Paul's Classes

Today was my last Tokachi Plaza class. Everyone was very gracious- I'm going to miss them all. We ended with a " Butadon " lunch, one of my favorites. As often is the case with all good things, the end seems to come so fast. We'll have so many fond memories and I'll be carrying a great reminder of Japan, my restored teeth!  Our student Dr. Katano's clinic did a great restoration job of fillings and a root canal, and at such a great price. We Canadians are so proud of our health care system, but we don't have universal dental care. So not only has this been a wonderful teaching and cultural experience, I can go home pain free. Thankyou Japan. 

This week we came across the idiom " to stand someone or something ", as in " I can't stand fried liver " or " I can't stand that teacher ".  It means don't like or can't tolerate someone or something. We always use it in the negative, we don't say " I stand " something. It got me thinking about what we call chemistry, as in the chemistry between people. In this sense we mean a kind of bonding in a group where everyone gets along well and are able to work together very well. Coaches always look for good chemistry when building sports teams, we see it in classes where students work together very well and of course we feel it in our personal relationships. There can as be bad chemistry too, sometimes we meet people that we just can't seem to get along with no matter how hard we try. In this case, with people we can't stand, we say there's bad chemistry. Usually these are few and far between.  

This week many students brought up the sad case of Mr Nakagawa, the Japanese minister of finance who  showed up for an international  press conference very drunk. The news clip even made it to Utube, a sure sign of infamy. I wonder if Mr. Nakagawa was set up? Students told me it was common knowledge that the minister had a drinking problem but there he was, flanked by aides who should have known better than letting their boss appear in such condition. It seemed to me that someone wanted to embarrass the government. We also talked about the coming trend of asking for doggie bags for unfinished food in restaurants. This is very common in North America where portions are ridiculously large. We often ask for doggie bags, especially in Chinese restaurants.

This week we talked about values and politics. It all started with the question from the Japan Times, " If you could change one thing about Japan, what would it be?" A student commented that she would change Japanese politics. Because of the hereditary nature of Diet seats, it seems the same attitudes and roadblocks continue to cripple decision making in government. Many students lamented that Japan has no Obama, young people just are too caught up in their own little worlds to care about getting involved in social issues. Is this true? Are young people today so different from the past? Will Rodgers, the American cowboy philosopher once joked "Things 'ain't like they used to be, but I guess they never were".

I just took a flyer walking over to Joy. I've been complaining for weeks, since the winter started, about snow and ice clearance in Obihiro. I'll put this in writing and then just hang on till we go home in a month. At home we can't do this. We must keep our sidewalks clear of snow and ice and our cities must clear the snow and ice from the roads in as timely a manner as possible. If someone falls on our property and is injured, we are financially responsible and must pay for their injuries and loss of income. As a consequence, insurance companies as well as citizens are quick to complain to governments if roads and sidewalks are not cleared. Bad conditions are especially dangerous for the elderly, who easily break bones in a fall. I don't know why, but broken hips seem to be the kiss of death for those over 75 years of age. Trish and I will be sad to leave our students and friends, but we won't miss Obiihiro in the winter.

I found this question on the Japan Times website and thought it was a good question for students. One example from the Times was a submission by a furniture maker who thought the lighting in Japanese homes was too bright. He preferred the Western style yellow/orange light to the Asian style bright, cold blue lighting. One student said her family liked the bright, cold blue lighting because it was easier to see. In the west, we tend to use different types of fixtures designed for specific tasks. For example, we have a floor lamp by our comfortable wing chairs because that's where we like to sit and read. How about you?

Japan was no different than the rest of the world this week, many watched Barack Obama's inauguration. In classes I tried to impress upon the students the enormity of the situation. For a black man to become president is a huge change in America. Racial prejudice has been deeply rooted in the American mind. As president Obama said, only 60 years ago his father would not have been allowed to sit down and eat in a restaurant serving white people in Washington not far from where he stood. That's why, as the TV cameras scanned the crowd, we saw many people with tears in their eyes, tears of joy and tears in remembrance of those who were beaten, those who died, those who sacrificed so much to make that day possible. We might say it would be similar if a Burakumin became prime minister of Japan.

Last Monday Trish and I met David and Noriko Campbell at "l'orange" for lunch. Urashima san generously gave us all gift certificates for Christmas. On the way home, we saw a lot of young women outside Tokachi Plaza looking very beautiful in traditional kimono. They were really nice and friendly and were happy to pose for pictures with Trish. In Canada it's not such a big formal event. I suppose we might celebrate the birthday with our families or friends, but it would be on an individual basis. I think most people would go out with their friends to a bar or club for a legal drink.

The topic of a guaranteed annual income came up in class this week. This concept comes up  in Canada, as well, every once in a while. In place  of all social assistance payments such as welfare, unemployment insurance, disability payments and pensions, every citizen would be paid an annual income from the federal government. If a person didn't need the money, it would be taken back by the government at income tax time. What do you think?

Happy holidays to all. Trish and I are off to Kyoto first,then Tokyo for our winter holidays. Since our original Ukiyoe search plans were foiled by the calendar, Trish found a web site by a fellow who found actual wood blocks in an antique/junk shop in Kyoto. He cleaned the blocks up by running some prints on cheap paper, then printed them out on good paper. The images he posted on the web were great. Maybe we'll get lucky rambling around the back streets. Have a safe and happy holiday, thankyou all for the gift of allowing us to be your teachers. For me, every day is Christmas.