A Day in the Life

  While waxing autobiographical was never really my thing (always seemed a bit self-indulgent), I realize that my job is fairly atypical, and that there are probably some of you out there who may wonder what life is like, teaching English in Japan. This is for you, and even for the other teachers here who may want to compare notes, since as they say, no two experiences on this program are the same. I am unique in that I am one of the few people on the program who have done the job, returned home, and then decided to come again, so perhaps I can offer a different perspective in that regard.

  There were a few reasons that I decided to come back to Japan, after originally having taught in Oita prefecture for 3 years, from 2005 to 2008. Firstly, I would say that although I had my ups and downs the first time around, I did enjoy the experience immensely overall. I made many new friends from around the world, gained invaluable experience, travelled throughout Japan and Asia, and made a better living than I was able to do back in Canada. Moreover, my job was interesting, and I really enjoyed working with children. In Canada, I had been stuck in a small town, doing jobs that hadn't challenged me much, and I had longed for a change, as well as for some of the “international experience” that most of the jobs I was interested in inevitably asked for. I had known that the JET Programme was for me the minute I had heard about it in university, and it proved to be a better match than any other job I have ever had. After I decided to return the first time, I wanted to gain experience working in the government, which I did in Toronto and later Ottawa, but in the midst of a recession and with little French, I found it a daunting process, especially in Ottawa. Many of the jobs were low-paying, entry-level, and limited to short-term contracts. While I enjoy variety, and valued the opportunity to work in a diverse collection of government, non-profit and private agencies over the course of a few years, in the end I found myself missing my time in Japan.

  So, I reapplied - I had nothing to lose. This time, I had requested the 3 “O”s – Osaka, Oita (again), or Okinawa. Osaka and Oita I chose because I have friends in both, knew both places, and knew there would be a lot to do. Okinawa I chose because it had been the one place that I had wanted to see the most first time but had never quite gotten around to. That, and it's a tropical island...no-brainer. As it happened, I got assigned to Okinawa, specifically to a little island called Miyakojima, and so...here I am. Miyakojima, to those of you who aren't familiar, is a small island to the south-west of the main island of Okinawa, about halfway between it and Taiwan. Fun fact: Miyako is so far south that it's actually closer to China than it is to mainland Japan, and is one of the last outposts at the edge of Japanese territory. We occasionally get Chinese planes doing fly-bys of the island, which, not gonna lie, is a little disconcerting.

  As soon as I got here, I discovered that it is true what they say – every experience on JET is different, and my situation this time bears little resemblance at all to Oita. Last time, I was based in an academic senior high school, while once a week heading out to local junior high schools, and once a month to the local special needs school. This time, I have no base school to speak of, but rather am based at the local Board of Education, and travel between eight different junior high schools on the island every month, spending one week at the largest, and two or three days at all the others. Surprisingly though, because they have since introduced more English into elementary schools, the JHS kids come in with at least some basic English, and some can speak at almost the same level as the SHS kids used to. Also different is the fact that while I used to get along just fine on a scooter in urban Oita, I now have no choice but to drive, as Miyako is fairly rural and has virtually no public transport. I managed to get a deal on a classic convertible, one of the only ones on the island, and so am easily recognizable to my students as I pull up to whatever school I am teaching at in the morning. Finally, Miyako is much warmer than Oita was, and never gets colder than 10 degrees in the winter. In Oita, I would frequently curse the fact that the Japanese do not typically insulate their houses, while I shivered away the winter months sitting as close as possible to my portable heater. Here, there were days in January when I was able to put the top down on the car. As my friends in Canada and the US endured the polar vortex this winter, I was particularly thankful for this last difference.

  My job here is also more laid back. JHS seems much more relaxed than I remember SHS being, and I often have more control of the classes I teach. Whereas I used to often be used as a human tape recorder to read out examples of “natural English”, I now come loaded with an arsenal of educational games to every school I visit, and typically decide what we will be doing in class that day. The Japanese teachers all know that I've done this before, and so perhaps are willing to give me a bit more creative freedom, which has worked out well so far, if I do say so myself. I typically try to use the material from the books the create activities where the students can practice their existing skills and pick up a few new ones. I've found that far from being a waste of time, as some teachers perceive them, games are a great way to get students engaged, which means they will remember more of the material...and plus they fall asleep way less. Unconscious students, I've found, are less than optimal in a learning environment, and this is a frequent occurrence when strictly teaching from the textbook.

