Healthy Kids

I just wanted to put some photos up about what it looks like in my neck of the woods. I think it look radically different than home; making me amazed at the most simplist of things. But there are as many view points on this as stars in the sky. Enjoy.

Good Tomato Crop This Year

I really didnt expect to eat when I came over to the Usui's today to use the internet, but the local tomates are in and are delious. They don't need anything - not salt or pepper. The attached pictures in this post are of the Pure Malt Center.

Non-Translatable Humor

I think it was Nietzsche that said that all tragedy is universal, but humor is specific to time and place. I have found several examples that affirm this assertion - funny examples. We being Friday night at a dinner with Fukiko and her very nice family. Nearing the end of dinner talk turned to each other's countries' humor. We decided to try and find examples of our country's humor that would stump each other. Maybe a slightly pointless exercise but it seemed like a good idea at the time. So I said that Alberta has only two seasons - so far so good - winter and construction season. Well, needless to say, this went right over their heads. I had to explain it to them in detail. It was road construction I meant and there's a lot of it to be done in the summer. Why are your roads in such bad shape? Well, we have bad winters here and furthermore many heavy vehicles drive on them. In my opinion, once you have to explain a joke it normally nullifies the humor in it. So they, quite smartly on their part I think, choose a Japanese pun. Puns never ever translate well. This one had to do with the proper name of Japan - Nihon - and their counter system in Japanese for bottles and other thin objects "Nihon". Then they had a situation or phrase that you could use either meaning and get everything horribly and hariously confused. Which is how I felt, the joke going right over my head.

But all is not lost. At dinner the next night with the Usui's I discovered that somethings can be universally funny. Like almost everywhere in Japan, there is always a T.V. on somewhere in the room and so we came to have the T.V. on during dinner. Mr. Usui was only kind of half watching but noticed that the next story was about humans and animals (ducks) set in Obihiro. Well, we all perked up because Shikaoi is right next to Obihiro and it is unusual to see it on T.V. (No one pays much of any attention to Hokkaido in.) The short story focused on a guy - a man - that was responsible for the catch and release of birds and what not. The footage was of him releasing a white duck that he had raised himself from an egg into a pond. The viewer can see that the duck is very attached to its master and is a bit apprehensive to simply slip into the pond. Well, as soon as that duck hit the water it sank like a rock. It couldn't swim. We howled with laugher. It's just too absurd to think there's a duck that can't swim. And the image, this duck, feet in the air, paddling away. Then it sinks again. So eventually, to the man's concern and through our tears, he goes out and fishes it out of the water. The program follows his attempts to train the duck to swim in a little kitty pool and then after a month's practice returns to the pond. The same thing happens again with cameras rolling. The duck can't swim, it just sinks as soon as it hits the water. Well, the duck survived all this and is now a dry-land-only type duck living in a large enclosure at someone's house. I guess the real happy ending is that - without ever fulfilling its main and only purpose in life - it is not going to become someone's dinner.

Pure Malt Center

I come writing to you today from the Pure Malt Center. There`s a lot one could say about one of Shikaoi`s most interesting facilities. To begin, the name of this building probably needs some explanation. "PURE MALT". I know what you`re thinking, and your partly right, but mostly wrong. This building has nothing to do with beer, however; whoever named the building was trying to invoke to image of the fermenting of different peoples into something more as an analogy to the function of the building. I am skeptical that any of this translates well into Japanese, but maybe they have a pamphlet I haven`t seen.

The look of the building is amazing. I apologize for not having pictures and will work to rectify it. The structure is a perfectly round doughnut with a sloping roof to that invokes - to me - the winter climate of Hokkaido. The inside of the building is equally impressive, reminding me of an IKEA catalogue (but in a good way). Most of the interior in is finished in a soft pine wood and looks beautiful; people`s footfalls land softly. Even though the form of the building is modern the open wood work is native to Japan. At the moment I`m writing to you on what I would call the library side (for quiet reading and writing). The left side of the doughnut is devoted to meeting rooms. This is where many local bands, from teenage punk bands to the more traditional fare, can meet and practice. The doughnut also has a small housing complex attached where young women and men studying agriculture can stay for free in Shikaoi (there is a lot more I could say on this particular topic). I think its a great facilities and only more the so because its across the street and one house away from my house. Why haven`t I come here before?

