I'll have to confirm it with my friend, but it seems the best dates to make my practice run on might be the 15th (木) through the 19th (月) of next month. There will be no more full-week holidays for the remaining duration of my contracts with the schools (drat!), and the sooner I try it the better anyway. In preparation, I shall have to research the following items:
- distance
- anticipated time (to be later compared to actual time)
- possible routes
- anticipated cost (compared to actual cost)
- supplies
- local geographical features and markers
- local wildlife (where there is any ^-^) (i.e. edibles and inedibles)
- boat times and fares
- available Couchsurfing contacts
- any Fukuyama-ben to worry about?
- locations with internet access
I really want to see how far I can go without buying much of anything (besides the boat fare, of course) -- but I have the feeling I'm not quite experienced yet to handle distinguishing edible from inedible wild vegetation just yet....only fruit on farmland, which would be stealing.....
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Monday, September 28, 2009
Three months...
出発までの残り時間： 3 months
Three months to get everything settled and together: money, maps, schedules, supplies, permissions, visas. As of right now, I'm planning to travel with Love, my mountain bike of one year (and future companion for at least one more). We'll have to do at least one preactice run, probably a trip up to Fukuyama to visit my friend Dan. I'll have to get in shape and study the climate and terrain of the areas I'm heading for. Boat policies for transporting boys and their mountain bikes. Fees.
今まで、目的地のリストをとても長く考えているけど、実際にすべて行けるかどうかを確実するぐらいものだね。行けば行くほどといった決意だ。問題になる可能性が高いのは（いつでものことだけど）、お金と時間の節約だね。どっちも注意して使わなければ、お旅の最中に困難が発生して間違いない。
Here's my list for the time being:
- South Korea
- Japan: Okinawa
- Taiwan
- China: Hong Kong (?)
- Vietnam
- Cambodia
- Thailand
- Laos (?)
- India
- Nepal
- China: Tibet Autonomous Region
- China: Qinghai
- China: Gansu
- China: Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (?)
- Mongolia
- Russia (?)
- Ukraine (?)
- Turkey
- Greece
- Italy
- France
OR
- Germany
- Sweden
- Britain
- Wales
- Ireland
- Canada: Newfoundland
- Canada: Quebec
- USA: Minnesota
This might not be exhaustive. On the other hand, it might not be realistic either. But one can never really know what they can do until they try. Success or failure only exists in afterthought. The promise is what brings things into Creation, and is thus the only thing that really matters. Here's to the nomad's promise, the nomadic eclectic.
Three months to get everything settled and together: money, maps, schedules, supplies, permissions, visas. As of right now, I'm planning to travel with Love, my mountain bike of one year (and future companion for at least one more). We'll have to do at least one preactice run, probably a trip up to Fukuyama to visit my friend Dan. I'll have to get in shape and study the climate and terrain of the areas I'm heading for. Boat policies for transporting boys and their mountain bikes. Fees.
今まで、目的地のリストをとても長く考えているけど、実際にすべて行けるかどうかを確実するぐらいものだね。行けば行くほどといった決意だ。問題になる可能性が高いのは（いつでものことだけど）、お金と時間の節約だね。どっちも注意して使わなければ、お旅の最中に困難が発生して間違いない。
Here's my list for the time being:
- South Korea
- Japan: Okinawa
- Taiwan
- China: Hong Kong (?)
- Vietnam
- Cambodia
- Thailand
- Laos (?)
- India
- Nepal
- China: Tibet Autonomous Region
- China: Qinghai
- China: Gansu
- China: Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (?)
- Mongolia
- Russia (?)
- Ukraine (?)
- Turkey
- Greece
- Italy
- France
OR
- Germany
- Sweden
- Britain
- Wales
- Ireland
- Canada: Newfoundland
- Canada: Quebec
- USA: Minnesota
This might not be exhaustive. On the other hand, it might not be realistic either. But one can never really know what they can do until they try. Success or failure only exists in afterthought. The promise is what brings things into Creation, and is thus the only thing that really matters. Here's to the nomad's promise, the nomadic eclectic.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Dreams of being native
The following is a recent writing entry by a student from a language-learning website I tutor at. The topic seemed frequent and pertinent enough to make me want to post it here.
