fran at 9:30am today. In other words, we’ll be repeating history. Then it’s a full day of waiting in the airport and traveling cross country before arriving in Newark at 10:35pm, a trip to get my car and then the hour drive back to my condo.
5:25pm: Depart from Narita Airport
9:18am: Arrive San Francisco Airport
We arrived before 10:00am. The flight was relatively smooth with some periods of turbulence. My seat was in the very last row of the plane in an area that had only two seats instead of three like the rows before it. This gave me better leg room and I could fully recline my seat because no one was seated behind me.
Immigration and customs wasn’t too bad. Many of our fellow JFMFers were frantic as they were struggling to make connecting flights after our late arrival. Quite a few missed these flights and had to be rebooked. While I wasn’t looking forward to the five hour layover, at least I was able to stay relaxed and stressfree.
I’ve hung out in the airport terminal with Jason who is on the same flight to Newark. Due to bad weather on the east coast, our flight is delayed on hour so I won’t get into NJ until 11:30pm and therefore not back to my condo until about 1am I predict. While that stinks, it’s out of my control so I’m just going to go with the flow.
2:00pm: Depart San Francisco
The flight from San Fran had a few moment of turbulence where the captain asked the flight attendants to take their seats, but it wasn't too bad. As this was a domestic flight, we receieved a couple drinks but nothing else. I tried to sleep most of the flight, at least the firt half and just listened to music reflected the rest of the time. At one point, I started thinking through the entire trip from our first arrivals in San Francisco, through getting to Tokyo that first night, meeting so many wonderful people, all of our experiences and the good-byes.
10:30pm: Arrive Newark Airport
We landed a couple minutes after 11:30pm. My sister picked me up, I got my car and arrived home around 1:00am officially bringing the JFMF travel to an end. Now I have to get a follow-on plan updated within two weeks.
I suspect I'll add a couple more updates to this blog as time goes on, maybe even over the next few days as I process everything I've experienced. For those that have been reading for the past 18 days, thank you!
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Wednesday, November 29
Today is the final full day in Japan as a participant with the Japan Fulbright Memorial Fund teacher program. As with any of my lengthy travel experiences, I feel a mixture of excitement to return to my regular, everyday life and sadness at the closing of an unforgettable, life-changing experience. I want to preface today's blog by pointing out that I consider myself fortunate beyond what I deserve to have had quite a few "life-changing" experiences over the first 1/4 of my life. Thanks to the sacrifice and support of my parents, I visited 7 countries while still a middle and high school student. Those People to People Student Ambassador Program journeys helped guide me to become a social studies teacher and a student of world culture. I learned what the phrase "paradigm shift" meant while experience one at the University of Utah attending an international conference of Operation Smile as a representative from my high school. I have traveled to 5 more countries with People to People as a delegation leader each of the past two summers. Rehearsing and performing in 17 states as a member of the Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps and on and on. So as this chapter concludes, let me say thank you to everyone that has helped make all of those things possible.
And now, on with the final full day in Japan.
7:00am-8:30pm: Breakfast at hotel
I had a light western breakfast in the midst of our group discussing some final details of our pending presentation. We did not put much planning into the presentation until we got back to Tokyo. Last night, we did a rundown and held a more in-depth planning session. With Kevin, I will be demonstrating kendo utilizing light-saberesque swords we found at a 100 yen store.
9:00am: Group presentations
The group presentations were far more entertaining and interesting than I expected. My preconception was that we'd be bored as group after group told us about their prefecture experience. I was wrong.
Touching moments abounded as groups projected images of smiling children, related stories of amazing homestay families and read haiku. 3-4 people sang short pieces beautifully. One group created Pachinkopalooza (Pachinko is a gambling game that is popular in Japan) and did an all-out game show about their area in the style of Japanese television. Another group created their "Road to Paradise" and each shared a moving story as images flashed behind them. The Hiroshima group read the words of young children written in the days after August 6, 1945 as gripping images forced us to avert our eyes and then look back in horror at the effects of nuclear weapons. Some shared personal conflict over having parents who served in the American military during World War II and then meeting people and seeing the devastation caused by the atomic bomb firsthand. They concluded their presentation by providing each of us with a copy of an application to join the Mayors for Peace program where cities across the world pledge to work to end the proliferation of nuclear weapons. I am going to forward copies of the letter to the mayors of Hillsborough and Bernards Township when I return home.
Our presentation went wonderfully, far better than anticipated. It was hard to keep away the tears as my colleagues told the other 180 JFMFers about the wonderful people we met in Yukuhashi. Our kendo demonstration went off well and we performed with class and respect towards the artform as we should have. I ordered a video copy of our 15-minute presentation (including me doing kendo) so that should make for quite a souvenir when it arrives in the US in a couple weeks.
11:45am-1:15pm: Buffet lunch
We enjoyed another wonderful, mostly western lunch and then had some down time. I used that time to get as much packing done as possible so I don't have to worry about it tonight after the concert or tomorrow morning in the rush to get to the airport.
1:30pm: Group presentation
The final group presentation was done by a group that spent their week far south in the Okinawa island chain. They enjoyed sub-tropical weather conditions and an interesting fusion of Chinese and Japanese culture. Their presentation was entertaining and lively and brought all of the group reports together nicely.
They shared a Japanese word that has no counterpart in English that I think bears repeating as it represents what the JFMF program was all about.
Icharibachade (ee-cha-dee-bah-chou-day) - Once we meet, we are brothers and sisters.
2:00pm: Wrap-up
The head honcho of JFMF, Kyoko Jones, made an interesting statement during her wrap-up comments that I agree with strongly. She suggested that when we return to the US and our respective states, schools, families and friendships, we will experience culture shock that may be even more distinct than that which we experienced upon arrival in Japan. I commented on this possibility a bit over the last couple days. It is difficult to fully convey the meaning of this trip, even to those that wholeheartedly want to know and understand. I made some amazing friends here and I really hope we can all keep in touch when we get back home, in the short-term to help with the reacclimatization process and in the long-term as friends and colleagues.
During the free afternoon, Jason, Katie and I made the most of it and took the train to the Shibuya region of Tokyo which none of us had visited yet. It's a young, office worker district that includes what some say is the busiest intersection in the world as hundreds, if not thousands, of people cross the intersection in all directions (including diagonally) every few minutes. There is a scene in "Lost in Translation" depicted the intersection. The area is reminiscent of Times Square in New York with giant television screens and neon signs.
And now, on with the final full day in Japan.
7:00am-8:30pm: Breakfast at hotel
I had a light western breakfast in the midst of our group discussing some final details of our pending presentation. We did not put much planning into the presentation until we got back to Tokyo. Last night, we did a rundown and held a more in-depth planning session. With Kevin, I will be demonstrating kendo utilizing light-saberesque swords we found at a 100 yen store.
9:00am: Group presentations
The group presentations were far more entertaining and interesting than I expected. My preconception was that we'd be bored as group after group told us about their prefecture experience. I was wrong.
Touching moments abounded as groups projected images of smiling children, related stories of amazing homestay families and read haiku. 3-4 people sang short pieces beautifully. One group created Pachinkopalooza (Pachinko is a gambling game that is popular in Japan) and did an all-out game show about their area in the style of Japanese television. Another group created their "Road to Paradise" and each shared a moving story as images flashed behind them. The Hiroshima group read the words of young children written in the days after August 6, 1945 as gripping images forced us to avert our eyes and then look back in horror at the effects of nuclear weapons. Some shared personal conflict over having parents who served in the American military during World War II and then meeting people and seeing the devastation caused by the atomic bomb firsthand. They concluded their presentation by providing each of us with a copy of an application to join the Mayors for Peace program where cities across the world pledge to work to end the proliferation of nuclear weapons. I am going to forward copies of the letter to the mayors of Hillsborough and Bernards Township when I return home.
Our presentation went wonderfully, far better than anticipated. It was hard to keep away the tears as my colleagues told the other 180 JFMFers about the wonderful people we met in Yukuhashi. Our kendo demonstration went off well and we performed with class and respect towards the artform as we should have. I ordered a video copy of our 15-minute presentation (including me doing kendo) so that should make for quite a souvenir when it arrives in the US in a couple weeks.
11:45am-1:15pm: Buffet lunch
We enjoyed another wonderful, mostly western lunch and then had some down time. I used that time to get as much packing done as possible so I don't have to worry about it tonight after the concert or tomorrow morning in the rush to get to the airport.
