Week in the Life of a Ko Ichinensee: Just Another Manic Monday
February 19, 2007
On Monday morning, I woke up at exactly 6:45 to the sound of my annoying jingling of the cellphone alarm. I was so tired because the weekend, involved one full day of rest, which found me not resting and instead packing all my items into hundreds of suit cases and hauling them to the other side of Kochi City. Yes I moved- switched families- from the Oono's to the Osaki's. Every morning I straighten my hair, jump into to my Tosajoshi school uniform, which resembles a sailor suit, brush my teeth, scuttle through my belongings, and throw the necessities into a school bag. The end result always finds me half asleep, with straight hair, that never stays straight for more than an hour, carrying a heavy bag. This was my first morning in the Osaki household, so I wanted to make a semi-decent impression. After climbing down the 3 flights of stairs into the first floor kitchen, I was warmly greeted with "Ohayou" (G'Morning!) from my host mom and 2 younger host sisters, Maako and Hakari. I sat down at the bar shaped kicthen table, overflowing with papers and proof of the fact that Osaki's have 4 children. My host mom gave me my daily cup of coffee in a mug because I am addicted to coffee. Soon my host brother Yu and my other host sister Kaho entered the kitchen. Everyone ate breakfast, except for me because I never eat breakfast. It's weird but eating so early makes me kind of sick. Then everyone changed into their school uniforms or regular street clothes. Elementary school children don't have to wear school uniforms, but they all wear these little leather back packs that seem to point out the fact that they are elementary school kids. At 7:50, my host mom told me that it is time to go. She was driving me because I had left my bike at the school last friday, thinking it would be easier with the move and all. We get into the Osaki Minivan and drive through the peceful streets of my current host town, Kouda, and into the hectic commuters filled streets of Kochi City. We talk a very little bit, mostly just introductory stuff, after all, I had only just moved into her house yesterday. She asked me what I had planned for after school, and I told her nothing. So she suggested we go to the big sports arena where Maako was having practice and jog. I told it sounded like a good plan. When we arrived at Tosajoshi, I thanked her for the ride to school and told her I'd see her at about 4. She told me to be very careful because I'd never taken the streets before, and if I got lost, I should call her. But honestly, I knew I wasn't going to get lost. I'm very good at finding stuff and finding my way. Since I was very early getting dropped off, I went and waited in the library, where I did a little studying, until the second late bell rang. Then I climbed up 3 of the 5 floors of the Tosajoshi High School main building. I made my way through herds of Japanese school girls screaming and laughing and greeting me with "OHAYOU!" Then I finally reached room 16, my home room, Yano Home. Aimi gave me a greeting smile as I slide open the sliding glass door. My desk is the last desk in the first row and the immediate desk, upon sliding open the door. I quickly took off my jacket, hung it on my seat, took out my Japanese text book, and studied. Friends around me squeel and laugh at each others conversations. I have a lot of friends but this past month I have been spending alot of time by myself. Mostly because these girls have been going to school together for years and have a lot of inside jokes. But also sometimes culture shock, gets the best of me. At first, I worried that my friends were getting tired of me because they didn't talk to me EVERY second. But now I realize that I have way more friends than the average exchange student, but sometimes it is just hard to keep up with a different culture and different lifestyle. At 8:35, when homeroom began, the homeroom teacher, Yano-sensei, briefly took attendance. A few minutes later, he announced that homeroom was finished, and Aimi and Shoko, the class leaders called for everyone to stand up. Then bow to the teacher. It's a very old custom that basically states pure and utmost respect for the authority figure and grand master of the classroom. Everyone is required to do it, but I really don't think it makes its point. The fact is, nobody actualy does it with any enthusiasm. And the only person who actually makes a true bow is the teacher. My first Monday class is English Conversation in the Tosajoshi Middle School. I have a grand total of 4 of these English Conversation classes, but Monday is without a doubt, the greatest of all the classes. I am basically an assistant to the main teacher, Ms. Paula Fabian, born in America, but a Kochi resident for 20 years, and someone who pushes the Japanese culture to the edge. It is definitely the most fun I have during school, and even though it's an English class, I pick up a lot of vocabulary. Ms. Fabian teaches like an American style teacher, interacting and pushing the students to give their own answers and ideas. I think that is the reason why we have such a hard time with these kids though. Japanese students don't have their own ideas. But anyway, Monday's class is still alot of fun. The class is home to the crazy Osca, who firmly believes that she comes from the Sun. When the starting bell rings, the girls of this class