And the funniest menu translation I've ever seen, from Chinese to Engrish.
And my own addition, from Sapporo. You know how I like spas. And beer!
Friday, May 23, 2008
Fun
Lots of great Engrish.
And the funniest menu translation I've ever seen, from Chinese to Engrish.
And my own addition, from Sapporo. You know how I like spas. And beer!
And the funniest menu translation I've ever seen, from Chinese to Engrish.
And my own addition, from Sapporo. You know how I like spas. And beer!
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Comparing the Educational Experience
“International comparisons rank the United States a stunningly unimpressive eighteenth for high school graduation rates, a lackluster ranking of fifteenth for high school reading assessments among 15-year-olds in developed countries, and an embarrassing 25th for high school math.”: Former governor of West Virginia, Bob Wise is president of the Alliance for Excellent Education, a policy and advocacy group committed to improving the high schools. His book is “Raising the Grade: How High School Reform Can Save Our Youth and Our Nation”
Now, nearly everything I can claim to know about public education in the US is limited to what I read in the newspaper. I was fortunate (???) enough to go to parochial schools from grade 1 through university. After college I worked one year as an AmeriCorps volunteer in public high schools in Portland, Oregon, and after that for a year in alternative school settings for at-risk youth.
Now I have worked nearly one year in public elementary and junior high schools in Furano, Hokkaido, Japan. I am daily surprised by what I see here. Although Japanese students are famously far ahead of their American peers in learning math, science and languages, they also seem to be way ahead in arts as well. Not just those with special interest: ALL of them. All the students in my town receive extensive education in music (playing recorders, understanding the parts of a symphony, music history, chorus, conducting, and composing), even beyond what I learned as a high school student filling my schedule with music classes. In arts they all learn sketching, line drawing, pottery, painting, sewing and woodworking. In gym class they learn judo, kendo, basketball, dogeball, baseball, and DANCING. Boys and girls together, they do a lot of dance routines to modern J-pop songs (and, I'll add, the boys are not ashamed to do it - they're as excited and focused as the girls). I'm telling you, these kids are well-rounded and enjoy learning this stuff.
At one small school, the entire class of twelve students each played an instrument. One student conducted while all the others played their own unique instrument, and they sounded AMAZING. I could have recorded the music and sold it, it was that good. Their determination brought tears to my eyes. It isn't that Japanese students are necessarily more talented than American students... but that they are expected to achieve and have a good time doing it. They take pride in singing together as a class, or learning how to conduct in 6/8 time, or memorizing all the steps to a dance to their favorite band. These children, just like those at home, come from whole families and broken families. Some get tons of support and a hot breakfast every day. Some don't eat breakfast in the morning because there isn't enough food. Some are up till three in the morning because their parents don't care enough to turn off the TV and send them to bed. Kids here have the same challenges, but most of them here do perform better.
Other basic differences: Students take responsibility for and pride in their schools, a little more, because they do most of the cleaning. They serve their own lunches and eat with their homeroom classes. In Japan teachers move between classrooms and the homeroom class remains in their room for most classes (except domestic arts, PE, music or art). The homeroom teacher of each class is responsible for students to a surprising extent. If a student is caught shoplifting or out after curfew, is is the homeroom teacher who police call first. The teacher visits all students homes at least once a year to meet with the parent and see the condition of the home.
There is so much more I should write about: Japanese students' lack of creativity. Unwillingness to make mistakes. Respect and politeness to teachers and uperclasspeople. Military-like marching drills in PE and for special assemblies. Bullying. Curiosity-bordering-on-fear of the different. Abhorrence for being the outcast. Adult encouragement of student leadership skills. Uniformity as the standard for everything. Childlike open hearts, even through puberty. The pressure of entrance examinations. My observations about acculturation as they age. Poor eyesight and video games. School gardens. Politeness and generosity. These kids are gold, really.
Hokkaido
After touring the main island of Honshu, Nick and I and Mom flew up to Hokkaido. For about a week Mom stayed at our place, attended classes with me, and saw a little of our region. It was fun to show her things that have become everyday to us, yet are bewildering and strange to her. (And I wonder about reverse culture shock, this coming fall?)
