Saturday, April 2nd, 1988

Note:  This is a series of journal entries from my two years living in Himeji, Japan (1988-1990).  I'm archiving them electronically through my blog.  Last names have been deleted and replaced with first initial only.  For details on this series of blog entries, see this post. 

Well today was just kind of here.  Nothing really good happened, and nothing really bad happened.  I did laundry for the first time today in my mini washing machine/spinner.  Not a very effective machine, and I did most of the washing/rinsing by reaching down into the bin and pushing things around in the water.  I did two small loads, and it took about an hour.  I hung things out to dray (this was around 11 a.m.) and most of it still isn't dry...maybe I can wear some of the things I washed next week.

I went to the post office to pick up something that couldn't be delivered while I was gone.  It turned out to be my postal savings book and money card.  It was kind of hard figuring out what the man at the post office was telling me, but it eventually all got worked out.

I went to the plant sale again.  I bought 2 more plants:  a fern, and a yellow lily kind of thing.  I've never seen one before, and think it's really neat.  So, the apartment is starting to take shape!  Plants, plants, plants!

I studied some Japanese classroom instructions, and the first chapter of my Japanese text book, so I'm starting to learn (relearn) the language.  It'll be quite some time before I can actually function on my own, but every step forward is a step in the right direction!

I still wouldn't say I'm exactly happy to be here, but today was basically the first day I've felt comfortable being here.  I still have these occasional anxiety attacks (regarding school, communication, social life, etc.) but for the most part it was a fairly optimistic kind of day.

Tomorrow is Easter, and I'm sure it will be a difficult day to get through, but last I heard I was going to K's for Easter dinner!  Only 1 year, 11 months, 2 weeks, and 1 day left to cope with :-)...

Friday, April 1st, 1988

Note:  This is a series of journal entries from my two years living in Himeji, Japan (1988-1990).  I'm archiving them electronically through my blog.  Last names have been deleted and replaced with first initial only.  For details on this series of blog entries, see this post.

Well, today has been the first really good day I've had since my arrival.  I had a meeting at school today for all new teachers.  My train was slow and I arrived 5 minutes late, and I think they were all waiting on me, but am no sure since the rest of the meeting was in Japanese.

There were about 10 new staff members added this year. Thank God Jim I. was assigned to be my translator.  He was a big help, and translated all important information, as well as helped me with my introduction. (I almost died- we had to get up and say a few words about ourselves.  I could only say "My name is Jeff S. I live in Fairfield, Iowa in America" in Japanese, so Jim helped me tell them I was studying Japanese and hoped to be able to talk to them soon".

Jim then took me home, and gave me an open invitation to his home some time.  It was good to see him again!  He also offered to help anytime I needed it.  How nice!

That's not really the fun part...Masano called about 2 minutes after I got home.  I had given her the wrong phone number, and she'd tried to call before, but got nothing.  So, once I wrote and gave her the correct phone number- she called right away.

 Masano and her family at Masano's graduation...a few years before I moved to Japan

I was picked up by Nau, her sister, and taken to their new house (basically a mansion). Masano has certainly changed!  Long hair and glasses, and more beautiful than I've ever seen her!  We talked, caught up, and looked at old photos until 6:00, when her English conversation student came.  Okasan and Masano told me to greet him at the door, and it really threw him for a loop! (Speaking of which, it was so good to see okasan again!  She's as crazy as ever, and although I don't understand some of her language (she speaks mainly Japanese) we understand each other very well- love the woman!).

Masano's student's name is Nobuaki M.  He's a policeman in Himeji, and is going to San Francisco to see his brother in July, so Masano gives him two two hour classes a week.  So, for 2 hours he talked and I talked, and was basically, his English teacher for the night.  It was great fun!  He was very nice.  His father is a Shinto priest, and his brother is a Shinto missionary in San Francisco.  I never really thought of missionaries from here going to the states!

After his lesson (and social time) we met Masano's dad at one of his restaurants (he owns two, plus a public pool).  Mr. N. attempted English, I attempted Japanese and one way or another we communicated.  He did magic tricks and it was a great night.

*N's have 5 cats (one named Smokey) and it was neat to pet animals again!  What a day!