1:30pm: Group presentation
The final group presentation was done by a group that spent their week far south in the Okinawa island chain. They enjoyed sub-tropical weather conditions and an interesting fusion of Chinese and Japanese culture. Their presentation was entertaining and lively and brought all of the group reports together nicely.
They shared a Japanese word that has no counterpart in English that I think bears repeating as it represents what the JFMF program was all about.
Icharibachade (ee-cha-dee-bah-chou-day) - Once we meet, we are brothers and sisters.
2:00pm: Wrap-up
The head honcho of JFMF, Kyoko Jones, made an interesting statement during her wrap-up comments that I agree with strongly. She suggested that when we return to the US and our respective states, schools, families and friendships, we will experience culture shock that may be even more distinct than that which we experienced upon arrival in Japan. I commented on this possibility a bit over the last couple days. It is difficult to fully convey the meaning of this trip, even to those that wholeheartedly want to know and understand. I made some amazing friends here and I really hope we can all keep in touch when we get back home, in the short-term to help with the reacclimatization process and in the long-term as friends and colleagues.
During the free afternoon, Jason, Katie and I made the most of it and took the train to the Shibuya region of Tokyo which none of us had visited yet. It's a young, office worker district that includes what some say is the busiest intersection in the world as hundreds, if not thousands, of people cross the intersection in all directions (including diagonally) every few minutes. There is a scene in "Lost in Translation" depicted the intersection. The area is reminiscent of Times Square in New York with giant television screens and neon signs.
We had a snack of noodles and pot stickers while in Shibuya and then headed back to the hotel for some packing and down time.
6:30pm-8:30pm: Sayonara Buffet
The sayonara buffet included formal remarks from individuals representing the program and our group as well as a farewell toast. Once the formalities concluded, those of us going to the U2 concert (Kevin, Jason, Katie, Karen, and Rachel) made our exit. There was some miscommunication so we ended up not getting on the train until about 8:30 when the original plan was 7:15.
We arrived at Saitama Super Arena, across the city, a little after 9pm after running through stations, train transfers and up to the arena entrance. We joined the concert as U2 began performing "One," the last song in their main set. Luckily for us they played through two full encore sets so we ended up seeing about six songs I think.
While we didn't get to experience the entire U2 performance, it was still worth the money and effort. U2 is an iconic group, one that brings people together and it took me some time to get over the frustration of missing most of their set, but I appreciate the people I was with and the shared experience we had at the concert.
After the show, we joined the cosmopolitan crowd for the train ride back. We stopped at McDonald's for a snack and just enjoyed our last night together walking the area and then sitting up late talking in a hotel room. These really are great people and as either Kevin or Jason said last night, while the places we've seen and the things we've done have been unbelievable, the people we've met - teachers from all 50 states and the District of Columbia in addition to everyone from Japan - provide the deep meaning that we'll carry with us far into the future.
6:30pm-8:30pm: Sayonara Buffet
The sayonara buffet included formal remarks from individuals representing the program and our group as well as a farewell toast. Once the formalities concluded, those of us going to the U2 concert (Kevin, Jason, Katie, Karen, and Rachel) made our exit. There was some miscommunication so we ended up not getting on the train until about 8:30 when the original plan was 7:15.
We arrived at Saitama Super Arena, across the city, a little after 9pm after running through stations, train transfers and up to the arena entrance. We joined the concert as U2 began performing "One," the last song in their main set. Luckily for us they played through two full encore sets so we ended up seeing about six songs I think.
While we didn't get to experience the entire U2 performance, it was still worth the money and effort. U2 is an iconic group, one that brings people together and it took me some time to get over the frustration of missing most of their set, but I appreciate the people I was with and the shared experience we had at the concert.
After the show, we joined the cosmopolitan crowd for the train ride back. We stopped at McDonald's for a snack and just enjoyed our last night together walking the area and then sitting up late talking in a hotel room. These really are great people and as either Kevin or Jason said last night, while the places we've seen and the things we've done have been unbelievable, the people we've met - teachers from all 50 states and the District of Columbia in addition to everyone from Japan - provide the deep meaning that we'll carry with us far into the future.
Monday, November 27, 2006
Tuesday, November 28
6:50-8:30am: Breakfast at hotel
Because breakfast was so far before our first required session, I decided to sleep through it. I wound up heading to a nearby Starbucks with Karen and Jason for a caramel macchiato and I enjoyed a Cheerios cereal bar for breakfast.
9:30am-11:30am: Japan-U.S. Collaborative Environmental Education; Master Teacher Program - Edward Jones, Senior Researcher, Tama University
This was a very interesting and informative presentation. The stated focus was a JFMF sponsored program that leads to cross-cultural study and exchange on the environment among students in the United States and Japan. The program sounds amazing, but it isn't something I will be able to feasibly implement.
The side knowledge I gained on the environment or Japanese education in general during this session was impressive too though. One of Mr. Jones' key points was the importance of understanding cross-cultural ideas before being able to take a stance. He cited the example of whaling, which the United States condemns but Japan relies on. He explained that whaling originated in Japan in the 1950s when the country was facing dire food shortages. The occupying US military forces taught the Japanese how to whale and so whales became an important means of survival. It is not a cut-and-dry issue that all whaling is bad. Issues are not that clear.
Another issue raised was that of our ecological footprint. How will future students look back at us and our influence on the environment for them? Students should leave discussions and classroom lessons with more questions than answers. This critical thinking and analysis is far more valuable than any crammed facts and figures.
Mr. Jones suggested that parents are a significant cause of the pressure in Japanese education that is partially to blame for the suicide epidemic. Parents support the high stakes testing institution that causes the pressure because they believe that high scores on the tests will get their children into the best colleges which will set them up for a job and life-long employment. Historically, that's the way the system has worked in Japan. It is not, however, the direction things are moving in today.
According to Mr. Jones, university entrance exams do not predict actual academic success in university even during the first year. In other words, the exam scores that gets students into colleges in Japan really don't mean anything. Cram schools (juko schools in Japan) make hundreds of millions of dollars tutoring students and providing test prep so they support the status quo. In the United States, companies like the Educational Testing Service have similar benefits to gain from more and more standardized testing.
He also related the concept of gaman (sic). Essentially, the concept means that employees do what their superior tells them to do whether they want to or not. Furthermore, they do so while all the while saying and acting like they are happy to do it. The underlying unhappiness or stress must never be revealed due to the formality of the society. It may sound odd to those of us used to the western idea of speaking up for ourselves and taking a stand at times, but it's simply not how it's done in Japan.
Lunch: On own
Roger, Jason, Karen and I wandered nearby and wound up in a noodle shop catering to the throns of businessmen looking for a quick lunch. For 430 yen ($4.00 US) I had a heaping bowl of ramen noodles with vegetables and pork. It was filling, tasty and cheap.
1:00pm-2:30pm: Sociology of Education - Takehiko Kariya, Professor, Graduate School of Education, University of Tokyo
I was looking forward to this session due to my interest in sociology. The content of this session was pretty interesting but the delivery was not as strong as it needed to be to really catch our attention.
Students in Japan do not normally question teachers, or even professors at the university level, like students in the US are taught to do. Professor Kariya has studied and taught in the US and Japan so his perspective is pretty meaningful on this type of issue. Teachers and professors in Japan have the knowledge and expertise and students are expected to listen and take notes. This is a generalization and does not necessarily apply to all classrooms all the time.
Japan has an interesting per pupil spending ratio. Unlike the US where richer districts tend to spend more per student, the trend is the opposite in Japan due to a number of factors, most notably the way federal funding works. Also, the poorer schools tend to have fewer students and smaller schools and therefore fewer students per class so the per pupil cost goes up. It's complicated but worth mentioning.
Major reforms have been instituted over the past decade including the elimination of the six-day school week (half a day on Saturdays used to be required) and the reduction of required course content by 30%. Admissions policies at universities are also changing to allow for more essay and teacher recommendation status in the decision. Idea regarding school vouchers, performance-related-pay for teachers and school choice are also in progress on at least a limited basis in Japan.
Japan, traditionally revered for students' performance on math exams, has seen math scores drop significantly between 1989 and 2001. In 1989 nearly 40% of elementary school students scored above a 90% while in 2001 that number dropped to 13%. A similar trend shows up in junior high. Students report studying fewer and fewer minutes outside of the school day between 1989 and 2001 as well. The disparity between students from low socio-economic areas and those from higher ones is also growing not only in performance but in student perception of their own abilities as found in a study by this professor speaking to us today.
