Shougakkou bunkasai

- or Elementary school culture festival, to English speakers.

I work at two elementary schools. There is really only one word to describe elementary schools in Japan. That word is: crazy!

The first of my elementaries held their bunkasai, on Sunday,Ostober 25, a day after the Middle school. As usual there were a couple of hilarious performances.

Sixth grade is the final grade in Japanese elemntary schools. Every year the 6th graders'play has something to do with the dreams for their future. This year, the kids spoke of their dreams in front of their "teacher" in a classroom. Now any good Japanese student production needs a twist. So, right after the children told their dreams, aliens landed! (These things happen more often in Japanese plays, than you would imagine!) The aliens said they had seen the future and the children would all become fishermen and rice farmers.

At that point, I got a little bit depressed, because that's quite possibly true. It's no secret that the emphasis is on "fitting in" in Japanese society. My town in semi-rural: farmers and fishemen fight right in.

But then the play took an unexpected twist- having lived in Japan for a year, the aliens were almost predictable- the kids refused to take the destiny the aliens gave them. They decided that they would be what they wanted to be. And the aliens? They had no choice but to leave.

One giant step for 6th grade. One small step for the town of Ichinohe. Maybe...






Another memorable play was the 3rd grade production. It was abotu Doraemon, probably one of the best known early anime characters. Those of you who grew up in Barbados, like I did, might know that cartoon as Albert and Sidney, because for some reason, that's what it was marketed as there. Anyhow. Back to the play. So these guys decided to kidnap Doraemon. Of all the places in the world to take him, he ends up in Ichinohe, where a group of schoolchildren find him. Then Nobito and company (including 4 girls who simultaneously play Shizuka) use the magic door to find him. But the kidnappers won't return him, unless they can answer some questions. Each time they get a question right they get a clue- a letter (or rather a syllable, because the Japanese alphabet is syllabic), but they miss the last question and so they have to do the town dance around the gym to get Doraemon back!

And by the way, the word they had to get was "to-mo-da-chi", the Japanese for friend.










I seem not to have any pictures o the second grade play. I found it hilarious, and I think it summarizes the Japanese take on Western religion and secular holidays.

There were 4 angels. They were happy in heaven until the Head Angel came along and blew them- yes, with wind- out of heaven. Why? Because they hadn't brushed their teeth! So they got blown to Ichinohe, and they saw the children decorating a Christmas tree and hoping to see Santa Claus. So they decided to call Santa and get him to come to Ichinohe, but they got his answering machine.

Being good little angels, they really wanted to give the kids their wish, so they decided to dress up as Santa and 3 reindeer! Then they summoned the children to the school in the middle of the night to meet Santa. When they did magic, they all had to shout, "Cupid Power!" I was absolutely dying!

When the children get to school, they start to freak out, because Santa Claus is there. They speak to him, and he answers in English. They think Santa is smart for being bilingual! Then someone asks where the presents are. The angels faces fall. They'd forgotten all about presents.

Then God arrives and he's hopping mad! (God, by the way, was played by the principal- who'd also already played an angel in May at Sports Festival!) God tells the children that Santa Claus is inside of all of them, and he makes the angels wish the children back home. "Cupid Power!"

The festival at my other school was relatively normal. It's a small school. Only 31 kids in 6 grades. For me, the highlights were first grader, Nanami's impression of an old lady and the fact that 26 of the kids were in the taiko (Japanese drum) band.



After the bunkasai, there was a mandolin player who sang and played, and had her songs interpreted by a deaf-mute. It was totally random, but there is nowhere in the world more random than that school some days.



That's all for now folks. Here's hoping you have a happy day, and if you don't, just scream, "CUPID POWER!"

Japanese school culture- JHS

So, I've been a bad blogger of late. It's been about 4 months since I've last spoken here. Apologies. There's a helluva lot of catching up to do. And it will be done- in time. For now, I'm just going to jump right back into the swing of things.

Last weekend was my bunkasai (Culture festival) at my Junior High and my big elementary school.

I was pretty exhausted since I left work after 6 every day because I was preparing posters on the Barbadian History and Geography and helping with practices for English recitation and speech contests. Last year, there was a part time English teacher here with me. Since Yuka wasn't involved in any of the other bunkasai preparations, she helped me with the preparations of the Barbados poster, and she translated it into Japanese. This year, Yuka is at a nother school which meant the translation fell to me. It took a long time and a lot of headache, but I managed to translate the major points of Barbadian geography and history into Japanese on my own. I had a teacher check it and I was proud of how few mistakes there were. I even wrote it out in KANJI all by myself. Maybe there is hope yet for me and Japanese!

Saturday was the Junior High School bunkasai. It started with the English Recitations which I introduced in English. It's really all for show, since I doubt any of the parents can understand more than "Good morning" and the names of the students. After the recitations, there was a Japanese Speech contest. This is always the point where it goes downhill for me. I tried to listen to the speehces, but could only understand snatches of what they were saying. Eventually I gave up and started on trying to translate the printed program and the copy of the Principal's and Student Body President's written speeches.

