John Stupart.com

Well, it’s still pretty cold here in Sarufutsu. While Sapporo and more southern parts of Hokkaido are starting to experience mid to high twenties weather that should symbolise summer, way up here we still have single digit temperatures and night with a seriously cold wind blowing during the day. I don’t mind so much, as I’ve always rather enjoyed the cold weather. If only it’d snow until July though… (UPDATE: It’s now 6 degrees. Summer here we come!)

This weekend I went to Asahikawa to get a decent-sized and priced tog bag to take on the plane back to SA. I needed something big enough to fit my computer as well as some odds and ends, as well as to search for some flyfishing gear. The city had none of the latter, but I did manage to get the bag, as well as a bunch of westernised foodstuffs from the foreign food store, like nougat, gouda cheese, Ceres fruit juice and Campbell’s soup cans, something which I have become quite addicted to. Driving in the city was as frustrating as any Japanese metropole, as nobody really has a clue about driving. Entering a traffic circle is a recipe for disaster, as they’re relatively new in Japan, yet no instruction has been given to the people as to their navigation. Thus it’s basically a free-for-all everyone for themselves kind of affair where right of way doesn’t exist and motorists haplessly barrel into the circle, never knowing just where they’re meant to be. My blood pressure probably spiked in those harrowed seconds…

Other than seeing a million foxes on the way back, I managed to get home at a respectable hour without much fuss, cruising behind another drive for the most part at a good speed allowed me to make the trip in under three hours. Sunday saw the usual park golf tour with Chris, in which he clearly and most definitively kicked my ass. But on the way back, I passed the Onishibetsu community hall which was a hive of activity, drawin my interest. Curious, I investigated to discover that it was the pre-Shinto shrine festival celebration, which involved food, drink, goldfish and karaoke. It was certainly quite interesting to see, and I bumped into a lot of fellow teachers, office workers, and of course just about all the student from the town. The Junior High Students showed a disturbingly high interest in buying a beer for me when I said I was thirsty. Gleams in their eyes when they tried in their broken English to say as much was… disturbing. Still, they had been drinking fanta and eating corn dogs since 6pm so I can notch that one up to hyperactivity. It was strange seeing what was effectively the entire town’s population in one place at the same time, but a little weird, as the gaijin obviously sticks out like a sore thumb. It would’ve been nice to have at least ONE other foreign devil to divert attention. Nonetheless it was an interesting end to the week, and I’m glad I investigated.

Here’s one of the really crappy pictures I managed to take with my phone’s camera:

There was a pretty large earthquake in northern Honshu on Saturday (Honshu being the mainland). Measuring seven point-something on the Ricther scale, it’s killed nine people to date. Now, way up here in Northern Hokkaido, I didn’t hear so much as a rumble, let alone a full-blown shaking house. A friend in Aomori who was in range of the quake said that, at first, she wondered why her door was shaking from the wind, and then realised the entire house was shaking. No damage or anything untoward. She lives near the outskirts of the earthquake range and Japanese building regulations are formed with earthquakes very much in mind.

Of course, me being oblivious, I didn’t even think to call home and say that my place was still standing, as my geographical location is pretty much as far away as possible from the quake site, excepting perhaps Okinawa way down south. Of course for those NOT living in Japan, there’s always worry, so the concern is understandable and appreciated! It seems the Stupart siblings are becoming notorious for being ambivalent toward natural disaster. After my brother’s communicative lapse in Malaysia during the tidal waves, you’d think I’d have learned something!

In tune with Japanese current affairs, a man went on a killing spree in Tokyo, running through a crowd in a rented truck and then stabbing close to a score of people with a hunting knife. This has created a complete stir in the news community, and Akihabara, the district where the crime took place, is now swarming with police, tearful mourners and scrambling news crews. Of course SA has seen that many people murdered in half a day, but here it’s a relatively shocking thing to happen, thus the public outrage and mourning.

