Sending out an S.O.S.

We are the luckiest people on earth, yet we take so much for granted. I am the first one to admit it. Personally, I feel like I have with my family, my friends and their gratuitus acts that I never really questionned. What they did for me always seemed normal. Just say thank you, and everything is all good.

I have just watched two incredible films, The Constant Gardener and Hotel Rwanda, and it reminded me that there are many people who don't even get the opportunity to say thank you. Most of this world's population can't count on anyone and has no choice but to fight for themselves on their own. In many countries, all they want is to live.. is that so much to ask for?

Sure it's easy to sound concerned and it is so easy to discuss about the world's inequalities... I am not the only one to feel this way, but have we done anything? It is easier said then done, but for now let's do what we can with the people around us: become a supportive ear, give without expecting anything in return, smile to the people around you, make them feel worthy. This is such a small step to what the rest of the world really need, but it is also these little things that pay off at the end.

I really wish I could make a difference, and maybe we all are in a way. We just can't forget of the ones that need the most help. I would love to give a hand where it is the most needed... I am tired of being one of these people who say "that is too bad," turn off their TV sets and go have dinner as if nothing happened. Sadly enough, there are so many worthy causes out there, so many to choose from, so many people in need. It can't be that hard to make a bigger difference. Anyone game?

Precious Little Things

I have never imagined that one day I would work with children, become their teacher or their mentor. I never thought I had it in me. I knew about other people who did it as a living, but I never really was interested in doing their jobs or know about it. It always sounded like hard work, a stressful and messy job. Having snot all over my shirt, or getting sick every few weeks, just didnt seem like much fun. I also couldnt imagine myself being on all fours playing with ABC blocs with children and reading them Goldilocks and the Three Bears . That is what stressed me the most before starting this job. I have always known myself to be a tolerant and patient person, and I knew that this experience would challenge these qualities and it has. It is a hard job, but surprisingly enough these kids have also been the best part of my Japanese experience.

This job is not easy. I have to be at work by 8:45 to greet my kindergarten kids with a big smile and a heartfelt "Good morning." I am not a terrible morning person, but it is not like I feel like beeing bubbly and peppy every morning. I have to play with these kids and have small talks with them all in English until the "morning circle", where the teacher in charge gives a little 30 minute lesson. The lesson usually consists of the ABCs, numbers, weather, months, days of the week, colours, body parts, I teach them a little French, we sing songs, we dance with them... its like giving a little performance everyday. Of course, I have my off days when I just can't get them to focus or get them to listen. Anyway, no matter how difficult this job is, I can't start by explaining how precious these kids are. I knew they were great kids, but now I am really starting to get attached to them.

Their graduation is coming soon. 4 of them are moving on to elementary and some kids are deciding to switch to a Japanese kindergarten. I am really sad to see them leave. Even the ones that I didn't really like at first are now maybe the ones I don't want to see leaving the most. You know, the snotty, grabby, needy, naughty ones... they have grown on me and I have grown on them. The relationship I have with these kids is like nothing I have ever had before. I have seen them grow, evolve and mature a great deal in my first 6 months. They all have such great personalities and it is fun to think of the kinds of people they will become when they are all grown up. Many of them are extremly intelligent, some are sensitive, some need more attention then others and some are incredibly creative. They all have this special quality about them.

I think that it will be very hard when I leave and say goodbye to all of them. There is this one little girl and her name is Kano. She is 6 with the biggest heart. We have been practicing this song for graduation called "Thank You and Goodbye." It is all about being friends forever even though we have to say goodbye. The first time we practiced it, with her little English she just said "This is so sad," and started to cry. I couldnt believe how beautiful that was. This same little girl she always tells me how she likes me and others tell me "I look cool". I just love them so much, they are just so precious. Especially the boys that point to my breast and ask me "what is this?" and I answer, "a shirt silly!" Oh precious, they are.

When I started out, my mom told me that this could be good practice for when I have my own children... and well, although I am totally in love with these children, it still hasnt really convinced me on having my own. At first, I knew I wanted children and then I went through a phase of "what gives... I'll never meet anyone to give me kids anyway," and now I guess I am not all that interested in having my own and taking care of other people's kids is well enough for now. I guess you can never know for sure about these things. It will all come in time.

