Reflections on my first full-year in Japan

I have been in Japan for one year and 156 days now, a little over 17 months. 2009 was my first full year here, and while the rest of the country tries to forget about the past 12 months in their bonenkai (忘年会), I’m trying my best to understand just what has happened to me this year.

Work

I’ve been through a difficult learning curve. Teaching young kids from day one, I began to find my ground in 2009. I’ve discovered which students and classes I adore, and which ones cause me problems. I’ve found a rhythm of games and work that is serving me well. If anything, I am better than ever with my very young learners, but I’ve yet to find the correct formula for older elementary and junior high school kids.

As for my working life, I feel appreciated and largely respected by my bosses and peers. This is very important for me: in such a decentralised system, your relationship with your colleagues can change the tone of your day significantly. I’ve also consolidated my teaching days into three schools, two of which are close to my home. Working 20 minutes from home as opposed to an hour away is the difference between being home just after 9pm, or being home at 10pm.

That said, I am considering what will come next. The job market is idle at the moment, but if I were to see a full-time job teaching adults for about the same pay, I would start looking to jump ship. I’m in no rush though, I don’t hate my job, it’s just that it is the kids that can ruin my day. Adults much less so. Yet, like I said, there is no rush.

On Keiko’s side, her work is moving in the right direction, if not quickly and smoothly enough. The poor girl has been working solid and much harder than I have. She deserves a long holiday and a big bonus, but neither are going to happen.

Verdict: Positive

Resolution(s):

• Find a less dry way to teach higher-level concepts (such as tenses and adverbs) to older children.
• Consolidate more working days closer to home.

Family

We started off 2009 by purchasing Ebichu, our hamster. He’s been an adorable and lovely addition to our family. He never bites and is low maintenance. So far, he’s never been sick, and he’s great to have around (even if he’s a pain to arrange a babysitter for). We love him as a family member. He might even be considered a substitute for the child that we’ve long wanted and came close to having this year.

The day I found I Keiko was pregnant, my heart pounded with anxiety… the doctor doubted it would come to term and Keiko was suffering from pain. After a few weeks, another doctor told us we would probably be fine. I felt myself ready to burst out with joy: I was going to be a dad. Only, I wasn’t.

The slow and painful moments that it took to acknowledge the doctor’s news, the floods of tears that followed, and the inevitable dive into depression I will never forget about this year. We learned this just two days before we were to move home. Our new house still reminds me of our loss. We chose it knowing that we would have a baby here where they could spend their first few years pottering around our small garden, playing in the nearby parks, and walking along the river. The house is great (although it’s much colder in winter than we expected), but until I fill that gap in our lives, I will always be living in that moment.

Verdict: Negative

Resolution(s):

• None (yet).

Friends

This has been a pretty good year for catching up with friends. Chikara was here for most of the year so we spent a good deal of time together. Nori came back in the summer so I was able to see both of them together, a throwback to our Aberystwyth days. But now Chikara’s back in the UK and Nori’s hard at work, so it’s not easy to see two of my best friends as often as I’d like.

As for friends back home, Rory came over (twice in 12 months). Although I didn’t get a chance to get to know him while we lived in Aber, it’s great to have that chance even though I live abroad. On the other hand, despite deciding to get a job here, Andy hasn’t made it to Japan yet. I hope that 2010 changes that.

Finally, I’ve networked a lot more this year, and it’s paid off. Earlier in the year I met Bryan (sadly, just before he went back to the States) for a drink, and I love the idea of catching an after-work or Saturday night drink with anyone following me here or on Twitter. (Just no murderers, please!) In addition, after learning some lessons from last year’s Christmas parties, I’ve managed to get more people into my contacts list.

Verdict: Positive

Resolution(s):

• Try to get out for drinks more often and meet new people.

Travel

I still have many places to visit in Japan. I didn’t do much sightseeing in 2008 as I was adjusting to work and married life, but this year I’ve made it to a few places: Enoshima, Odawara, Sagamiko, and more. I like local tourism, seeings things that are nearby on a day-trip or long weekend. Whereas many Tokyoites jet off to far-flung regions of Japan, that just stresses me out. There are still many local places that I want to visit this year, and I’d like to arrange another longer-stay holiday at some point in the year.

