Japan, Our Meeting Place
Sunday, September 22, 2019Six months have passed since I came to Japan. My life here is not full of sunny days all throughout but my sense of purpose has been beco...
Sunday, September 22, 2019
Six months have passed since I came to Japan. My life here is not full of sunny days all throughout but my sense of purpose has been becoming clearer as time goes by. People who have experienced living abroad could attest to the challenges that come and go. It takes a leap of faith to live far from home, especially from my family, after three decades. But these challenges bring in new learning experiences, life-changing adventures, and holistic growth.
Being cautious and nervous like a cat when I meet new people, I always had to muster up my courage to answer a recurring question, "Why did you come to Japan?" The first words that usually pop up are culture, language, and experience. Since I spent two years of my childhood in Japan, I have always been wondering what it’s like to live in it and interact with its people.
Unearthing Japanese Culture
My family and I, especially my Dad, have loved Japanese culture throughout the years. Like most of my friends, I grew up watching animé shows dubbed on TV. I fell in love with Studio Ghibli movies so much that I named my first cat Jiji and one of our parrots Totoro. My brothers and I share a fun childhood because of Japanese toys and video games (Hello, SNES, GameBoy, and Play Station!). With regards to Japanese food, I have never had difficulty eating different dishes because I have been used to the taste since I was young. My Mom cooks them at home and we ate out in Japanese restaurants most of the time. Now, I am learning to cook some of their dishes that mostly contain vegetables partnered with soup or salad and I am also experimenting on my own.
When it comes to cultural immersion in the community, I didn’t have any major difficulties blending in with the people. I was naturally born a shy and gentle person. Well, I also have days when I let loose but that depends on the people I'm with. In the Philippines, I am usually one of the few introverted people in a group. Before I left, the president of our employment agency have told me a couple of times that my personality fits in Japan. Some people also say that I have "quiet strength." Surprisingly, Japanese people are shocked when I tell them that I consider myself shy. They usually see me as a very friendly and approachable person. It turned out that they are a lot more shy than me!
 |
| Matsuri Festival during the Golden Week |
 |
| My Neighbor Totoro lives nearby. |
 |
| The Ayabe International Exchange Association's BBQ party last June 9, 2019. |
Back in college, I was already interested to learn Japanese and I wanted to enroll in the language elective courses offered in the university. However, my friends discouraged me because Japanese 10 and 11 were the hardest language classes to take. In order to acquire a higher GWA, I opted for Spanish 10 and 11 classes for two semesters. Now, I am already regretting it. I should have started studying Japanese then. So in 2015, I started my self-study with my uni's Japanese module while waiting for a slot in the extramural language classes in the university for graduated or non-UP students. Three years later, I was able to secure a slot and two more classes followed. The fee was relatively cheaper than most Japanese language courses nationwide. This jumpstarted my #LearningJapanese journey.
 |
| 01 | 20 | 15 | Learning phonetic of a different language |
Reading Kanji is so difficult because I only remember a few characters. Listening comprehension is also very challenging, especially when a person speaks fast and uses unfamiliar words. Usually, a guessing game and gesture game follows. Most of the time, keeping a Google Translate ready is the solution to communicate. Once in a supermarket, tears were swelling in my eyes because the Japanese manager who had to issue me a membership card couldn’t understand me for a full-blown thirty minutes until we've decided to use our smartphones. “Lamunin na sana ako ng lupa,” ang peg. But fortunately, I am constantly attending Nihongo classes in a community center where volunteers teach for a very small fee. Due to this, my speaking skills improve.
As an English teacher, speaking in English 100% of the time is encouraged. Speaking in English to students can increase student motivation, and speaking and listening practice. But the truth is, Japanese skills are essential to survive in schools. When the students are poor in English and only speak in Japanese, being able to understand what they say can help to give proper responses in English. Moreover, speaking a little Japanese also builds rapport with the students and fellow teachers. They are more likely to speak to someone who can understand them even for a bit. My students are usually amazed when I utter a Japanese word or sentence. It still feels foreign to them to see me speak in their language. But it strengthens the connection.
More Teaching Experience and Learning Opportunities
 |
| A picture of me teaching on a school newspaper--this was a first. Ph Reprezeeeent! |
I have also learned to teach with more flexibility. The Japanese Teacher of English (JTE) can wreck my plans and change them every now and then and that’s okay. Each teacher possesses his or her own teaching style that I need to respect and adjust to. In Japan, maintaining a harmonious relationship is more important than being better or right.
During the past six months of staying in the countryside, I met a lot of kind and respectful Japanese teachers and students. I have encountered very few students who were “pasaway.” They were quite similar with Filipino students—naturally curious, work hard, make friends, joke around, and possess varied sets of interests. The noticeable difference was probably the oral communication skills and demeanor of students in and out of the classroom. Many of them are shy or reserved, especially where I live. Some possess the confidence to speak and enjoy the learning experience despite the difficulty. But most of them usually hesitate to speak in English. For someone who is studying Japanese, I hesitate many times too. I hope God will also give me more opportunities to speak with these students with greater rapport and connection. May we break the barriers together.
At one of my Junior High Schools, the principal (koucho-sensei), quoted a beautiful poem written by the famous Japanese poet and writer, Aida Mitsuo in his welcome speech to me:
 |
| Like the moon it shall be established forever, a faithful witness in the skies.” Selah, Psalm 89:37 |
 |
taken by my friend Sicely S. during our summer bonding in Osaka |
All these reasons—unearthing Japanese culture, learning the Japanese language, and gaining more teaching experience and learning opportunities—are just secondary to Him.
 |
| Ayabe's Shisuigaoka Park |
Japan is our meeting place—outside my comfort zone and right in the center of His will.
For He is the primary reason why I came here, then He is also the primary reason why I stay.
"The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore." Psalm 121:8
 |
| and counting. (: |
