My Greatest Challenge

-
I'm used to kids running to me and getting hugs from all different directions. I'm used to sweet smiles and clear understanding. This hasn't been the case in Japan. There is a lot of misunderstanding between us. They look at me curiously, I smile and then they run away. I understand why but it still stings a bit.

I look different. In a nation that  places so much emphasis on sameness, my deviation is jarring. Further, the language barrier creates an even wider divide.

This isn't just a job about teaching English. It's about opening little hearts and minds to see the beauty and even, safety, in differences. I ,like all foreigners here, carry not only the weight of my reputation but that of my entire race, country, region and foreigners as a whole. I carry it proudly as a gift to be entrusted with this responsibility.

I'm here to create and change perceptions. It may not be done through a focused lesson but through words and actions outside the classroom as well. It is the greatest task that I have ever faced in my teaching career.
Yet, I am hopeful that they will also soon be won over with good old universal love, patience, respect and high expectations.

Here's to my future Japanese kiddie tribe and an amazing 2018-2019 school year*. 

*Japanese school year began in April but mine starts now.

Comments

  1. Kirk27 August 2018 at 17:01

    good luck. there will be teething pains but trust me, given time the kids here will love you just the same as the ones bsck home.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Stacy F.27 August 2018 at 19:10

    Bae you got this, stay strong and continue being you. Soon they’ll be all over you lol.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Unknown3 September 2018 at 05:42

    It would sting but I'm sure it will change when you least expect it. all of a sudden you'll realise your earnestness and sincerity paid off

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Textual Analysis of Sam Selvon’sThe Cricket Match

-
Linguistics complements the study of Literature. One site even went on to illustrate that if “Literature is like a drink. Linguistics is like analyzing its ingredients, where they are mined and possibly the politics of mining” (Quora). One might add that Linguistics is also the study of the ingredients and how they get together to perform the functions that they do i.e. to hold the entire drink together among other functions . Discourse Analysis is a branch of Linguistics. The University of Sheffield states, “Discourse can be defined as language beyond the level of a sentence, language behaviours linked to social practices and language as a system of thought. Discourse Analysis (DA) is a modern discipline of the social sciences that covers a wide variety of different socio - linguistic approaches” (University of Sheffield).Literary Linguistics is an integral part to Discourse Analysis . It is the study of literature from a linguistic perspective. Literary Linguistics is the
Read more

Okinoshima Dream

-
Why did you come to Oki? One month into my life on this mind-blowingly beautiful but remote island and this question is soon in succession after the initial greeting.  My simplified answer is: SAFETY. Oki is extremely safe and unfortunately, Trinidad is not.  In my interview for this programme, the same question was asked of Japan (Why do you want to go to Japan?) and my answer was the same. I've grown up hearing about how long ago in Trinidad, people would leave their doors open and if you dropped something, a stranger would not steal it but hunt you down to return it. We were always told of how neighbours lived together in harmony and there was no violence. This coupled with religious teachings that things are getting worse worldwide because we are near the time of the end caused me to believed that extreme violence was a constant all over the world and peace was a thing of the past. It was, in a sense, the natural progression of things.  I accepted that I would have no
Read more