Running in Ashikaga

Something I’ve noticed lately is how much adults run around here. Or maybe I should call it ‘hustle’ or even ‘shuffle’. At school I’m always watching teachers shuffle back and forth. The phone rings, the teacher shuffles to the phone. Then they hustle to find the person who is being called. A student escapes school grounds, there’s a full out group run off after the student. Someone visits the school, a shuffle to the visitor, a shuffle to find the person being visited. With all this running, hustling and shuffling, no wonder everyone is so small. I can only imagine what American adults would look like if they ran around that much. It’s been so strange to see so many adults running around in a work environment, wearing business clothes. I’ve never seen the like. But then a lot of things about daily life are different. Let me take you through a typical morning.

Jon and I wake up on the floor of our apartment where our futons are at 6:15 and 7 am, respectively. Jon shaves in the shower room, and washes his face in the tub while I straighten my hair in the main room. Then I use the shower room to wash my face, and put on makeup while Jon uses the mirror in the main room to gel his hair, etc. We leave the apartment, unlock our bikes and ride to work. On the way we pass a couple official crossing guards who hold yellow flags reminding me of a bull fighter as they bow us across the road: “Ohiyo gozaimasu, onegaishimasu!” There are also several volunteer parents, some with their own children in strollers by the side of the road, holding the same yellow flag “onegaishimasu!” We ride by the adorable elementary school kids walking in groups to school all wearing their yellow hats and dragging their book bags, as well as our own students looking more sophisticated in either black pants and white button down shirts (boys) or knee length navy pleated skirts white shirts and navy vests (girls). “Good morning!” (Me) “Oh, Veronica! Ohiyo gozaimasu!”When we get to work, we walk up to the building, remove our indoor shoes from the shoe locker and put our outside shoes in the locker. Opening the door to the teacher’s room: “Ohiyo gozaimasu!” bow. Take a few steps; someone catches your eye “Ohiyo gozaimasu!” bow, etc. until reaching our desks and sitting down. The teachers all have desks grouped according to grade. Sitting down at our desks, we have a cup of tea waiting in the mug we bought and brought to school. We have a few minutes to organize our things for the day’s lessons and then the vice principal, principal and head teacher stand up. “Hup!” All the rest of the teachers stand up. “Ohiyo gozaimasu!” Everyone bows in the direction of the principal and then sits down. The teacher’s meeting usually lasts 20 minutes, with the head honchos standing and making announcements, any other teachers standing and announcing to the room and then the head teacher of each grade speaks individually to their own grades. Shortly after, most of the teachers leave to lead their home room class (which occurs each morning and afternoon). We get to relax in the teacher’s room and continue preparing for future lessons, or decorating our English boards. Around 9 am, the first lesson of the day begins.

We keep our own mugs at school, as well as a set of chopsticks in their own case. We wash both things ourselves in the sink in the teacher’s room. There are two sponges in the sink; each one has some Japanese writing in marker on it. I’d been using a sponge to clean my mug and chopsticks, and two weeks ago I figured out I’d been using the wrong sponge to clean my stuff. Apparently one sponge is designated as the ‘dirty’ sponge and is used to clean the sink and I can’t imagine what else, of course that’s the one I’d been using! Eeewwwwwwww. I’ve tried not to think about it too much. After lunch, teachers and students will be seen around the school brushing their teeth. After a couple weeks Jon and I figured we must seem dirty so we brought toothbrushes and toothpaste to school, and now I am proud to say that I brush my teeth three times a day. My dentist would be so proud :)

Last weekend we visited the Coco Farm and Winery on the outskirts of Ashikaga. It was beautiful. We had a delicious lunch and did some wine tasting (my first time!) We’ll definitely be going back. This week has seemed long for me after last week being only two school days: but Jon has an even longer week. Each junior high school holds a school festival every three years and we’re lucky enough to be here for the year when they happen. Jon’s school festival was today and tomorrow, so he’ll have a six day week. Here is a picture from the festival. The trade off is that he has Monday off, while I’ll be back in school! Mine isn't till the end of the month.

We’ve been thinking of y’all a lot, especially Christi with her baby’s impending birth right around the corner! In fact, he or she will arrive in T minus five hours! We hope that you are all doing well. Sending love from Japan xoxo