"Yes, we Kan!"

Another English teacher at school told such a funny joke the other day that I feel obligated to share: What's the new Japanese Prime Minister's slogan? ......... "Yes, we Kan!"

While I've been blabbering on about differences and sports festivals, I've neglected to update you all on a very important happening in Japan! Though, if you follow current events you'll have already heard about it: Japan got a new Prime Minister and his name is Naoto KAN! (hahaha!) On my second day in Japan, Mr. Yukio Hatoyama was elected prime minister of Japan by a landslide. A very popular person; he seems very refined, sophisticated, and serious. Apparently, that was eventually his downfall...Now the new Prime Minister, Mr. KAN has taken office.

But I digress. First I shall tell you all about the climb that led to the fall. When Mr. Hatoyama was campaigning, he promised to remove the military base on the southern most island of Japan, Okinawa. This is obviously a strategically important position for the U.S. with China and North Korea close enough to launch tomatoes and missiles and whatever else. But the people in Okinawa feel that it's equally important for them to have their island and their independence back. Understandable, yes?

I'm grateful to be in Japan at this important time in foreign relations. I feel like it's a great opportunity to see this issue from both sides! Of course, I naturally feel an understanding about the U.S.'s need for ultimate power. That's what Americans do...not my cup of tea to be honest. I think (and perhaps the rest of the globe is with me) that America should stick it's big nose in it's own problems. And yet, I think the rest of the globe is a bit frightened for the peace. I know I am. Peace is so fragile and even though I don't support war or violence, especially when it's unecessary, it seems like a shakey time to remove military forces that for better or worse, help keep the peace.

And I can understand the feelings of Japanese. Can you? American military bases are not the most pleasant of neighbors, I'm sure. And the Japanese, in my estimation, are very polite, reposed, and thoughtful about the matter, but sick and tired of American influence in Japan. That is a huge generalization, by the way. There are many Japanese who strongly believe the base should stay where it is and want America's influence in politics, culture, and other areas. With each person you ask, you'll likely get a different answer.

So, poor Mr. Hatoyama was booted out of office and a new Mr. Kan took up his mantle. Since that time, Mr. Kan instigated a plan to move the base to a less-populated area of Okinawa. Mr. Kan's approval rating is also starting to fall like his predecessor's did. I think the public is jaded, and tired of leaders that disappoint them. They've had five prime ministers in the last four years and I imagine it's frustrating and detrimental to the interests of the public to have revolving door Prime Ministers.

No one knows what will happen in the next year, but it seems like an important issue internationally. It seems to me that one political leader's decision and tenacity will change the world, one way or another. Now Japan just has to choose which leader.

Honoring Our Differences

I've heard it said that we creatures are more alike than we are different. After traveling round the globe, I must say that I heartily agree. People, no matter where you go, are people. Different sizes, colors, and languages, but in the end all generally homogenous. We all have hopes, dreams, wants and needs. I find these similarities encouraging. When you think about our similarities rather than our differences, the world is an easy place to live in; full of sisters, brothers, and friends!

BUT small differences are everywhere you look! And it's the differences between our cultures that make interacting with each other so interesting! I don't really find differences to be all that significant most of the time. But it is fun to occassionally point them out. :D

There are a lot of differences that I could write about. For example, Americans are used to driving on the right side of the road, threading a needle, turning a key counter-clockwise to lock something, and reading from left to right. All of these practices are opposite in Japan! (Japanese drive on the left side of the road, hold their thread steady and maneuver their needle instead, keys turn counter-clockwise when locking, and Japanese is written from right to left, top to bottom.) And there are certainly more differences for me to discover in Japan, but the most obvious to me are the ones that relate to my job at a Japanese Junior High School.

Now, like I noted, Junior High students are the same world-wide as far as I can tell. They have generally the same interests, priorities, and behaviors. But the schools that they attend are not as identicle. For example, Japanese students belong to a particular homeroom. They stay in that classroom all day long and don't rotate classrooms (other than for P.E., music, and science). Instead, the teachers rotate from classroom to classroom.

Also, students don't have lockers. They keep ALL of their things in their classroom (crowded!).

And school lunches aren't gross. They're actually (usually) quite tasty! Though I do take issue when lunch includes iriko (the little bitty dried fish that still have their eyeballs. they occasionally get decapitated in my soup--hard to eat floating fish heads).

And musn't forget (but I often still do forget!), everyone has indoor and outdoor shoes. So the flip flop of sandals is heard all round inside our school. Probably about 90% of Japanese school students also have uniforms. Our students have a winter uniform and a summer uniform. Appearance is strictly regulated-all students must have black hair (even if your hair is not naturally black!), girls must tie their hair up and they aren't allowed make-up, and boys aren't allowed longer than average hair. Appearance is important in Japan and I think, especially in J.H., the Japanese value uniformity.

There is one "janitor" at my school (at my school of 600 students). I wouldn't really call her a janitor though...she does a lot of miscellaneous, necessary stuff, but everyday there is a cleaning period and the students clean the school (yucky j.h. bathrooms included!).

See? Wasn't that fun?! ;) We have plenty of differences! Japanese and American Junior High Schools are different in a lot of ways. It's interesting to think about all the differences. And I think it's important to recognize that we are different and unique. In the end, differences are great.

But what's truly remarkable is that we're all the same.