Diary 9/20 To Kelsey
I'm writing this entry to sort out my current problem in learning English.
I have difficulty in expressing my thoughts in conversations. When the conversation flows, I stammer a lot, can't find right words. I sometimes can't recall a simple word such as "confident" in conversations. I thought the best way to solve this problem is to speak a lot, but it doesn't seem to work out well as I make the same mistakes repeatedly. I have to read and write more often to become familiar with English words.
Besides, I rarely use idioms during conversations. English native speakers use many idioms casually in their conversations. I hardly recognize them when I encounter new expressions. Idioms such as "at the drop of a hat." or "bare one's soul." are difficult to memorize because I don't see these expressions very often. I need to write down these new idioms when I encounter them. I'm going to try to use them myself as soon as possible.
Lastly, I often say "I think" or "I thought" in a discussion. I listened to a recording of my English conversation the other day, and it was annoying. I have to avoid saying "I think" in a conversation too often, as everyone in the conversation knows that it is I who is thinking and talking.
I will pay attention to these points the next time I participate in a discussion.
[End of letter]
Dear -----,
...
I can't help but comment on what you've chosen to say in this diary entry. I've had many students (on the internet and in person) who have the same desire as you, to become 'as fluent in English as a native speaker' (at least, I think that is your desire here). Let me ask you a question: Why? What do you mean by 'being fluent' in this way? To be able to use idioms like so many of the people you see on television? In blogs?
You should know that, first of all, the word "native speaker" is a dubious and deceiving word. What do you mean by a "native speaker"? I know many native speakers who don't use idioms at all (in fact, I rarely did either until I became more social in college). I challenge you to write another diary entry (you don't have to send it to me if you don't want to) that defines exactly what you mean by a "native speaker of English". Do all speakers of this type speak the same way? (For example, do they all use idioms?) If they don't all speak the same, what determines the differences in their ways of speaking?
As one more challenge, please try this: define for yourself why you are learning English. What is your goal exactly? Many people say, "Because it's an international language," but if you think about it, this does not justify or require learners to become familiar with American-style English idioms. (British and Australian people also don't always use or even understand American idioms, but do you think then that their English is 'less fluent'?) The more detailed you can be in writing these, the better, I think.
(By the way, have you counted the number of times I, a "native speaker," use the words "I think"? I have always used "I think" often because of my personality. Do you think there's something wrong with this?)
Please write again soon.
[End of second letter]
It sounds more aggressive than it did earlier, but this student knows me well, I think (^-^), and isn't likely to take it the wrong way. Any comments from others are welcome.
Diary 9/20 To Kelsey
I'm writing this entry to sort out my current problem in learning English.
I have difficulty in expressing my thoughts in conversations. When the conversation flows, I stammer a lot, can't find right words. I sometimes can't recall a simple word such as "confident" in conversations. I thought the best way to solve this problem is to speak a lot, but it doesn't seem to work out well as I make the same mistakes repeatedly. I have to read and write more often to become familiar with English words.
Besides, I rarely use idioms during conversations. English native speakers use many idioms casually in their conversations. I hardly recognize them when I encounter new expressions. Idioms such as "at the drop of a hat." or "bare one's soul." are difficult to memorize because I don't see these expressions very often. I need to write down these new idioms when I encounter them. I'm going to try to use them myself as soon as possible.
Lastly, I often say "I think" or "I thought" in a discussion. I listened to a recording of my English conversation the other day, and it was annoying. I have to avoid saying "I think" in a conversation too often, as everyone in the conversation knows that it is I who is thinking and talking.
I will pay attention to these points the next time I participate in a discussion.
[End of letter]
Dear -----,
...