Evening: Dinner on own
I had been doing some research on U2 and went to the guest relations desk to see if they could locate any tickets. They left me a note with a place to go within walking distance to buy tickets, a map of how to get there and a map and route information for how to get from the hotel to the arena for the performance. Kevin, Jason, Karen, Rachel, Katie and I headed to the Keio Plaza Mall (at Shinjuku Station) to find the ticket agency. When we got in there,
we found out that tickets were still available at 10000 yen ($80 US) for seats pretty low and to the side of the stage. The view probably won't be amazing, but we're going to be with 30,000 Japanese people singing and cheering for U2; it's going to be great.
Then we took the train to Harajuku (the same place I went yesterday) and did some people watching and walked around. I didn't make any purchases, but it was fun to get out and enjoy our waning time together.
As most of us have now had our fill of fish, fish soup, fish-flavored candy and all other fishy concoctions, we stopped at KFC for some fried chicken on the way back to the hotel. After finishing my two pieces and cole slaw (there are no mashed potatoes in Japan, the only potatoes are in the form of french fries), I also had two slices of Domino's pizza that someone else purchased. The funny part is that I've eaten more American fast food in the past two days here in Tokyo than I do in a month at home.
We stopped back at the hotel brifely before adding Roger to our group to go back to the place we went last night where Roger was going to play flute along with the jazz pianist. We got there and that all happened which
was pretty cool. Roger was so excited and we were all happy for him to have the opportunity. We didn't stay for long though because we had to be back at the hotel at 9:15pm to figure out the details for our Yukuhashi group presentation scheduled for tomorrow.
My role in the presentation is acting out kendo with Kevin. Roger is our sensei and another guy in our group, Chuck, will be narrating. It is a pretty short little skit, but it should be good
especially given the fact we go on 9th out of 10 groups and everyone is going to be wishing for something a little entertaining.
As the last 36 hours of the JFMF program is upon us, I feel it appropriate to comment on how amazing of an experience this has been. I've loved the places I've been to, the people I've met (American and Japanese) and everything about it. If any teachers come across this, I highly recommend applying for the program. A trip worth nearly $30,000, amazing people and the chance of a lifetime. DO IT!
Because breakfast was so far before our first required session, I decided to sleep through it. I wound up heading to a nearby Starbucks with Karen and Jason for a caramel macchiato and I enjoyed a Cheerios cereal bar for breakfast.
9:30am-11:30am: Japan-U.S. Collaborative Environmental Education; Master Teacher Program - Edward Jones, Senior Researcher, Tama University
This was a very interesting and informative presentation. The stated focus was a JFMF sponsored program that leads to cross-cultural study and exchange on the environment among students in the United States and Japan. The program sounds amazing, but it isn't something I will be able to feasibly implement.
The side knowledge I gained on the environment or Japanese education in general during this session was impressive too though. One of Mr. Jones' key points was the importance of understanding cross-cultural ideas before being able to take a stance. He cited the example of whaling, which the United States condemns but Japan relies on. He explained that whaling originated in Japan in the 1950s when the country was facing dire food shortages. The occupying US military forces taught the Japanese how to whale and so whales became an important means of survival. It is not a cut-and-dry issue that all whaling is bad. Issues are not that clear.
Another issue raised was that of our ecological footprint. How will future students look back at us and our influence on the environment for them? Students should leave discussions and classroom lessons with more questions than answers. This critical thinking and analysis is far more valuable than any crammed facts and figures.
Mr. Jones suggested that parents are a significant cause of the pressure in Japanese education that is partially to blame for the suicide epidemic. Parents support the high stakes testing institution that causes the pressure because they believe that high scores on the tests will get their children into the best colleges which will set them up for a job and life-long employment. Historically, that's the way the system has worked in Japan. It is not, however, the direction things are moving in today.
According to Mr. Jones, university entrance exams do not predict actual academic success in university even during the first year. In other words, the exam scores that gets students into colleges in Japan really don't mean anything. Cram schools (juko schools in Japan) make hundreds of millions of dollars tutoring students and providing test prep so they support the status quo. In the United States, companies like the Educational Testing Service have similar benefits to gain from more and more standardized testing.
He also related the concept of gaman (sic). Essentially, the concept means that employees do what their superior tells them to do whether they want to or not. Furthermore, they do so while all the while saying and acting like they are happy to do it. The underlying unhappiness or stress must never be revealed due to the formality of the society. It may sound odd to those of us used to the western idea of speaking up for ourselves and taking a stand at times, but it's simply not how it's done in Japan.
Lunch: On own
Roger, Jason, Karen and I wandered nearby and wound up in a noodle shop catering to the throns of businessmen looking for a quick lunch. For 430 yen ($4.00 US) I had a heaping bowl of ramen noodles with vegetables and pork. It was filling, tasty and cheap.
1:00pm-2:30pm: Sociology of Education - Takehiko Kariya, Professor, Graduate School of Education, University of Tokyo
I was looking forward to this session due to my interest in sociology. The content of this session was pretty interesting but the delivery was not as strong as it needed to be to really catch our attention.
Students in Japan do not normally question teachers, or even professors at the university level, like students in the US are taught to do. Professor Kariya has studied and taught in the US and Japan so his perspective is pretty meaningful on this type of issue. Teachers and professors in Japan have the knowledge and expertise and students are expected to listen and take notes. This is a generalization and does not necessarily apply to all classrooms all the time.
Japan has an interesting per pupil spending ratio. Unlike the US where richer districts tend to spend more per student, the trend is the opposite in Japan due to a number of factors, most notably the way federal funding works. Also, the poorer schools tend to have fewer students and smaller schools and therefore fewer students per class so the per pupil cost goes up. It's complicated but worth mentioning.
Major reforms have been instituted over the past decade including the elimination of the six-day school week (half a day on Saturdays used to be required) and the reduction of required course content by 30%. Admissions policies at universities are also changing to allow for more essay and teacher recommendation status in the decision. Idea regarding school vouchers, performance-related-pay for teachers and school choice are also in progress on at least a limited basis in Japan.
Japan, traditionally revered for students' performance on math exams, has seen math scores drop significantly between 1989 and 2001. In 1989 nearly 40% of elementary school students scored above a 90% while in 2001 that number dropped to 13%. A similar trend shows up in junior high. Students report studying fewer and fewer minutes outside of the school day between 1989 and 2001 as well. The disparity between students from low socio-economic areas and those from higher ones is also growing not only in performance but in student perception of their own abilities as found in a study by this professor speaking to us today.
Evening: Dinner on ownI had been doing some research on U2 and went to the guest relations desk to see if they could locate any tickets. They left me a note with a place to go within walking distance to buy tickets, a map of how to get there and a map and route information for how to get from the hotel to the arena for the performance. Kevin, Jason, Karen, Rachel, Katie and I headed to the Keio Plaza Mall (at Shinjuku Station) to find the ticket agency. When we got in there,
we found out that tickets were still available at 10000 yen ($80 US) for seats pretty low and to the side of the stage. The view probably won't be amazing, but we're going to be with 30,000 Japanese people singing and cheering for U2; it's going to be great.Then we took the train to Harajuku (the same place I went yesterday) and did some people watching and walked around. I didn't make any purchases, but it was fun to get out and enjoy our waning time together.
As most of us have now had our fill of fish, fish soup, fish-flavored candy and all other fishy concoctions, we stopped at KFC for some fried chicken on the way back to the hotel. After finishing my two pieces and cole slaw (there are no mashed potatoes in Japan, the only potatoes are in the form of french fries), I also had two slices of Domino's pizza that someone else purchased. The funny part is that I've eaten more American fast food in the past two days here in Tokyo than I do in a month at home.
We stopped back at the hotel brifely before adding Roger to our group to go back to the place we went last night where Roger was going to play flute along with the jazz pianist. We got there and that all happened which
was pretty cool. Roger was so excited and we were all happy for him to have the opportunity. We didn't stay for long though because we had to be back at the hotel at 9:15pm to figure out the details for our Yukuhashi group presentation scheduled for tomorrow.My role in the presentation is acting out kendo with Kevin. Roger is our sensei and another guy in our group, Chuck, will be narrating. It is a pretty short little skit, but it should be good
especially given the fact we go on 9th out of 10 groups and everyone is going to be wishing for something a little entertaining.As the last 36 hours of the JFMF program is upon us, I feel it appropriate to comment on how amazing of an experience this has been. I've loved the places I've been to, the people I've met (American and Japanese) and everything about it. If any teachers come across this, I highly recommend applying for the program. A trip worth nearly $30,000, amazing people and the chance of a lifetime. DO IT!
