“So how do you come to school?”
“Well, bike, scooter, bus, taxi and…(I definitely have a feeling I should not tell them I sometimes walk) yes, bus.”
“Hmmm.”
“Yes”
“Hmmm so how do you come to school, which one?”
“All of them”
“Hmm ok but how do you come to this school on this day”
“It depends on the weather. Also when I wake up.”
“When do you wake up?
“It depends how I want to get to school.”
Secretary’s head explodes!
Ive become quite skilled at following the developments of problems pertaining myself. What I mean is, when the school has a problem with me I am the last to hear about it, but my ears can track the phone calls to the secretary’s corner, to the swinging in and out of the Principal’s office, to the blatant conversation about me, in front of me, without me. For example I know once the problem has been circulated enough, I either have about 20 minutes or less of waiting time until someone approaches me, or a whole other round of phone calls is about to happen. Will 3 days worth of fretting, stressing out, the sky is falling alarms sounding, be presented in a single paper I have to sign without explanation, or will someone suggest I start doing something differently without giving me the chance to defend myself?
One thing I’ve learned is that a passive aggressive course of action drags on for such a ridiculous long time. You could compare it to Jesus - torture, resurrection, a rigid belief system for a few thousand years, etc. For example, I started riding my bike to school. Before you think how I could be so disgusting, I would like to state for the record that in December I informed my supervisor of the dates I rode my bike and asked that my transportation allowance be adjusted accordingly. He ignored this and the Board of Education gave me bus money anyway. Fast forward to March when we have our employee “review” to discuss the terms of our contract (convenient and intelligent timing to address problems now when there is no point, as I AM BLOWING THIS FISH STICK STAND). The meeting was quite nostalgic for me actually. Oh my life back in August was so beautifully naïve - All the ALTS sitting in a room in suits with our Vice Principals or Co-teachers having no clue what is going on, trying not to laugh, listening to the opening remarks and wondering if we heard correctly. Because if we did understand that Japanese, the opening remarks went like this
Now as your journey here began when it was hot, and then it got very cold and it became winter. As it was a very cold winter and you survived, but many plants lost their flowers. As the cold winter was long and then it started to show signs of spring, which is now. And in this spring the flowers will bloom on the branches. And like flowers your experience with the children should open up. And we should enjoy this place together.
And then the man from the Board of Education actually left. Anyways we were exposed for riding our scooters and bikes and for missing our buses and an agreement was agreed upon! I don’t know what that was. But I total this up to 4 attempts to make clear how I get myself to school. Unfortunately, as today’s conversation cited in the beginning of this entry implies, there is still a lack of willingness to accept on both our parts how I should come to school. Why is this an issue? Well, turns out that all teachers sit down in the beginning and say how they will come to school.
Now to redeem these frustrations as a cross-cultural learning experience I have thought about the following…
Good thing I do not think it is just me they are going Big Brother on. I feel treated enough like a child.
Second, how interesting that Japanese Bureaucracy has no illusions of being tedious but necessary and logical. This makes me want to throw my hands in the air and remain in strict routine for the rest of my gajin life. But wouldn’t that be a crime to tie myself down when there is a whole world to explore. Nobody ever got anywhere with that mentality. Isn’t it my duty as an American to show there is another way of living. A way that sees possibility instead of illegality. A way that celebrates our human agency to think for ourselves, to push the limits of locomotion, to explore diversity, to embrace entropy and make it an opportunity. Can I get an Amen! Praise the Lord. God be almighty. IM SINGIN IT FROM THE MOUNTAINTOPS. HALLELUJUAH!!!
And when I step off that mountain, or out of my designated bathroom stall rage room, I wonder if this Japanese way has some pros. If everyone knows how everyone gets around and at precisely what times, everything from coordination to disaster response is easy schmeezy. I think about these things.
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