Laundry...

In Canada I tend to leave the laundry a day or two (and sometimes longer) often resulting in a large pile to sort and wash. In Japan laundry is done on a daily base. Most homes only have a small washing machine and no drier. If the laundry is not done each day, the pile will be too large to fit into the washing machine. Nothing seems to be sorted with lights, darks and towels all going in the same load. In most instances laundry is done first thing in the morning.

Houses in Japan do not have driers but instead everything is dried outside, over railings and off the small deck on the second floor. Most homes are fitted with poles running the length of the deck area. The laundry can then be hung off of this either using clothes hangers or clip racks for smaller items. Special clips go over the coat hangers to ensure if a strong wind comes, you will still have clothes and the hangers at the end of the day.

Japanese Washing Machine

Faking It....

It takes a lot of skill to look like you really know what is going on when really you have no clue. This has been me since arriving in Japan. Faking it all comes down to making eye contact, smiling and nodding your head at the appropriate time (or those you think are appropriate!) It does take great skill to fake it well because you particularly do not want to look you know want is going on too well or these around you might expect you to do something and be waiting for you. You know this has happened when the room is suddenly quiet and everyone is looking at you.



City Hall

Having to fake it has been happening a lot to me over the past few days. Yesterday I was invited to the City Hall to meet with the major of Hachioji City. Hachioji is one of the cities that surrounds greater Tokyo. It is an annual event for those students heading overseas on exchange for the summer to meet with the major prior to going. This year there are four students from this area going to the states. I was told the major was very busy so we had only a half hour of his time. He talked and talked, I smiled and smiled, and then he talked some more. He asked the students questions and they shared were they were going and some information on their host families and I just kept smiling. Then, since the major had talked so much we had run out of time and had to leave before he was able to talk to me. Now...in this instance smiling and faking it worked in my favour!

Today I was not able to fake it very well. The mother in the family I am currently staying with has been studying ballet. She invited me to attend her ballet class. Now, not only have I never done ballet before but I could not understand the instructions from the instructor very well. I kept trying to stay at the back of the class but the difficulty with this was the ballet studio had HUGE mirrors on all the walls so it did not matter how much I tried to hide or stay at the back of the class, it was pretty obvious I had no idea at all what I was doing. The class was an hour and a half long so don't think I would have been able to fake it for that long even if I knew more Japanese or even a little ballet.

Being over in Japan, you kind of surrender yourself to those around you. They tell you where you are going, when you are going, what you will eat, when you will eat and sometimes even who you are going with. The other day I was passed from person to person. It does sometimes feel you are just a ball being passed but it is all done out of respect. Many of the individuals I have come in contact with want to talk and visit with me, practice their English or tell me about a personal visit to Canada or America. Now....for those of you who know me, I am generally quite talkative. Well it is hard to be talkative when you can only pick up the odd word here and there. So, over the past week I have been pretty quiet. Oh, I have been having very detailed conversions but they have all been with myself so far. I am understanding more words each day so hopefully my comprehension will increase. I can not guarantee my spoken Japanese will improve but I will keep trying. Until then, I will fake it all with a BIG smile!

Left Not Right

Average roadway

Driving or being a passenger in Japan is not for the faint of heart. Although on the local roads speeds are generally only set around 30 to 50 kms the roads are narrow and are not only busy with vehicle traffic but also people walking and lots of bikes. Most of the roads we have been driving on we would not consider wide enough for one vehicle much less two. The narrow roads and blind corners make for some interesting moments when getting around. Yesterday when coming back from a meeting at City Hall, we were about to go around a sharp corner only to find another vehicle coming at us doing the same thing. The other vehicle had to continue forward a little on the previous road so we had enough road to get past. With a guard rail on one side, a drop off on the other and one narrow strip of road, there really wasn't another option. The second driver than had to reverse to make the turn once the road was clear.

Mirrors to see oncoming traffic

On the narrow roads there are mirrors at the end of the road or on tight corners showing the road leading off in the opposite direction. This allows you to see if there is a oncoming car or if the road is clear to drive. Turns are tight and the vehicle we have been using has scraps on the sides from getting too close to the side of the road or a guard rail on a few occasions. At the intersections the road is also painted with lines letting you know if you are turn left, turn right or go straight. Some intersections may only allow you to turn one way or another.