Saturday, November 18, 2006
Monday, November 27
Morning: Breakfast at ryokan
I didn't eat much breakfast this morning. It was a traditional Japanese breakfast that included much fish. The oyster soup was very good though. After the official breakfast was over, I had a can of coffee and a bottle of water from the vending machine before we left for the airport.
8:30am: Depart ryokan
10:00am: Leave Fukuoka Airport (ANA Flight #248)
Moving through Japanese airports is calm and efficient. We arrived at the airport at 9:15am for a 10:00am flight. That was enough time to check in (group check in meant we didn't wait in any lines), check bags and proceed through security. Security at these airports is friendly and service-oriented. Have something banned in your bag? No problem, they'll check it for you. Having trouble carrying everything up to the conveyor belt? No problem, someone will take it from your hands and set it on its way. Lots of pleasant greetings all around too. Liquids are not banned on Japanese flights like they are in the US, but they do check bottles in this cool machine. I don't know what the machine does exactly, but it results in a green light. All the bags that were checked for the flight were scanned at the terminal entrance as well. Sounds like we've made things extremely complicated without really making much of a safety improvement back at home.
The first 20 minutes of the flight was terrible. We took off in rain and the turbulence was bad. It got to the point that I was holding hands with the woman next to me (from our group) as she said "Lord, have mercy." I was scared. Know what the scariest part was? The flight attendants or captain would make an announcement in Japanese and, unlike the scripted announcements, there was never any English translation. So I had no idea if the announcement was that it would be getting smoother or we were in for it. It eventually cleared up, but it was shaky (literally) for awhile.
11:30am: Arrive Haneda Airport
1:00pm: Arrive Keio Plaza Hotel
Lunch: On your own
I joined a number of our group members for lunch at McDonald's. I had vowed not to do that earlier in the trip, but I needed a break from fish. I had a Big Mac meal. McDonald's in Japan is not exactly the same as there were some unique menu options. More interesting, though, was the garbage can (yes, garbage cans can be interesting). There is an area on top to dump any leftover liquids, one side to put in trash and another to place the straw and cup lids
for recycling. I'm noticing that Japan is a nation of contrast. Recycling and conservation is hugely important yet every cookie is wrapped individually in a box of cookies.
After lunch, I split from the group and spent the afternoon on my own exploring Harajuku. Here's the description from my guidebook: "The mecca of Tokyo's younger generation, Harajuku swarms throughout the week with teenagers in search of fashion and fun. At its center is Omotesando Dori, a fashionable tree-lined avenue flanked by trendy shops, restaurants, and sidewalk cafes, making it a premier promenade for people-watching. Nearby is Takeshita Dori, a narrow pedestrian lane packed with young people looking for the latest in inexpensive clothing."
It was a cool place to explore. I wandered into a cool toy store with tons of American toys, new and old (including Transformers). They also had a Made in the USA ribbon section with those annoying ribbons people put on their cars. Like the used American clothing store I went into, Japanese teens seem to be consuming American fashion trends like crazy so maybe these ribbons are just another example of that. I went in and out of some of the hip places in that shopping area. Most of the clothing was fetish and/or risque. Girls and guys alike were working to outdo one 
another with what they were wearing. I didn't get many good pictures because I didn't think I could just take them, but there were lots of short skirts, big boots and dyed hair (and that's just the boys).
While walking I saw two big tour buses emblazoned with U2 at a traffic light, music blaring. A few minutes later I was in a shop and heard a guy with an American accent talking loudly on a cellphone (Japanese don't do this). As I was thinking 'typical American' I
overheard some snippets of conversation. "I talked to Bono and he wants to go out to dinner tonight without the translator...We need some bigger cars for him than those vans...Make sure there is bottled water in every vehicle tomorrow." It turns out U2 is in Tokyo this week and some of his tour management team was in that store. I looked online to try to get tickets (they are only $80), but they seem to be sold out and the shows begin our last night when we have a dinner to go to. It would have been awesome to see U2 in Tokyo though.
3:00pm-5:00pm: Hotel check in
I got into my room around 5:15 and started unpacking and repacking. There are only a few days left in the program and I need to figure out how in the world I'm getting everything home in these bags.
Evening: Dinner on your own
I met up with Jason (New Jersey - Art) and Katie (Kentucky - 8th grade English) for dinner. We had noodles, pot stickers and fried rice and caught up on what happened in our various prefectures. They both went to
Hiroshima and hung out with one another only the entire time because of group conflict (like I've described in my group). Now we're organizing to go out for a little while tonight before getting back into the formal program tomorrow morning.
Roger, Karen, Kevin, Jason, Christy, Diane and I went to a cool place where a live jazz pianist was performing. Roger talked to the woman for awhile and now he is performing at this place tomorrow night on flute so we're all going to go to support him there. It
should be fun. While there, Kevin and the two women working made cranes for one another and then Roger cut out their silhouettes. Fun! The group splintered after awhile and Roger, Karen and I finished the night hanging out at the hotel.
I didn't eat much breakfast this morning. It was a traditional Japanese breakfast that included much fish. The oyster soup was very good though. After the official breakfast was over, I had a can of coffee and a bottle of water from the vending machine before we left for the airport.
8:30am: Depart ryokan
10:00am: Leave Fukuoka Airport (ANA Flight #248)
Moving through Japanese airports is calm and efficient. We arrived at the airport at 9:15am for a 10:00am flight. That was enough time to check in (group check in meant we didn't wait in any lines), check bags and proceed through security. Security at these airports is friendly and service-oriented. Have something banned in your bag? No problem, they'll check it for you. Having trouble carrying everything up to the conveyor belt? No problem, someone will take it from your hands and set it on its way. Lots of pleasant greetings all around too. Liquids are not banned on Japanese flights like they are in the US, but they do check bottles in this cool machine. I don't know what the machine does exactly, but it results in a green light. All the bags that were checked for the flight were scanned at the terminal entrance as well. Sounds like we've made things extremely complicated without really making much of a safety improvement back at home.
The first 20 minutes of the flight was terrible. We took off in rain and the turbulence was bad. It got to the point that I was holding hands with the woman next to me (from our group) as she said "Lord, have mercy." I was scared. Know what the scariest part was? The flight attendants or captain would make an announcement in Japanese and, unlike the scripted announcements, there was never any English translation. So I had no idea if the announcement was that it would be getting smoother or we were in for it. It eventually cleared up, but it was shaky (literally) for awhile.
11:30am: Arrive Haneda Airport
1:00pm: Arrive Keio Plaza Hotel
Lunch: On your ownI joined a number of our group members for lunch at McDonald's. I had vowed not to do that earlier in the trip, but I needed a break from fish. I had a Big Mac meal. McDonald's in Japan is not exactly the same as there were some unique menu options. More interesting, though, was the garbage can (yes, garbage cans can be interesting). There is an area on top to dump any leftover liquids, one side to put in trash and another to place the straw and cup lids
for recycling. I'm noticing that Japan is a nation of contrast. Recycling and conservation is hugely important yet every cookie is wrapped individually in a box of cookies.After lunch, I split from the group and spent the afternoon on my own exploring Harajuku. Here's the description from my guidebook: "The mecca of Tokyo's younger generation, Harajuku swarms throughout the week with teenagers in search of fashion and fun. At its center is Omotesando Dori, a fashionable tree-lined avenue flanked by trendy shops, restaurants, and sidewalk cafes, making it a premier promenade for people-watching. Nearby is Takeshita Dori, a narrow pedestrian lane packed with young people looking for the latest in inexpensive clothing."
It was a cool place to explore. I wandered into a cool toy store with tons of American toys, new and old (including Transformers). They also had a Made in the USA ribbon section with those annoying ribbons people put on their cars. Like the used American clothing store I went into, Japanese teens seem to be consuming American fashion trends like crazy so maybe these ribbons are just another example of that. I went in and out of some of the hip places in that shopping area. Most of the clothing was fetish and/or risque. Girls and guys alike were working to outdo one 
another with what they were wearing. I didn't get many good pictures because I didn't think I could just take them, but there were lots of short skirts, big boots and dyed hair (and that's just the boys).While walking I saw two big tour buses emblazoned with U2 at a traffic light, music blaring. A few minutes later I was in a shop and heard a guy with an American accent talking loudly on a cellphone (Japanese don't do this). As I was thinking 'typical American' I
overheard some snippets of conversation. "I talked to Bono and he wants to go out to dinner tonight without the translator...We need some bigger cars for him than those vans...Make sure there is bottled water in every vehicle tomorrow." It turns out U2 is in Tokyo this week and some of his tour management team was in that store. I looked online to try to get tickets (they are only $80), but they seem to be sold out and the shows begin our last night when we have a dinner to go to. It would have been awesome to see U2 in Tokyo though.
