The cut off age for an ALT (assistant language teacher) in the JET program was 28 - forever… so at 57 - I turned down the ALT position to come here - to Kamikawa - to do something similar - where I have had amazing experiences with my family and many students from RMH.
But - like I said - I am 57. I think for the most part, this has served me well on this adventure in Japan! I have experience and wisdom (yes - it’s true - lol) and I am able to do many things independently. However - my body is 57 - not 28. And I realize I am not “old” and I am by no means “unhealthy”? But - I have “issues” and that can be a challenge in rural Japan.
We are SO lucky to have the people in our life that we do! Kamikawa is the only place I can imagine doing what we are doing - because of the people - because of the experiences we have already had! Everywhere we go - we meet someone who knows someone from Rocky - someone who hosted a student - someone whose child went to WCHS one fall and that makes us feel so much more at home that we would have in a new place.
Because we met Charles in 2014 - we now have Nicky in our lives… a TRUE blessing! We have her because we met Charles. And it was Charles who shaped our previous experiences in Japan. Now we have Nicky. She stops everything at the drop of a hat to help - whether it is to take me to a hardware store and have a key made (apparently she is worried I will lose them - go figure), teach me how to recycle and sort garbage (this is a big deal) or show up at my place to go to the hospital with me when I have a UTI on a Sunday!
Mark and I were just chatting about how LUCKY we are!! And I LOVE that I can trace all of this back to the amazing people we have met on the student exchange over the years.
Last weekend we reconnected with the Koshino family. I am not exaggerating when I say that Japan has been on my radar as a place to come back to or a place to live ever since I met this family in 2016! We spent a lovely afternoon at their “home” sitting around an outdoor grill visiting and cooking meat and veggies, pounding pizza dough with Mina for the outdoor pizza oven, and just being together. It was like picking up where we left off… after so many years…
And because we chatted about Mark wanting to learn the shakuhachi, we now have access to 2 of these impossible to find (also super expensive) instruments!! Because we know the Koshinos. We spent the afternoon chatting about changing the world - it was wonderful. But what my Canadian friends do not understand - when I talk about missing a social life - is that Japanese families are SO busy… their children are in “CLUB” 2 hours every day and 3 hours on Saturdays. So when we have a chance to visit like we did, it is VERY special and sadly, not very often. So we cannot just connect a couple of weekends a month - it’s a big deal - and it takes planning.
We were SO happy to reconnect with Daisuke Kamiya as well! And that was also a big deal. Students are in CLUB every day (except Sundays) but so are teachers in Japan. So having the opportunity to reconnect with Daisuke was also a big deal! We met him in 2013 on his second trip to RMH - we met him when we knew NOTHING - especially how to pronounce his name - LOL! From 2013 - 2016, we spent a week with him in the summer - 2 in Canada and 2 in Japan. And when we left in 2016,knowing he would move on to a new teaching position (teachers are moved every 6 years in Hokkaido), it was emotional - he was our friend. We met in Sapporo for a meal and it was so wonderful that he used one of his precious “days off” to come and meet us.
So in Canada we say - “it’s all good” and in Japan - “daijobu” but it isn’t always.
We are struggling to learn the language, understand the culture, figure out what the labels in the grocery store say… and have I mentioned yet that Mark hits his head at least 3 times every day when he enters the rooms in our apartment?? We know how to say “fill it up” at the gas station and “check please” at a restaurant but man - it’s hard…
But - it’s wonderful too! We were so happy to connect with our old friends and are so blessed to have new ones like Nicky, Miku, Ai… also we are grateful for the two ALT’s who are here - they also make things easier on us - Scott from New Zealand and Matt from Calgary.
So 4 months in I think we are doing okay! I mean - we watch the Blue Bombers in Japan!! I get to share English with so many different people and Friday we made poutine with 14 local people so what’s not to like?? Man - who knew CLUBHOUSE (insert whatever brand name here) Gravy Mix would taste SO good…. Now I just need some KD (Kraft Dinner) and we should be good for another 4 months…
Thanks for reading.
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