This weekend in Shikaoi, actually in the parking lots of the building where I work, is the Shikaoi Soba Omatsuri, which is a soba noodle festival. Shikaoi prides itself on its excellent selection of soba and - with the harvest almost all in - holds a Festival to highlight the local cuisine to other towns in the area.

People in Shikaoi say that their soba is famous in Japan. This is somewhat of a misnomer but can lead to insighful conclusions about Japanese culture. They are right to be proud of their labours but its a bit misleading to say its famous in Japan, let me explain: Every single town says their famous for such-and-such. I`ve seen it all before in various different incarnations and if you were to ask someone in Tokyo or Osaka how much they love Shikaoi soba you would be met with a blank stare. A further example in Tokachi (the area of Hokkaido I live in) is that people say we`re famous for our many hot springs. But, the fact of the matter is that all of Japan one big volcano and there are hot springs absolutely everywhere (well, not literally everywhere, but you get the gist). Now, I don`t want to diminish the luster of soba too much nor the extremely relaxing and enjoyable times to be had at the local onsen (hot spring). I do agree that Shikaoi`s soba is delicious and - therefore - tomorrow I will be having lunch there.

Friday of a Three Day Weekend

This morning I saw the grade 10's leaving for Stony Plain off at 7:30 AM; they are probably still in the air as I type. The first picture below was taken as everyone was milling around before getting on the buses in front of Stony Plain Hall/Board of Education building. In the foreground of the picture are many mothers who came in too see their kids off, many leaving on their first trip overseas. Also, one can spy on the left hand foreground Mrs. Usui (with sort of the grey jacket and black pants talking to someone), who was their because of her position on the Shikaoi Board of Education. Below this, a picture of Saito-sensei and Yamamoto-sensei who will be staying at our house in Stony Plain. Both speak very good English and have been to Stony Plain before. Below that is a picture of Fukiko and Mutsumi-sensei that stayed at our house at the end of September and just arrived back last week. I am having supper with Fukiko and her family tonight. Lastly, a shot of me having eating my school lunch (kyushoku) with my grade one and two's at Kamihoronai Elementary School today. And while I could go into quite some depth about kyushoku cuisine - I will not. The teacher is Sato-sensei. A man as interesting as he looks. I would consider him an amazing teacher in any country or language because he truly loves kids, (and sort of shows this through a rough kind of respect). We get along great and he is an exceedingly interesting man to talk to being conversant in English and fluent in Spanish (he taught in South America for three years). His class is so cute too, they are more than content to jabber away to me in Japanese.






The last bit of news is bitter sweet. A very good friend of mine here, Yuki, is going to be moving into the board of education office. Sadly however, Yamaki-san has been reassigned to another departmentnt of the Town of Shikaoi. The side picture is of her working along side me. I'm surprised sometimes that she didn't turn around and swat me with annoyance because I constantly pepper her with various questions throughoutut the day: where was I suppose to be when; whom to ask for; can she please get so-and-so on the phone. She was exceedingly helpful in getting me set up in Shikaoi. Including one very long session I remember well, trying to explain to me in Japanese the complicated recycling program they have here in Shikaoi. She will be missed.

Busy at the office

I would have really liked to post some pictures today but I am not on my computer to at the moment. I suppose this could, by a very complicated process, be achieved, but I have made a value judgment of my time during the day and its just not going to happen. I`m so busy that today - Thursday - is the first time this week I`ve seen Kevin. He`s busy too, trying to get all his grade 10 students ready to go to Stony Plain tomorrow morning. I met him today to judge an English speaking competing for Shikaoi`s Jr. High School students. I am very proud of my students because of the 4 that entered and I coached, 3 won awards. Competing was fierce because there were many more kids from Kevin`s Jr. High and furthermore, he made sure they all had excellent pronunciation.

