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| Your author on the left and John Kutchera on the right. |
It's about 30 Celsius outside and humid... and a lot better in my apartment, as I have an air-conditioner/heater that easily heats or cools the entire three-bedroom, LDK apartment--and works without a problem as long as I don't also turn on at a time. That means I can only have on the television and microwave.. or the television and washerr/dryer. Anything else will blow the circuit and throw the place into darkness. It's simple enough to get a chair and hit the power breaker back on, as it sits high on the wall in the hallway.
I dress and go to work at the Ohtawara Board of Education (OBOE)... they are my bosses here on the JET (Japan Exchange & Teaching) Programme where I teach at seven chu gakko (junior high schools) here in this small city.
I, as is my style, have no concept of what I am going to write until I sit in front of a keyboard... and then out it flows. It's scary awesome. Since I never know what I'm going to write or even when I start how it's going to end, it entertains me as much as I hope it entertains the people who will one day read my stuff. At this time, only two people have ever read my stories--Rob and Doug back in Toronto. In fact, as of 2011... not more than maybe 20 people have ever read my stories. Sad but true. Too bad. Maybe I'll put them on-line some day. At least I know I get over 6,000 hits a month on this blog.
Regardless, at 4PM, I head home. Takako and Matthew come over and drag myself and John out to do some fireworks. John is visiting from Toronto. Now, I don't know about the average person, but I've never been a big fan of fireworks, having heard about all of the horrow stories about people setting their house on fire or blowing up a finger or having a loose canon come shooting towards an innocent bystander. Still, I do need to do something with John. He can sit in his house back in Toronto all he needs, but he's visiting Japan and he needs to get out and do something.
So... after surviving Matthew's firework display--and to be honest, unlike July 4th of this year when a few went astray and nearly took us out--this display went with any incident. Ooohs and Aaahs abound.
We then go over to Takako's house. Takako is Matthew's girlfriend, a local here in Ohtawara-shi. Her dad is a city councillor.. though not the glad-handing type of politician I imagined. He's calm, friendly and handsome and speaks a bit of English, and was always glad to see me... not because of any political aspiration (like I could help. Hah!), but simply because he's a nice man. Her mom was also quite awesome too, though she did pass away a few years later.
At their home, a typical one-level place, but with--and I'm going on a 20-year-old memory here--a white stone fence... I think it was plasterered over and painted white. Still, it was a very nice place. Anyhow... after a lovely Japanese meal--John's first in this country--her Mom and Dad bring out some masks and costumes and make us all dress up. I'm unsure if this is typical Japanese behaviour or not, but.. they do already have all of these masks and costumes!
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| (L-R) Mr. Kurita, Mr. Maniwa the pharmacist, Mathew, Takako, Me, Mrs. Kurita |
Part of the whole deal with coming here to Japan was to educate the Japanese that foreigners are not as different from themselves, despite all of our cusltural, historical and social differences. The differences are what makes life interesting. People all over the world do things differently. Hell, people all over your own country do things differently. And people across the street from you do things differently. For myself, and I hope for all the readers here, it's how we grow as people. Learn. Accept. Grow.
Anyhow... the Kurita's take photos for evidence. Perhaps to show other Japanese people that gaijin are strange--but more than likely to show friends that gaijin are people too. Oh yeah... and that you can be friends with others who are perceived to be different from you.
Boy... I'm pretty mellow today. It's because it was thundering and raining outside and is about 12 Celsius here in Toronto on June 4, 2011.
Staying until 1AM, I have no idea how we get home.. but even so, it's only a five-minute stagger back to my place. It was a very, very good time... and I'm glad John had the chance to experience some real Japanese hospitality.
Somewhere this is my last good mood for a couple of days,
Andrew Joseph
Today's blog title is sung is by: Katy Perry: BOOM
PS: The photo above is John at the Kurita's.
PPS: For photo evidence of this and other times I've dressed up or been dressed up, check THIS OUT.
PPPS: The photo in the middle of the blog with the Kurita's was taken a few months later. John wasn't there, but at least you get to see what the heck I am talking about!
