Elementary School, Earthquakes, and Rocky LSATS

I went to Elementary school today and absolutely loved it. Although I think I would probably tire of it if I had to do it every single day of the week. The kids are so much happier than the high schoolers and they all love to participate!! They also grabbed my hand and took me to play with them and asked me tons of questions in Japanese...What a change! I love it. I wish I could get more random elementary days. Its also interesting to see the students at a much younger level and to imagine which of the current high school student personalities they will eventually morph into: the lackadasical student, the eager student, the reclusive student, the painfully shy student, the ADD student, the perpetually asleep student, the big hair student, the overweight student, etc. I love the elementary age when they are all participating without self-consciousness although I saw some of their self-consciousness kick in when one student got the wrong answer and was reluctant to answer questions for the next 20 minutes. It can be sad to see how in high school all the students seem to form separate cliques and become viscious protectors of those clique members and how the painfully shy students (male and female) try to absorb themselves into the background. You do something to offened others in the clique and your fucked. No questions are asked, acidic stuff is said and written, that particular student's well-being is on the line. There are no explanations, it appears to be much easier just to write someone off rather than try to fix things in some cases...I can see it in the puri kuras of students whom have crossed out a picture of someone previously in the picture. I hear about it when the teachers tell me about the internet bullying which happens over kei-tais and internet blogs. These poor high school girls come into the teachers room crying sometimes. [Surprisingly, I am learning that this can still happen in your 20s, and even in your 30s!!] The phenomena of Hikikomori is unique to Japan and I think that says alot about the collective culture and just how debilitating it can be sometimes. Recently a man in Akihabara stabbed a bunch of people with a knife, I think he actually killed some people. He was arrested and is now in jail. His reasoning was that he was tired of life and he didn't like Japanese society. I was speaking with my Japanese friend about this (the Jam Lady, whom I go hiking with often) and she said "why didn't he just kill himself if he was so tired with society" "If he wanted out, he should just kill himself...thats the best way for everyone". Something about this statement seemed to sum up the Japanese viewpoint to me. It also struck a funny chord with me. It was one of those statements that you could think, "hmm, yea, I see your point" but then later think "what the hell?!!?". However, I think in this case, I was thinking "what the hell" from the very start....Anyays, I've been chewing on it for a few days. There is so much suicide in this country yet its rarely on the news and its never talked about as a problem endemic to Japan. (And while its not an endemic problem, it certainly happens more here than anywhere else!) It appears to be a widely accepted way of getting out of a troublesome situation. I realize that I have just made it through both mixed CDs from the quadlings and it is almost 1am...yikes!!! Dear Matthew Stone: Thank you for the Pearl Jam :)

pictures and happy fun time

Ah, I feel like Ive been falling behind with the blog with all that has been happening these days. Clare and I were interviewed for TV twice last weekend. Once at the shi shi festival and the next day at rice planting. I wasn:t able to actually see either of the interviews though, which is probably a good thing. At the shi shi festival the guys controlling the lion made it snap 4 times in front of my face...which is supposed to bring good luck. It was a little odd though because they were muttering to me in a deep voice and then snapping this huge head mere centimeters away from my face. In other news, random vacation days in the middle of the week a couple of weeks ago were fruitful with lots of hiking and fun. These days I feel like I could live in Japan forever. Japan is such an easy country to live in. I see why many people stay here. But, it is not home...and I do miss home. My time to visit home is quickly approaching and while I:m really looking forward to it, it will be strange to know that its probably the last time I will be in our house in Maryland because my parents are moving within the next year :(. Im also hoping to see everyone but I know in reality, time wont allow for that. My thoughts are fractured as I write this blog. A morning spent looking up international grad schools and places to volunteer/work has only proved to confuse me further by widening my possibilities for post-JET life. Do I really want to go to grad school? Where, When, Why, For What? Transient ideas fill my head, some more solidified than others. Nomadic life: is it a good thing? I frolic in the knowledge that I have another year of the Japan safety net. And as I am here, I really need to be HERE. That said...time to learning Japanese!