What's better than having one of the most complete and fulfilling days of your life? I got one: Receiving a small note, a tiny postcard, from a great friend who had the thoughtfulness to share some of the beauty he saw in the world in an exact moment... moving along.
Today was the first day of school. Props go out to my upstairs neighbor Praju, from India, who helped me translate my speech into Japanese. I managed to successfully speak it in front of the staff room and then again in front of the school. Lots of people, and it felt good, real good. I'd say "natural," but i read it in English romanji, as opposed to Japanese characters... but that will come soon. Or later.. It will arrive sometime.
I had lunch with two teachers, and dinner with another three. I even got invited to the house of a a random woman that I met at the fruit stand. she wanted to practice her English probably, but I just couldn't make it. However,I did learn more Japanese today than i did in a month kicking it around the office. I was waiting for this... to get thrown into the mix where the majority does NOT speak English. As the Japanese value education, they are into learning and teaching... so my life in Japanese and English revolves around this basic principle of enlightenment. Which brings me to my next point.
Teachers are underpaid. They are public workers... servants if you will. And the majority of people earn money privately and don't want to give publicly (ie: pay taxes). Thus, teachers' salaries will always be too high as far as the public is concerned. And teachers always feel that they work too many hours off the books (ie: grading papers, doing after-school stuff) for the pay they are getting. this battle will go on in all modern societies and hopefully one day the average person will feel that giving is better than receiving and teachers will earn the money they deserve. and the taxpayers will get their money's worth out of the system. Eventually it will work. This leads me to the next two points:
1) from an earlier thought, I am stoked to jump into the deep end of the Japanese world. Bring it. Like my friend Vinnie wrote on his blog, I too have been pulled between partying and getting involved in my new living-culture... and I am choosing the latter. fortunately for me, Vinne figures this out these important ideas a day or two before me and the I can just copy his example! Keep blazing trails baby!
2) I will be one of the poor teachers who feels that he should be earning more for the amount of work he does. At this rate, I am not concerned about money or time. In fact, this description is inaccurate... Suffice to say, what I mean is, I am a teacher, I feel it, it seems right and I'm just suited to do it. I value education and peace; money is just a by-product of doing something that I would do for free. Any money I do acquire can just keep my travel habit going... and remind me to live a modest life. The coolest part about being a teacher is being a student too... i receive a free education everyday... in life, language and love. I am blessed to be able to ride my bike to work everyday. What else do I need? (Besides good weather- as that will make riding a bit more difficult... and with typhoon season coming up....)
OHH and the whole reason for this blog was a statistic that came to mind as I share a bit of my life with a Japanese teacher, Shibata-sensei, with whom I will be closely working. she asked if I cook for myself and I said that I did, when I had access to a kitchen... and that has been... hmm, how often?... long story short, I have slept outside thirteen of the past 36 months. Since graduating college, I have slept under the stars or in a tent, on the ground, exposed to the elements in both hemispheres- a third of the time. I had a hard time accepting it... and then I laughed and it made me realize why sleeping on a thin futon on my tatami mat floor feels so goddamn good.
I bought and arranged the some flowers on Friday. One of the lilies is beginning to wilt, but another one opened today... and it seems that this will occur again tomorrow. Flowers are beautiful... and such good reminds of the peace and amazingness in the world... and a reminder of death and life in the same being:
Mata-nei,
1 comment:
it's all already done...sweet :)
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