  I also help out with speech contests, and sometimes stay after school to coach kids on their pronunciation. We just had a city-wide contest last week, and I'm proud to say one of my students won...it was a 50/50 shot, since I teach at half the JH schools on the island, but I'm still thrilled at how well he did. In Oita, I used to be more involved with the extra-curricular activities at my main school, but with my time so divided here, I find it hard to get very deeply involved with any one school in particular. I have my favourites of course, schools where I get along better with the staff, or where the students seem to care more about English, but I have to remain impartial. I do go to all the major events where every school participates, like track and field meets, but can't really cheer for anybody in particular. Not out loud anyway.

  The social life here is....well, a little on the quiet side compared to Oita, I'll say that. In Oita, we had a huge collection of JETs, private English teachers, and an assortment of Japanese friends, whereas here on Miyako we have 7 JETs and a handful of private teachers, all told. This means that although we sometimes go out (our Friday night pizza and beer tradition has been a highlight) we do so with far less frequency than I was used to in Oita, and at times it does make me a little stir crazy.  On the upside, there are many, many beautiful beaches here, and when it ticks above 20 degrees or so, it's easy to slip away for a relaxing afternoon on the sand. To keep busy I have been taking karate, and plan to try some beach volleyball when it gets a bit warmer. I also like to bike around the island, but during the summer months it is so punishingly hot during the day that it can be prohibitive to prolonged outdoor activity. Once in a while I do head off to the main island, which is only a 50-minute plane ride away. There, I have more friends and there is more to do, so I can have a bit more of a life, if only for the odd weekend. I'm hoping to eventually get transferred there if I can make it happen. I do get homesick from time to time, and of course I miss all my friends and family, but I'll go back for a long stay next winter, and people are always welcome here. I'm hoping that the cold will tempt more of my friends to escape and visit me...just so you know guys, I went out in shorts last week. 

  How long I'll stay, what I'll do after...I'm still not sure. I've always wanted to either own a business, work as a writer, or work for a charity. While I now have more experience under my belt, these jobs are hard to come by, so I'd like to use this time to examine my options and plan my next move. Potentially, I could stay here for four more years, but whether this is in the cards depends heavily on whether any of these options open up. I had considered teaching in Canada, but given the market right now for teachers there this seems like a non-starter. For now, I'm simply taking it day by day, enjoying my time in this tropical paradise, and trying to learn and network where I can. At least I enjoy what I do, and not everyone can say the same.   

How You (Yes, You) Can Change the World

  It's easily arguable that the greatest roadblock to human progress across the board, both in personal and societal contexts, is apathy. There is a tendency for us to refrain from taking action because we have convinced ourselves that our actions will ultimately be without any real consequence. In a large and complex world filled with billions upon billions of people, it's easy to feel overwhelmed when we try to take it all in, or to become so concerned with matters at hand that one loses focus on or concern for the greater picture. There are, however, a great many ways in which we all can and do affect social change, and a great many reasons why we should make the effort.

  For starters, I'm sure you've heard of the Domino Effect, right? Well, this works in social systems too – like the first domino in a chain, one person can impact a few people through action or conversation, and then those people carry an idea on to others, who in turn carry it on to others, until the idea has spread across countries and through language barriers around the world like a chain reaction. What we do and say have repercussions that are often further reaching than we think. This is part of the reason that I write, because if even in some small way I can hasten the spread of some of the ideas that have inspired me, then I believe I've helped to facilitate a better world for all of us. For the world to change for the better, those who value true progress and freedom have to be as vocal as those who would hold us back and keep us in servitude, be it political, economic, or theocratic. If we value our rights and freedoms, then we must be ready at all times to vocally defend them.

  My second point would be that we not only change the world with our words and actions - we change ourselves. Our actions define us, and in pushing for a cause that we believe in (whatever that may be) we are adding layers of purpose to our existence that weren't there to begin with. Over time, we can eventually look back on our accumulated efforts and know that we have to some degree made the world a better place. The exact degree to which we have done this is irrelevant; it is rather the satisfaction derived from a life lived in the service of other human beings that is ours to hold onto, a contentment that cannot ever be taken away from us, and that can comfort us even in our moments of despair.