Many visitors to Japan are often surprised how small and compact the vehicles are here. It is like everyone is driving a version of the Northern American Smart Car. You only need to spend on day driving around and realize why. The smaller the car, the easier it is to get around on the narrow roads and also find parking. The compact car also is more efficient to gas. The use of a small car also explains why most products (including groceries) are often delivered directly to the home since there is minimal room for items in the car.

Parking infront of a home

Parking is at a premium no matter where you go, even at the house so having a small car allows you to tuck it away in a tight location. Due to how tight much of the parking is, the mirrors on the car automatic fold in. The car we have been using is equipped with a UPS system and a TV! In North America we have an option of listening to the radio or music from a CD or portable devise while driving, in Japan, many cars have a TV in the front dashboard. When you are driving, you can listen to the TV and when you stop, the TV screen is engaged where the GPS screen is and you can watch. It passes the time while you are waiting at traffic lights. The Japanese love TV – the TV in the home I am staying is on from first thing in the morning until the end of the day.

Although purchasing a vehicle in Japan would be considered cheap, owning and operating one is not. Most of the highways are toll road cost those driving on them pay about $0.50 per kilometer for the expressway and $1.00 per kilometer for crossing long bridges. Japan has an extensive public transit system of trains and buses. The majority of people use public transit for getting around. With cars being driven on the left side of the road, the narrow streets and multiple traffic and road signs in Japanese – public transit works for me!!

Stop sign

Shake, Rattle and Roll

Fukuoka-Across Building - Tokyo

On Sunday July 10^th in Japan we experienced another larger earthquake. These small quakes are not unusual since the devastating quake in March. Since that time Japan has been continually hit with large and small aftershocks. Sunday's quake was 7.3 richter scale and hit at 9:57 a.m. in much the same area as the previous quake. It was not very strong at the location I am currently staying but made the office towers in Tokyo sway. The March quake and tsunami are still very much on the Japanese people's mind today.

If you watch the news or TV in Japan, the TV personalities are visiting many of the areas impacted by the tsunami. The news reports from the area are not only highlighting the challenges the areas are facing but also promoting tourism. They are promoting the regions, showing that it is safe to travel and encouraging people to help the economy and visit the previously impacted regions. Yesterday on the morning news a young TV personality was shown exploring different activities in one such area, eating the food and highlighting different opportunities for visitors to explore.

The government has been questioned publicly about how they handed the March quake and aftermath. The Ministry of Energy is young by Japanese standards (he is in his late 30/early 40's) and has been appearing on many of the morning news and talk shows. There seems to be many questions not only around the previous quake and tsunami but also about planning for the future. One problem in the impacted area is currently experiencing is they have been overrun with flies and mosquitoes. Due to the tsunami there are huge piles of garage and rotting fish. These piles have become a prime breeding area for the flies. People living in the area building home-made fly traps to try to overcome the problem. They take a bottle and cut a hole in it, placing a mixture of sake, vinegar and sugar inside. The flies are attracted to the odor and enter the bottle but then are unable to get out. These are being hung around the impacted area but have little impact due to the size of the infestation.

Home-made fly traps

The areas that are mainly impacted are Kesennuma, Ofunato and Rikuzentakata districts. These areas contained large fishing ports and the insects are breeding on the rotting fish stocks. There are also health concerns as the flies that feed on these fish can become carriers of 0-157 E. Coli strain and could further infect the food system. The Kesennuma area has already disposed of over 30,000 tons of rotten fish but there are still huge piles of debris. Many of the sewage pipes in the area are still ruptured and the sewage precessing facilities are out of service in the three areas providing a breeding ground for the mosquitoes.

The impact of the March quake and tsunami reached throughout Japan. Tokyo is still on revised train schedules although most commuter trains are now running on a regular schedule. Power is also a huge concern and everyone in the country has been asked to conserve power and reduce their energy consumption. You are able to log onto a site on the computer to see how much energy your home is using and make adjustments if necessary. The government has asked everyone to reduce their energy consumption by 15%, including large companies. Some companies has changed the hours of their staff, asking them to work on Saturday and Sunday when energy consumption is much less.