have been taught to bow their heads, close their eyes, and meditate until the teacher wishes to begin. Ms. Fabian and I always crack up thinking about spreading this custom to an American classroom. It's just not possible. I have suggested on more than one occasion to leave the students in this mediation for an entire period. Ms. Fabian begins with "Good Morning!" The girls fling their heads up to listen and respond, "Guodo Morningu." "Ms. Fabian continues, "Now say 'Good Morning Julie'" "Guodo Morningu Judie!" "Now how about you ask how she is doing?" Ms. Fabian suggests. "Houw ar yu tuday?" I respond, "I'm very happy (because I just changed host families) How about you? How are you this morning?" But usually I answer tired, sleepy, annoyed, fine, okay, or jubilant (to totally throw them off.) We began the class with Ms. Fabian announcing next's week final test of the school year. She and I then pass out the study sheets she has made for them to work on. The first couple questions on the paper are talked about and written on the board, then I went around and make sure everyone is copying what the teacher is writing. Occasionally this involves me stopping and helping with spelling or answering how to say "..." in English. This class never ceases to impress me, though. "Where do you come from?" Most of the students answer perfectly- "Kochi City." Some are even at an English level to joke around, Osca is now insisting she came from the Moon. The next question is far more difficult, "What is you town like?" Ms. Fabian list some adjectives on the board for the girls to choose from- small, big, loud, noisey, rural, etc. The right answer should be rural, but I'm not the student. Some write, "It has..." with either trees, cars, people, vegetables, etc. I suggsted to Ms. Fabian that it has Hicks. When we are done filling in the questions, the class splits into small groups without any protest, to practice and prepare for next week's final test. I walk around and practice with the few girls who are partnerless. When the bell rings, the class always tells Ms. Fabian and I, "See you!" My next class if the day was Self Study, but I ended up spending most of it talking to Ms. Fabian about my new host family, and why things didn't work out wonderfully with the last one. I really enjoy talking to her. It gives me time to realize that my English is horrible and a chance to complain about the things in Japan that I really don't like. She always complains to me about how much she hates the school system here as well. I think if it weren't for complaints and a common language, I wonder if I would even talk to her at all. I finally made my way to the library, a little late, but not exactly missed. Self Study involves well... self study. Last Thursday a certain occurence took place involving a close friend making an unprovoked remark about my poor Japanese. My Japanese isn't perfect, but it's far from poor. The occurence prompted me to study harder, however. Not that I didn't study hard before. It's just I want to be able to understand alot more of what my new host sisters say to me. My 3rd and 4th period is Home Economics with my homeroom and Nakazawa-sensei. Nakazawa is a really nice teachers even though I think she is way too young to have to deal with teachering high schools. I really can't understand anything of what is being said. So I didn't really pay too much attention. But even if it was in English I wouldnt pay to much attention. The class is really just manners, how to cook, be a good mother, and all that jazz. Essentially everything in steps on how to be the true woman- a housewife. Thus I glue myself to my language studies. My classmates don't pay much attention to class either, most are wrapped up in Manga, loudly conversing, or slumbering blissfully. When the 3rd period ends, I accompanied Shoko, Aimi, Tomoko, and Mosa to the school television room. There the class was to watch a movie on...well... on something. I couldn't figure it out, and I'm not sure anybody else could either. But I do find a pretty funny similiarity between Japanese and American school kids. Both are often forced to watch terrible school-approved movies where the characters can't act to save their lives and have horrible haircuts that only would have been cool in the 80's. And both students from America and Japan spend a lot of time making fun of the movies rather than watching them. It's okay, though, because the movies never make any sense anyway. I learned all about Puberty from a video where the parents made a uterus out of pancakes. I reckon here in Japan, they used Sushi. Every school in Japan has the same bell to end, begin, and give ten minute warning during the morning and lunch hours. To me, it's just a long and really annoying doorbell. (It's the same sound as my neighbors at home!) But to Japanese students it means YASUMI! (Break) Sometimes the bell you hear comes from the various surronding schools in the area, so false hope runs rapid with the Tosajoshi girls. When the actual Tosajoshi bell rang, Yano-homeroom bowed to Nakazawa-sensei and headed back to the homeroom. I've been told on various occasions, that one must never walk alone of they don't have to. It gets kind of annoying, but I walked back with Shoko and Mosa, while Aimi and Tomoko ran to the bread shop for lunch. Back in the homeroom, my lunch group, Aimi, Tomoko, Mosa, and Shoko, pulled up desks and chairs, sat down, and