There was something this evening. Another English class, another evening. Another Tuesday. I was ready for this class but even while I was sitting at my desk ruffling papers and pulling bags of Canadian paraphernalia from my foot locker I knew something was going to be different. And it was.
You see, just to parallel some information on just why this post, and why now I need to tell a few. Lately work has been overwhelming, tiring, and all-consuming. In an effort to scramble to keep up with classes, attend after school taiko practices and all that jazz I was getting worn out. After the last six or seven months of errands, schedules, and daily get-ups and get-ready routines things were far too normal for me here in Japan. I think that kicking back while at home after work until pre-midnight hours became normal. And so I was losing sleep, getting up early for work.
Trying to keep up with kids at school, running, jumping, enthusing, and being an ‘active’ part of school life -at four schools- kind of began to eat away at my soul (so it felt). I got to the point after months of busyness, and allowing myself to be busy on my part, that I broke down. I was in dire need of rest, I got sour at myself and a little sour at my surroundings. I have to say that I have since come to realize that for myself even after a college career of studying other cultures and intercultural difference and travel, etc., I was not prepared for the adverse affects of a lifestyle/country of differences on my body system. Hearing a foreign language every day, things just being ‘differen’t all around me.. All of these differences somehow take a toll on the system. These cultural difference that I so love, still took a toll on me.
But I have since been getting a lot of rest. I have been forcing myself to get out of my house and to see, explore, enjoy the cities around me, too.
But tonight, my last volunteer English conversation class I felt something was going to be different, and it was. Even from the get-go with these classes I did not quite know what to expect, nor what exactly was expected of me. But still I took all in stride and took a deep breath and just talked, and enjoyed the company of those attending the class. Tonight, the last class was about Hobby English. I requested students to bring a favourite item and we all worked together to introduce brought items to the class.
One fine lady brought her Japanese Tea Ceremony set. At the end of class she shared handmade pastries with us all and we slurped matcha. Other members of the class brought favourite CDs, introduced me to new artists and hobbies, gadgets. Another student kindly shared about her own passion for her culture. Japanese culture. That same student allowed me her book on Japanese kimonos and colours. A thoughtful gesture.
You see, I came home wanting to write this post -or, just anything- right away because I finally had the sweet taste of something that I have not tasted for weeks, but has been wafting right in front of my nose this whole time. This evening I felt the sweet, warm love for Japan again; a sensation that I have not had the luxury of re-realizing for a while. It is like when you hear a moving story of how work had got in the way of a father from loving his family for some while. Work having taken the priority from his loved ones. And why do I compare my experience in this way? Well, I unquestionably share a family-like love for Japan. People, buildings, actions, sweetnesses, unsaid expressions, toilet paper left in little woven baskets in a restroom confident that no one will take nor bother the rolls -I know- it is things like this, a collection of lovely observances that make this place so confidently special for me.
This re-realization is a big deal for me because I have had to focus too much on my own health and well-being lately to open wide enough my eyes and take in every last detail around me. No, I haven’t been living blindly to this enthralling experience around me (Japan), but even regardless of my personal difficulties, as aforementioned, I have strained to smile at the fantastic nearby me. For example, sunsets and glimpses of nature still move me, the way people do their daily here still strives me, and the height of the curb from the roadway still gildes me.
And listen, I know that some posts have been lacking life, soul, or any scape of experience at all. But you may very well know that those posts and tellings have been the shell of my experience on those very lonely, very tired days here in northern Japan. But I have not and will never give up hope. I am learning a life-and-self balance unlike any I have known before. And I have the luxury of life-learning while living in one of the country-places that I find most enjoyable. Japan.
So I thank you for the reading, and for following my most plain-jane of endeavours while ‘on task’ here in Japan. I promise to work-up some photos for you, and to even go back and tack-on some pictures from the places that I have been, affixing those pictures to previous posts.
I hope you are surviving yours, too. Always leave room for yourself, and never blame for having tried and failed. For I think we never really fail as long as we keep trying. Or something like that.
Have a really good night. And we’ll talk again soon.
Ciao,
(tea set, busy hands, and a flan-tastic end to a four-series after-school english conversation class here in town. A joy and a surprise was the tea, the company, and the consummation of events)
The Traveller's Typewriter 