Day 38: Downtown

This morning was my last breakfast with the Hotta family. It is sad to leave them again, but I think that this time we have a clearer understanding of our relationship. I know that I will see them again and we will keep in touch. It is comforting spending time with them and learning from each other. Before coming to Japan I have never seen such people who will give themselves so freely to others, expecting nothing in return.

At Notre Dame it was a morning of meetings and planning for me. First we had our regular morning meeting, which focused a lot on the swimming camp training for the teachers and students. It is a big event, the swimming camp in the Mie prefecture, and if it doesn't go perfectly it could be the last. With very high expectations and efforts to make everything about the camp better than the years past, the teachers take it very seriously. Afrela and I met for some time in my office to discuss my plans for the parents English class this afternoon. I also met with Shimizu Sensei to clarify the schedule and plans for this weekends camp at Yamanoie (the mountain school). In addition to those meetings, I met briefly with Mr. Yukita about helping the after school advanced English classes due to the fact that Miko Sensei's mother is ill and she wouldn't be able to make it.

The parents English class this afternoon is for mothers of students who have lived abroad and/or wish to study more English. I planned to have a discussion with the mothers and then play a game of Pictionary using terms that I put together for them. All of the mothers were happy to have me and I really enjoyed meeting them as well. I had every person introduce themselves and ask me at least one question. The parents had great questions and we had a really good discussion. They were sincerely interested in everything that I had to say about America and my impressions of Japan. The mothers led the discussion to very interesting topics. For instance, one women told a story about a child who, under the pressure of his father to become a doctor, burned his house down. The boy wanted to kill his father, but ended up killing everyone else in his family instead. It is disturbing, I know, but a very clear example of what can happen if children are led astray. The mother asked me how I felt and what it is like in America when such things happen. It was difficult to respond. I told them that America has many such occurrences, but perhaps for different reasons. The mothers and I all agreed that, in Japan, the children are under a great deal of pressure at such a young age. They are expected to study in their free time, attend cram school, learn musical instruments, practice Japanese traditions, and get high marks on tests so that they may attend better schools. Overall, I was extremely happy with the discussion and the questions the mothers presented.

The mother's also asked me what I do for hobbies, and I told them I play guitar, softball, and anything that is active really. Afrela Sensei made me play a song for them, so I played a song I wrote with my friend Andy called Alive Again. The mothers listened intently, even if they did not understand what I was singing. Following the song Afrela led a discussion on what they thought the song was about and what the meaning was behind it. It was cool to have my own little "Behind the Music" session. Most of the mother's said that they liked the tone of the song and that it is about friends, which is true. A few of the mothers took the discussion even deeper describing how the song is expressing both sadness and hope. These are some sharp ladies. I told them that they are correct; the song is about friends, great memories, the hopes that the future will be equally as memorable as the past, and about lasting friendships.

After school I was picked up by my new host family, the Shinya's. Mr. and Mrs. Shinya are both doctors and they have their own clinic on the first floor of the building they live in. I was happy to find that their children are Yumi and Yuki, who I traveled with to Kobe a few weeks ago. Yuki is the younger sister, and she took me for a walk through the Nishiki Market. The Shinya's live in a really great spot right in the middle of everything downtown. Mrs. Shinya had to work until seven, but after that we walked to Daimaru to grocery shop. For dinner we had some salad, squid salad, and takeout pizza. I am always happy to have pizza!

After dinner I looked at photographs of the Shinya's. They are happy people and it seems like they do a lot together as a family. We looked at pictures of them during one of their skiing trips to Nagoya. They also ski in Hokkaido from time to time. I can't believe that I didn't even go skiing once this past winter in Wisconsin. Anyway, the Shinya's are fun and I think we will have a good time together.