Cherry blossoms, or sakura, are a really big deal in Japan. For months the national weather report includes a segment on the "Sakura Front" as the flowers bloom first in southern japan, and as spring moves northward so go the flowers. Unfortunately I missed most of the blooms in Hokkaido as I happened to be in Kyoto... but hoorah! Some sakura were blooming in Sapporo, at the *very famous* historic red brick building.
It was cold in Hokkaido and these girls insisted on being stylish. Truth be told, some Sapporo girls wear little shorts in the dead of winter. Fashionistas till the end.
After ten days of intensive travel we weren't very interested in exploring Sapporo. We got some Indian food (yummmm) and got on a train home to Furano.
Although chilly, tulips and daffodils and lilacs are blooming right now.
One day a teacher-friend took Mom and I on a big trip into the mountains for some hiking and onsen.
Watch out for bears on the trail! The bears are just waking up right now and tend to be grumpy and hungry...
Tenninkyo Falls is in Daisetsuzan National Park. I guess the meaning of the fall name has something to do with "a see-through ladies' evening dress". So, um, Lingerie Falls.
A short while after planting, farmers flood the rice fields. The reflections are beautiful!
Teaching at Nishi Junior High.
Preparing the grape vines at Nunobe Junior High.
A "kampai" with sake!
Mom, Nick and I are so grateful for your visit!
Cherry blossoms, or sakura, are a really big deal in Japan. For months the national weather report includes a segment on the "Sakura Front" as the flowers bloom first in southern japan, and as spring moves northward so go the flowers. Unfortunately I missed most of the blooms in Hokkaido as I happened to be in Kyoto... but hoorah! Some sakura were blooming in Sapporo, at the *very famous* historic red brick building.
It was cold in Hokkaido and these girls insisted on being stylish. Truth be told, some Sapporo girls wear little shorts in the dead of winter. Fashionistas till the end.
After ten days of intensive travel we weren't very interested in exploring Sapporo. We got some Indian food (yummmm) and got on a train home to Furano.
Although chilly, tulips and daffodils and lilacs are blooming right now.
One day a teacher-friend took Mom and I on a big trip into the mountains for some hiking and onsen.
Watch out for bears on the trail! The bears are just waking up right now and tend to be grumpy and hungry...
Tenninkyo Falls is in Daisetsuzan National Park. I guess the meaning of the fall name has something to do with "a see-through ladies' evening dress". So, um, Lingerie Falls.
A short while after planting, farmers flood the rice fields. The reflections are beautiful!
Teaching at Nishi Junior High.
Preparing the grape vines at Nunobe Junior High.
A "kampai" with sake!
Mom, Nick and I are so grateful for your visit!
Kansai Travels: Practicalities
I must say that with all of this travel experience, Nick and I are becoming a good team. I am great at doing the initial research and reservations, and he's great at manouvering through public transportation. I am good at asking for directions in Japanese, and he's good at keeping the both of us calm when lost.
Our trip to historical Japan intitiated in the "Kansai region" of Osaka, Kyoto and Nara. We got around by bus and train. It was Golden Week, the busiest travel time in Japan.
Busses were packed!
After about a week in Kansai we took the Shinkansen Bullet train down to Hiroshima. Expensive but spacious and fast!
Hiroshima uses streetcars in the city, which is fun and unique in Japan.
From Hiroshima we took a ferry to Miyajima Island.
Then we flew from Hiroshima to Sapporo on JAL. And used trains to get back to Furano. That part was easy!
We stayed in multiple different styles of lodging:
In Osaka and Kyoto we stayed in very clean-modern hostels.
In Kyoto we also stayed at in "temple lodging". We received a tour of the historical temple and brief instruction about Zen mediation. Our room was spare but beautiful.
In Hiroshima we stayed at a "ryokan" or traditional Japanese inn. This usually includes a shared bath, Japanese-style rooms, and sleeping on futons on tatami mats. The owner of our ryokan was wonderful and I managed to understand her Japanese directions most of the time!