Verdict: Positive

Resolution(s):

• Visit Nikko, Karuizawa, and Ikebukuro (I can’t believe I’ve still not been there).
• Try to go on at least one longer-haul holiday.

Language

This year has been difficult for my Japanese skills. I’m still improving, but for months I had no teacher after the move from Sagamihara to Kawasaki. Now I have one, but she doesn’t teach on national holidays which, when you have a lesson on Mondays, is a constant annoyance.

I’m still overly shy and embarrassed by my Japanese, but if the alcohol’s flowing then so can the language. On the plus side, I can to talk to Keiko’s parents on the phone more fluently than ever. However, I need to talk more to help overcome my insecurities, so I’m trying to find a local language exchange partner. No luck yet.

Finally, I’ve succumbed to the idea that I should take a Japanese test. I have two options: JLPT5 or the J-Test. I don’t feel like I would struggle too much to pass JLPT5, but I’d like the experience of taking that kind of test. The higher-level tests (Levels 1 and 2) are important to employers, plus a pass might increase my confidence.

Verdict: Positive

Resolution(s):

• Try to supplement my private lessons with a group lesson.
• Find a language exchange partner or someone whom I can talk to entirely in Japanese.
• Apply to take a Japanese test.

Health & Lifestyle

Finally, I’d like to note that 2009 has been an excellent one for my body. Having grown up a fussy child, I’m only now beginning to eat most common vegetables. In addition, I’ve been trying to lose weight: I started this year in the gym, but gave up my membership as work became busier in the summer. However, since finishing at the gym, I’ve been losing weight due to better eating and my better understanding of calorie intake. This is a first for me, and it’s something I really hope I can continue.

Verdict: Positive

Resolution(s):

• Go out running more frequently (at least in the warmer months).
• Drop 5kg in a sustainable fashion.

Summary

On the whole, I had a rather good year. I’m fitter and healthier than ever, living in a cosy apartment and getting on well in my work. The things I wanted to do in Japan are being done, even if it’s happening slower than I expected. Even though we went through the toughest experience of our lives in the summer, we are nevertheless stronger and more determined because of it. In sum, not a great year, but not too terrible either: there is still room for improvement in 2010.

Happy New Year everyone!

Top 10 Posts of 2009

It’s the time of year when our minds turn to the passage of time: as the clock counts down to the end of the first decade of the second millennium, I have become increasingly mindful of all that happened this year. Here are the most popular posts of the year, as based on page-views:

10. Ghost in the Shell 2.0 (13th February 2009)

The remastering of Ghost in the Shell left me a with a bad taste in my mouth. With its drab colours, the removal of its iconic features and a particularly bad dose of CGI, it all came across as a waste of time and money. I hope 2009 is the last time we’ll see such terrible CG, but I doubt we’ll be so lucky!

9. Milo and Project Natal – The Future of Gaming? (5th June 2009)

Microsoft showed off its new toy at the the video game exhibition, E3. The project, known as Natal, allows users to interact naturally with the software by way of a camera, scanner and microphone. Peter Molyneux of Lionheart showed us a video of the future of character interaction as a woman chatted with a boy in a game. Where this is going and when we can see it is still unclear, but I really can’t wait to get my hands on this piece of kit.

8. How Did Ichihashi Evade Capture for 2 Years? (15th November 2009)

After his arrest in Osaka, I raised a number of questions as to Tatsuya Ichihashi’s life on the run. He has now  been charged with the murder of Lindsey Ann Hawker, and hopefully the trial will bring to light the issues I highlighted. In the meantime, the news continues to pour in.

7. Losing Your Phone in Japan (2nd October 2009)

After dropping my Nokia mobile phone somewhere between work and home, I signed up with Softbank for my iPhone and gave some tips for any others who want to follow in my footsteps. Yes, compared to back home it’s a bit pricey and they contract is pretty long, but I love my iPhone: it’s revolutionised the way I spend my time, although perhaps not for the better.

6. Okuribito (22nd February 2009)

Yojiro Takita’s Okuribito was the best film I saw in 2009 (it originally came out in 2008). The beautiful cinematography, tearjerking story and excellent acting really sold it for me. I haven’t seen any other film draw so many tears since Titanic was released.

