Aren’t words wonderful? I sure think so. Creating a playful spectrum of subtly different tones and meanings by slightly changing your word choice, order, or stress is so amusing to me. The title of this post, for instance. It’s really just a way to express that, this morning, I was thinking about how often I hit my head on various objects in Japan.
Really, though, the Japanese assault on my noggin is insidious. Everywhere I go, ceilings, doorframes, low-hanging lanterns, and other interior bric-a-brac just lie in wait. At least I seem capable of learning from experience… I always stand up from tables very slowly and look around very carefully when I’m in a new place.
Christmas in Kagoshima never means snow… and people here consider it a minor novelty holiday at best, so things run pretty much the same as usual. The biggest difference for me is that most of the other foreign English teachers travel. It does afford me some precious alone time in a situation where such time is at a premium.
Japan is a culture that largely disapproves of idleness… to the point where inefficient work or even just appearing to be busy are more desirable than doing nothing. From an outsider’s perspective, to me it often seems that people will manufacture tasks (of questionable importance) rather than appear idle. This certainly isn’t a trait unique to Japanese people, but to see it pervade every aspect of culture is still a bit jarring. It’s also easy to get caught up in, especially for someone with a tendency to throw themselves into their work. But as someone who is often happiest when doing nothing, I have to be intentional about reserving time for myself.
Whereas Christmas is of little importance here, the New Year’s holiday is a much bigger deal. It’s a longish holiday by Japanese standards (maybe three or four days off work), and really the only true winter vacation here. People are still doing plenty, though: shrine visits to pray for good fortune in the coming year and many obligatory New Year’s greetings. One of these greeting traditions is sending New Year’s postcards to friends and acquaintances. While there is still a commercial aspect to it (I don’t need a card from my auto shop…), it seems sensible and fun to me, so I gave it a shot this year. I only sent out 5 cards, but trying it for the first time still has some significance to me. Of course, for me, writing each recipient’s address in kanji takes about 10 minutes…
My contract renewal paperwork was given to me yesterday… it seems unreal that I am being asked if I want to stay here for a fourth year. I won’t go into my mental deliberations about my decision… but it is safe to say that there are many things I like about Japan and many things I miss about the U.S. The idea of reverse culture shock seems silly at first glance, but even before deciding about next year, it’s something I can tell would be true. My way of speaking has changed, my expectations of public/business services are wildly different (both positively and negatively), and I even bow to other drivers in traffic. Ultimately, I know that my experiences will make me better able to appreciate and respect diverse viewpoints and cultures. Which is awesome. But there will definitely be an adjustment period. Luckily, I know that mac and cheese, bacon, and sweet tea will all be there to help ease the transition.
Even though I’m leaning towards staying another year, I definitely want to go home relatively soon. Homesickness isn’t as much an acute affliction as a slowly-building, persistent itch. No matter how excited you are to experience the challenges of living in a new culture, and no matter how skilled you are at doing so, you eventually want the comforts of the familiar. I don’t know how long it takes for one’s “familiar” to be defined or redefined… but I do know that even that even the most delicious donburi (丼, rice bowl with toppings) or okonomiyaki (お好み焼き, a kind of pancake stuffed with meat, cabbage, and noodles) is no threat to my Mom’s biscuits and gravy or Spalding’s donuts.
Though, they are welcome to continue to try. 😊 Washoku (和食, traditional Japanese food) is awesome, even if it won’t ever replace my American favorites.
A few pictures, though never really enough to accurately represent my experience here. Merry Christmas (or Happy Festivus!) to everyone. I hope your holiday season is warm, relaxing, and full of love and happiness.
Satsumasendai, Sakurajima, and Spencer-sensei 