I think I will come at 7:15 AM to see the Grade 10 High School delegation off tomorrow because their leaving from here (the office). I will also try to get a picture of the two teachers staying at our house so that I can post it before they arrive.

Earthquake Drills at School

Another busy day, but its mostly behind me. I still need to run to the High School sometime today but that's all. Right now there is only myself and one other assitant here taking care of everything (which is answering the phone if it rings - which counts me out). I have a feeling that everyone is either at some kind of earthquake drill debriefing or just out. Anyway, its very quiet here. Well.. not completely silent. The large emergency sirens and town speakers have been going on and off all afternoon with various earthquake drills and testing. In the morning, while visiting the kindergarten, we had a drill while I was teaching the ABCs. Drills are not terribly realistic or visceral but are important in a country that is always wary of the next big one. Practices seemed rather serious with the kids but not too much is happening here this afternoon with all the bells and whistles going off. Every school has serious medical supplies and tents plus several days of food and water stored away. They hall it all out today at the schools (this happens several times a year).

To connect to my above comment about needing to go to the High School and earthquake drills, I can`t go there at the moment because no one is answering the phones; They are most likely all out on the field. And its not even a very nice day to do a drill; its very grey and over cast plus a sharp wind is blowing. Something happens that is very Japanese when its time to return, we all have to wipe off our inside shoes so as to not track mud in. This quickly adds to the length of the drills.

The Story of the Home Heater

Well, it was the first full morning at school with all the teachers that went to Stony Plain back. Hatano-sensei, who homestayed with Diane, learned lots about Canada. She had wondered before about the returning student`s stories of grey mountains in Banff and Jasper, because Hakkaido`s mountains are low and covered in trees. Having now visited the Rockies she understands how BIG they are and why they are said to be grey. Mutsumi, who homestayed at our house in Stony Plain, was most impressed by my dad`s Cedar Planck Salmon done on the BBQ. She loved our hammock but was quite wary of it though, having fallen off three times. I`m just happy the weather was good enough to allow such hi-jinx.

Man, is it ever windy here today. Everyone seems to be sniffling because of all the dust that has been picked up. Being fall now, the wind is no longer a reprieve from the hot weather and can be quite biting at times. I played a bit of soccer with the grade sixes today, they are normally more guarded with me than the younger grades, but most opened up after the class. I assisted two goals! I nearly had two goals myself but was robbed. I told myself that I should let the kids have all the fun. And the ball was going everywhere, it was so windy.

Story of the Heater

This actually happened a little while ago but I realized that I had not finished the story for my parents (worrying them a bit in the process). So - I retell it here - to offer insight into my life as an Albertan in Japan.

A furnace is a very important appliance for an Albertan winter. Maybe the most important in any house. Ask your self, would you like to do the wash or watch T.V. without a furnace in winter? Add to this the fact that having a working furnace or heater in winter really comes down to a life or death situation. I have grown up with this in mind and the correct working of my heater is a must.

Heating a home here is very different, its not done with one large forced-air furnace but with smaller room heaters. My main one is gas fed from a tank placed outside. Its just starting here that in the morning my house can be a bit chilly and so I thought I should make sure my big heater is in proper order. I turned it on, and nothing... I waited... still nothing. At this point I kind of start to panic, its not cold enough to be dangerous yet but I really have to get it sorted out because soon I will need it.

When I was at work later that day I explained, I must have seemed a bit anxious, that my heater was not working. Yamaki-san said that she had had her heater on today too and that I should get mine working. So, straight from there, we went to my house to have a look at the heater, a whole gaggle of us form the office. (Leading one to the question of how many office workers does it take to get a heater working.) They all gathered around the suspect heater, poking, prodding and priming, making sure everything was in working order before flipping the switch and turning the thing on.