Our ryokan host even let us try on her kimonos!
Alltogether a great trip!
Our trip to historical Japan intitiated in the "Kansai region" of Osaka, Kyoto and Nara. We got around by bus and train. It was Golden Week, the busiest travel time in Japan.
Busses were packed!
After about a week in Kansai we took the Shinkansen Bullet train down to Hiroshima. Expensive but spacious and fast!
Hiroshima uses streetcars in the city, which is fun and unique in Japan.
From Hiroshima we took a ferry to Miyajima Island.
Then we flew from Hiroshima to Sapporo on JAL. And used trains to get back to Furano. That part was easy!
We stayed in multiple different styles of lodging:
In Osaka and Kyoto we stayed in very clean-modern hostels.
In Kyoto we also stayed at in "temple lodging". We received a tour of the historical temple and brief instruction about Zen mediation. Our room was spare but beautiful.
In Hiroshima we stayed at a "ryokan" or traditional Japanese inn. This usually includes a shared bath, Japanese-style rooms, and sleeping on futons on tatami mats. The owner of our ryokan was wonderful and I managed to understand her Japanese directions most of the time!
Our ryokan host even let us try on her kimonos!
Alltogether a great trip!
Friday, May 16, 2008
J-Pop and the White Lie
Most religions of the world discourage lies; even small, well-intended ones. There are many good reasons for this.
I seem to have put myself in a bit of a situation. In order to aly myself with a new batch of junior high students, I perhapsmaybesortof exaggerated my appreciation for a certain famous J-pop band. Unfortunately I chose the most ridiculous band possible. These guys are... barely men. They have serious Japanese-style guybrows (carefully waxed and drawn in with a browliner), big hairsprayed hair with barrettes, and an extraordinarily effeminate dance lineup. I have no idea how these guys can pass as manly hearthrobs. Clearly I am an ignorant barbarian lacking appreciation for this incredible talent.
Now I`m being excitedly quizzed by my students: which is my favorite member? What CD`s do I have? Did I go to any of their live shows? Do I have any posters or keyholders or pencil cases with their pictures?
I must say that all the stereotypes about Japanese pop are not true. Some of it is catchy and fun and even creative. There`s some great hip-hop and reggae. But the saccharine stuff is certainly as popular here as one might expect. (ENTER: frightening flashbacks of NKOTB, Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears...)
I seem to have put myself in a bit of a situation. In order to aly myself with a new batch of junior high students, I perhapsmaybesortof exaggerated my appreciation for a certain famous J-pop band. Unfortunately I chose the most ridiculous band possible. These guys are... barely men. They have serious Japanese-style guybrows (carefully waxed and drawn in with a browliner), big hairsprayed hair with barrettes, and an extraordinarily effeminate dance lineup. I have no idea how these guys can pass as manly hearthrobs. Clearly I am an ignorant barbarian lacking appreciation for this incredible talent.
Now I`m being excitedly quizzed by my students: which is my favorite member? What CD`s do I have? Did I go to any of their live shows? Do I have any posters or keyholders or pencil cases with their pictures?
I must say that all the stereotypes about Japanese pop are not true. Some of it is catchy and fun and even creative. There`s some great hip-hop and reggae. But the saccharine stuff is certainly as popular here as one might expect. (ENTER: frightening flashbacks of NKOTB, Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears...)
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Food Shortages
All around Asia, people are experiencing shortages of rice. Here in Japan, we have no BUTTER. Even in dairy-rich Hokkaido, no butter! I found a great cookie recipe that makes it all seem okay:
Peanut Butter Banana Raisin Cookies
INGREDIENTS
1 banana, peeled and mashed
1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 egg whites or 1 egg
2 tablespoons molasses
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped dark chocolate
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
In a medium bowl, stir together mashed banana, peanut butter, white sugar and brown sugar until smooth. Then mix in the egg. Add flour and baking soda, mix until just blended, then stir in the rolled oats and raisins.
