"Ms. Gemma doesn't have to speak perfect Japanese."

"Are you bald?" Moe-chan asked me with a smile.  You see, M-chan and I were perched over the classic board game of Guess Who. I have a small travel-sized version of it, and brought it into school this week to entice some students to play with me. To prove that I've been trying to study Japanese, I retorted with "hage!" (The Japanese word for "baldness.") When I played with the new Chinese student, she actually asked me for some clarification about English grammar. Like whoa. 

My contract says that I can consider lunch recess as my personal time. I often choose to hang out with my students. When I don't feel like "cold chatting," I come armed with tricks. Guess Who, card games, funny Youtube videos on my Mac, my iPod Touch, etc. Last year, I used to play a round of cards with the baseball team. I was popular with them, because I brought in a shiny deck of cards emblazoned with Canadian hundred dollar bills. (They were stuck playing with a deck of cards they fashioned out of paper scraps. It's against school rules for them to bring in things like candy or games, I guess.)

It still frustrates me when I can't communicate easily. When I call the taxi dispatcher, I'm pretty sure my limited Japanese makes me sound like I'm three years old. My set phrases basically translate into: "Hello. 1:30. The train station, pretty please. Thank you! Yes, the train station." 

Last week, however, the kids wrote something on their handouts. They had to practice using "doesn't have to" in their sentences. When they brought up their answers, I found that a lot of them had written "Ms. Gemma doesn't have to speak perfect Japanese." For some reason, that notion really struck a chord with me. Sure, these kids probably mimicked the sentence structure from their textbook. But still, they truly made me realize that I don't have to speak perfect Japanese! 

At a dinner this week, my supervisor remarked that my speaking skills have come along way. Even M-san said I've learned a lot! I use a lot of slang, but I mostly sound overly formal in tone. Still, it's nice to hear that my BoE thinks I've improved. And I was pretty happy when I was able to sit down on a picnic blanket at a recent sports meet, and share some stories with the mothers' of the volleyball girls. They seemed delighted when I could recognize their kids. And one mother even said she was pleased Saki was able to e-mail in English with me! 

がんばります！("I'll do my best.")

Sake, shrines and students

Loud echoes of "Seiya!" and lanterns filled the night air a couple weekends ago in Motomiya. Dressed in a green happi coat with obi and make-up in tones meant for Japanese skin, I shouted in unison with the ladies who were wearing Japanese festival outfits just like mine. There was a woman standing on a portable shrine, bouncing up and down as we carried the wooden "mikoshi" on our shoulders. The rest of our ladies' mikoshi team shouted "Seiya!" At the end of the festival, shoulders sore and head buzzing with alcohol, the shrine would meet congregate at the main intersection with two large floats. A group of men stood on the two immense floats bearing beautiful red lanterns lit up with candles. Local students milled about excitedly, screaming "Wasshoi! Wasshoi!"

I was amidst all of this chaos. Once again, I signed up for the ladies'-only team that carries a mikoshi during the fall festival. It is carried from the big shrine in downtown Motomiya, then around town. (According to the Shinto religion, this wooden portable shrine contains the divine spirit.) After what seemed like 10 minutes of carrying the mikoshi, we'd set it down and take a break. We were given all kinds of things to quench our thirst - mostly beers and Japanese sake. I love Japan, right!? 

My shoulders were sore after a bout of carrying it throughout the afternoon and early evening. And I was mostly excited to meet so many people that I knew. One of my fave former students, A-chan, joined this year's team. She's a tall girl who is now a first-year high school student. So, it really good to see her again and share the experience with her! I had seen her out shopping earlier that morning, and she was the one who told me to get toe socks for the day, lol. They fit better in the geta (Japanese footwear) we had to wear. 

I ran into the dude, who only know as "Tiger 'Oods," because he likes women?! He was at the "young people" work party we had last year, where B. and I sat in a room with 20 other twentysomethings who work at city hall. His fiancee, a really sweet girl named M-chan, took me under her wing during the festival when she realized I really had 

I saw my students: tiny tots from elementary school, the teens from junior high and even the current high school kids who I've taught in the past when they attended 2chu. Seeing all of them really made my town feel like home. Surprisingly, a lot of them approached me and even spit out some words in English. I saw Y-chan, one of the girls who used her limited English to yell "I love you, Gemma!" last month. I wished her a "Happy Birthday!" Earlier that day, I saw A-chan, one of her friends, who told me she was on her way to buy a present for Y-chan. I introduced all of my students to my friends, and made them say things like "Hello, I'm Kenta! Nice to meetchu." Cho kawaii.

The Mayumi team threw a great dinner party and after party as well. There was a hilarious drinking game, where we passed around a wooden box filled with sake. When I finally left to catch my last train, the organizers bid me adieu and pressed me to join them next year. Well, that's all, ladies. It was grand carrying the mikoshi with you down the streets of Motomiya.

I know a lot of these memories are quite detailed and perhaps mundane. But hopefully I'll remember most of the kids I've met over the years, even when I go back home.