Thursday, March 31st, 1988

Note:  This is a series of journal entries from my two years living in Himeji, Japan (1988-1990).  I'm archiving them electronically through my blog.  Last names have been deleted and replaced with first initial only.  For details on this series of blog entries, see this post.

Nothing much happened today.  I went to the grocery store and bought yet more junk food.  I think I also bought hamburger- but am not really sure if that's what is is or not.

Karl is in Hiroshima, and Linda Lee is at a conference somewhere so I've been on my own.  It hasn't been bad though...no major problem.  Sachiko called today to see if I was going to "chaachie" tonight (Maundy Thursday services).  Told her I wasn't sure (but really was- that I wasn't going).

I went down to the park to the "green sale". This is where various flower and plant merchants all congregate to sell their stuff.  I went to look, but of course ended up buying a peace lily and a miniature carnation plant.  Hey, you can never have too many plants, right?!

After I brought them home, I left again because the walls are tending to close in on me these days.  I took my camera and took various pictures around my area.  I shot a couple of Shinto/Buddhist shrines, and took a fair amount of pictures of Himeji Castle.  It was fun shooting them because I walked all over the Himeji Castle paths and parks.  I looked down over the moat wall high above a street of Himeji into the moat which was full of Japanese carp- all bright oranges, whites, and black.  There were also ducks, swans, and a flock of geese.

During the latter part of my walk on the castle grounds, the sun was setting behind the mountains.  What a sight!  It is also a full moon tonight, so I stared at it for awhile (wishing that I was staring at it from my front porch in Fairfield).  Walks are usually good for me when I'm homesick and depressed, adn this one was great.  The castle is so beautiful, and the sunset, the surroundings, and the fish and birds made it a very enjoyable outing.

Not much else to report at this point.  Today is dad's birthday, and I wish very much that I was there to sing and eat cherry pie with them.  But alas, tis not so..

Walk Around Himeji Castle

Paths lead in directions I'm not sure I can go,

the signs give no clue, as they're foreign in print and idea.

The castle looms up ahead, majestic and graceful-

a white heron, they say, poised in flight.

Architecture I understand.  Even though the design is foreign, 

I see workmanship and love of the craft.

I pass the poised heron and heat towards the perimeter.

Walking upon the moat wall I see the sunset behind mountains not so far away.

A full moon, pale in the still existing sunlight sits in the sky, 

ready to take over when the sun has gone to light my side of the world.

In the moat below, blurry shapes of Japanese carp float just below the surface,

very big and bright, but nonetheless blurred in the murky water.

The chill in the light losing air only deepens my withdrawal into myself-

as if the language and culture barrier weren't enough of an inward thrust.

Night falls, and the castle, illuminated by modern white and green flood lights

doesn't fit the ancientness and majesty of its build, 

much as I don't fit yet in this foreign land, unnatural to me.

I bid good night, and head for the comfort of my lonely apartment, 

as the moon becomes active and glows in the now darkened sky.

Now if that depressed you a little, what about this little pip of a poem...

It's not really that far, you know,

the sun shines there, and the moon glows here...

however, 

the moon glows from the suns shine

so here and there are basically connected.

Does that not make home seem a little closer than it once did?

...no...but it was a noble effort.

Wednesday, March 30th, 1988 II

Note:  This is a series of journal entries from my two years living in Himeji, Japan (1988-1990).  I'm archiving them electronically through my blog.  Last names have been deleted and replaced with first initial only.  For details on this series of blog entries, see this post. 
 
I thought of some other things to write about:  It's very frustrating to live in a Japanese apartment building- at least mine anyway.  The building has nothing in the way of easy living.  There is no heat, so I have a smelly kerosene heater- which I'm quite fond of (as opposed to freezing). 
 
The water heater is gas and has to be turned on before each time hot water is needed (actually I leave my pilot on all the time, which is a no no, because of earthquakes and gas explosions, etc.).  It's a small heater, very loud, and takes awhile to heat the water.  My toilet is in a separate room from my bathtub and shower, which are in a separate room from the sink and mirror. 

My small (everything here is small- the stove, the refrigerator, the height of the mirror) washing machine is stuck in a corner, very hard to get at, and I have to turn on the gas and light my stove every time I want to use it.

