Exactly one year ago, I was in Tokyo for the JET Orientation.
Then, I had already sunk into Stage 2 of the JET cycle - homesickness (yes, I am a wimp). All these people, all so enthusiastic, so many Englishes.
Now, as I write this, I sit in an air-conditioned teachers' room typing away at a battered but still useable Fujitec laptop (yes, all other teachers have new laptops). 30 minutes ago, I was handed my new contract by my Principal.
What have I learnt, 365 days into the job?
Off the top of my head:
1) I have learnt how to say goodbye. Now, many of you might have learnt this already. If you have learnt this, then you are probably from a large country or city. Me, though... I'm Singaporean. When we say goodbye, it's never for a long time. Singapore's so small, we can always meet up. Singapore's so connected, we find each other on Facebook and even if we don't meet up, we can stalk each other and see what the other is up to. The seven degrees (or is it six?) of separation that exist for others is only three degrees for Singaporeans. Somebody you know knows somebody who knows you who is related to somebody you are related to or went to school with or worked with or - you get the idea. On JET, though, I have made good friends and watched them leave for their countries. And this is just the start. I will be saying goodbye to more and more people. How does a person deal with that? How do you travel, laugh, talk, cry etc with someone and then say goodbye knowing that most likely, you might never see each other ever again, or maybe ten years from now when everything has changed? Farewells are sad. I hope you fare well. I hope, when we are not together, not around each other, you will be well, have a good life. Shakespeare said 'Parting is such sweet sorrow.' and I think he wasn't talking about farewells. Cos farewells, they're all sorrow and nothing sweet.
2) My experiences of life have increased exponentially. I'm talking about things many of you might take for granted, like, living through the seasons, feeling the ennui of summer, the changing times of autumn, the depression and wonder in winter and the hope and joy of spring. I have rested in a home that totally belongs to me, all alone, wrapped up in my blanket of solitude, and dreamt up dreams I had no time to dream of before. I have met friends who are in turn fiercely loyal, crazily funny, scarily emotional, entirely hooked on different pursuits. I have learnt I don't have to like everybody. I have learnt that not everybody likes me and that I don't have to be sad if they don't. And yet, there are ways to exist in the same space as them. I have met a people who are intense in everything they do, be it working, playing or drinking. I have been on the receiving end of their hospitality and it has always struck me with wonder and thankfulness. I have tasted and seen that God is good. Better than I could ever imagine Him to be, wiser than I could ever want Him to be. I now feel that I could do anything, if I put my mind to it.
3) I have seen my failings and shortcomings as a teacher. Oh those times I shortchanged my students! I am so so so sorry that I taught you the wrong things. I hope you are well despite my failings. I hope you met better people who undid what I did. And I will try harder to be a better teacher.
4) I have learnt more about myself. I am not as compassionate as I thouight myself to be. Not as patient, or as hardworking, not as contented, not as wise. But I am braver than I ever thought I could be. More competitive too, and more adventurous. Still as solitary, but more capable of friendships. What have I turned myself into??!!
5) I can see that I have more options. And that hardwork is necessary if I want to explore those options. But my horizons have widened, and I am so excited.
6) I have realised that my friends back home and I have a different view of our relationships. Friends I thought were closer, turned out to be not as close, but those I thought wouldn't care much about me turned out more caring than I thought they would be. Go figure.
7) Stereotypes are true. People are what other people say they are, but be careful, because when you least expect it, stereotypes have a way of overturning themselves and when that happens, I say when, because it will definitely happen, you will feel like a total idiot for believing in stereotypes. Even though they are true. Nothing is ever one thing.
8) The world is more beautiful than you can imagine. And more cruel too. It boggles the mind.
So those were the intangibles. Here are the tangibles:
Places travelled to:
Kyoto (Best atmosphere), Osaka (Best for entertainment), Nagoya, Shikoku (Best for outdoorsy travel) - Ehime, Kagawa, Tokushima - , Hiroshima (Best oysters), Hokkaido (Best snow haha), Kobe (Best place to live), Kagoshima (Best onsen), Miyazaki, Okinawa (Best beaches), Nara (Best Temples), Seoul (Best Shopping), Tokyo (Best to be wowed), Saitama and Mie (Best home), of course.
1 x Japanese Driver's License - such a painful process, so precious
Many Japanese friends
Many international friends
1 x Yukata bought
Many matsuris attended
Beginner's level japanese attained
Next up: Gifu, Shizuoka, Aomori, Akita, Fukuoka, Chugoku. MAYBE, Mt. Fuji. CELTA course. More travels to Seoul. More friends to make. More Japanese to learn.
