Take two

Tokyo Narita Airport March 25th,

The sense of deja vu is undeniable. Only 42 hours ago I arrived here thinking it was an uncomfortably tight connection to my flight back home, only to learn that most long flights had been cancelled. After waiting in line for 4 and a half hours, I was rebooked on a flight today. A tragic accident caused the delay and cast a shadow over the whole airport, but some friendly stranded travelers and the helpful, gracious hotel staff made the unexpected delay much more palatable. I used the extra day to visit one of Tokyo’s famous spots, Ueno Park, and relaxed with a good book in preparation for a very long flight today. This morning I took a walk through the hotel’s traditional garden and enjoyed for the last time the colorful fish, the winding paths and curved bridges. The garden was empty, as spectacular as it was, it did not draw the crowds that the gift shop across the street commanded. Now, waiting is! This phrase, with me since college when I read Stranger in a Strange Land, has proved to be a perfect expression of the situation, over and over again.

As my Japanese experience comes to an end, there is so much to reflect on. I can sum it up with one word: wonderful, but of course this doesn’t explain why or share the learning on so many fronts and most importantly it doesn’t describe in any meaningful way the wonderful new friendships that were begun. You may have heard to old saying (I sang the song when I was a girl scout) “make new friends but keep the old, one is silver and the other gold”. And when new friends become old friends we are all so much richer!

As I teacher I was particularly disturbed by my difficulties as a student! I want to remember what it felt like to be the dummy of the class and avoid some of the “help” I got from some of my teachers that made me feel even worse and was no help at all! Do I do these same things when I’m teaching?
I got positive feedback from my little English class who liked some of the games and activities we did. Things I’ve learned from my wonderful colleagues at Falmouth Middle School. These were more appropriate for my older students than the traditional Japanese teaching methods that involve lots of memorization and responding quickly to questions.

I want to go home and practice the tea ceremony steps before I forget everything! I want to keep up my calligraphy too. It was one of the things I enjoyed the most! I will have to see if I can get into a yukata before I totally forget the intricacies of tying the obi! And then there is my next adventure: the Camino Del Norte! And my home and daughters await me! It’s hard to believe I survived this long with out seeing them!

I am so happy I am returning to an America where Obama is president! Well…ashita zenbu chigaimasu! Tomorrow everything will be different!