I can't help but comment on what you've chosen to say in this diary entry. I've had many students (on the internet and in person) who have the same desire as you, to become 'as fluent in English as a native speaker' (at least, I think that is your desire here). Let me ask you a question: Why? What do you mean by 'being fluent' in this way? To be able to use idioms like so many of the people you see on television? In blogs?
You should know that, first of all, the word "native speaker" is a dubious and deceiving word. What do you mean by a "native speaker"? I know many native speakers who don't use idioms at all (in fact, I rarely did either until I became more social in college). I challenge you to write another diary entry (you don't have to send it to me if you don't want to) that defines exactly what you mean by a "native speaker of English". Do all speakers of this type speak the same way? (For example, do they all use idioms?) If they don't all speak the same, what determines the differences in their ways of speaking?
As one more challenge, please try this: define for yourself why you are learning English. What is your goal exactly? Many people say, "Because it's an international language," but if you think about it, this does not justify or require learners to become familiar with American-style English idioms. (British and Australian people also don't always use or even understand American idioms, but do you think then that their English is 'less fluent'?) The more detailed you can be in writing these, the better, I think.
(By the way, have you counted the number of times I, a "native speaker," use the words "I think"? I have always used "I think" often because of my personality. Do you think there's something wrong with this?)
Please write again soon.
[End of second letter]
It sounds more aggressive than it did earlier, but this student knows me well, I think (^-^), and isn't likely to take it the wrong way. Any comments from others are welcome.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Advice for Prospective JETs
I was recently asked by someone if I'd mind answering some questions via email regarding my two years on the JET Programme (2006-'08). I've decided to post my answers here just in case there's anyone else out there who'd care to know a sort of eccentric guy's view on living in Japan through an organization of this sort. Hope it helps someone!
1) What did a typical week look for you?
What's funny is that, no matter how long I was at the office, I was still often one of the last to arrive and first to leave. (Those people are machines...) Anyway, I typically kept a schedule of 7:30AM to about 5~6PM (depending on how much work there was left to do). The work contract with the education board states that work hours are from 8:30 to 4:30, and probably most JETs keep to that. But then, many JETs complain that they can never really bond with any of the people they work with or get to know the kids any better than they do in their limited class times. I arrived early to show that I was dedicated to being there and working in the Japanese system ("when in Rome, do as the Romans"), and I'd stay later to work on projects (newsletters and so on) I had started for my students and also just in case there was anything the Japanese English teachers needed help with (which there often was). Many of those teachers also go to work on the weekends, but I drew the line for myself there -- after all, JETs are only teachings assistants really (and will often be reminded of that if need be).
2) How easy was it to make friends? How was your social life?
This is a good question -- whether or not you make friends here really seems to make or break people who come to Japan. Myself, I've been viewed among the JETs, I think, as something of a slightly interesting(?) but maybe mostly mysterious(?) antisocial of sorts. The truth is that I've made many Japanese friends, as a few other JETs have, and I think it is the few of us who have been able to do so who see that the frequent JET party gatherings and so forth have some severe limitations. I'm not saying I've sworn myself against interacting with fellow gaijin -- I've been to several holiday parties and even took part in an all-foreigner amateur play of Robin Hood. But there is precisely a sort of problem with thinking in terms of "fellow gaijin," I think. At least where I am, somewhere between rural Japan and the city, it's necessary I believe to try and forgo approaching the Japanese (or, as many people do, allow themselves to be approached by Japanese) by way of a group of like-minded foreigners. The friends I've made here are either people who despite being wary of me as a foreigner saw that I really try to relate to them, or are people introduced to me by people of the first kind. I'm still good friends with these people now, even after many of my good foreigner friends have moved away or gone home.
3) How much of the language did you speak beforehand?