Chill cookie dough, drop onto an unprepared cookie sheet. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven. When cookies are done, remove from the baking sheet and cool on wire racks.
Of course, the peanut butter and oatmeal used in this recipe are ingredients I imported from home last month. Thanks to my wonderful mother for making yummy batches of peanut-butter cookies during her visit to Hokkaido! Yay!
Peanut Butter Banana Raisin Cookies
INGREDIENTS
1 banana, peeled and mashed
1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 egg whites or 1 egg
2 tablespoons molasses
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped dark chocolate
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
In a medium bowl, stir together mashed banana, peanut butter, white sugar and brown sugar until smooth. Then mix in the egg. Add flour and baking soda, mix until just blended, then stir in the rolled oats and raisins.
Chill cookie dough, drop onto an unprepared cookie sheet. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven. When cookies are done, remove from the baking sheet and cool on wire racks.
Of course, the peanut butter and oatmeal used in this recipe are ingredients I imported from home last month. Thanks to my wonderful mother for making yummy batches of peanut-butter cookies during her visit to Hokkaido! Yay!
Thai Hospitality
I just recieved the most incredible email from the hospital in Trat, Thailand. This, I`ll remind you, was where I stayed for a couple days after my foot/knee/elbow/shoulder injuries from a scooter accident. Expensive! But it was an incredible place, clean and spacious, with orchids on my pillow. The doctors were well-trained and provided excellent care (unfortunately infinitely better than any treatment I have received in Hokkaido). And now this follow-up email just makes me laugh! Amazing.
P.S. I am pretty sure there is gravel still under the skin in my elbow, working its way up. How gross is that?!
Nara
Nara was founded as a capital city in 710CE. It is famous for many historical Buddhist temples, as well as a large park, Nara Koen, in the center of the city. The park is full of hundreds of disgusting smelly pooping sacred deer, to whom tourists are encouraged to feed 'deer cookies'. The sacred deer follow tourists around the temple grounds begging for cookies. Not my favorite part of the trip.
Todai Temple is an incredible site with busloads of tourists and many spiritual pilgrims. Within Todai-ji is Daibutsu-ji, the largest wooden structure in the world, which contains a 15-meter tall statue of Buddah. The body of the statue was reconstructed in 1185, and the 5.3-meter-high head was rebuilt in 1692. At 15 meters, it is the largest gilt-bronze statue in the world.
Kofuku-ji's five-story pagoda is viewed as a symbol of Nara. It was part of the temple of the ruling family clan of Japan during Nara's reign as capital. The temple was built around 669CE. That's old.
Todai Temple is an incredible site with busloads of tourists and many spiritual pilgrims. Within Todai-ji is Daibutsu-ji, the largest wooden structure in the world, which contains a 15-meter tall statue of Buddah. The body of the statue was reconstructed in 1185, and the 5.3-meter-high head was rebuilt in 1692. At 15 meters, it is the largest gilt-bronze statue in the world.
Kofuku-ji's five-story pagoda is viewed as a symbol of Nara. It was part of the temple of the ruling family clan of Japan during Nara's reign as capital. The temple was built around 669CE. That's old.
Hiroshima and Miyajima
Many Japanese people discouraged our effort to go to Hiroshima, as there is "nothing there to see". I am glad we went. It was important for us, as Americans and citizens of the world, to witness to the plight and peacemaking of the people of this city. Please do go there.
The United States dropped an atomic bomb on the city of Hiroshima in August 1945. Hiroshima was a city known for education with multiple universities, and its historic military facilities. The city was chosen as target for several reasons including: 1) no Allied POW camps were in the Hiroshima area, 2) unlike most other major Japanese cities, Hiroshima had not yet been firebombed by Allied forces, which means that the city had visible "targets" remaining, and 3) the city was a military stronghold. After the nuclear attack, Hiroshima was rebuilt as a "peace memorial city". The city government continues to advocate for the abolition of nuclear weapons, the mayor writing a letter of protest every time a nuclear weapon has been detonated anywhere in the world (including tests) since the city's bombing, and has advocated more broadly for world peace.