3:00pm-5:00pm: Hotel check in
I got into my room around 5:15 and started unpacking and repacking. There are only a few days left in the program and I need to figure out how in the world I'm getting everything home in these bags.
Evening: Dinner on your own
I met up with Jason (New Jersey - Art) and Katie (Kentucky - 8th grade English) for dinner. We had noodles, pot stickers and fried rice and caught up on what happened in our various prefectures. They both went to
Hiroshima and hung out with one another only the entire time because of group conflict (like I've described in my group). Now we're organizing to go out for a little while tonight before getting back into the formal program tomorrow morning.It's nice to get back and meet up with people we haven't seen in a week, but I'm missing the close bond that developed among our small group of 4-5 in Yukuhashi. We really got to know each other pretty well and have inside jokes and shared experiences that fall 
flat when shared with other people. This is what will happen when I get home and people, even those that really do care and want to get it, have trouble comprehending why something I think is important has any meaning.
flat when shared with other people. This is what will happen when I get home and people, even those that really do care and want to get it, have trouble comprehending why something I think is important has any meaning.Roger, Karen, Kevin, Jason, Christy, Diane and I went to a cool place where a live jazz pianist was performing. Roger talked to the woman for awhile and now he is performing at this place tomorrow night on flute so we're all going to go to support him there. It
should be fun. While there, Kevin and the two women working made cranes for one another and then Roger cut out their silhouettes. Fun! The group splintered after awhile and Roger, Karen and I finished the night hanging out at the hotel. Only two more nights to go - things are really winding down.
Sunday, November 26
Home Stay
I woke up at 6:30am to get ready for our trip to Nagasaki. No one else was awake so I kind of got ready on my own and hung out. It turned out that the host parents overslept so we got out on time at 7:30am but didn’t have time for the planned Japanese breakfast. Instead we grabbed sandwiches at 7-11 for breakfast. How’s that for an American experience?
The trip to Nagasaki took about 2.5 hours. I kept nodding off while driving even though I was trying to keep awake. I felt kind of guilty, but there was nothing I could do about it.
We only had a short time in Nagasaki, but I’m so appreciative of the effort it took to get us there. We walked through the peace park and took the Atomic Bomb Museum tour. The closest experience to it in the United States would be the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C. There were really powerful
photographs and videos taken on or immediately after August 9, 1945 showing the devastation, child corpses and all. There was also great information about how the atomic bombs worked, the decision making process of the American leaders and so on. It turns out Nagasaki wasn’t even the primary target that day. It was another city in the area, but smoke and cloud cover forced them to move onto Nagasaki, the secondary target.
The museum tour and the two books I purchased at the end
covered the events neutrally explaining both sides of the story pretty fairly. The two books are Nagasaki Peace Guidebook (A handbook for peace studies at the Atomic Bomb Museum and related sites) and Nagasaki Under the Bomb (Experiences of young college girls). They should come in useful when developing my Follow-on Plan for this program.
The trip to Nagasaki took about 2.5 hours. I kept nodding off while driving even though I was trying to keep awake. I felt kind of guilty, but there was nothing I could do about it.We only had a short time in Nagasaki, but I’m so appreciative of the effort it took to get us there. We walked through the peace park and took the Atomic Bomb Museum tour. The closest experience to it in the United States would be the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C. There were really powerful
photographs and videos taken on or immediately after August 9, 1945 showing the devastation, child corpses and all. There was also great information about how the atomic bombs worked, the decision making process of the American leaders and so on. It turns out Nagasaki wasn’t even the primary target that day. It was another city in the area, but smoke and cloud cover forced them to move onto Nagasaki, the secondary target.The museum tour and the two books I purchased at the end
covered the events neutrally explaining both sides of the story pretty fairly. The two books are Nagasaki Peace Guidebook (A handbook for peace studies at the Atomic Bomb Museum and related sites) and Nagasaki Under the Bomb (Experiences of young college girls). They should come in useful when developing my Follow-on Plan for this program. No pictures were allowed inside the museum so that's why I don't have a lot to post.
Before we left the city, we stopped in Chinatown for some traditional
Chinese food. For those that love American versions of Chinese food, this is so much more amazing. We had to wolf it down because of time constraints, but I had a great noodle dish with shrimp, other seafood, pork and vegetables. I also had some pork served on a roll that was amazing.
I slept much of the trip back to Yukuhashi. We did about five hours of driving for 1-2 hours worth of activity. It was so nice of this family to go through that much trouble for me. I really
appreciated it and so I hope they realized that.
3:30pm: Meet at city hall
When we arrived at city hall, our guide Keiko asked me to make a speech on behalf of the group as we left the city and our collective families. Here’s what I said:
“Konnichiwa. On behalf of our group of twenty American
educators, please accept my gratitude for the hospitality everyone in Yukuhashi-city has shown us over the past week. We leave your wonderful city having gained personal relationships with students, teachers, and, most importantly you, our host families. From the bottom of my heart, domo arigato gozaimas.”
3:45pm: Depart city hall
As we departed many of the families were crying as were some of our group members as they related their stories of their experiences with the host families. Some real good connections were made so that was a cool part of the program for all of us.
5:30pm: Arrive ryokan and check in
The ryokan, a traditional Japanese inn, is real cool. It’s modern in the lobby with numerous hot springs. The rooms have tatami mats for sitting and sleeping, much like the home I stayed in last night.
Evening: Dinner at ryokan
Dinner was set up traditionally as we entered and sat on the tatami mats on the floor and had women in kimonos serving us a number of courses. It was more modern as karaoke was available for two hours as well. Only a few people were really participating in the singing so it wasn’t a big deal that I didn’t want to sing myself. We had a good time at the dinner/party, though, overall.
After dinner my main Yukuhashi group (Karen, Rachel, Roger and Kevin) and I all hung out in one room talking, laughing and having a good time. While it seemed like we were going late into the evening, it really wasn’t all that late. This has been a them throughout the trip. The prefecture portion of our program closed in grand style and now it’s time to get back to Tokyo.
Before we left the city, we stopped in Chinatown for some traditional
Chinese food. For those that love American versions of Chinese food, this is so much more amazing. We had to wolf it down because of time constraints, but I had a great noodle dish with shrimp, other seafood, pork and vegetables. I also had some pork served on a roll that was amazing.I slept much of the trip back to Yukuhashi. We did about five hours of driving for 1-2 hours worth of activity. It was so nice of this family to go through that much trouble for me. I really
appreciated it and so I hope they realized that.3:30pm: Meet at city hall
When we arrived at city hall, our guide Keiko asked me to make a speech on behalf of the group as we left the city and our collective families. Here’s what I said:
“Konnichiwa. On behalf of our group of twenty American
educators, please accept my gratitude for the hospitality everyone in Yukuhashi-city has shown us over the past week. We leave your wonderful city having gained personal relationships with students, teachers, and, most importantly you, our host families. From the bottom of my heart, domo arigato gozaimas.”3:45pm: Depart city hall
As we departed many of the families were crying as were some of our group members as they related their stories of their experiences with the host families. Some real good connections were made so that was a cool part of the program for all of us.
5:30pm: Arrive ryokan and check in
The ryokan, a traditional Japanese inn, is real cool. It’s modern in the lobby with numerous hot springs. The rooms have tatami mats for sitting and sleeping, much like the home I stayed in last night.
Evening: Dinner at ryokanDinner was set up traditionally as we entered and sat on the tatami mats on the floor and had women in kimonos serving us a number of courses. It was more modern as karaoke was available for two hours as well. Only a few people were really participating in the singing so it wasn’t a big deal that I didn’t want to sing myself. We had a good time at the dinner/party, though, overall.
After dinner my main Yukuhashi group (Karen, Rachel, Roger and Kevin) and I all hung out in one room talking, laughing and having a good time. While it seemed like we were going late into the evening, it really wasn’t all that late. This has been a them throughout the trip. The prefecture portion of our program closed in grand style and now it’s time to get back to Tokyo.Saturday, November 25
Morning: Breakfast at hotel10:00am: Meet your host family
My host father picked me up and drove me out of Yukuhashi to his home in a smaller town nearby. The area is quite rural with lots of rice paddies and small narrow roads. He lives quite close to Toyotsu Senior High School that we visited yesterday. In fact all three of his kids go/went there and he, his father and his grandfather all went there as well.