Not too much, I suppose. I'd studied abroad in Japan before and had to take language classes by requirement. I later became more and more interested in it and was able to motivate myself to continue. This I will say with certainty: people with even a mild interest in coming to work here should at least come with a basic-conversation-level grasp of Japanese -- that's in my book, anyway. Furthermore (and this extends the answer to #2), anyone wishing to make really good friends with anyone else here who is neither a foreigner nor an Anglophile of any sort needs to be open to learning and constantly pushing themselves to become fluent in Japanese. Yes, many Japanese nowadays can speak a bit of English -- but that's all the more reason to do a little work on our end and accustom ourselves to their country, their ways, their language. I get told (and no longer in a patronizing way) that I really understand the "way Japanese think," and to whatever extent this generalizing (and slightly stereotypical) statement might be true, a good 90% of that is thanks to a comprehension in the language, I am certain.
4) How quickly were you able to learn? How much was language knowledge a hindrance?
It can be a big hindrance, as I'm sort of implying above. Of course, you can live your everyday life more or less fine and be pleased with even being able to ask for things you want or directions to where you want to go. But the "vault" of Japanese culture and thinking (by which I mean, the degree to which you see what's around you and really have some sense of why it's there, including how people -- potential friends -- behave) has only one key that comprises of the language and a sensivity to yet-unfamiliar notions and patterns, a willingness to comply to things that don't yet make sense but will (and, in most cases, only after these things make sense is it right for someone to agree or disagree with them). As far as speed of learning, I've experienced a cycle of periods of intense comprehension, coupled with exhilirating fluidity, and periods of utter resignation, where it feels like nothing is coming of any of it. Having accepted the cycle by now, I think that it is faster to attain fluency than most people are aware of. In a little over three-and-a-half years (if my time studying abroad is included), I've managed to come to a point where I can go just about anywhere and feel mostly comfortable with communicating with someone, even to the point of being able to recognize and use nuances and references in conversation that typically aren't even noticed by beginner or intermediate learners. It all depends, I think, on time and strategy in study.
5) If you could give future participants some tips, what would they be?
Well, one I've belabored already is, learn the language, or as much as you can manage. Second, enter the workplace everyday as though you were on the same level as everyone else (while keeping to respectful language and customs with them); that is, be there to be a teacher and not just some magic foreigner-robot that can pronounce words for the class when the teacher requests it. None of it is true really and won't become true either -- it is simply not possible to rise above one's position and be completely accepted as a "fellow teacher" -- but it makes all the difference in terms of self-confidence and the degree of dedication that other teachers will (hopefully) be able to see and admire in you. Third, eat the food, all of it, at least once. (I say this and yet have hypocritically avoided eating whale on all accounts, myself.) The Japanese are in competition with the French in the extent to which they dedicate themselves, and take pride in, their food. You can easily make a successful move in becoming part of the company you keep by downing one of the strange dishes no one there really expects you to eat. Fourth, there will be plenty of opportunities to wield the European/American Sword of Superiority (or whatever you might call it, postcolonialist Western egotism perhaps?) that will always -- at least, in many places -- play a minor role in every conversation or interaction with the people here. I suggest resisting all temptations to pick that sword up, which can be more difficult than it seems. One way I've managed to deal with this issue is address the sword, talk about it with people, concur with people that I, one man, am not my country and do not always agree with its past (and present) international relations (in fact, downright disagree at times). It is all too common, though, I think, for JETs to be filled with a sense of self-aggrandizement and completely overlook what effect their self-opinion and disposition can have on the people here. (I'm not lying when I say that I've met some Japanese in their 20's here who feel that the dropping of the A-bombs was actually the right thing to do. And I'm nearly positive that this notion is not something they came up with on their own or received from other Japanese.) So, I recommend leaving the sword in the stone and learning how to be humble without necessarily sacrificing oneself to "the system" or anyone else.
6) Is there anything you wish you'd known before you went?