Within our first few hours in town, we went to see "it". The Atomic Bomb blew up just over this government building, which survived the blast. However, nearly every other building was leveled within a kilometer diameter.
After taking some quiet photos, we sought food. Okonomiyaki is one of our favorite Japanese foods, and the people of Hiroshima make a unique style much-contested in the rest of the country. We had to try it at the epicenter: the Okonomiyaki Mura. This is a small building full of okonomiyaki restaurants, about five shops on each of six floors. That's a LOT of yaki.
The Hiroshima-style is layered and includes noodles (soba or udon). It's interesting... but kinda dry and not my favorite. We needed a lot of beer to wash it down. Don't tell that to the locals, peaceful as they may be.
The morning after, slightly hung-over, we walked back into town early. The Hiroshima flower festival was in full swing, with lots of vendors and cultural activities to enjoy. These guys were pounding rice into mochi in the traditional way.
They invited Mom to join in the fun! (She nearly pounded her assistant's hand in the process - oops!) As she pounded, a small crowd gathered and cheered her on. I was highly aware of the graciousness of these people to welcome an American woman in such a public way... it brought tears to my eyes.
Then she joined the ladies in rolling out the mochi balls, which they fried and offered us to eat. So kind!
The children's memorial was a touching monument to the international yearning for peace. In the center is a bell, which children and adults line up to prayerfully ring as a clarion call for peace. Surrounding the bell are glass boxes FILLED with millions of paper cranes made by children from all over the world. You and your class or organization can make cranes to contribute to this memorial! http://www.pcf.city.hiroshima.jp/
This sculpture of mother and child is ringed with thousands of paper cranes.
This is the central monument in Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. The giant coffin under this arch contains unidentified remains of hundreds of people.
After prayers and tears, we sought refuge at sea. It was said, after the Bomb, that "nothing will grow for seventy-five years". And yet the spring after the bomb, some grasses and trees put out green. What an incredible miracle for the savaged survivors of this crime against all that is Good!
We visited nearby Miyajima island, famous for monkeys and temples and bamboo rice paddles and... lots of other stuff we didn't see. It was our last day of intense travel and Mom was threatening to have a "temple tantrum" if we went to one more tourist spot. So we took the high road in the opposite directions of the hoards, to some quiet beaches. Fire meets water. It was so good for my soul to be there.
Avoiding the tourist spots proved to be most rewarding. We were invited to join three men, middle-aged triathletes from Hiroshima, in their beach picnic. In an amusing mix of Japanesie, Engrish, and gestures, we spent hours getting to know eachother.
It seems that Miyajima, too, has friendly local deer.
Our new friends hosted us at a great sushi restaurant that night and then took us to see the *very famous* Miyajima Torii Gate. The "floating torii" here is the third-most-beautiful view in Japan, so the prerequisite picture (through a dirty lens, sorry):
The next morning we flew together from Hiroshima to Sapporo.
P.S. Of all the (many) posts I wrote about our trip, this one was the most difficult to convey. After several years of intentional "peace work" in the Pacific Northwest, and my growing inclination toward spiritual pacifism, it is possible that my trip to Hiroshima will be my single most impressive day in Japan. I imagined that my job as 'teacher' and 'internationalizer' would enable me with numerous opportunities to convey my wish for peaceful relations between East and West. Instead, I fear that during this painful year I may have widened the gulf. My heart is broken. Of course, my students and co-teachers generally-hopefully know me to be a loving and intentional teacher. My Japanese friends know me to be curious and communicative. But my heart is not peaceful here. I have so much to learn about peacemaking. And more to process later, when I am healed and can be more generous of heart...
