First Week

Well, I haven't posted in a while, but I proudly announce that it wasn't for not wanting to. I have very limited internet at this point, as I have not yet gotten a cell phone and my internet won't be set up at my house for at least a couple weeks. My internet access is limited to work, and therefore, my freedom to make posts is limited.

Being here is phenomenally overwhelming. When I was studying abroad, there is absolutely no denying that they held our hands tremendously. We were essentially put into a little foreigner bubble in the middle of Japan, and were then able to venture out into the real Japan in small, controlled bursts to test the water. Now, it is as though I dove straight into the deep end in the middle of winter, and the shock of such a dramatic change is really really hard to deal with.

I have been blessed to have a wonderful predecessor who has been coaching me through the entire startup since my arrival in my new home. I can rely very little on English to do anything. At work, I speak anywhere from 70 to 100% Japanese in pretty much everything I do. There is no humility here, I'm really not fluent enough to manage that, but it is the only option. Having coworkers speak to me in Japanese and me having to grasp at as much understanding as I can muster, and then grasp at every ounce of my own Japanese in an effort to reply, I have certainly been challenged. However, there is also absolutely no doubt that this environment will ensure that my linguistic skills improve exponentially.

Initially, working at my main base school was difficult because there was a tangible barrier between myself and my coworkers. I'm pretty sure that barrier was simply a mutual lack of confidence in the ability to communicate. However, last night, the office hosted a farewell party for my predecessor and a welcome party for myself. A large majority of the school staff attended, more than 30 people, ranging from the principle and vice principle to the master gardener. That event convinced me, unquestioningly, of the value of Japanese enkai. All of a sudden, I was able to really express who I was, and get to know who everyone else was. Within a matter of hours, I felt like I had gone from an isolated stranger to a welcomed coworker. Everyone was eager to speak with me, in both English and Japanese, and to let me know that they look forward to working with me.

At the event, I was asked to provide a self introduction speech, or 自己紹介. I gave this entirely in Japanese, which was daunting in itself. The food was amazing, the comraderie was amazing, the setting was amazing, it was just an all around great time. Afterwards, a portion of the original group headed to karaoke, which again turned out to be a wonderfully fun time. It was especially great being able to see everyone in a relaxed, informal state.

Today is my first work day at one of the two night high-schools I have been assigned to. The students range from approximately 18 and up I believe. For all of the schools I will be working for, classes don't begin until September 1st, so the month of August will be limited mostly to getting accustomed to the work environment, getting to know my coworkers, setting up my basic living needs, and preparing for classes. I have been asked to make a few small presentations about my home culture during a senior high school open house for junior high school students next week. I also have a training seminar to attend in 2 weeks.

Alright, I've rambled long enough. Not sure when I'll be able to post again, but I definitely have a lot more to share. Please, feel free to ask questions or make suggestions of what I should talk about if you want to know more.