  Another point to remember is that in societies as with the environment, everything in a closed system is cyclical. People often get discouraged from taking on a cause because they cannot see the direct results of their actions, but even if it is in a roundabout way, those results will be felt both by others and by you to some degree - it's pretty much inevitable. It may not be immediate or even felt for years, and this makes it difficult for us to draw connections, as this is simply not the way we are evolved to think. However, we are not isolated in time nor from each other, nor from the natural world – everything is connected, and just as every choice made by our predecessors, for better or worse, led us to this moment, so will every one of our choices lead us and our children to a brighter or darker future. If we keep this in mind from moment to moment, it can genuinely help us to feel less apathy and more engagement with the world around us.

  Furthermore our actions are, as I mentioned, cumulative. Over time, consistent effort is rewarded with generally positive results, and even if we fail or succumb to weakness from time to time, this doesn't erase the good we've accomplished. In the fight to save the environment, for example, while there is much for governments to do, in order to have a true impact citizens must all act on a personal level to reduce consumption. The cumulative effect of large numbers of people taking this commitment to heart would be immense, keeping tonnes of waste out of landfills every year, even if an individual only saves a few kilos. One person may also “fall off the wagon” from time to time and become discouraged as a result, but the only time we really lose is when we allow our discouragement to paralyse us. If we get back on the wagon quickly, our lapse need only be a small downward blip on a larger upward trend. Perfection s not required of us to affect change, merely a generally consistent effort. When we expect perfection from ourselves we only set ourselves up for disappointment.

  What you do – yes, you – actually matters, that is the point here. So if you want to save the world, you can have an impact, but the size of that impact depends of how much effort you are willing to expend, where you expend it, and how consistently you are willing to do so. Here are just a few off the cuff suggestions that work for me:

• Utilize social media to increase awareness of important issues, and interest in science. Democracies work better when people are informed, and dictatorships rely on people being kept in the dark. The internet is a powerful tool, and it will change things for the better if we make sure it's used for the people, and not against us. Sharing cute cat pictures is all well and good, (I'm guilty of this too occasionally), but if this is all we do on the internet then that's a lot of wasted potential. Don't be afraid to be political – if people un-friend you because of your opinions, then they were never your friend to begin with.
• Sign petitions. Write your political representatives. Make your voice heard. There are numerous organizations that create online petitions and that are very effective in shifting policy. I subscribe to Avaaz.org, Amnesty International, newsletters from political watchdogs, and a few others. Breezing through a few petitions and clicking a few “sign here” buttons takes moments of your time, but public pressure works wonders in combating oppressive or wasteful laws and practices, both at home and abroad. These organizations keep the pressure on our politicians, and help to ensure that they know we are watching them and will hold them accountable for what they do.
• Keep it simple. There's a great line from the movie Fight Club: “The things you own end up owning you.” Getting caught up in the desire for things is ultimately not a very successful method to finding happiness, and I'm not the first to make this observation. I use things for as long as they hold together, I try to repair things before I replace them, and I always ask myself “Do I really need this?” before buying anything. Rampant consumerism is what's destroying our planet, and if we all just scale it back a little, it does add up. Experiences are ultimately what make us happy anyway, not more stuff. Go travelling instead of going shopping.
• Check facts and challenge assumptions. Be more cynical. Don't be afraid to bruise an ego or two to correct people when their facts are wrong, or to risk an awkward conversation in order to call someone out on a silly belief. We live in a world where the facts are often clouded by spin, or by what we want to believe, and this doesn't do anyone any good. The universe doesn't care what makes us feel good, and if we want to survive and thrive in it as a species, we have to stop behaving as if it does. Being a little cynical is a good thing – it means you don't get fooled nearly as often.

  Simple, right? No drastic changes, no chaining yourself to trees or buildings required. Pushing for change need not be a monumental undertaking, nor consume vast amounts of time and effort. It can be as simple as making a few simple “lifestyle adjustments” here and there. Most of the people who will read this live comfortable lives in stable, prosperous countries – we live today as kings 1000 years ago couldn't have dreamed. We often take this for granted, but complacency is our greatest vulnerability. The Roman Empire fell in large part because of its own decadence, and the developed world would do well to keep this lesson in mind. We have built much and come far since then, but progress offers no insurance against disaster if we fall into decadence again. Democracy has helped to build a better world, but our gains only come when we, the people, are informed and work collectively. This is the price tag attached to a building a better society, and what happens next depends largely on how willing we are to pay it.