Green Curtain

This summer there are still concerns about rolling blackouts. As a result in most families are trying to reduce their energy impact by watching how they are consuming power. Fans in homes are being used more than air conditioners and everyone in Japan was encouraged to grow a “green curtain” this summer. In one area in Tokyo, the government provided 1000 residents a “green curtain” kit which consisted of 2 goya seeds (a Japanese bitter gourd) a piece of netting and a guidebook. In other areas the government provided workshops on how to grown their green curtain and the effectiveness of the plants at decreasing the temperatures inside a home during the summer months. It is very hot and humid here in the summer. The last few days we have been experiencing temperatures in the mid 30's and a relative humidity rate of 80 to 85%. The home I am staying in has a green curtain growing up the house on three sides. Water, fans and a towel are a necessity when leaving home for the day or a few hours.

To Go or Not To Go....



Western style toilet with hand washing sink



Japan is different and unique in so many ways I have to keep jotting down notes in my journal so I will remember before the difference become something you hardly notice any longer. One area we really talk to the students about prior to coming to Japan is the toilets and taking a bath. I know on my first visit to Japan I was amazed how something as simple as going to be toilet and having a bath become a process of having to learn all over again.

In Japan you will come across two types of toilets, the traditional squat style and a westernize model. The westernize toilet is similar to what we have in North America with a few extra features! This included a heated seat , a washing feature for women and one for men as well as a pile of buttons that generally I do not touch. On the back of the toilet there is a basin for rinsing your hands. This is due to the fact that in Japan, the toilet will be found in a small room by itself away from the sink and bath.



Extra features on the toilet



Most bathroom doors do not have locks on them. There is a pair of slippers outside the bathroom, these are the toilet slippers. If the slippers are missing, the toilet is being used by someone. If not, you should be good to go. You do not want to make the mistake of forgetting to either remove your “house” slipper prior to entering the toilet room or wearing the “toilet” slippers around the afterward. If either happens, you beg forgiveness and say “sorry” many times, sorry is a word you learn very quickly and say often.



A traditional squat toilet



Most homes today will have a westernized toilet in them but squat toilets can still be found in many places across the country including most train stations and public locations. I was in a new highrise office tower yesterday in Tokyo and the toilet room was equipped with both squat and western toilets. Public bathrooms can be a little dirty and generally do not have toilet paper or anything to dry your hands with after washing. In Japan, you always carry a little package of tissue paper in your purse as well as a small hand toilet. Whether or not you chose to venture into a public washroom while you are out and about might depend on one – how bad you really need to go and two – where the facilities are located. Using a public facility at a train station would be very different than a highrise office tower.

Now that we have covered the “toilet room” lets move onto bathing. In Japan, the purpose of the bath is to relax. In a Japanese house, the bath is often location off of a small laundry room. This room will generally have a sink and a washing machine (no drier) and provide a area for changing. The bath itself is in a self-contained room, often divided off with sliding doors. The room contains a large and deep bath and then a separate tap with an hand held shower head. You will also find a stool, a basin, generally a mirror on the wall (at sitting height) and some shelves for shampoo, conditioner and soap. The floor in this room is made to get wet and all drains out to a central drain generally under where the tap is. Once you undress in the area outside the bathroom, you enter and wash yourself. This is generally done sitting on the stool and using water in the basin and the hand-held shower head. You wash yourself completed and removed all the soap from yourself prior to entering the tub.



The "bath room"



The tub itself is a shared facility. At the house I am currently staying, the tub is controlled remotely and is programed to fill at a set time to a set temperature. Once this is complete, a song plays on the programming box to let you know the bath is ready to use. Everyone uses the same bath water and generally who gets to go first in the house is based on seniority. Being a guest in a home, you are often given access to the bath first, when the water is the hottest. Once you are done, you remove yourself from the bath, placing a cover over it to contain the heat and dry off, leaving the water in the tub for the next individual.

Public bathing is still very much a part of Japanese culture with public bathhouse found throughout the country. When using a public bath house the process is very similar with washing prior to sliding yourself into the large communal water. Generally when entering and leaving the bathing area, you have a small towel that you can chose to cover the part of yourself you are most concerned about. Generally for women, the towel is not large enough to both areas so you need to decide top or bottom.