5. Geotagging Your DSLR Photos Using an iPhone (24th September 2009)

After getting my iPhone, I spent a lot of time trying to work out how to geo-tag photographs. Why? I think it’s nice to know exactly where you took your photos for reference’s sake. Maybe you have taken a photo that might have been excellent in a different season or time of day, geo-tagging allows you to find that place. The only problem is that the iPhone’s GPS resolution (on the move) is rather weak at times – plus the connection cuts when your phone idles. Still, it’s not a terrible way to get it done.

4. iPhone App Review: Championship Manager Express 2010 (30th November 2009)

Championship Manager stole away huge portions of my life. I’ve gone cold turkey now and it’s working out, but its power never ceases to amaze me. The iPhone version is poorly organised and unrealistic, but is still like crack to anyone who loves management sims. This was my first iPhone app review, and I thoroughly enjoyed the process. Maybe I’ll do a few more in the future.

3. Bathing in Japan (14th May 2009)

Bathing is a way of life. How you conduct yourself in a bathhouse or hot spring will reflect on you: do it wrong and you’ll make a lot of enemies fast. As a public service, I discussed the various kinds of baths and the general protocol when enjoying them. Oh, but keep away if you’re inked up…

2. How I Got My Spouse Visa… (26th April 2009)

Unless you’ve lived abroad, you probably cannot imagine how time-consuming and laborious visa applications are. Worse still, one tiny mistake can send you right back to the start. After an hour long wait in the immigration office, I wrote up a guide to help others in my situation, along with supporting documentation. I hope that it makes it easier for anyone else in my shoes.

1. Google Earth vs the Burakumin (5th May 2009)

2008 and 2009 were tough years for Google in Japan. People were up in arms over their roaming streetview cameras, and the internet giant put all its energy into breaking the Yahoo-dependent market. However, Google Earth’s listing of old city maps which made it easy to determine the location of former undercaste enclaves was perhaps Google’s most controversial, if unheard of, incident. Google removed all references to the Burakumin, but I was left wondering whether it was a good thing to censor rather than promote such history.
Thank you to everyone who linked to me in the past year, and thank you to everyone who visited and read my blog. Merry Christmas and a happy New Year to you all.

Christmas Plans

This year’s Christmas is going to rival last year’s as my busiest yet. Today I’m posting my presents abroad, and last night we worked on our New Year’s cards (nengajo). Not sending many presents this year, mostly due to time. We never even noticed that the last mailing day for mail to the UK was creeping up so fast.

This weekend, I’ve got two parties at work. The first, on Saturday night after a full work day, will be a rather mature party crammed full of adults, booze and buffet food. No doubt I’ll be taking the last train home, which could prove disastrous as on the next Sunday, I will be hosting a kid’s Christmas party (as well as holding  a few lessons). I’ve got the usual things planned, many of which will be these children’s first time: pass the parcel, musical statues, that game where you try and eat chocolate with a fork (but this time, chopsticks), and maybe even the Hokey Cokey. Should be pretty fun, but we’ll see, either way, I can unwind in the evening with another adult student party at an Indian restaurant. Good thing I’ve cleared my Monday then.

My last day of work in 2009 is Saturday, 19th December (because Monday is my regular day off). That gives me nearly 3 weeks holiday. From 20th – 22nd, I’m considering try to see a doctor about getting a ‘flu jab. This winter feels particularly dry, and I’ve started noticing my asthma is making a reappearance. Given how bad H1N1 can be for asthmatics, I’m going to try and get it.

The 23rd is the Emperor’s birthday, a national holiday. I have no plans at all, but it’ll probably involve some last minute shopping for Christmas dinner. Maybe we’ll pick up an electric rug (our kitchen is like a fridge everyday at the moment). We might even head into Tokyo for the Omotesando or Marunouchi lights.

On Christmas Eve, Keiko’s back at work, so again no plans, I’m probably just going to enjoy the calm before the storm, as Christmas Day is quite busy for me. Keiko’s working again, so I’ll be heading to Ito-Yokado to pick up our turkey. Then I’ll be getting dressed up and meeting Keiko in Yokohama.

