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True love

October 2002

Some people would say that the only thing you should put in your ear is your elbow. But I found out two weekends ago, chatting over lunch with friends, that many couples in Japan take the meaning of love to a new level by cleaning each other's ears. Not just with cotton buds or a syringe, mind you, but with a little wooden scoop made just for the purpose. It takes a whole lot of trust to let someone stick something in your ear canal, right? Would you put your ear on the line for true love? :)

I didn't find true love on my birthday, but I had a great day. Sunday September 29 was sports carnival day for all of my elementary schools - quite inconveniently scheduled for the same day, but I managed to get around to all four and join in the fun. The weather was fine and all - the very old, the very young and everyone in between - were having a good time. Too good for some. One old gentleman collapsed after his run in the egg and spoon relay, though he thankfully recovered quickly to take a seat on the sideline. After a full day of quirky Japanese games, I was just about ready to collapse myself, but couldn't knock back an opportunity to party with the parents and teachers up in Zentoku that evening. Proceeding to eat, drink and karaoke myself silly in good company, I'm proud to say that I can still remember having a top night.

One of the parents at that party was the father of three of my students, Mr Asakura. I hadn't met him before, but his kids are great and meeting him gave me some insight into how that has come to be. He spent some time as a sailor when he was young and learnt to speak a little English as he traveled around. Living in Nishiiya doesn't give you many opportunities to practice anything other than Japanese, but we chatted a bit and it was quickly evident that he's a good man. No wonder I like his kids.

Just a week later, however, I turned up at Zentoku elementary school to teach for the day and noticed that Mr Asakura's son had a nasty bruise on his cheek. Later that day I heard that Mr Asakura himself was in hospital after a nasty car crash. His son was also in the vehicle but, fortunately, escaped with only the bruise. I went to see him three days after the accident to find that he could only speak in a whisper and was still not eating. Three weeks later, however, he's much better. As I type, he's still in the Miyoshi Hospital, but when I saw him last Friday he was looking healthy. He's very positive, not to mention very lucky, and is healing well. He should be home next week, which is wonderful. I know him better for having had the chance to visit and chat as he heals, but the few children that there are in Nishiiya need their fathers. Get well soon, Mr Asakura.

We need a director for our musical, too. Preparations are getting underway for the 2003 JET musical here in Tokushima. Last year I was a bit of a rookie in the process, but now I find myself on the production team, essentially in charge of driving this baby from start to finish. Part of me was looking forward to doing a bit of snowboarding this winter, but my weekends will instead be consumed by Harry Potter, David Beckham and a few popular Japanese characters thrown in for good measure. I'm looking forward to it, it should be fun, but maybe in 2004 I'll let someone else crack the whip and simply enjoy watching the end product.

You see, I signed on the dotted line for a third year on the JET Programme just yesterday, so I'll be living and teaching in the Iya Valley until July 2004, after which... well, I don't know, but I'm still enjoying life in Japan, I think new opportunities will come up when the time is right. Whether I stay in Japan even beyond 2004 or return to Australia or go elsewhere, is something that still needs lots of consideration. I might first write a book based on all these emails I send. :)

But I've met people who started here as JETs and are still here 10 years later, quite happily carrying on in some teaching capacity or another. One such person just got married to a lovely Japanese woman and was indeed the man who introduced me to the concept of reciprocal ear cleaning. (Did he know what his ears were in for when he walked down the aisle?! :)).

Mark was placed in a remote community called Kito, just over a mountain from where I am, quite close as the crow flies, but actually about 4 hours drive away. It's a shame, he's a good bloke, I'd like to see more of him - I only got to see him in this instance because his school's annual English Day comes around every October. Without ever really meaning to, Mark's one or two year stay became twelve. Now fluent in Japanese and well versed in the culture behind it, there's a turn of phrase he uses to describe himself sometimes... ah, "fake foreigner". Do I want to be one of those? I don't know. Ask me in ten years. :)

In the meantime, my foray into Japanese drumming, taiko, is coming along. I've got one rhythm piece firmly under my belt, another coming along slowly, and I participated in two performances this past month. Awa Odori is still in season for my group - we're going to Osaka late in November, though I think we'll break for the winter after that. And tonight I'm going to try out kendo, Japanese sword fighting, based on ancient principles of bushido but basically involving two people with big bamboo sticks smacking each other over the head and shouting a lot. Sounds like fun!

It's funny how the pastimes I pursue beyond school are all based outside my village. Besides for the occasional game of baseball with the local boys, there's not much going on in Nishiiya for me to get stuck into. The calligraphy class clashes with both volleyball and kendo. Hopefully, as I stay here longer, I'll find more ways to spend time with the locals. That's why I'm here. Nishiiya is a great little community. I hope before I leave that I can help to give it a reason to keep existing.

When I turn up to events like this month's Iya Jazz, a funky little jam hosted in a traditional house further up the valley, and Heike Matsuri, a festival which celebrates the culture of the Heike Clan who first settled the Iya Valley, I see potential for the area. I see locals enjoying their lives and visitors coming to experience the valley and bring it a little business. But the population is still declining. There aren't many jobs to keep young people here or bring others in. What can we do? It's the sort of question that might be ten years in the answering. It'd have to be true love to keep me here that long.

Truly,

Dave