Have a great day.
Then, I had already sunk into Stage 2 of the JET cycle - homesickness (yes, I am a wimp). All these people, all so enthusiastic, so many Englishes.
Now, as I write this, I sit in an air-conditioned teachers' room typing away at a battered but still useable Fujitec laptop (yes, all other teachers have new laptops). 30 minutes ago, I was handed my new contract by my Principal.
What have I learnt, 365 days into the job?
Off the top of my head:
1) I have learnt how to say goodbye. Now, many of you might have learnt this already. If you have learnt this, then you are probably from a large country or city. Me, though... I'm Singaporean. When we say goodbye, it's never for a long time. Singapore's so small, we can always meet up. Singapore's so connected, we find each other on Facebook and even if we don't meet up, we can stalk each other and see what the other is up to. The seven degrees (or is it six?) of separation that exist for others is only three degrees for Singaporeans. Somebody you know knows somebody who knows you who is related to somebody you are related to or went to school with or worked with or - you get the idea. On JET, though, I have made good friends and watched them leave for their countries. And this is just the start. I will be saying goodbye to more and more people. How does a person deal with that? How do you travel, laugh, talk, cry etc with someone and then say goodbye knowing that most likely, you might never see each other ever again, or maybe ten years from now when everything has changed? Farewells are sad. I hope you fare well. I hope, when we are not together, not around each other, you will be well, have a good life. Shakespeare said 'Parting is such sweet sorrow.' and I think he wasn't talking about farewells. Cos farewells, they're all sorrow and nothing sweet.
2) My experiences of life have increased exponentially. I'm talking about things many of you might take for granted, like, living through the seasons, feeling the ennui of summer, the changing times of autumn, the depression and wonder in winter and the hope and joy of spring. I have rested in a home that totally belongs to me, all alone, wrapped up in my blanket of solitude, and dreamt up dreams I had no time to dream of before. I have met friends who are in turn fiercely loyal, crazily funny, scarily emotional, entirely hooked on different pursuits. I have learnt I don't have to like everybody. I have learnt that not everybody likes me and that I don't have to be sad if they don't. And yet, there are ways to exist in the same space as them. I have met a people who are intense in everything they do, be it working, playing or drinking. I have been on the receiving end of their hospitality and it has always struck me with wonder and thankfulness. I have tasted and seen that God is good. Better than I could ever imagine Him to be, wiser than I could ever want Him to be. I now feel that I could do anything, if I put my mind to it.
3) I have seen my failings and shortcomings as a teacher. Oh those times I shortchanged my students! I am so so so sorry that I taught you the wrong things. I hope you are well despite my failings. I hope you met better people who undid what I did. And I will try harder to be a better teacher.
4) I have learnt more about myself. I am not as compassionate as I thouight myself to be. Not as patient, or as hardworking, not as contented, not as wise. But I am braver than I ever thought I could be. More competitive too, and more adventurous. Still as solitary, but more capable of friendships. What have I turned myself into??!!
5) I can see that I have more options. And that hardwork is necessary if I want to explore those options. But my horizons have widened, and I am so excited.
6) I have realised that my friends back home and I have a different view of our relationships. Friends I thought were closer, turned out to be not as close, but those I thought wouldn't care much about me turned out more caring than I thought they would be. Go figure.
7) Stereotypes are true. People are what other people say they are, but be careful, because when you least expect it, stereotypes have a way of overturning themselves and when that happens, I say when, because it will definitely happen, you will feel like a total idiot for believing in stereotypes. Even though they are true. Nothing is ever one thing.
8) The world is more beautiful than you can imagine. And more cruel too. It boggles the mind.
So those were the intangibles. Here are the tangibles:
Places travelled to:
Kyoto (Best atmosphere), Osaka (Best for entertainment), Nagoya, Shikoku (Best for outdoorsy travel) - Ehime, Kagawa, Tokushima - , Hiroshima (Best oysters), Hokkaido (Best snow haha), Kobe (Best place to live), Kagoshima (Best onsen), Miyazaki, Okinawa (Best beaches), Nara (Best Temples), Seoul (Best Shopping), Tokyo (Best to be wowed), Saitama and Mie (Best home), of course.
1 x Japanese Driver's License - such a painful process, so precious
Many Japanese friends
Many international friends
1 x Yukata bought
Many matsuris attended
Beginner's level japanese attained
Next up: Gifu, Shizuoka, Aomori, Akita, Fukuoka, Chugoku. MAYBE, Mt. Fuji. CELTA course. More travels to Seoul. More friends to make. More Japanese to learn.
Have a great day.
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