The United States dropped an atomic bomb on the city of Hiroshima in August 1945. Hiroshima was a city known for education with multiple universities, and its historic military facilities. The city was chosen as target for several reasons including: 1) no Allied POW camps were in the Hiroshima area, 2) unlike most other major Japanese cities, Hiroshima had not yet been firebombed by Allied forces, which means that the city had visible "targets" remaining, and 3) the city was a military stronghold. After the nuclear attack, Hiroshima was rebuilt as a "peace memorial city". The city government continues to advocate for the abolition of nuclear weapons, the mayor writing a letter of protest every time a nuclear weapon has been detonated anywhere in the world (including tests) since the city's bombing, and has advocated more broadly for world peace.
Within our first few hours in town, we went to see "it". The Atomic Bomb blew up just over this government building, which survived the blast. However, nearly every other building was leveled within a kilometer diameter.
After taking some quiet photos, we sought food. Okonomiyaki is one of our favorite Japanese foods, and the people of Hiroshima make a unique style much-contested in the rest of the country. We had to try it at the epicenter: the Okonomiyaki Mura. This is a small building full of okonomiyaki restaurants, about five shops on each of six floors. That's a LOT of yaki.
The Hiroshima-style is layered and includes noodles (soba or udon). It's interesting... but kinda dry and not my favorite. We needed a lot of beer to wash it down. Don't tell that to the locals, peaceful as they may be.
The morning after, slightly hung-over, we walked back into town early. The Hiroshima flower festival was in full swing, with lots of vendors and cultural activities to enjoy. These guys were pounding rice into mochi in the traditional way.
They invited Mom to join in the fun! (She nearly pounded her assistant's hand in the process - oops!) As she pounded, a small crowd gathered and cheered her on. I was highly aware of the graciousness of these people to welcome an American woman in such a public way... it brought tears to my eyes.
Then she joined the ladies in rolling out the mochi balls, which they fried and offered us to eat. So kind!
The children's memorial was a touching monument to the international yearning for peace. In the center is a bell, which children and adults line up to prayerfully ring as a clarion call for peace. Surrounding the bell are glass boxes FILLED with millions of paper cranes made by children from all over the world. You and your class or organization can make cranes to contribute to this memorial! http://www.pcf.city.hiroshima.jp/
This sculpture of mother and child is ringed with thousands of paper cranes.
This is the central monument in Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. The giant coffin under this arch contains unidentified remains of hundreds of people.
After prayers and tears, we sought refuge at sea. It was said, after the Bomb, that "nothing will grow for seventy-five years". And yet the spring after the bomb, some grasses and trees put out green. What an incredible miracle for the savaged survivors of this crime against all that is Good!
We visited nearby Miyajima island, famous for monkeys and temples and bamboo rice paddles and... lots of other stuff we didn't see. It was our last day of intense travel and Mom was threatening to have a "temple tantrum" if we went to one more tourist spot. So we took the high road in the opposite directions of the hoards, to some quiet beaches. Fire meets water. It was so good for my soul to be there.
Avoiding the tourist spots proved to be most rewarding. We were invited to join three men, middle-aged triathletes from Hiroshima, in their beach picnic. In an amusing mix of Japanesie, Engrish, and gestures, we spent hours getting to know eachother.
It seems that Miyajima, too, has friendly local deer.
Our new friends hosted us at a great sushi restaurant that night and then took us to see the *very famous* Miyajima Torii Gate. The "floating torii" here is the third-most-beautiful view in Japan, so the prerequisite picture (through a dirty lens, sorry):
The next morning we flew together from Hiroshima to Sapporo.
P.S. Of all the (many) posts I wrote about our trip, this one was the most difficult to convey. After several years of intentional "peace work" in the Pacific Northwest, and my growing inclination toward spiritual pacifism, it is possible that my trip to Hiroshima will be my single most impressive day in Japan. I imagined that my job as 'teacher' and 'internationalizer' would enable me with numerous opportunities to convey my wish for peaceful relations between East and West. Instead, I fear that during this painful year I may have widened the gulf. My heart is broken. Of course, my students and co-teachers generally-hopefully know me to be a loving and intentional teacher. My Japanese friends know me to be curious and communicative. But my heart is not peaceful here. I have so much to learn about peacemaking. And more to process later, when I am healed and can be more generous of heart...
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