Then the band came on. This is always one of the highlights of my bunkasai. This year, they did Movie Sountracks and they played the Soundtracks from Aladdin and The Little Mermaid. I was so happy I could barely stay in my seat. I was dancing and singing along. I asked my English teacher (JTE) if he'd be doing anything crazy this year. Last year, the Japanese teacher, the Business teacher and the JTE had appeared and pretend sang a popular Japanese song as the band played. He laughed and said, No, but the Maths teacher would. In the middle of the rendition f "Under the Sea" some of the 3rd grade boys ran in, dressed as fish. Then the pushed out the MALE math teacher on a trolley. He was Ariel! Tail and all!

Immediately after the band there was a performance of a town legend by the first years. I don't know what happened because I couldn't understand what they said. But I do know that one of the characters got farted on twice! What a thing to perform in front of your parents.

At lunch recess, the school provided Chicken Rice and I bought an Ichinobe Melon Bread from the PTA. Melon bread is one of the crazy mixes that the Japanese actually got right. It is so good! Ichinobe is a local bread company. I'd never had their melon bread, but it's the best!

The recess was followed by the Choir competition. Each class has to sing as a class in this contest. Someone from the class had to direct and someone else had to play the piano. They do two songs and most classes have a different director and a different pianist for each song. I am always amazed by the number of people who can play the piano and how well they can play it.

The thing that really amazed me about this year's competition was that I actually knew more than half of the songs they sang! Have I been in Japan that long! 2-2 got a special prize for a wonderful a capella rendition. 1-2 won the first year contest, 2-2 one the second years and 3-1 the third. 3-1 won the overall prize.

Then they presented the prizes for the speech contest, the choir contest and the wall newspaper contest (groups of students had made little newpsapers to hang in the classrooms).

After the presentations, there were some more speeches and then, as a student was about to close the bunkasai, the 3rd years stormed the stage and began to sing. I was rather amused, in Japan it doesn't bode well to break the routine. I hope they didn't get into too much trouble and I can't hepl wondering what will happen next year, since the 2nd years are way crazier than the 3rds!

Stay tuned for new of the elementary bunkasai- Doraemon kidnapped, Santa and angels... fun stuff all around!

Surprise- It's the gynaecologist!

Two Thursdays ago, I went into my supervisor's office to give him some information and he gave me a form. I asked him what it was and he said simply medical exam, go to the hospital next Thursday or Friday at the times on the paper. I thought nothing of it. Every year, every Japanese Government employee has to have a full medical, including a chest xray.

I took the form and went on my merry way. On Thursday, I was at the school I have to take the inconvenient bus to get to. So I didn't want to leave there to go to the Health Centre. I would have had to take a taxi. So I decided to go on Friday.

On Friday morning I went to the school and showed them the paper. And told them I need to leave for my medical check. I went to the hospital and had to ask where the Health check was being held. The lady pointed down a hallway to a door that a stream of old ladies was flowing into. I went into the room and was handed a number.

I sat on the floor near a wall. There were 5 seats for patients in the room and those were all occupied by some of the older ladies. All the other patients were sitting on the floor. I started to try to fill out my form. I zoned out a bit, and only vaguely registered the lady saying a number over and over. I looked down at the strip I'd been handed. Sure enough, it was my number. I stood and apologized, loudly enough for the room to hear.

I sat in front of a lady at a long consultation table. She asked me if it was first time doing the town health check. I said yes. She asked me something else that I didn't understand. Looking at the paper, I was disheartened when I realised that it was the first of about 10 questions... This was going to be difficult.

She tried to explain... every month... once... only women... OH! A period! When was my last period?! Then she tried to ask how regularly my period was, and of course had to resort to sking me for days for each month... Then she tried to ask if I had any discharges... which turned "In your panties, yellow or white?" Had I ever been pregnant... Family history of illness (had to explain what diabetes is since I didn't know the word for it, and I didn't even bother trying to explain hypertension... made up a cancer since I wasn't sure which one my Grandfather had)... medical allergies and medicine currently being taken...

Then I went back to my seat on the floor. A nurse introduced herself and began to explain the process as well as the leaflets we'd been given. She told us when we were called behind the blue curtain that we should remove our pants and underwear. I thought I was mistranslating. Then she said something about breasts. It suddenly occured to me that there were only women there... All the patients were female. The consultants were female. The nurses were female. The only males were two clerical workers and the guy handling accounts.

They put on a video about mammograms. Every few minutes the nurse would call names and dispatch them the Health Centre bus outside or behind the curtain. I was trying to figure out the system- it seemed to me you went to the bus before you went to the curtain.



They finally called my name and sent me to the curtain. I wandered behind it. Sure enough, the women were taking off their undergarments. Those who wore pants were changing into skirts. I had no idea I would need to bring a skirt. Luckily there were some loaner towels in a basket. I grabbed one. As expected, it didn't quite fit my very Western behind. I changed and stood in line, waiting to get into the bus. The nurse came in and said, please go in as soon as the last person comes out. We don't want the doctor kept waiting.