This one's really tricky. I can't give a very appropriate answer, I think. For many Westerners, the way into Japan is through English teaching. I think there are people who come wanting to teach English and choose Japan as an interesting or exciting location to do so. Others come wanting to simply be in Japan, to take up the challenge of understanding its mystery and people. The rest are probably composed of a little of both. I fall into the second sort, and as such I have some room to say that, what with not coming in order to teach English per se (the English became a means, not the end), I might not have joined the JET Programme if I'd taken the time to become acquainted with other ways of work here. That being said, I've still had some great experiences here, and had I not come the way I did, I might not have so quickly built up my Japanese abilities and sensibilities to now be able to do work in translation. I'm not at all saying that English teaching here is negative. I'm just simply not one of those who desired to teach English somewhere -- Japan was in my mind from the beginning. The only advice I'd have here then is for people of the first sort to do a thorough investigation of all the potential places to teach and choose the best candidate -- don't just do Japan because "it's Japan, after all!" And people of the second sort should really dig deep and ask themselves if teaching English is right for them, because if it isn't, they're in for a bit of a difficult ride, I think. And for those who haven't figured out what sort they are yet: decide now before you go any further.◇
1) What did a typical week look for you?
What's funny is that, no matter how long I was at the office, I was still often one of the last to arrive and first to leave. (Those people are machines...) Anyway, I typically kept a schedule of 7:30AM to about 5~6PM (depending on how much work there was left to do). The work contract with the education board states that work hours are from 8:30 to 4:30, and probably most JETs keep to that. But then, many JETs complain that they can never really bond with any of the people they work with or get to know the kids any better than they do in their limited class times. I arrived early to show that I was dedicated to being there and working in the Japanese system ("when in Rome, do as the Romans"), and I'd stay later to work on projects (newsletters and so on) I had started for my students and also just in case there was anything the Japanese English teachers needed help with (which there often was). Many of those teachers also go to work on the weekends, but I drew the line for myself there -- after all, JETs are only teachings assistants really (and will often be reminded of that if need be).
2) How easy was it to make friends? How was your social life?
This is a good question -- whether or not you make friends here really seems to make or break people who come to Japan. Myself, I've been viewed among the JETs, I think, as something of a slightly interesting(?) but maybe mostly mysterious(?) antisocial of sorts. The truth is that I've made many Japanese friends, as a few other JETs have, and I think it is the few of us who have been able to do so who see that the frequent JET party gatherings and so forth have some severe limitations. I'm not saying I've sworn myself against interacting with fellow gaijin -- I've been to several holiday parties and even took part in an all-foreigner amateur play of Robin Hood. But there is precisely a sort of problem with thinking in terms of "fellow gaijin," I think. At least where I am, somewhere between rural Japan and the city, it's necessary I believe to try and forgo approaching the Japanese (or, as many people do, allow themselves to be approached by Japanese) by way of a group of like-minded foreigners. The friends I've made here are either people who despite being wary of me as a foreigner saw that I really try to relate to them, or are people introduced to me by people of the first kind. I'm still good friends with these people now, even after many of my good foreigner friends have moved away or gone home.
3) How much of the language did you speak beforehand?
Not too much, I suppose. I'd studied abroad in Japan before and had to take language classes by requirement. I later became more and more interested in it and was able to motivate myself to continue. This I will say with certainty: people with even a mild interest in coming to work here should at least come with a basic-conversation-level grasp of Japanese -- that's in my book, anyway. Furthermore (and this extends the answer to #2), anyone wishing to make really good friends with anyone else here who is neither a foreigner nor an Anglophile of any sort needs to be open to learning and constantly pushing themselves to become fluent in Japanese. Yes, many Japanese nowadays can speak a bit of English -- but that's all the more reason to do a little work on our end and accustom ourselves to their country, their ways, their language. I get told (and no longer in a patronizing way) that I really understand the "way Japanese think," and to whatever extent this generalizing (and slightly stereotypical) statement might be true, a good 90% of that is thanks to a comprehension in the language, I am certain.
4) How quickly were you able to learn? How much was language knowledge a hindrance?