We sat and talked for awhile in his beautiful home. I met his wife, who speaks no English, and briefly met his oldest son, a law student, who also speaks no English.
My host father, his wife and I went to lunch back in Yukuhashi at a cool little place where you cook your own food. I'd read about this prior to traveling so I'm glad I had the experience. You place your order from the menu and then they bring you a bowl with all the ingredients for your entree. You mix it all up and put it on a hot griddle in the center of the table. It's topped with a variety of things including seaweed flecks (think oregano) and the final product is sort of like a quiche. I had shrimp in mine and had tastes of the others - pork and oyster.
On the way back to their home, we stopped a supermarket. This was more like a Super Wal-mart with food items, clothing, electronics, etc. Electronics seem to be lower priced here than at home, possibly because the items in US stores are mostly imported from Japan anyway. We were at the supermarket for awhile so I noticed at least a couple things. Fish really is unbelievably cheap in all forms. The check out clerks work ultra-fast, but they simply take items out of your small basket and place it into another basket. Then you take that to a bagging table and do that yourself. They love packaging here so items were bagged sometimes in small individual bags before being put into the large plastic bags. For a society that values the environment so much, they sure do produce a lot of waste from excessive wrapping.
We spent a few minutes back at home and then the father and I went to see the town's temple. It was pretty impressive, but we only stayed for a few minutes because the museum itself was closed.Next we stopped at the local museum. For a relatively small, rural town, this was an impressive museum with quite a collection of artifacts from the past few thousand years. This region of Japan was inhabited as far back as 5000 years ago. Wow! I was really appreciative of the host father making such an effort to show me historical sites nearby.
We relaxed at home for awhile after that. His wife left because she was attending an end of the year party (I'm not sure what that is exactly). I
met his younger son in passing because he is spending every minute studying for the exams that begin Monday. I met his daughter briefly as well after she came back from university and before she went to her part time job. Neither of these children spoke English either so there was some general bowing and basic greetings exchanged but little more than that.Before leaving, his wife prepared all the ingredients for our dinner. Then the sushi was delivered. They have a service here where you
call in the morning and your sushi order is made and delivered to your door. It's like pizza delivery in the US. I ate dinner with the two male children, the host father and one of the boy's friends. In addition, the host father's father, who lives next door, joined us for the meal. We had tons of sushi (tuna, salmon, shrimp, octopus, squid, salmon eggs, etc.) and other food cooked in what looks like a slow cooker (mushrooms, bean sprouts, tofu, chicken, cabbage, carrots). It was a wonderful, huge meal.The host father served as an interpreter after dinner while the two boys and I talked. They asked some questions about America. Does everyone have a gun? I was asked this when staying in Greece as a high school student too. Why are McDonalds hamburgers and drinks so much bigger
in the United States than they are in Japan? We exchanged preconceptions about culture, tried to find similarities and pointed out the differences. It was a good cultural exchange that I need to come back to in future entries.Later tonight I watched tv (in Japanese) with the host father and daughter. There were some somewhat awkward moments when he'd leave the room and we'd look at each other and shrug. I was going to try to use my phrase book to talk a little, but then he'd come back and he could translate if needed. We never really did talk much. We watched the news and there were two stories about America. 1) Killed over Playstation 3. They had footage of the after Thanksgiving mobs trampling
each other to get the new PS3. 2) Heart Attack Grille. A restaurant serving some gigantic hamburger and fat Americans stuffing them into their faces. The news crew compared the hamburger to a typical Japanese dinner. We didn't fare well. This is what Americans are known for in Japan - overconsumerism and gluttony. Yay!I did get to watch an hour long special on Hideki Matsui's injury this past season and
his subsequent return. I was able to point out my knowledge of Yankee Stadium and that the Trenton Thunder (his minor league rehab team) is located in New Jersey.The host father gave me an array of amazing gifts tonight that make my calendar and jelly beans pale in comparison. There is a paper Japanese doll, two other doll-like figurines, a hand-crafted coffee cup and plate and a wooden boar as 2007 is the Year of the Boar and it will bring my family health and happiness. How generous...I can't believe it.
We talked about a wide variety of topics throughout the day, but it's after midnight, I'm exhausted and I can't really get all of my thoughts together right now to
summarize everything. I'll have to do that over the next few days. I want to get some rest because I'm getting up at 6am so we can trek to Nagasaki, 2.5 hours away by car tomorrow morning. It might be a late night tomorrow night as well because we are staying at a Japanese inn (ryokan) and we sleep in rooms of 2-3. There is also karaoke scheduled (hopefully I won't need to participate directly).Friday, November 24
Morning: Breakfast at hotel7:40am: Meet at lobby
7:50am: Depart hotel
8:20am: Visit Fukuoka Prefectural Toyotsu Senior High School
This would be our final school visit of the program. When we arrived at the high school, we learned that it was the final day of classes before major semester exams begin on Monday. All of the classes were in review mode and none of the special class like art or music were meeting. There was also no formal welcome ceremony as we had experienced previously. We were stationed for the day in a new building that isn't even open to students yet. The natural wood floors and paneling, great sunlight and overall design was great.
This school was unique for a number of reasons. It actually houses a junior high school (grades 6-9) and high school (10-12) on the same campus. We would only be visiting the high school classes though.
8:30am: Observation of classes
I began in a tenth grade math class where students participated
minimally during a lecture in advanced algebra. I noticed that boys and girls in this school wore almost identical uniforms with girls wearing a skirt rather than pants. From the back of the room, it was difficult to identify gender. The concept of uniforms interests me. While detractors of the idea say it takes away from personal identity and expression, proponents argue it decreases the visual separation of classes and reduces the possibility of ridicule due to clothing style or labels identification. I'm still developing my position on this issue.
Note: Even at the high school level, students remain in one classroom except for their specials. Teachers do the moving. There are some exceptions to this when a science class needs a lab or something but is the general rule.
In a twelfth grade political economy class, I observed the teacher instructing students about CO2 emissions. From the chart on the board, it was obvious that he was showing emissions from the
European Union, United States and Japan. Next to the EU and Japan, he wrote OK and next to the US he wrote NO. Then he put one of my colleagues on the spot and asked her how she felt about this problem. She handled it well and stated she thought the United States was contributing to the problem. This seemed to pacify the teacher and life went on.Note: When the bell rings, it signals teachers to wrap up their lessons. It does not mean students are dismissed.
In a twelfth grade English reading class, students participated in listening excercises to a recording and the teacher. Reading the questions, it was clear that students were expected to comprehend pretty advanced details from the story and the multiple choice questions had distractors tough enough that I had to think pretty hard about a couple of them. Students self graded their practice tests with red pen throughout the lesson. At the teacher's request, I introduced myself to the class in English. I noticed that all instructions were in Japanese. As seniors, I was surprised to find that the class was not being conducted fully in English. This teacher used a good method of calling on students. He'd pick a card from a stack and call out a student number. The student then stood and read or answered depending on the activity. It was quick and efficient and kept everyone on his/her toes. I also like the standing up to speak. It helps with voice projection, public speaking experience and also gets the student moving to benefit kinesthetic learners to some degree. The final reading passage in class today was about the differences in child rearing practices in Japan and North America. This is another example of cross-content information being used in English class.
12:00pm: Lunch at cafeteria at campusLunch was wonderful. To avoid the crunch of students, we ate ahead of time. There were about six meal choices for us (and the students) to choose from. I had hamburger with vegetables, rice, miso soup, etc. It was delicious. After lunch I bought a frozen jello for 50 yen (50 cents) that was great too.
Then students started coming in for their lunches. Most of us
stayed to talk with them. Rachel (see previous posts) and I had a wonderful conversation with a small group of tenth grade boys. One in particular had great English skills and we used a phrase book to fill in the blanks as needed. There was a cute cultural barrier when we tried to ask the boys why they didn't sit with girls in the cafeteria. Somehow the meaning got misconstrued and one boy thought Rachel was flirting with him. He started say hot, hot, hot and waving his arms. It was funny (although I fear it's not coming across that way here).1:20pm: Observation of classes
I returned to a twelfth grade political economy class after lunch. This time I stayed for the entire lesson on CO2 emissions. As it developed, I figured the teacher would call on me at some point due to the fact he did it in the morning and this time I was the only US teacher in the room. While he conducted the lesson, I looked up some key words and phrases: kankyo (environment), kogai (pollution), shizenhogo (conservation), honto ni sumimasen (I'm very sorry) and watashi wa hazukashi des (I'm embarrased). The teacher worked hard to speak to me in English and with the help of his students, he got his points across to me throughout the period. Eventually he told me that greenhouse gases and global warming are serious issues in Japan and wanted to know if they were in the United States. I told him they were to me, but perhaps not to President Bush. He seemed to appreciate that. Then I told him I was embarrased in Japanese. I probably pronounced it poorly, but Japanese people tend to appreciate any attempts.
