november 2005 * dazaifu-shi

It was a perfect day.

Living in Dazaifu and commuting to Fukuoka (15 minutes by express train) isn't as bad as I thought at first. I didn't have a bike at the time and the walk to the station is about ten minutes at a brisk walk. In the beginning I thought for sure I would have to move closer to the action in Fukuoka...I was wrong. The mountain near my house is charming, I live on a hill, and now I have a bike so the train station is a mere four minutes away. I have the last unit in my row of four apartments and a top floor one at that, no neighbors on my end to walk past my door and no one traipsing around on top of me. The 'cat' is settling in (no, no more pets, but I'm a Leo, remember?). This past week (starting November 5) I had a nasty cold which turned into my yearly chest infection so off to the doctor I went. The international clinics are pretty good for expats and this one specializes in gastroenterology so I guess I will be getting a colonoscopy soon...don't laugh! Years of smoking and drinking and eating crappy foods, not to mention partying in America like it was 1999, all left my body in less than sterling condition. I had a chronic digestive issue in Korea which is still hanging on in some ways. Dread is a word that comes to mind when it comes to that exam but I have to be brave and think of the positives.

Work is going real well, although I always have a feeling singing "ABCDEFG, HIJKLMNOP!" isn't what I had in mind when I took all those graduate classes in education and library science. Well it is a respite from life in America, that is why I did it in the first place, and to experience something new. The kids are adorable, I teach pre-K through grade 6, it's a private sub-contractor and I teach at malls and pre-schools throughout Fukuoka so I see alot of Kyushu. I also teach what I call 'Baby-English' (where the Moms and Dads bring toddlers to hear and experience English early. They have no clue about language just that it's fun and they imitiate the sounds. Interesting concept. Studies show it makes a difference later on.). They are so smart about that stuff here in Japan. Count to think of it, they are smart and organized about everything, from recycling to trains, cooking to eating, and everything in between. I will include some links and additional photographs in this blog, because people ask me about life in Japan and how it is to live here. More info coming, I promise.

While eating in my local ramen shop I saw Meg Ryan on TV in a 'Nescafe' Excella commercial ...she says one word: "Perfect". I wonder how much they get paid, honestly. Nicole Kidman, George Clooney, Uma Thurman, Gwyneth Paltrow, and on and on, all in commercials and ads only shown in the Orient. Quite startling for me to see, actually. I mean, we usually think t.v. and print ads are a natural step-down for a film actor but here they are tasteful and really cool.

Haven't studied Japanese at all, flying by the seat of my pants in all interactions, learning the basics from a book called 'Survival Japanese' and it is coming on slowly. One teacher from my old job in Korea came for a visa-run (yes, they are still makin' 'em run for their visas in Korea) and he suggested that I go for an actual class. Meet people and have fun learning the language. I might do it. My accent is not bad, you know I love languages. The speaking won't be bad but those characters! Not at all like the 30 simplistic Korean characters. There are three alphabets here! Well, you will see and hear it from me here: The Japanese love variety in all things, so it doesn't surprise me that there is more than one alphabet! People here are surprised at my knowledge of the food (thanks Hatsune, Don, and Yoshi!). Who would have thought being a waiter would have come in handy? Making friends slowly also. One Korean friend wondered how many numbers I had in my cellphone address book. To answer that, most of the contacts are from work right now but give me time. I got myself a library card so I will be saving a lot of money on books. Currently reading children's fiction: Eoin Colfer and C.S. Lewis.

The rock band I was singing with in Korea, 'Soju Chozu', has a new lead singer but we lost our drummer. Everything is so temporary and mobile living abroad, a little more than life back home. Here most are rootless by nature. Yeah you have your expats who have been here for what seems like forever, don't know if that will be me. I wish everyone back in Korea all the best, and yes, I miss certain people a helluva lot. I got a little 'homesick' for the gang over in Seoul on more than a few occasions. I want to try and visit when I get a chance. Busan is so close and Seoul is pretty affordable too.

During the last week I had to go places (of course) on weekends to alleviate the boredom of being sick. The pictures above are of oneshoreline which is about a ten minute drive from the city center. (I am on the island of Kyushu, which is all coastline of some kind or other, and gateway to Okinawa). I found the most beautiful shells and saw clear water and marine life. Nice to know absolutely every industrialized place on earth isn't choking with pollution, eh?

Ah yes, well I say work is going well but you know every ESL teacher working abroad also has to pad the wallet with 'privates', no, not his own. Got my first private lesson student a couple of weeks ago. Let me tell you about 'Mr. T'. We met through my posting at the downtown cultural center. He says he is a college student but looks like he is in his late twenties, and smokes like a chimney which is on fire. He has dirty fingernails. He quotes John F. Kennedy. Not typical of the fastidious and fashionable Japanese. Warning lights started going off. Those of you who know me also know I was put on this earth to learn something from all the 'fringe' people that come my way. They are like moths to a flame...'Ah, here comes Albert-san, must engage!!!' To say he is like the Japanese version of 'Rainman' without the electrifying brain power, would be an understatement.

I seriously thought he was 'differently abled', which is o.k. but I am not properly trained to work with that population, so people like that end up stressing me out for some reason. Mr. T started the lesson off by demanding a low price, and was pretty bossy (again for a Japanese person) about place and time and so on. I thought, oh here we go...I will either end up feeling like a teacher/prostitute or I will have to put my foot down, or just drop him from my schedule. It was painful to hear he wants to have a double major in simultaneous German-Japanese translation and political science (he didn't seem to know German, or English for that matter). And his grammar was awful. He started the lesson by reciting a badly remembered inaugural speech by Kennedy. I dreaded our next lesson, it was on a Sunday, and he changed the time to 10 a.m. Those of you who know me know I put my foot down about that, when I saw him!