It can be a big hindrance, as I'm sort of implying above. Of course, you can live your everyday life more or less fine and be pleased with even being able to ask for things you want or directions to where you want to go. But the "vault" of Japanese culture and thinking (by which I mean, the degree to which you see what's around you and really have some sense of why it's there, including how people -- potential friends -- behave) has only one key that comprises of the language and a sensivity to yet-unfamiliar notions and patterns, a willingness to comply to things that don't yet make sense but will (and, in most cases, only after these things make sense is it right for someone to agree or disagree with them). As far as speed of learning, I've experienced a cycle of periods of intense comprehension, coupled with exhilirating fluidity, and periods of utter resignation, where it feels like nothing is coming of any of it. Having accepted the cycle by now, I think that it is faster to attain fluency than most people are aware of. In a little over three-and-a-half years (if my time studying abroad is included), I've managed to come to a point where I can go just about anywhere and feel mostly comfortable with communicating with someone, even to the point of being able to recognize and use nuances and references in conversation that typically aren't even noticed by beginner or intermediate learners. It all depends, I think, on time and strategy in study.
5) If you could give future participants some tips, what would they be?
Well, one I've belabored already is, learn the language, or as much as you can manage. Second, enter the workplace everyday as though you were on the same level as everyone else (while keeping to respectful language and customs with them); that is, be there to be a teacher and not just some magic foreigner-robot that can pronounce words for the class when the teacher requests it. None of it is true really and won't become true either -- it is simply not possible to rise above one's position and be completely accepted as a "fellow teacher" -- but it makes all the difference in terms of self-confidence and the degree of dedication that other teachers will (hopefully) be able to see and admire in you. Third, eat the food, all of it, at least once. (I say this and yet have hypocritically avoided eating whale on all accounts, myself.) The Japanese are in competition with the French in the extent to which they dedicate themselves, and take pride in, their food. You can easily make a successful move in becoming part of the company you keep by downing one of the strange dishes no one there really expects you to eat. Fourth, there will be plenty of opportunities to wield the European/American Sword of Superiority (or whatever you might call it, postcolonialist Western egotism perhaps?) that will always -- at least, in many places -- play a minor role in every conversation or interaction with the people here. I suggest resisting all temptations to pick that sword up, which can be more difficult than it seems. One way I've managed to deal with this issue is address the sword, talk about it with people, concur with people that I, one man, am not my country and do not always agree with its past (and present) international relations (in fact, downright disagree at times). It is all too common, though, I think, for JETs to be filled with a sense of self-aggrandizement and completely overlook what effect their self-opinion and disposition can have on the people here. (I'm not lying when I say that I've met some Japanese in their 20's here who feel that the dropping of the A-bombs was actually the right thing to do. And I'm nearly positive that this notion is not something they came up with on their own or received from other Japanese.) So, I recommend leaving the sword in the stone and learning how to be humble without necessarily sacrificing oneself to "the system" or anyone else.
6) Is there anything you wish you'd known before you went?
This one's really tricky. I can't give a very appropriate answer, I think. For many Westerners, the way into Japan is through English teaching. I think there are people who come wanting to teach English and choose Japan as an interesting or exciting location to do so. Others come wanting to simply be in Japan, to take up the challenge of understanding its mystery and people. The rest are probably composed of a little of both. I fall into the second sort, and as such I have some room to say that, what with not coming in order to teach English per se (the English became a means, not the end), I might not have joined the JET Programme if I'd taken the time to become acquainted with other ways of work here. That being said, I've still had some great experiences here, and had I not come the way I did, I might not have so quickly built up my Japanese abilities and sensibilities to now be able to do work in translation. I'm not at all saying that English teaching here is negative. I'm just simply not one of those who desired to teach English somewhere -- Japan was in my mind from the beginning. The only advice I'd have here then is for people of the first sort to do a thorough investigation of all the potential places to teach and choose the best candidate -- don't just do Japan because "it's Japan, after all!" And people of the second sort should really dig deep and ask themselves if teaching English is right for them, because if it isn't, they're in for a bit of a difficult ride, I think. And for those who haven't figured out what sort they are yet: decide now before you go any further.◇
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