It also broke the ice a bit more. He asked if the change in government a few weeks ago (do you think anyone in the US knows about the elections in Japan though?) would turn US policy around on environmental issues. I said I hoped so, but he countered (rightly) that businesses are too powerful in the US on these issues. Then this Japanese teacher went on to diagram the separation of powers in the US government system on the board. He explained the difference between Democrats and Republicans, Congress and the president. Then he asked me to speak about American democracy for a minute. So I stood with no preparation and basically summarized what I think he had been talking about. I guess I did okay on the spot.
He allowed his star English student to ask me a few questions. The student asked me my position on Iraq and North Korea. These are sensitive issues that I had to handle politically. I told him I didn't like Iraq and he said he didn't either. And I said that North Korea was a dangerous situation (I didn't take any stance).
Then the teacher asked where I was from and told his students it was near New York. So he drew Manhattan on the board and then highlighted key landmarks (very accurately) like Central and Battery parks, the Statue of Liberty, World Trade Center, and Broadway. He was right on. It was a great experience and I'm glad I returned to see them same class that second time.
3:25pm: Discussion with teachers
This discussion actually took place after the tour. Like has happened previously, answers to questions from the Japanese teachers turned into generalizing about the US based on one state. I did learn that state testing varies significantly from state to state. While NJ high school students take standardized tests in only math and language arts (with science in testing mode), students in North Carolina take standardized tests for all state required courses and students in Illinois must take the SAT to graduate (their score matters not).
The topic of part-time jobs for students came up at lunch and again after school. Students never take part-time jobs. Their job is to study and that is a full time job. This is a far different picture than that in America.
The school day at this high school is 9 hours and 35 minutes (including 10 minute passing time between classes) and teachers put in 12-15 hour days and teach 18-22 classes a week. At Ridge High School, the school day is 6 hours and 50 minutes and teachers put in 8-9 hour days and teach 25 classes a week.
4:10pm: Observation of school facilitiesToyotsu High School is the oldest in Fukuoka prefecture at 250 years old (older than the US). The school library houses "500 pieces of historical material, such as various kinds of records and old documents, old maps, pictures and diagrams..." At one point the school was used by a samurai clan as a training center. The "black gate," the traditional entrance to the grounds, is opened only three times a year. It was opened for us today.
We entered the "shieikan," the traditional assembly hall that is today used as a meeting place and auditorium. Around the area are two huge stone pillars with inscriptions made by the first and second principals of the school. There are also monuments for famous alumni authors and other notable individuals. While the main school structure is only 35 years old, it is being torn down and rebuilt in two years. This is paid for entirely by the prefectural government and this is how school construction works throughout the country. Schools last for 30-40 years and are replaced and upgraded.
5:00pm: Leave high school
Before we left the school, each of us was allowed to take a couple small paintings on cardboard done by an art teacher. They are amazing. This gift-giving is taking place everywhere we go in Yukuhashi. We received a few gifts yesterday as well.
5:30pm: Arrive Miyako Hotel - meet your host familyI met my host father yesterday, but we spent some more time talking tonight as we waited for the formal ceremonies to begin.
6:00pm-8:00pm: Welcome reception at Miyako HotelThere were long, tedious speeches made by half a dozen officials of the city and school system to celebrate our participation in the program in this city. Even my host father commented that it was long and hard to stay interested. Then each of us introduces ourselves in Japanese to the assembled crowd. We each received hand crafted brushes for calligraphy and a piece of artwork here as well.
Dinner was a great spread of traditional foods including sushi, sashimi, fruit, vegetables, cooked seafood, noodles, etc. I spent the evening talking with and learning about my host.
He is in his first year at his current school as principal and served as principal elsewhere first. Prior to administration he taught for 20+ years first as an elementary teacher and then as a junior high English teacher. In Japan, administrators earn those positions by moving up the ranks from teacher. There is no additional licensing or education required. He also moved to the United Arab Emirates with his family for three years and taught in a Japanese school catering to Japanese families working for the oil companies there. What an experience that must have been. I look forward to talking with him and the rest of the family about that experience when I meet them tomorrow.
8:20pm: Return to hotel
Thursday, November 23
Happy Thanksgiving from Yukuhashi, Japan!
Morning: Breakfast at hotel
Today was a bit of a (much needed) down day in some regards. We did not meet until 9:30am so I slept in as late as possible and skipped the hotel breakfast for a cereal bar in my room.
Japan is celebrating a national holiday today too - Labor Thanksgiving Day. The day celebrates all of the working Japanese for their dedication. Businesses are still generally open today, but government offices are closed.
9:30am-11:30am: Meeting with parents at city hall conference room
We met with five parents for a great exchange of ideas. This was done without any representatives of the school district to allow for an open, honest discussion. When asked to define the number one problem facing schools in Japan, answers focused on funding and bullying.
We learned that most junior high and high school students get home from school between 7 and 8pm due to extracurricular activities. Then they go on to music lessons if they are taking any and homework which seemed to be about 1-2 hours. The parents also identified media (computers, video games, tv) as a problem for the youth of Japan so I asked how they found time with their busy schedules. Elementary school students, unlike the older ones, get home from school by 4:30pm and have little homework to do. It seems like a situation that is steadily deteriorating because as the youngest kids move up, they will be used to long hours in front of a tv and less time outside or studying.
Going to a top university does not equal happiness. This is the stance I've taken in the United States as well. Getting into Harvard, Yale or Princeton doesn't mean you'll be happy. You may make money (or you may not), but happiness comes from a lot more than just cash.
These parents believe there is a significant gap between the highest achieving students and lowest and that's a problem.
We exchanged ideas of things going on in both countries and answered their questions. As has been the case in other meetings like this one, some of our group members tend to become long-winded and self-centered. They speak about their school as if that example represents American education universally and that is impossible to do.
Some facts and figures. The average cost for high school education in Yukuhashi (because high school is not compulsory, parents pay) is $250/month for public and $500/month for private. The federal public university costs $12,000/year for tuition. The average home in Yukuhashi, with 60 square meters of space, is $250,000. A home half that size in Tokyo would cost $500,000. The average salary in 1996 was $5200/month. As some participants from the city stated, richer people can afford better education (in this case at the University of Tokyo).
The problems and concerns of the parents here echo those of people across the United States. The education systems are battling similar issues in both areas.
12:00pm: Lunch
The parents and some local education officials joined us for lunch at a wonderful traditional Japanese restaurant. It was amazing in terms of quantity and quality. At my table, in addition to four American teachers, was one of the Japanese parents, Masayuki Iduchi. His English was fairly good so we had some great conversation. Karen from Oregon (I wrote about her Japanese ancestry in yesterday's blog) was at the table and so he spoke to her about her Japanese roots. It turns out that he is the chief priest for a Buddhist temple here and it's the same branch of Buddhism that her grandparents worship in Sacramento, California. Today is also his birthday so we invited him to join us at Take 5 later tonight. He accepted the offer and seemed genuinely excited at the prospects.
1:30pm: Jokiji Temple - Experience flower arrangement, tea ceremony and Koto
This is the largest Buddhist temple in Kyushu (the southern island of Japan). It was built 511 years ago. The chief priest informed us that we were the first Americans ever to step foot inside of it. Wow! Two American soldiers entered the outer gates, but they never entered the actual building.
We experienced a variety of traditional Japanese activities at the temple beginning with a tea ceremony. We ate sweets as instructed, drank powerful green tea and then had the opportunity to make the tea ourselves. Following the tea ceremony, we were invited to play koto which we had been listening to throughout the afternoon. I was lucky to have had the opportunity to play through the piece 4-5 times. We performed something about Cherry Blossoms, a Japanese folk song. Unfortunately my camera batteries were dying so I don't have 
many pictures and no video of this. They presented us with the music and some other literature about the temple as a gift.
Then we moved to another room for a calligraphy demonstration. The master teacher showed us how to write mountain in five variations of kanji, the writing style derived from Chinese. The kanji characters evolved at various points making it extremely complex. Some of the characters don't look anything like others so for someone to be able to write in all the different forms is very
impressive. He also wrote United States-America friendship and then three of our group members attempted to replicate it to the best of their abilities.