Well, funny thing, the heater works perfectly. The thing literately takes 15 or 20 min to get hot. I`ve never heard of such craziness. Being an Albertan, use to big roaring furnaces (or perhaps just being me), I was expecting Dante`s inferno right off the bat. Turns out I had not waited nearly long enough before giving up. Lessoned learned. I was ribbed about it for the rest of the day but it was worth the laugh seeing all my co-workers huddled around trying to get the thing working in frantic Japanese. This story also illustrates to me the kindness of my community once they get to know you.

"HOME MADE GYOZA" I say

Well first I must thank my family for a great care package brought carefully to me by Mutsumi. I found a huge stash of sweets in the package and was beside myself with delight. My initial feeling was to eat lots now and hoard the rest. But after the suger-crash I know I will have to share many of the Reese Peanut Butter Cups with my students (are then release them on their parents). Some of the Reese bigger ones were crushed in transit, but I can garenttee they taste the same. I will have to carefully ration them. The Extra Creamy Kraft Peanut Butter was also a welcome sight. This small gesture of peanut butter means a lot to people far away from home, for most, it is a small taste of home, for me it means I have something for breakfast.

The first thing I did this morning was get a haircut at Kenji's family barber shop. He's actually a member of the town council, but as in many towns, he is also a small business owners. My hair was actually cut by his son, Yuji. He's much younger than Kenji, I guess they think he is more in touch with today's styles. In case you are wondering how the haircut turned out; its great. Im quite happy with it. I forgot since last time I was in Japan how much of a ritual it is to get one's haircut. It took over an hour. It lacks any tradional "ritual", I use the word to mean that the Japanese mange to cram a ton of technology in to a haircut. How or why they do it is beyond me. I just know I ended the haircut by having some tea.

After the haircut, which took much longer than I thought it would, I went to the Shikaoi Jurior High School's Cultural Festival at the town center. The kids made displays of what they have done during the year. The showcase of the two day event is in the many hall (of the building I work in). The kids have planned plays, essay, sort of news reports about Hokkaido, and music; all done at a very high caliber. I will not be going tomorrow, my obligation being done and will more things to do tomorrow, but I do want to point out how much work goes into this weekend. The kids really come togather as a class to finish quite substanial projects. The projects are on a scale and to a degree that we don't really see in Albertan schools, especially considering its done with only minimal help from the teachers.

At the moment I am again at the Usui's store and I believe we are having homemade Gyoza for dinner. Gyoza, anytime, is a delious food. But Mrs. Usui's is really out of this world. I can eat inhuman amounts of it. Below are pictiures, for my Mom, of the Taiko drumming at today's cultural festival. They are not my Jurior High School students, Kevin actually teachers them at Shikaoi Junior High School and so he knows all of them. I really liked it. The last picture is of some note; it was luckly snapped as the last note of the encore was being struck.

Urimaku Elementary School

Today I visited another elementary school where Tsukiori-sensei works. She was one of the teachers on the Stony Plain trip. She looked very healthy and energetic today when I saw her. I think her English is better after the trip, or at least she is less shy about it. I taught everyone in the school (all fifty of the) and also left for a period to visit the kindergarten class on the same grounds. I loved the architecture of the kindergarten/pre-school. A very impressive and super well-thought out facility, made totally of wood with huge windows. Needless to say, I found the kids very happy to see me and excited to practice their ABCs.

At the elementary school, Tsukiori-sensei had brought back chocolates and maple syrup candies from Canada for her kids. It was funny to watch the children make four bites of the little chocolates. I, of course, also partook. I find most Japanese desserts gross, not because their inedible, but because I don`t find them sweet enough. Their made for the Japanese Pallet, which mostly I think is much subtle, except they really like spicy things. But to continue, I normally eat only Original (sometimes called Kodomo, Child) POCKY. So it was nice to eat some Canadian sweets.