Anyway here are a few pictures of my kids:

And this is the kindergarten class:

Here are two pictures that I stole from the Agora website of me teaching my other classes with my elementary students.





So today is St Patrick's day and I am not doing much about it other then wearing green. I told my students about St Patrick's day without the mention of heavy partying and green beer. They were all excited when I asked who was wearing green and went all the way to showing me the green on their underwear to tell me that they were also celebrating St Patrick's day.

When I got home tonight, I put on my sweats and put on In America, about an Irish family starting their lives from scratch in New York City. A sort of modern day Angela's Ashes.... So that is how I celebrated St Patrick's day. Go Irish! It is impossible to fully celebrate western holidays in this country.

Now I am just killing time before going to Diane's for a French dinner. My boss got me a real French baguette from a bakery near his house and so we have been trying to build up a meal around the idea of the baguette. Diane is a great cook so I am sure it will all be good, topped with some french wine and pastries provided by your truly. Yes, I am hungry...

I don't quite know what I will be doing this week-end. I know that I am going to a birthday dinner tomorrow night for my friends Ayako and Keita. Its going to be a little pricy, but will be better then staying at home still breathing carosene fumes and wasting time browsing the net. Either way, its becoming a habit to go to a dinner party on saturday nights.

I am so hungry.

Please take care and think of the children. :)
love you all,
e.

What Not to Wear

Women in kimonos, men wearing glittery pink t-shirts, teenagers wearing their uniforms on sundays, extreme mini-skirts, hooker boots, mullets, fluffy hair accessories, long johns under skirts... Other than the traditional wear, fashion here is an eye soar! Although Japan is known to be ahead in the fashion world, they should have stuck with kimonos and wooden sandals. Almost every girl dresses like Britney Spears "Hit me Baby one More Time" circa, wear mini skirts at -10 tempatures and insists on permed mullets. Anyway, to be fashionable in Japan you need to be colour blind and trapped in the 80s.

I wouldnt call myself a fashion guru in any stretch of the word, but I have had to tone down my fashion not only for being a foreigner, but also for being a teacher. Not only can I not follow the fashion here, but I needed to put aside a few garments that I have learned not to wear in this country. There is an unwritten rule that low cut shirts and tank tops should not be worn. Even though I have never seen SO MANY mini-skirts, showing cleavage here is a definite no-no. I don't mind covering up, but I have had to put aside a few shirts that I couldnt even dare myself to wear anymore. I get enough attention already as it is, I wouldnt want to shock my neighbours with a (God forbid) tank top! I am happy I loaded up on t-shirts and hoodies at Roots, because that is all I have been wearing in the last 6 months.

I feel like a nun every morning when I get ready to go to work. Not that I used to dress like a total slut at home, but I miss the times I would feel really sexy sporting a new pink tank top with a new pair of earings. Here, I wear pearls with a grey turtle neck... nice. I want to feel like a girl again!

So why am I ranting about Japanese fashion and my sudden fashion turnover... well, one of my students told one of my teacher friends that Agora must be making a lot of business from men because of my low cut shirts. My what? Appearantly, the men that come to my English classes on Thursday mornings at the community center come to look at my cleavage. My what? Yes... appearantly, I have breasts. I have never seen them myself, but it would seem that my breasts have been helping my school making good business. Unless they have a lazer vision that let them see through my shirts, I cannot think of a single shirt I have worn at work that could show my perverted students any sort of cleavage.

Remember these wise words, "Lucky that my breasts are small and humble So you don't confuse them with mountains." I stand by Shakira with this, but now it seems that I could be a little bit more shapely then I thought. But is that really something you would like to hear after teaching these people for 6 months. I really didn't need to know this...

No but, honestly... my friend Michelle made it seem like a compliment, but to the contrary I feel totally degraded. To think that my student would actually say that to my friend and believe that my men students come to see the shirts I wear, doesnt exactly make me feel appreciated for being a good teacher. And trust me, I truly believe that my lessons are fun and interesting. I thought they came for my mind-opening lessons and not for the milimeter of skin that I show right below my neck. Are these men so desperate that an ounce of young skin is the only reason to come to my English lessons? I find it rude and demeaning and they can be sure that next week the snow suit will be coming out. Sorry Agora.