Next, we participated in flower arranging. All of us were provided a vase and a bundle of flowers and then we went to town coming up with a design. The masters walked about and made adjustments and suggestions to fix our shortcomings. It was pretty fun, but I wasn't all that good at it.
After a quick peek into the gardens, we were off.
4:20pm: Return to hotel
We didn't get back until after 5 and opted for some down time before going out. I worked on my blog, made a phone call and tried to relax. Many of the JFMFers are complaining that the schedule is arduous and they have us too busy. I disagree completely. I have time to go out and enjoy myself nearly every night on a trip that was paid for by somebody else. This schedule is not that taxing and we have plenty of time to do as we please.
Evening: Dinner on your own
At 9pm, my regular foursome of Roger, Karen and Rachel headed over to Take 5. Masayuki Iduchi and his friend, Masashi Tsukahara, were waiting for us outside. After quick introductions, we went inside, said hello to the owner/bartender Mr. Fukuoka (a high school classmate of Mr. Iduchi) and grabbed a table. We spent the next 2.5 hours talking, laughing and having a good time with these two men. Another small contingent of our group stopped by and joined us for a little while, but then they were off and we remained. For dinner, I ate shrimp and crab with mushrooms and it was unbelievable. The Japanese men were shocked that we all love the food here. Mr. Iduchi traveled to the United States about 10 years ago and he said he liked some American food but not salad or steak.
We had some great cultural exchanges and some barriers to overcome as well. We talked baseball (Red Sox vs. Yankees), we talked culture, there were magic tricks - you name it.
During one praticularly profound moment, Mr. Iduchi suggest, "Our cultures are different but the people are the same." I couldn't agree more. The history and experiences of Japan and the United States are far from similar, but we all want the same things in life. There was a deep and meaningful connection made at our table tonight and, at least for the six of us, we'll remember the experience for a long time.
The exchanging of meishi (business cards) is very important in Japan. We did this with Mr. Iduchi at lunch. Tonight, he was able to recite the information on the cards. He told his friend that I was the marching band instructor and newspaper advisor, he remembered all of our names. He even went onto Karen's blog and mentioned specific details about entries she's made about the trip and the fact she's getting married next October. This kind of attention to detail is important in personal relations and it really made us feel special that he put in so much effort to get to know us. And this is all on his birthday too.
Morning: Breakfast at hotel
Today was a bit of a (much needed) down day in some regards. We did not meet until 9:30am so I slept in as late as possible and skipped the hotel breakfast for a cereal bar in my room.
Japan is celebrating a national holiday today too - Labor Thanksgiving Day. The day celebrates all of the working Japanese for their dedication. Businesses are still generally open today, but government offices are closed.
9:30am-11:30am: Meeting with parents at city hall conference room
We met with five parents for a great exchange of ideas. This was done without any representatives of the school district to allow for an open, honest discussion. When asked to define the number one problem facing schools in Japan, answers focused on funding and bullying.
We learned that most junior high and high school students get home from school between 7 and 8pm due to extracurricular activities. Then they go on to music lessons if they are taking any and homework which seemed to be about 1-2 hours. The parents also identified media (computers, video games, tv) as a problem for the youth of Japan so I asked how they found time with their busy schedules. Elementary school students, unlike the older ones, get home from school by 4:30pm and have little homework to do. It seems like a situation that is steadily deteriorating because as the youngest kids move up, they will be used to long hours in front of a tv and less time outside or studying.
Going to a top university does not equal happiness. This is the stance I've taken in the United States as well. Getting into Harvard, Yale or Princeton doesn't mean you'll be happy. You may make money (or you may not), but happiness comes from a lot more than just cash.
These parents believe there is a significant gap between the highest achieving students and lowest and that's a problem.
We exchanged ideas of things going on in both countries and answered their questions. As has been the case in other meetings like this one, some of our group members tend to become long-winded and self-centered. They speak about their school as if that example represents American education universally and that is impossible to do.
Some facts and figures. The average cost for high school education in Yukuhashi (because high school is not compulsory, parents pay) is $250/month for public and $500/month for private. The federal public university costs $12,000/year for tuition. The average home in Yukuhashi, with 60 square meters of space, is $250,000. A home half that size in Tokyo would cost $500,000. The average salary in 1996 was $5200/month. As some participants from the city stated, richer people can afford better education (in this case at the University of Tokyo).
The problems and concerns of the parents here echo those of people across the United States. The education systems are battling similar issues in both areas.
12:00pm: LunchThe parents and some local education officials joined us for lunch at a wonderful traditional Japanese restaurant. It was amazing in terms of quantity and quality. At my table, in addition to four American teachers, was one of the Japanese parents, Masayuki Iduchi. His English was fairly good so we had some great conversation. Karen from Oregon (I wrote about her Japanese ancestry in yesterday's blog) was at the table and so he spoke to her about her Japanese roots. It turns out that he is the chief priest for a Buddhist temple here and it's the same branch of Buddhism that her grandparents worship in Sacramento, California. Today is also his birthday so we invited him to join us at Take 5 later tonight. He accepted the offer and seemed genuinely excited at the prospects.
1:30pm: Jokiji Temple - Experience flower arrangement, tea ceremony and KotoThis is the largest Buddhist temple in Kyushu (the southern island of Japan). It was built 511 years ago. The chief priest informed us that we were the first Americans ever to step foot inside of it. Wow! Two American soldiers entered the outer gates, but they never entered the actual building.
We experienced a variety of traditional Japanese activities at the temple beginning with a tea ceremony. We ate sweets as instructed, drank powerful green tea and then had the opportunity to make the tea ourselves. Following the tea ceremony, we were invited to play koto which we had been listening to throughout the afternoon. I was lucky to have had the opportunity to play through the piece 4-5 times. We performed something about Cherry Blossoms, a Japanese folk song. Unfortunately my camera batteries were dying so I don't have 
many pictures and no video of this. They presented us with the music and some other literature about the temple as a gift.Then we moved to another room for a calligraphy demonstration. The master teacher showed us how to write mountain in five variations of kanji, the writing style derived from Chinese. The kanji characters evolved at various points making it extremely complex. Some of the characters don't look anything like others so for someone to be able to write in all the different forms is very
impressive. He also wrote United States-America friendship and then three of our group members attempted to replicate it to the best of their abilities.Next, we participated in flower arranging. All of us were provided a vase and a bundle of flowers and then we went to town coming up with a design. The masters walked about and made adjustments and suggestions to fix our shortcomings. It was pretty fun, but I wasn't all that good at it.
After a quick peek into the gardens, we were off.
4:20pm: Return to hotel
We didn't get back until after 5 and opted for some down time before going out. I worked on my blog, made a phone call and tried to relax. Many of the JFMFers are complaining that the schedule is arduous and they have us too busy. I disagree completely. I have time to go out and enjoy myself nearly every night on a trip that was paid for by somebody else. This schedule is not that taxing and we have plenty of time to do as we please.
Evening: Dinner on your own
At 9pm, my regular foursome of Roger, Karen and Rachel headed over to Take 5. Masayuki Iduchi and his friend, Masashi Tsukahara, were waiting for us outside. After quick introductions, we went inside, said hello to the owner/bartender Mr. Fukuoka (a high school classmate of Mr. Iduchi) and grabbed a table. We spent the next 2.5 hours talking, laughing and having a good time with these two men. Another small contingent of our group stopped by and joined us for a little while, but then they were off and we remained. For dinner, I ate shrimp and crab with mushrooms and it was unbelievable. The Japanese men were shocked that we all love the food here. Mr. Iduchi traveled to the United States about 10 years ago and he said he liked some American food but not salad or steak.We had some great cultural exchanges and some barriers to overcome as well. We talked baseball (Red Sox vs. Yankees), we talked culture, there were magic tricks - you name it.
During one praticularly profound moment, Mr. Iduchi suggest, "Our cultures are different but the people are the same." I couldn't agree more. The history and experiences of Japan and the United States are far from similar, but we all want the same things in life. There was a deep and meaningful connection made at our table tonight and, at least for the six of us, we'll remember the experience for a long time.The exchanging of meishi (business cards) is very important in Japan. We did this with Mr. Iduchi at lunch. Tonight, he was able to recite the information on the cards. He told his friend that I was the marching band instructor and newspaper advisor, he remembered all of our names. He even went onto Karen's blog and mentioned specific details about entries she's made about the trip and the fact she's getting married next October. This kind of attention to detail is important in personal relations and it really made us feel special that he put in so much effort to get to know us. And this is all on his birthday too.
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