All right, enough bitching...I said before that I spend a lot of time at K's, which has really helped, because I've decided that I really hate being along.  I help them out around the old homestead and that makes me feel good- I hate the thought of leeching on to them for my needs and giving them nothing in return.  We've eaten out together 3 or 4 times (we've hit Kentucky Fried Chicken, and other pseudo American places), I read the Japan Times and watch t.v. at their house too (after reading back through this I sound like I'm about eleven).  

I don't have a t.v. or radio yet.  I've looked in stores and they are really expensive (everything here is, since the dollar is so low).  The Japanese have this wonderful thing called a "gomi" pile, which is actually just a big trash pile.  All of the trash has to be separated and put out on different days.  One day might be burnables, the next, metal, and the next "gomi" or big items:  furniture, appliances, etc.  

That's not so great, but the great thing is that the Japanese don't believe in anything being second hand, so they just throw things away.  If they buy a new television, they'll throw the old one on the "gomi" pile, even if its perfectly good, because to give something used to someone else is considered an insult.  I got a bicycle out of the last "gomi" pile- granted it's old and ugly, but in perfect working order.  I think next "gomi" day, I'll try for a t.v. and maybe a table or two...

Well, I should write a few letters now, even though this is giving me writers cramp.  It's amazing how important the mail has become to me again.  When I went away to college it was important, then I moved back home to live and student teach, and it didn't really matter- it was just nice.  Now the mail is my life.  I really don't hear anything about America at this point (except about the presidential race- and I didn't care about that in the states).  I did hear that Robert Joffrey died when I was in the electronics department at Sanyo and a CNN broadcast in English was on one of the t.v. floor models.  Anyway, mail has again become important...let's leave it at that.

Wednesday, March 30th, 1988

Note:  This is a series of journal entries from my two years living in Himeji, Japan (1988-1990).  I'm archiving them electronically through my blog.  Last names have been deleted and replaced with first initial only.  For details on this series of blog entries, see this post.

Well, I've been in Japan for exactly one week, two days, two hours, and thirty nine point five minutes.  I say this because it's really been a long week.  My mood swings back and forth, and I'm really not thrilled to be here.  I anticipated being homesick, but you never really prepare yourself for those empty, helpless feelings.

I guess I can't really complain, because the K's have been very helpful since my arrival in Himeji one week, one day, two hours and thirty seven minutes ago.  They've told me about the people, the customs, the culture, they've taken me to the grocery store, to the post office, to restaurants, the school, and even to a department store to see about getting tickets to "Les Miserables" which is playing in Osaka in April (for $120.00 per ticket).

I'm really grateful for their help and friendship, but I just miss everyone back home too much to really appreciate it.  My outlook on the next two years (ugh!) ranges from the possibility that things will be great, to utter despair and repetition of "oh my God, why am I here?"  One minute I'll be fairly optimistic, the next I'm crying my eyes out.

The first thing I did when my phone was connected was call home, just to hear mom and dad's voices.  I then called Robin, and then Stephanie.  It was so good to talk to them, as we're all going through a difficult time.

My yearning for home has me reading C.S. Lewis books over and over, and looking at road maps of Iowa.  I even spent $1.50 to take the 15 minute train ride to school because there was a letter from home at the office there (actually there turned out to be four oh how wonderful!!).

It's really not that bad here, but right now I just can't stand it here.  My biggest fear is lack of communication.  I thought more people would know English here- especially at school, but so far only about 10% that I've met can speak enough English to tell me their name.  I shudder to think of how my classes are going to be...

Well, so far I'm slowly branching out into the city to get things done.  Not surprisingly shopping was the first thing I mastered.  Then again, it doesn't take much skill to give my items to the checkout person and hand them my money.   It does take nerve to just go out though.  I'm already tired of being stared at, especially by children- they seem so rude, but I guess are just curious about the "gaizin" (foreign person).  But geez, you can't pick your nose or nothing, because someone is always watching.

So far I've grocery shopped, bought and sent off letters, and knick knack shopped all by myself.  I've also purchased a train ticket and ridden the train to my school in Koro and back (that was when I was desperate to see what mail I had gotten).  So I'm slowly getting brave enough to be on my own, but not in regards to big things.  K's help me there.