Well, you know, life has a way of humbling you. Somehow I sensed this guy is serious about learning English. And I am a teacher so I thought I would give it a crack, I would tell him to discard the Kennedy speech and work on some grammar for a change. But you know, we started getting into the speech, he with his copy, I with mine...and just reading the words out loud almost had me in tears. I surmised it was so emotional for me after all the world has been through so far in this new millenium. It has only been five years, but oh man, the words jumped off the page and sailed into my heart. I was stunned. If I were you, I would read these words out loud. They had me remembering what it is to be a real American. Kennedy was a visionary, a man ahead of his time, who saw what the world was becoming and wanted to spread a philosophy of our role as Americans in the world. Here is quoted an excerpt from that speech in 1961:

..."The world is very different now. For man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all forms of human poverty and all forms of human life. And yet the same revolutionary beliefs for which our forebears fought are still at issue around the globe—the belief that the rights of man come not from the generosity of the state, but from the hand of God.	2
We dare not forget today that we are the heirs of that first revolution. Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans—born in this century, tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace, proud of our ancient heritage—and unwilling to witness or permit the slow undoing of those human rights to which this Nation has always been committed, and to which we are committed today at home and around the world.	3
Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty.	4
This much we pledge—and more.	5
To those old allies whose cultural and spiritual origins we share, we pledge the loyalty of faithful friends. United, there is little we cannot do in a host of cooperative ventures. Divided, there is little we can do—for we dare not meet a powerful challenge at odds and split asunder.	6
To those new States whom we welcome to the ranks of the free, we pledge our word that one form of colonial control shall not have passed away merely to be replaced by a far more iron tyranny. We shall not always expect to find them supporting our view. But we shall always hope to find them strongly supporting their own freedom—and to remember that, in the past, those who foolishly sought power by riding the back of the tiger ended up inside.	7
To those peoples in the huts and villages across the globe struggling to break the bonds of mass misery, we pledge our best efforts to help them help themselves, for whatever period is required—not because the Communists may be doing it, not because we seek their votes, but because it is right. If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich.	8
To our sister republics south of our border, we offer a special pledge—to convert our good words into good deeds—in a new alliance for progress—to assist free men and free governments in casting off the chains of poverty. But this peaceful revolution of hope cannot become the prey of hostile powers. Let all our neighbors know that we shall join with them to oppose aggression or subversion anywhere in the Americas. And let every other power know that this Hemisphere intends to remain the master of its own house.	9
To that world assembly of sovereign states, the United Nations, our last best hope in an age where the instruments of war have far outpaced the instruments of peace, we renew our pledge of support—to prevent it from becoming merely a forum for invective—to strengthen its shield of the new and the weak—and to enlarge the area in which its writ may run.	10
Finally, to those nations who would make themselves our adversary, we offer not a pledge but a request: that both sides begin anew the quest for peace, before the dark powers of destruction unleashed by science engulf all humanity in planned or accidental self-destruction.	11
We dare not tempt them with weakness. For only when our arms are sufficient beyond doubt can we be certain beyond doubt that they will never be employed.	12
But neither can two great and powerful groups of nations take comfort from our present course—both sides overburdened by the cost of modern weapons, both rightly alarmed by the steady spread of the deadly atom, yet both racing to alter that uncertain balance of terror that stays the hand of mankind's final war.	13
So let us begin anew—remembering on both sides that civility is not a sign of weakness, and sincerity is always subject to proof. Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate.	14
Let both sides explore what problems unite us instead of belaboring those problems which divide us.	15
Let both sides, for the first time, formulate serious and precise proposals for the inspection and control of arms—and bring the absolute power to destroy other nations under the absolute control of all nations.	16
Let both sides seek to invoke the wonders of science instead of its terrors. Together let us explore the stars, conquer the deserts, eradicate disease, tap the ocean depths, and encourage the arts and commerce...."

I know that was a mouthful but it just affected me. I feel like we have all betrayed that vision that Kennedy spoke of. How much rhetoric and talk is flowing all around us, through our media, about the stuff which is going on today? It's like all I hear is talk as I watch us throw our weight around, without really understanding the world or other people's points of view. It is about being right isn't it? Just being right, correct, superior. How much real action are we taking to heal the world and make genuine friends of people internationally? What kind of world do you want now? Ask yourself that question. Enough of my political corner, just some food for thought.
I don't like politics as a rule you know.

It looks like I will be coming home shortly after Christmas for about ten days. I look forward to seing everyone who wants to meet up with me. I haven't seen some people for about five years. Hard to believe.

Looking forward to: Seeing friends and family; eating New York bagels; pizza; American and Italian foods in general; my Mom's corned beef and cabbage (hint); chocolate cake; cheese and milk (OMG!); smoking something; going to 'Edge of the Woods' (or similar); going to movies without English subtitles; hearing English all around me; seeing African and Hispanic Americans all around me; hearing Ebonics occasionally; hugging and kissing my Mom; driving a car; turning on the news; turning off the news; going to 'ground-zero' and watching the skyline from Brooklyn; buying clothes and shoes guaranteed to fit; eating Eatern European food, and oh, the list goes on.

More later, getting tired of the blogging for tonight.