Simply an Update

My day-to-day life is not super interesting... 

... but, I’m going to write a blog about it anyway!

Didn’t see that coming, did you?

I’ve realised that for some of our friends and family back on the North American continent, our life here is Japan is kind of obscure. What do we actually do? What are our plans? Do we eat a lot of sushi?

Yeah, sometimes we do eat vegetarian sushi. And, in case you were wondering, it’s fantastic.

Do we eat a lot of rice?

Yes, usually twice a day.

Have we met Godzilla?

Not yet.

Have we ever seen a ninja?

As if we would know if we had. Pffffttt.

Now, if you would stop with the ridiculous questions, I’ll get to it.

As many of you know, Justin is an “ALT” here in Japan. An ALT is, by definition, an assistant language teacher, or, someone who works with Japanese teachers in the education of the English language. Justin teaches primarily in our local junior high school, but also has classes in the elementary school, as well as in our village daycare. On top of this, he facilitates an English conversational class for adults once a week. He generally has pretty standard daytime hours, and his job is the primary occupier of his time here in Japan.

So, what do I do?

As I wrote before just before we came, my primary goal in coming to Yasuoka was to learn about Japanese language and culture. Culture has been a fairly easy thing to know how to learn; I’m submersed in it. Of course, it has not been exactly straightforward to learn, and I still feel like I’m being offensive more times than not. But with the aid of some kind people (husband included) combined with an extended period of observation, I am slowly and surely familiarising myself with the social values and norms of Japan.

Language is another matter altogether. How many times have I wished that Japan’s national language was Spanish so I could just try and pick up where I left off learning that language? Innumerable. Unfortunately for me at this time, Japanese people speak Japanese, and I haven’t heard any rumours of that changing.    

Due to the fact that I am currently a stay-at-home-Lauren, my exposure to the language had, until recently, been sadly limited primarily to the times when we’re out grocery shopping, at church, or with the occasional interaction I observe between Justin and another Yasuokan. I have found I am not a very motivated self-learner. Language textbooks bore me, and I get tired of reviewing vocabulary flash cards with myself after about 2 minutes and 36 seconds. So what was I to do?

Join the village choir of course!

Justin and I have joined the choir. It has been a fun evening activity for us to do together, and also created an opportunity for me to be exposed to (and sing in) Japanese for about an hour and a half straight every week.

Still, 1 1/2 hours is not enough.

The good news is that I was recently blessed with an open invitation to visit a senior’s center in the village! It is a place where people over the age of 65 can gather and chat, drink tea, have lunch, exercise and do crafts together (If I’m being perfectly honest with you though, I haven’t met any attendees under the age of 84 there, as far as I’m aware). I sit with these (mostly) ladies, and listen to them chat and joke and sing and I LOVE IT. I have not ever spent an extended period of time with seniors, especially very elderly seniors, and the idea frightened me a bit. I was afraid I would make them angry, or offend them, or make them uncomfortable. But in reality, they have been so exceedingly kind and patient with me, and I find myself learning more about the Japanese language during these visits than in hours of reviewing flashcards. A bonus is that I often get to hear about, or even participate in aspects of traditional Japanese culture. So far through my visits I have made sushi, had/mixed real matcha tea, and learned me some origami! I do find such intense exposure with such little language skills occasionally overwhelming, and for now usually only go one day a week. Overall, however, this opportunity has been such a privilege for me, and I hope to continue and even make my visits more regular, if I am not grown tired of.

A tea-serving guest at the Senior's Center

That is a rundown of how I spend my time. Throw in the day-to-day busy-ness that includes housework, laundry, walking the dog, paying bills, a bit of cooking, and some time for artistic endeavours, and I tend to find that my days are rather pleasantly filled.

Now going back to the original questions, which included what our plans are, I should say that we have agreed to sign on for another school year with Justin’s position. This means that we are committed to being in Yasuoka until April of 2018, Lord willing. We feel that we are in a good place for learning and building friendships, and think that this time is an important growing time for us. Our hope is to eventually be able to make a decision as to whether Japan will become a long term commitment for us.

Thank you to our friends who have prayed/are praying for us as we try to do what God wants us to. We want to be open and willing to go or stay wherever God would lead us, and we would love it if you would join us in praying for guidance for us as we spend the next year seriously seeking what the future might hold for us in relation to this country.

“Lord, show me your ways.

    Teach me how to follow you.”

Psalm 25:4