Off to Japan
Posted June 11, 2007 12:51 pm (about 443 days ago)
Well, it wasn’t until dinner that my excitement finally began to build. Things have been so hectic at work that I haven’t had a chance to properly think about this trip. The exact moment was when the waiter came over and offered us wine, free of charge. It felt nice to feel appreciated. It’s not like I’ve never gotten a free meal or drink before, but that was one of the few times I think that I’ve experienced that as a result of being a teacher, aside from my own school’s gatherings. One of the speakers made it a point to say that it’s rare that teachers in the U.S. get recognized in a tangible fashion and be allowed to go on sabbaticals to work on their craft. I couldn’t agree more. This trip is definitely getting off to a good start.So many thoughts are running through my mind, including thoughts of Taiwan and some of the cultural dissonance I still feel, even if I was essentially raised as an American. There are certain unspoken values that make me feel more comfortable around Asians, including the focus on family, a certain level of conservatism, and the value of privacy. I remember getting caught up in cultural conflicts when I was younger when American female friends made fun of me for not “knowing how to hug” yet I gave a Taiwanese aunt a hug, which resulted in mortified look. That’s a minor example, but the thing is, there are lot of “minor examples” like that, that add up to a whole of thinking about these issues.
I’m reminded of angst I’ve had against Japanese due to some of the history between Japan, China, and Taiwan. I don’t remember anyone telling me outright to not like Japanese, but watching movies like Bruce Lee’s Chinese Connection must have made an impression on me. As an example, there’s a scene in which Bruce isn’t allowed in a public garden because “no dogs or Chinese are allowed,” under instruction by the Japanese. Learning about the Nanjing Massacre didn’t help either.
I had a similar experience with Spain, due to my indigenous ancestry in Mexico. Why would I feel excited about going someplace where Conquistadores are celebrated for warring against my ancestors? I guess what I mean is that traveling pushes our comfort zones and I’ve already had to reflect on my biases. In my defense, I’ve had Spanish and Japanese friends, but they were “different.” Obviously, as I’ve gotten older I appreciate the complexities of group conflict, but it’s something I’ll be reflecting more on during this trip. I know that this will be a great trip and everyone has been wonderful so far, but I got into a great discussion with another women who was talking about the treatment of Koreans and other ‘foreigners” who’ve been in Japan for generations, yet are still treated like second class citizens and how events like the Nanjing Massacre are a taboo subject. It’ll be interesting to get all of these perspectives.
I’ll definitely be wandering off the beaten path and already came across some interesting leads, including a dancehall/reggae festival and my guys over at Underground Resistance have strong ties here so I’m going to try and tap into that. I’ll keep my stories clean for the kiddies, but best believe that I’ll have some good ones!
I always wanted to visit Japan. Not only for there pop-cuture but how everything works. I would like to learn the day to day life of a japanese teenager and the popular music flowing in their mp3. Did you had to apply for this program or did they chose you? Did all the 200 teachers went or was there a elimination process? How diverse is japan? Did the people in the program take you to the touristic places or outside the touristic area? I would like to learn more about your trip.