Our first Christmas Dinner of the season will be at Chef’s V in Yokohama’s Landmark Tower. I’ll probably have a bit of time before Keiko arrives, so I’ll be comparing the illuminations with last year’s, but I’ll also be nervously awaiting my dinner. You see, I’ve never been to a nice restaurant for a truly expensive meal before. Chef’s V’s Christmas course is ¥12,500 (£80) a head including champagne, foie gras, caviar, and lobster. Last year, you’ll remember, I had a rather explosive reaction to fugu, hopefully this year will not end the same way! Still, it’ll be nice for us both as we tend to go cheap when it comes to eating out. Anyway, with an excellent view, good company, and a busy Boxing Day to look forward to, we deserve to be pampered.

Boxing Day is the Simpsons’ Christmas Dinner. We’ve invited friends from work, as well as Nori and Yuki (who came last year), for as traditional a Christmas meal as possible. I’ve already mentioned the turkey. This year we have an oven, so we will attempt stuffing and Yorkshire puddings. Hopefully, we can also make some nice roast potatoes too. We also have to pick up the ice cream cake in the morning. No doubt there’ll be lots of running around, lots of food, lots of booze, but I wouldn’t want to spend my Christmas doing anything else. Oh, and I’ll try and shoehorn in the Queen’s speech).

The next day, if all goes well, I will be seeing Chikara, Sawa and their baby in Saitama. I hope we can arrange it, otherwise I risk missing seeing them all as I leave for Hokkaido on the 28th. This year we’ll be spending New Year at Keiko’s house, but on the next day we’ll be going to an onsen (hot springs resort) for lots of male nudity (on my side), traditional food, and chat. It’s all quite exciting really.

I will be back in Kanto from the 5th January, and hopefully I’ll catch up with a former colleague before work starts again in earnest.

So, that’s where I’ll be, and if anyone wants to hook up over the holiday, let me know.

Hokkaido: Day Seven – New Year’s Eve

[Note: I'm back at work now, so things are going to take a while to get back on track. Bear with me.]

With Keiko joining us, the balance turned. Almost immediately, the amount of Japanese I was speaking dropped significantly. It wasn’t intentional, but with Keiko around, not only could I convey myself more clearly, but everyone around me stop speaking, to me at least, as simply as they had been. I tried in places, but I was either corrected or Keiko had to clarify… the onus was no longer on me to keep trying and so I tried a little less.

The morning kicked off early with Keiko’s 96 years old grandmother being picked up from the old people’s home where she lives. She is a lovely lady, unable to walk, as weak as you might expect, but I charmed her with the old “you look 18!” trick. Works every time.

I didn’t really know quite what to expect from the day ahead, but Keiko told me that her father had to go to the fire station. I practically begged to be taken with them. While I never really dreamed of becoming a fireman (naturally given my fear of heights and fire – in fact, I had a chip-pan type fire today, really shook me up!), I nevertheless appreciate the hard work that firemen put in for the average Joe like me.

Keiko’s dad asked them if they could give me a tour after he was done with his business, and they obliged. I was well chuffed: I got a peek inside an ambulance (as with the US, in Japan, the fire service holds paramedic responsibilities, and at all three kinds of fire engine.

The hardworking men of the Ikutahara Fire Department: Hiro-san and Nakamura-san

Keep in mind, these men had the New Year’s Eve night shift. They would be there until the morning, missing out on the festivities with their families. Nakamura, the man on the right, was living his childhood dream. That’s the way to live, I say.

More photos after the cut…

Hokkaido: Day Three – Asahikawa

Asahikawa is about two hours drive from Ikutahara, but with heavy snowfall and wind it took us an extra half hour to arrive. I had a long time to reflect on the weather as we went, with frequent bursts of pidgin Japanese conversation to keep us awake. The one thing that struck me was how little of the sun managed to penetrate the dark snow clouds. This gave the sky a slight nuclear winter feel.

Asahikawa is famous for one thing in particular: Asahiyama Zoo. As it was winter and a chilly -7°C, however, the number of animals available to view was severely restricted.

Lots more photos after the break…