took out their little Bento box lunches. We all say, "Itadekimasu," which is kind of like saying 'Grace' but it has more to do with the culture of Japan than of the religion. I've never actually met a Japanese person who didn't say it. My tiny Bento box was quite tasty. I was surprised because this was my first Bento from my new host mom. 1/2 the box was filled with seasoned rice, while the other half at different treats like Salmon, Spinach, and other sorts of fish. The girls all talked about some random Tosajoshi occurences, while I tried hard to listen and understand what they were talking about. The thing about lunch, is that it used to be a traumatically difficuly experience for me. I am an American, and therefore, I eat fast, or breaking the sound barrier fast in Japan. Japanese girls are so slow that I first thought that they waiting for each other to die, before they could finish eating. In the first few months I finished my lunch box in minutes, while the girls sat around and watched in disgust. In all of their Japanese indirectness, they made comments about how I am always the first to finish... probably in the whole school. To them I pretty much vacuum inhaled the food. In America, I ate at a normal healthy pace. Eating slow gradually became a part of life, and it's not a struggle anymore. Now I finish 3rd in the eating contest, even though my lunch is always the smallesy. I've learned a really good lesson about eating. The slower you eat, the less you eat because you feel fuller, and you learn to enjoy every last bite. After the 2008 came and went, the girls finished and started a card game. I packed up some of my belongings and headed to the library to wait for my next class. I skimmed the book and looked for questions I could ask Arakawa-sensei, the teacher of my next class. When the bell finally rang, a few minutes later, Arakawa-sensei entered the library. She is a really kind older woman, who speaks a little bit of English. I immediately spoke to her in Japanese and asked a few questions. Afterwards she gave me an assignment of particles, which is my worst subject. And not surprisingly, I got nearly half of them wrong. After I bombed the assignment, I asked her what she thought about my Japanese. She respond that since our last lesson, which was probably a month earlier, my Japanese had surged forward. People who have no right to make comments about my Japanese are always making nasty remarks. But when good praise comes from a teacher, I am very happy and quite relieved. She also reamrked that after 6 months, I am at a great level for the halfway point. After all, Japanese is much harder than English, especially for someone who hasn't studied that language prior to coming to Japan. My final class of the day is Gym with my homeroom. So after I thanked Arakawa-sensei, I headed up to the third floor where my classmates were changing into their gym uniforms. Everyone was nearly finished, so I really had to hurry up. Just for the record, if someone back in America ever complain about gym clothes in my presence, I'm going punch them. We have the world's most awful uniform, and I'm totally not exaggerating about that. They are these bright yellow sweat suits with the Tosajoshi flower and the name of the student. Mine says, of all the weird names in the world, "Uraytay." Mind you, that's not a Japanese name. I really haven't a clue what it means. Anyway, individually we look like bananas, while clumped together a group of students looks like a plate of cheese. I can't even begin on the horror and the loathing I possess for this sweat suit. To make matter worse, my uniform is really short so I look like a banana going clam digging. Taking off the sailor uniform isn't exactly easy either. When all is said and done, I look like I stepped out of a Tornado. My group of 5 girls goes to the shoe cubby area, where we change our slipper into the indoor gym shoes. We have a grand total of 4 pairs of shoes at the school, while there are 2,000 students and a little over a 100 teachers. Now I haven't takena math class in a while, but I'm pretty sure that means there are about 8,500 pairs of shoes in Tosajoshi. My group then heads to the Tosajoshi gym/auditorium for this semesters rotation sport of Volleyball. My team, the same group as my lunch crowd are the first to have received testing from the gym teacher. First we did our warm up excercises, which are a bit of a joke. We kind of just wave our arms around and look like peeling bananas. But warm up is nothing like the rest of the class. What shocks me about Japanese gym class is that everyone participates. I think I'll write a column on that later on. When it was time for testing, my group did quite well. My test went really smoothly too, except I can't really serve. I was really happy to be included with the class in testing. Sometimes I feel the I'm just a class mascot who doesn't have to do anything. When I'm asked to participate, it means I am an actual student. Shoko, Mosa, and I played a little soccer, where we really took off the gym teacher's head. It's been a long time but I can still play soccer. For the last few minutes of the class, our team played another team in Volleyball. And slaughtered them 12-3. The bell rang and we were really late for last homeroom. Back in room 16, most of the girls changed back into their sailor suits fight in front of Yano-sensei. I couldn't bring myself to chnage in