Dazaifu, Day 3 - Greetings at Gakugyoin JHS

This is my first day at Gakugyoin Junior High School, and I am nervous. I will be making short speeches at both the morning teacher's meeting and the afternoon all-school assembly. The speech is written (so that I can give a copy to the English teacher who will be translating for me), and I plan to ask Ishii-san to print a couple of copies for us. Nakagawa-sensei is picking me up this morning.

I remembered to pack my school shoes today, so when we get the school, my first stop is to put my street shoes in my 'cubby' and put on the shoes I have brought for indoor use. I learned last time that my large American feet simply do not fit in the one-size Japanese slippers (nor can I easily buy shoes unless I buy men's styles), so I came prepared.

We arrive at school and I am shown to the principal's office, then we go to the teachers' room. Unlike American schools, Japanese teachers do not stay in one room all day; instead the students stay mostly in one room (their home-room), and the teachers come in to teach the various subjects during different class periods. Teachers all have desks in the teachers' room, where everyone can confer with each other between classes, and meetings and work sessions are held.

I have a desk waiting for me in the teacher's room, and my first order of business is to set up the computer and try to get it working. I have a separate cable to use, and my machine seems to recognize that there is a network somewhere out there, but I cannot get connected. Nakagawa-san looks at my settings, then calls over the computer teacher, who determines that I need to establish a specific IP address and gateway, as well as a DNS before I can connect. Once that's done, I finally get online.

All kinds of mail is waiting for me, including a reminder that we will start our weekly video conferences (between JFMF and the American teachers) this afternoon. Before I can get too involved, however, the morning teacher's meeting starts, and I'm on.

I stumble a bit on the school name, but manage an opening paragraph in Japanese, then complete the rest of the speech in English, with translation provided by another teacher. Everyone seems to be very happy to see me here. After that, Sasaki-sensei takes me on a short tour of the school.

Then I get to spend more time on computer chores - uploading journal entries and pictures, answering e-mail and getting caught up on things in general.

When lunch time arrives, one of the English teachers asks if I would like to eat lunch with her. I'm feeling a bit under the weather, though, and decide to concentrate on keeping liquids in me (it's hot, and while the teachers' room is air-conditioned, the rest of the building is not - and I am really beginning to feel the effects of the heat). Shortly after lunch the principal and I drive over to the City Hall building, where the office of the board of education are located. We meet the superintendent of the district there and talk for a short while; he has apparently spent time in the north because as soon as I mention Komatsu, he describes a view of Mount Hakusan, the most famous mountain peak in that region.

After our return to school, it's time for the afternoon all-school assembly, which is a welcome ceremony. I listen to speeches presented by the principal and student council members (who did a fine job on their English readings), and give my speech. I also present one of Jefferson's mascot dolls, a jaguar. Then I get the opportunity to hear the school brass band play a selection of numbers (they have some fine soloists in their ranks, and the group itself is very good), and a presentation by the Taiko Drum Club. I am especially impressed when the prinicpal tells me that they have only been practicing since March - this is a new club for the school.

Finally I am presented with gifts from the school - a book filled with pictures and notes created by the students, and a name stamp, something I have seen but never expected to have! Name stamps are used in Japan and China as legal signatures; they are created by special artists who guard their equipment and processes very closely (to avoid the danger of fraud). To do financial business or get a driver's license, one must have a legally verified name stamp; most children receive theirs at some point after they start school.

Because my last name is not easily written in any form of kana or kanji, the school has elected to have a stamp created using my first name, Rebecca. As I have already discovered, that name is easily written in katakana and the syllables also correspond to known kanji. I am very impressed and touched by the thoughtfulness represented by such a gift. Now all I need is one of the red ink pads that are traditionally used for stamping (and those are available at any stationary shop here in Japan).

Back to the apartment after a long day - I am exhausted and head for bed early.