John Stupart.com

The snow is melting, and I get sad! By this time next month all the snow will likely be completely gone, and my snowboarding sojourn will be at its end. It’s probably a good thing, as I was starting to become rather single-tracked, as pointed out by my good friend Lauren. I really have nothing to talk about these days except snowboarding and snowboarding-related activities. It’s great in my head, but utterly mundane to everyone else. I’m beginning to see how skaters, surfers and other similar sports enthusiasts can become obsessed with the lifestyle, slowly becoming incapable of functioning like a normal human being.

But no matter! With the coming of spring comes the possibility for broader travel through Hokkaido, as well as finally getting around to hiking around the islands near Wakkanai. With just about four months left in Japan, I had better start getting around to this soon, lest I never get to see the inactive volcano and Japanese edelweiss.

But on more work-related issues, it seems there’s a good chance that I am more or less done with elementary school teaching in my village until June! I couldn’t believe my ears when my supervisor politely told me that it’s standard procedure to resume their English education later on in the year. This in effect means that the elementary schools receive a paltry 6 months education, split between 6 schools and utterly ineffective in achieving any meaningful level of preparation for Junior High School. While I absolutely love teaching the elementary schools, I really don’t see the point of it all if I only get to teach them once a month for six months each! Heather recently attended a seminar thing in Wakkanai where the topic of just what the objective of it all was. She raised the very valid point of whether educators in Japan want to help students understand English or simply pick up a few handy phrases. Given the increasingly prominent role Japan plays in the world economically and socially, one would think the answer would be of the former, but it isn’t…

…But I am mostly just grumpy because it means long days at the Junior High, where the students are teenagers and, thus, are significantly less-eager to learn anything (because they know everything! Duh!). Lots of coffee shall be drunk and I think I’m going to be reading at least two electronic books per week. It’s a shame, because there’s a lot more I could be doing in the schools, but it seems everyone here neither wants, nor is legislated for, extra usage of the Gaijin. I asked my supervisor to send a fax to all the elementary schools, offering my services to anyone who wants extra English lessons, but knowing the rigid protocol of Japanese curricula – even in the lower grades – I’m not holding my breath.

Bah! An old-timer ALT in Nayoro who knew my predecessor mentioned that he’d also expressed similar dissatisfaction in his two year stay here, and was one of the primary reasons of his electing not to re-contract for a third year. To be honest I’m amazed he managed two years of the frustration. It’s sad, as this is the really the only problem with the village. It’s not unique to Sarufutsu, as most have similar experiences, but it’s frustrating nonetheless.

Pessimism aside, I am quite looking forward to some spring weather. After -15 degree weather, even this relatively sweltering 2-5 degree weather has me feeling hot. Spring soars to 15 degrees, the average winter temperature in Jo’burg! I just hope the giant mosquitos stay away until well into July!

I am always amazed at how emotionally… weird… Japanese students are. I look at the Junior High Students, who still burst out in tears if they get in trouble, or pout and cry if they ‘boo-boo’ their elbow during PE, and wonder how on earth they would manage in the bestial charnal house that is a South African High School. When a finger is slightly sore or a drop of blood is seen, the nurse is summoned amidst much ado, all the while worried looks are exchanged, and I’m left there wondering if amputation is needed, only to find out that little Ryu banged his elbow on the basketball hoop.

If such vulnerability were displayed in the same age group in a South African high school, you would experience one or more of the following effects:
1.) Your school mates would laugh and taunt you mercilessly for weeks.
2.) You would get foodstuffs of varying freshness thrown at you in lunchbreak.
3.) You would be given a real reason to cry, such as a punch to the face, arm, leg or wedding vegetables.
In School, crying is strictly forbidden, much like displaying any other sensitivity. A boy’s high school in SA is much like a zoo full of pent-up rage-infused gibbons, who will likely tear one of their own apart just as easily as they would fling their lunch at them.

But in Japan, we are all hugs and smiles and tears. You’d think the boys would put on a braver face in front of the girls, but it seems bawling like a baby is ‘cute’ round these parts. Japanese kids seem to possess this amazing ability to spring forth tears at command, whenever, wherever. I can only contain my silent mirth and just watch in amazement.

And then there’s the touching. The boys, quite simply, are gay! They touch each other and hold hands, and do each other’s hair with practiced care that only the most effeminate could manage. In SA, if someone held hands with someone else, the resultant homophobic assault upon the unfortunate(s) would be immense and swift. It’s swiftness, in fact, exceeded only in its wrath.

So which is better. A completely wussy, effeminate and emasculated teenage school population, who cry at the drop of a hat and are extremely… wimpy, or grunting troglodytes who simply beat or humiliate any such transgression. If I had to choose, I’m not so sure I’d automatically go for the former. Much rather learn to be somewhat of a man in command of one’s emotions rather than a whimpering puddle of tears!

In other news, the below cartoon appeared in the Japan Times. Given how so many ALT’s are engaged or coupled with Japanese girls, I can personally attest to the ridiculousness of their coupling.