front of a man. So when we were dismissed I was a lone banana in a sea of sailors. After the final bow, everyone must pull their deak to the back of the room in assistance of the current classroom cleaning crew. Luckily, this week, my group has no cleaning duties and I am free as soon as I changed into my sailor uniform. I quickly changed and then headed down the shoe cubby area and changed the slippers for the black leather clunkers. I found my bike, sandwiched between two school bikes. I had not seen it since Friday, so I after a brief reunion, I wrestled it out from the other bikes. I then pulled it to the school gates, where I pushed them open and freed myself from the clutches of Tosajoshi. I turned right and headed straight fr the Kochi Prefecture library to drop off some Japanese history books that I was finished with. I then crossed my fingers and followed some signs that looked somewhat familiar in hopes of finding my new host town, Kouda. Being honest, it wasn't difficult at all, I really I am a great navagator. Just before the bridge over the main Kochi rover, the Kagami, I stopped at a Family Mart Convenience store for some gum and cake. I made my way home at around 4, after I passed underneath the underground walkway. I wanted to do some more exploring but I was unsure what my host mom had planned and what the times were. But from what I got on the that first bike ride, Kouda, is great. It reminds me so much of my hometown of Verona, in that it's really quiet but still has a main road. It's a city neighborhood with a suburd atmosphere. Just outside the Osak household are a bread store, book shop, super market, post office (the size of a shoe box), ande to my delight, and Okonomiacki restaurant. I pulled my rusty old bike into the driveway and knocked on the front door. Nearly seconds after I made my way inside, my host grandmother was dragging me out, with plans to visit the Osaki company. I pass it everyday to and from school. And the building is HUGE, with 3 enormous floors, lots of employees. I'm not exactl sure what it does, but I'm sure it's pretty successful. In an elevator, we traveled up to the third floor, where I was introduced to the main leaders in the company, and given a company profile, which had the craziest English ever. From reading it, I gathered the company makes gears or something. Maybe. My host Obachan (grandmother) is a pretty funky lady. She reminds me of an old lady version of Mrs. Frizzle from the Magic School Bus. She introduced me to one guy, who insisted I see his sword collection. Now I was thinking, toy swords. But nope. He opened a huge mahogany cabinet and pulled out a few velevet wrapped sticks. The first one, and most "unimpressive" because it was so young. Now I was thinking 10 or 20 years old. Nope it was only 200 years old. What a toddler! The oldest he owned was about 600 years old. And I couldn't help but think that the sword I was holding was more than twice the age of my country. He also handed me a small sword that was shockingly heavy. He explained in Japanese, that the sword was used by Samurai to committ suicide by slitting open their stomachs when they had committed dishonor upon their masters. I kept wondering whther the sword I had joking played around with had seen the inside of a Samurai's guts, and from the pride in the employee's eyes I'm pretty sure it had. Ew. Obachan realized that she had to get me back because of the committments I had made with the host mom. So we hopped into her BMW and drove back to the Osaki household. There I rushed up the 3 flights of stairs to my room and changed into running clothes and then ran back down stairs in time to jump into the Mini Van. We took a 30 minute through the city and then in to the country surrounding Kochi City. Hikari and Maako were sound asleep by the time we arrived. I couldn't help but crack up at this fact. Through rice paddies and abandoned cabins sprung this really out-of-place stadium looking thing. Maako woke up and jumped from the car and ran into the arena for her Synchronized swimming lesson. Okasan, Hikari, and Me started on a little jog around the area. We only lasted running for about 15 minutes because Hikari got really tired. So we walked for about an hour, until it got too dark. We continued the excercise inside the arena on an indoor track place. I showed Hikari an excercise I had learned from track, that nearly killed the poor girl. ABout an hour and half passed and we then went outside to wait for Maako. Hikari and I played a bunch of elementary school girls games while we waited. She ended up beasting me in Junken (Rock/Paper/Scissor) because she quickly figured out I ALWAYS throw out a scissor first. We also played touch tag and hand slap, but boredom soon got the best of us. When Maako was finished we piled back into the car and returned home, though nobody fell asleep. At home, Okasan quickly threw together a dinner, Oden, and some foul smelling weed looking thing with rice. I stayed in the living area with family and didn't use the computer once, because I didn't need too. I used it too much with my last family because I was always hiding in my room. I'm really liking the new family alot, no need to hide. I can only hope things continues to go as great as today and yesterday. I went to bed, and fell asleep wuickly, just after Hikari popped her head and said 'Good night.'
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