Speaking of which, I spend a lot of time at their house.  They live alone in a 3 story apartment building.  It has potential, but needs work.  The other day I help Karl saw down part of a tree.  After we sawed it down, we had to further saw it to put the branches in boxes to be picked up by the garbage men.  Imagine if you will two grown men sawing big branches into little branches and putting them in boxes the size of a small suitcase...only in Japan.

Today's shopping excursion produced some rice bowls, a tea cup, stationery, forks, slippers, and this journal (that's why my first entry is now and not a week ago)(do you know how hard it is to find journals where the lines go horizontally??)(Japanese journals go up and down and backwards).

I guess I should say a word or two about my overnight with G's.  They live in Tokyo and have the neatest house and yard.  They actually have grass.  Most of the neighbors around them have built two or three other houses in their yards and thusly have none, but G's have grass and neat trees and shrubs around the fence bordering their yard.  Jerry and his wife Mary Jean were very nice, and helped orient me to the orient...ha ha!

Well, not a whole lot more to say at this point.  School starts April 8th, so I still have another week, or so, until I really have anything to do- which is kind of making me crazy.  If it weren't for a meeting of the tendai (Jr. college) English teachers last Thursday, I could still be in Iowa for another 2 weeks, and the meeting wasn't that important.  But, I guess it's good to have these two weeks to get used to my apartment, my city, etc. before they throw teaching, grading, etc. etc. in my face. So, until next time...sayoonara.

JAPANSICK, or...the Beginning of a VERY Long Series of Blog Posts!

I think about Japan...a lot.  After I graduated from college, I accepted a teaching position at a jr. college at which I'd spent a month, as a short term missionary through my church, between my freshman and sophomore year.  It was an AMAZING experience.  When I graduated from college, the school had an opening in the English department, and one of the teachers remembered me, and recommended me for the job.

I applied, was hired, and moved to Himeji, Japan in March of 1988.  I spent two years teaching at Hinomoto Gakuin (jr. college) in Koro.  It was challenging.  It was scary.  I didn't know what was going on most of the time.  It was one of the best decisions I've ever made.

I recently ran across my journals from my time in Japan.  For two years, I kept an almost daily account of my life.  It was 1988...there was no internet.  There was no e-mail.  There were no note taking apps.  There were no journaling apps.  There was no Facetime or Facebook.  There was no Skype.

The only contact I had with my family in Iowa was through a weekly phone call (which was always a challenge to coordinate, time-wise, since Japan is 12 or 13 (14?) hours ahead of the midwest, depending on whether the U.S. is IN daylight savings or not), or by writing letters.  I kept track of my life through those journals.

 a very young, very SKINNY me, circa 1988!!

Anyway...as I said, I tend to get Japansick every now and then.  I haven't been back since my contract was completed in 1990.  Recently, I pulled out one of my journals, and started reading about my adventures (or lack thereof...depending on the day).  It was a blissful experience, and brought back a lot of really great memories.

Since only about THREE people read my blog, I've decided to transpose some of those journal entries into blog posts.  Let's just say I'm "archiving them electronically", in case something happens to the printed journals.  Where possible, I'm also going to scan photos from my TWELVE photo albums of those two years in Japan.

I think it will be an interesting (and nostalgic) endeavor.  Feel free to read along with me...or...if somewhat ancient history isn't your thing, you are welcome to move on to another blog!

Here's hoping YOU have fond memories that you are able to "relive" too!!!

Graduation Weekend!

My niece Abigail graduated from high school this past weekend, and, I have to admit, I'm having a difficult time with this whole "passage of time" thing!  It was difficult enough when Emilie graduated two years ago, and left us to go to college.  But now...with the youngest "leaving the nest"...I find myself a little melancholy.

THIS is how I think of my nieces...

...but this was actually SO VERY LONG AGO!  Now...we look like this...

I moved to the cities SEVENTEEN YEARS ago to be part of their lives, and it's been an AMAZING, and WONDERFUL journey...from choir concerts...to grade level plays...to Sunday dinners.  Honestly...it's been one of the BEST decisions I EVER made.

They have both become such amazing young women!  I KNOW that they are SUPPOSED to grow up... and move on...and grow up...but I'm DEFINITELY experiencing "growing pains" in the process.

That being said...here are some photos of the weekend.  So fun...so exhausting...so..."growing up"...!!

Here's hoping YOU were able to celebrate family...and love...and "growing up" with YOUR favorite people recently too!!!