"a, so desu ka..."

Just finished up teaching my first class of the year about ten minutes ago. I'm at Naruto Jr. High School which on an island that I have to take a ferry to and from. The ride across the water only took two or three minutes and total biking time was about a half an hour. I'm still borrowing bikes from other ALTs because I can't find an affordable one in my size. Anyway, class went very well. I had a group of about 25 first-year English students who were, as expected, very shy at first. After I did my self introduction (complete with pictures of my Grandma on her farm, a huge list of hobbies, AND a Terrible Towel...) the kids seemed to warm up a bit. About eight or nine voluntarily introduced themselves to me during the next activity. I can definitely see why a foreigner would be so intimidating to the students here. As was told to me by a few people, I may be the only non-Japanese person that many of them will ever get to know because not all of these kids will leave Naruto once they grow older. I think it's safe to say that I can compare this situation/mentality to some places that I know in the US. During Tokyo orientation one speaker (Robert Jaffe) commented that "there are two stereotypes of Japan- the super-technological, neon-lit sprawl of the urban areas and the traditional, bucolic pre-Westernized countryside. And then there's a vast gap in-between...where 95% of you will be going."

And he was right. This is the 'real' Japan. But hopefully that's what will make this experience a meaningful one. I don't feel like a tourist on an extended holiday here...it's quite different from a planned trip where one can feel like he/she must make the most out of a relatively short period of time. And here almost ordinary things provide enjoyment: chatting with Japanese neighbors, discovering a new way to the park, staying in on a Saturday night...

Things are in full swing now. Jill (friend/neighbor/2nd year ALT) tells me that September can be quite overwhelming. I've started to drink coffee again over the past few weeks and I'm really craving sweet things for some reason. I've still got some work to do on my food intake but considering the flux of my situation I think I've been doing pretty well. After all, I have only been here for a month...there's a lot more time to get my routine down.