Why Am I Here



Exchange Group - 2010



For those of you who have just started following the blog or maybe came across it through another network, I thought I would provide some background on why I am in Japan and what I am doing this summer.

In Japan there is a youth organization called Labo. Labo is open to all children starting at a very young age (around the age of 2) right up to college students. The mission of the organization is to allow Japanese children to improve their English-language ability as well as to learn about other cultures. They do this through bilingual songs, plays and stories from around the world. Children involved in Labo generally meet weekly at a Labo Party and in the summer time are able to attend one of the five Labo Camps found throughout Japan (camp is very different here than in Canada). Women (often mothers) are Labo tutors and run the Labo Party from their homes. One component to the Labo program is exchange. Each year, hundred of children from across Japan travel to Canada, American, Australia and New Zealand for a home-stay program. This year there are 700 students heading overseas in a few weeks.

Labo offers the opportunity for students from around the world to come and experience Japanese culture through a similar summer program. In Canada, many of the provinces run the Canadian component of the exchange program through their provincial 4-H office. Students going on the exchange however to not have to be involved in 4-H or 4-H members. Many times Canadian students become involved in the exchange due to hosting Japanese student a previous summer and then head to Japan to stay with their host sister or brother the next year.

Each year, students from across Canada between the ages of 12 and 18 can travel to Japan for up to two months. If students come to Japan in June, the stay in Tokyo for the first month attending language school while on home-stay with a family in the Tokyo area. If students come in July, they participate in just the home-stay portion of the program and can be hosted anywhere in Japan. Students have the option in participating in one or both programs.

This year I was chosen as the Canadian chaperon for those students traveling to Japan this summer. Prior to the trip I assisted with the planning, answering any questions and preparing the students (and their families) for the exchange. I then get the opportunity to travel with the students to Japan, check up on them during the home-stay portion of their program and finally see them safely back to Canada and on their flights home. This year, planning for the program was already in place prior to the earthquake and tsunami hitting. As a result of the events in March, a number of families were not comfortable sending their children to Japan. Students involved in the program this year is a little less then previous years with a total of 14 students from Ontario and Alberta currently in Japan with me. For the five weeks of their program they are immersed in Japanese culture and language.

It is a wonderful opportunity to explore and discover this ancient culture, rich in traditions, ceremonies and history. Although during the exchange they may have days when they wonder why they are here, it will truly be a once-in-a-life-time opportunity.

One Long Day Plus Another....

July 10 - This is my first post since arriving in Japan. The past few days have just seemed to run into each other with some of the days really not having a beginning or ending. It is early here on Sunday morning (around 5:00 am), I tossed and turned until about 4:00 am and finally gave up on sleeping around the same time. The air is hot even at this time in the day and although I had a fan going all night, there is little movement.

The house I am currently staying at just outside of Tokyo has internet available. I am trying to keep quiet so not to wake anyone else. I have been listening to the city wake up around me, first with the birds and now with some traffic. It is light here early, starting around 4:30 am but gets dark around 7pm in the evening.

Yesterday as I sat at the Olympic Center in Tokyo, one of the students turn to me and said they could not believe they were finally in Japan. I have to say, I kind of felt the same way. After months of planning, preparation and anticipation, it was hard to believe we actually made it! I know these next five weeks will provide the 14 students I am traveling with some life changing experiences. They will realize how strong they are and the amazing things they can do if they put their mind to it, even at times when they don't believe in themselves. But...I feel I am getting ahead of myself as the three previous days of just getting to here was not without a small adventure of its own.