As a (potentially unrelated, but you can never be too sure) side-note, the history teacher has shaven his head completely, which means he now looks almost exactly like the knife-stabber guy from the TV. Right down to the deadpan expression and wide glasses he has adopted. He never says a word to anyone either. It’s always the quiet ones o_o …

On a happier, slightly more nerve-wracking note, I am more than likely going to have to deliver a short speech to the kiddiwinks of the elementary schools, as well as my work colleagues, as a sort of parting message before I leave next month. In Japanese nogal. I have no idea what or how I might go about this, but I think I might have to make full use of the few Japanese friends I have made here and their translation-services! I don’t quite know what I’ll say, but it shall be suitably pertinent and poignant. Something about education, and English being a ticket to see the world or something like that. Or perhaps a nice reflection on the transitory nature of youth, followed by a witty quote. Or maybe I’ll just say that I enjoyed the sushi, thanks for the wacky television, see you next time! I’ll work on it…

I’ve recently started holding conversation classes at the behest of some of the village’s parents and friends, which have turned out remarkably better than I’d initially expected. The classes range in number from 5-10, depending on who feels like speaking English on the given night (normally once a week.) The ability varies from beginner to pretty-decent, which really works to my favour as I often have to lean on the village vetinarian, whose English is very good, for help translating the tricky Japanese that some might not understand. Topics range from personal heroes to what’s for dinner and last just one hour. I’d made certain that everyone understood that this is just a very relaxed conversation class, as I do not have the Japanese capacity to do a full on evening class like my predecessor. The relaxed environment works well I think, and I find I enjoy the classes a lot more than I’d expected.

It’s also a great way to learn about Japanese history, culture and the various family shenanigans going on in the village. Being intensely interested in at least the first two, this is a good thing! In all I kinda wish I’d started it sooner, as the classes only began two months ago or so, but I never really thought it’d be feasible. I have no idea if much English is learned, but it’s at least more English spoken than they would otherwise have had without.

I’m still of two minds about leaving Japan, as I would dearly LOVE to stay. But I’ve pretty much summed up the reasons for staying vs going as the following:

PROS

• I  love the village, the kids and rural Hokkaido
• I FREAKING LOVE SNOWBOARDING!!!
• I have a good standard of living.
• It’s comfy

CONS

• I promised myself that, no matter how awesome, I’d limit this working holiday to just one year.
• It gets seriously lonely living inside your head for a year
• I’d rather start my Masters while I still have some shred of intellectual capacity remaining.

There are lots of other reasons on both sides of course, but basically staying simply because it’s a cushy lifestyle is no reason at all to stay. I could work as an independent ALT in a larger city or somesuch, but I find I generally loathe the JET community and their incestuous uppity-ness. It’s mostly my fault, as I’ve long-since become used to the politically-incorrect clan of savages I call my friends back in SA, and in turn that means I can barely function in polite, insincere company. I’m a snob, but reversely so, I suppose.

Ultimately then I must move on in order to continue growing. As long as I’m furthering myself in some aspect each year I’ll be happy. JET is certainly no career path, but if I’d theoretically stayed another year, I’d need something to make it worthwhile. Perhaps I’d study Japanese properly, or take a martial art, or both. Who knows.

This bitter-sweet sentiment is probably a good thing though. I’d hate to leave a bitter and jaded old salt, cursing Japan and its inhabitants, rather than accepting their unique eccentricities for what they are and enjoying them while it lasts.

Enough angsty maudlin! I don’t write on this blog as a pity-party, damnit! On to more important things: The enkai…

An enkai is basically just a work-related party, normally at a restaurant or somesuch. Last Friday we had just such an event in Hamatonbetsu to welcome in the new teachers. The 30 minute bus ride came with beer, which was nice, so by the time we got to the actual establishment, myself and the science teacher had already made a good dent on our sobriety. The food was some of the best I’ve had while here in Japan, and one can really see that the ships are back out in the ocean hauling in fresh fish. There was sashimi of various types, including scallop, salmon and shrimp, as well as a whole array of cooked meats and spiced things, including pies! Mygods! Real pies! Not those sweetened cherry and blueberry abominations the Amerkins love so much, but proper meaty pies! They were quite small, it being Japan and all, but it tasted just like a normal steak or lamb pasty. Also there were lots, so I might have scoffed down quite a few while the going was good.

Dessert was cake and an odd sesame seed pudding which wasn’t bad at all, complemented with beer, of course! Unfortunately the whole affair lasted all of one and a half hours, as the booze bus taking us back had to leave at 9pm for some godforsaken reason. I was sad, especially considering the price for this whole thing. The food was great and the drinks flowing, but gees! One and a half hours?!?! Come on!

The weekend itself was uneventful, other than playing a soccer game against the students with some older kids and parents, and a trip to Wakkanai to get some decent groceries (I found pizza and imported ice cream!)

No new pictures this week, unfortunately! Maybe next time!