When it was my turn I went into the bus. There was a lady ahead of me and 2 doors. The lady asked me if it was my first time. I said yes, but that was the end of our conversation, at that same time, one of the doors opened and a lady came out. The lady in front of me went in.

Shortly after the door on the left went in. Inside there was a short bed, with stirrups at the bottom. There was a curtain at the edge of the bed. I couldn't see the doctor and the doctor couldn't see me. A female hand came around the edge of the curtain. "Form, please."

I gave her the form and got onto the bed. The doctor examined me wordlessly, and then the lady said, "it's over". It was kinda weird. It was nice not to have the doctor see me, (although in my particular case, it would be sorta obvious since I'm possibly the only black woman in the entire prefecture) but it felt a little too detached, sorta like kissing someone, you don't really want to kiss or something.

I left the bus and put my clothes back on. I wandered around the curtain. I wasn't sure if I was done or not. At the same time the doctor doing the mammograms came out of her room. She approached me. "Do you have the white paper?" I told her I only had the pink one. "If you have no more papers you're done."

Oh! It was a gynaecological exam only! Who knew?

Afterwards, I realised that my supervisor must have known when he looked at the form. Poor silly Sugs. Oh well, all is well that ends well!

T 4

I went to see Terminator 4 on Saturday, as I was in Morioka. The amount of time it takes to get a movie in Japan is ridiculous. No one can give me anything I consider to be a good reason why it takes so long. Take Twilight for example: out in November in the USA, in December in most other countries. The last country in which it was released was Japan. Release date: APRIL 4TH!!!! Seriously, what's up with that?

TOA and JET video

I applied to be a Tokyo Orientation Advisor. These are the people who receive the new JETs and guide them when they first arrive in Japan. I believe I am the first person from my country who's chosen to be a TOA. I was accepted and I am super-psyched to be meeting the new JETs. A friend of mine will also be coming in, so I am very excited about that.

I also got an email from CLAIR (the organisation that oversees JET) to participate in the JET video. Keeping my fingers crossed.

Breakdancing comes to the North of Japan

There really is never a dull moment in Japan, unless you're trying to have dull moments... in which case you will obviously succeed.

A new ALT has come to the North of Iwate. When he was back in the US, he used to break dance, so now he's teaching us all how to do it. Most of the ALTs in North Iwate go to class, and we do it outside the train station in one of our towns.

I went for the first time last night. It was loads of fun. And there was an unexpected perk. I realise that I am not going to make massive changes in the English abilities of my students or in the Japanese educational system. So, I just do the best I can. I am however, focussed on the goal of Internationalisation. This is the secondary goal mentione in both the JET program and Interac. It is soemthing that I do every day just by existing. It is something I do every time I participate in a Japanese event. And we were definitely doing it by doing break dancing in a space where we were clearly visible to the public. Every now and again Japanese people would stop by and try a little. Two of them even promised ot come back next week!

New Blood!

Well it`s that time in the ALT year, for changing of the guard.

The school year start s in April here, so Interac and private ALT`s often change at this time. JET`s change to coincide with the Western school year.

We`ve just been joined by one new ALT in Ninohe, 1 in Kunohe and 1 in Karumai. And we`ve just found out who the new JET`s will be in my town as well. I`m superpsyched! (Although I really am going to miss Dan and Tyler :()

One of the new ALTs is married, supporting our theory of sterotypes here. For example, I replaced a black ALT, and I theroise that my post will be given to a Black JET until a black JET does something wrong. Dan`s married and so is his successor. That post will probably go to a married person forever.

At the schools, there are new teachers as well. Japan shuffles teachers around from school to school every few years. The only addition to my life this year, that I really can`t stand is the new Elementary English School book. They`ve decided, to make English teacing in the 5th and 6th grade of elementary school 'official'. SO now it has a text book. It doesn`t come on stream til next year, but they've started using the text book here.

I don`t like the book. For a million reasons.

Logistically: It`s set up for two people to teach together. The form teacher and ALT are supposed to teach the lesson together. Or rather, the form teacher teaches and the ALT supports. None of my teachers have made any effort to do any more than they usually do. Additionally, the teacher`s guide is written only in Japanese. I read enough Japanese to be able ot understand it, but not fully. The book itself is pretty much all pictures, so it`s indecipherable without the teacher`s guide.

The book is a step backwards, because the children will be taught things that many of them have been learning since Kindergarten, and will be taught again in first grade at Junior High. IN addition, it gives the impression, if not explicitly stating, that the importance is on the activity and not on any learning of English. That`s 5 steps in the wron gdirection, Japan. I`ve also noticed that they`ve changed the name of the class. Grades 1-4 have English class. 5 and 6 have Foreign language class... Hmmm... one wonders.