I use to think that traveling with my own family was a comedy of errors – try traveling with 13 teenagers from age 13 to 23 and you will quickly discover that traveling with three kids is a piece of cake. Now, I am not saying they have been a challenge in any way because they haven't - it is just all the little things that happened along the way that has made things a little more interesting. The bumps really began on the first travel day with the girls flying from Edmonton to Calgary delayed for 5 hours due to mechanic issues with the plane. I spoke about this in the previous blog and all in all it worked out and they manage to arrive just in time for supper. That was day one complete. Thursday the morning started out interesting with one of the students showing me a broken glasses frame – the only pair he had. Not only the only pair but the pair he needed to wear at all times to see! It appears he thought he had placed them in a safe spot during the night but low and behold, his roommate got out of bed on the opposite side and stepped on them. A few pieces of tape fixed the glasses for the moment until something else could be figured out. After stopping to talk to someone at the hotel, it was discovered that there was a eye doctor just down from where we were staying in Richmond and he opened at 9am. Knowing we needed head to the airport by 10am to catch our flights, time was going to be tight but also these glasses needed to be fixed. Off to breakfast we went, tape on glasses and then to the eye doctor. Thankfully there was someone in the office at 9am who could assist and the section of broken frames was quickly soldered back together. Hopefully it will hold together for our time in Japan.

The morning was not without other little bumps with one student wiping out on the pavement on the way back to the hotel, skinning both his knees and a backpack being left on the airport shuttle – all before even really checking into our flight. All those little things managed to get resolved without much trouble but it was when one of the students turned to me as we were boarding to let me know he just realized he left his fanny back with ALL his cash, ID, medical card and other important information at security did my heart do a little flip flop. I knew there was no way I could get back to security in time and still make the flight buy also knew we needed this fanny pack. I talked to the ladies at the counter and they informed me they could not call security to locate the missing item. I was quickly running out of options. It was then I noticed an Air Canada staff sat chatting to one of the passengers. I am not even sure what his job description was but hoped he could help. I interrupted their conversion and quickly explained the situation and asked him if he could run back to security for me. He said he would and went off at a run (you would know it – our gate was the the furthest away from security). We boarded the plane and I talked to the staff on board about the situation, hoping the missing fanny pack around arrive prior to the doors closing. It was not long before a saw a flash of a bright green Air Canada safety vest and the return fanny pack. He stated that secure was not sure about releasing it to him but when he explained we were about to take off and could not come back and claim it ourselves, they gave it to him. I was breathing a little easier once I knew it was returned. Not sure whether or not we would see it again, I was beginning to figure out how to pull together some money for the student while in Japan. With that, the doors locked on we were on our way.

Olympic Center in Tokyo

The flight to Japan was long but good. The students watched movies, talked, wrote in their journals and did anything they could to pass the time. Since we left Vancouver at 1pm and landed in Tokyo at 11pm, no one was tired so only one student slept for a short period of time. Upon arriving at the Tokyo airport, we were met by Labo staff (the sister organization in Japan who coordinates the exchange at this end) and shipped our luggage from the airport prior to heading to the Olympic Center for the night. Traveling with large luggage is difficult in Japan as the majority of people use public transport. Our one piece of larger luggage was shipped directly to our host families from the airport, leaving us all with our small overnight carry-on bags. The first night past in a bit of a blur as we were all up for over 24 hours prior to being able to go to bed. We attending a quick orientation that night and called it a day.

Yesterday (our first full day in Japan) was long and busy. Most of the students woke up between midnight and 4am with some getting a few extra hours. The heat hit us first thing in the morning with sweat building on you even while just standing still. We all had a quick breakfast together (with Japanese and western items including french fries) and it was off to orientation. This was quick session of what to expect over the next five weeks and how to make the most of your time in Japan. It was then time for some quick good-byes as students headed back to the airport and train station, depending on where their home-stay for the next few weeks was located. A number of students were staying in the Tokyo area with me so we attending our Welcome Ceremonies. This included us all giving our first speech in Japanese. It was then a few quick hugs and everyone went their separate ways.

For the first 10 days I am staying with a family in one of the suburbs of Tokyo. Yesterday when I arrived their daughter, son-in-law and two year old granddaughter were visiting for the day. I quietly listened to the conversation around me, catching my name being said from time to time. Although I was once fluent in Japanese, I am very rusty at the moment and hope my brain will kick in shortly and pull that knowledge to the front. Until that time, I will do that I can with gestures, a word here and there and a big smile.

Today will be busy. I am off to make a speech at Farewell Cememory for students heading to Canada and the states this summer as well as help at an English lesson. Hoping I will be able to stay awake long enough to get through the day!