thoughts.

-ethnic curriculum. at home, we grow up aware of our place in the world [albeit an ethnocentric sense] based on what we see on tv, in society, in the classroom. whether or not our interest is piqued, it is usually classroom curriculum that forces us to learn about foreign cultures and provides us with the fodder for thought about different ways of life. here, there is no ethnic diversity in society, the media or in course curriculum. they face an issue about how to integrate this cultural awareness into high schools because these kids have had so little exposure to non-japanese ways of life. after each of my recent trips i did presentations for my classes with props, slideshows and stories of my adventures. it’s amazing how many of the kids i asked after the lessons said they have no interest in traveling to thailand, korea or papua new guinea. when you do pry an answer out of them to the question ‘where do you want to go?’, their adventurous spirit shows through…hokkaido or okinawa, places in japan, are the most common responses.

-odd statistics. i was shocked the first time i was watching television and they were talking about a japanese celebrity and mentioned the length of his legs, as in ‘when performing he makes great use of his 84 cm legs.’ it’s also common knowledge what blood type famous people have and it’s a normal topic of conversation. although many people claim they don’t believe in the myth of personality characteristics being associated with blood type, they do admit that it’s frequently discussed on dates and amongst friends. companies have even been known to hire and promote workers based on this info. i researched it a bit on the internet for a class and discovered this method was first used by the Nazis to justify mistreatment of jews. when i had my surgery i found out that i was A-. it pleased my students immensely to learn this factoid about me. so here’s a list of blood type characteristics…
Type A
Speaking broadly, it is said that people with Type A Blood are calm, composed, and very level-headed and serious. They have a firm character, and are reliable and trustworthy (and hardheaded). They think things over and make plans deliberately, and they plug away at things steadily and assiduously. They try to make themselves more like their own ideal of what they should be. A Types may look aloof or distant to others. They try to suppress their own emotions, and because they have continual practice in doing this, this makes them appear strong. But, actually, they have a fragile, nervous side, as well. They tend to be hard on people who are not of the same type, and so they consequently tend to be surrounded with people of the same temperament.
Type B
People with Type B Blood are curious about and interested in everything. That's may be good, but they also tend to have too many interests and hobbies, and they tend to get all excited about something suddenly and then later drop it again just as quickly. But they do manage to know which of their many interests or loved ones are the ones that are really important, the ones they should hold on to. B Types tend to excel in things rather than just be average. But they tend to be so involved in their own world or become so carried away with something that they neglect other things. They have the image of being bright and cheerful, full of energy and enthusiasm, but some people think that they are really quite different on the inside. And it can also be said about them that they don't really want to have much real contact with others.
Type O
Type O Blood people are said to set the mood for a group and to take on the role of creating harmony among its members. Their image is one of taking it easy, of being peaceful and carefree. They are also thought to be big-hearted and benevolent, and they tend to spend money on others generously. O Types are generally "loved by all." But, they also, surprisingly, have a stubborn and strong-willed side, as well, and tend to secretly have their own opinions on things. On the other hand, they have the flexible, adaptable side of readily accepting new things. They are easily influenced by other people or by what they see on TV. They seem to appear level-headed and trustworthy, but they often slip and make big blunders inadvertently. But that is also the point that makes O Types lovable.
Type AB
People with Type AB Blood are said to have a delicate sensitivity. They are considerate of other people's feelings and deal with them with care and caution. On the other hand, though, they are strict with themselves and those close to them. They, therefore, seem to have two personalities: one for those "outside," and another for people on the "inside." They often become sentimental, and they tend to think too deeply about things. AB Types have a lot of friends, but they need time to be alone and think things through, as well.

-family obligations. in japan parents pay for college tuition in full. then kids care for parents when they are older. another part of the cycle which when bent or broken produces unhealthy, non-contributing members of society according to the japanese way of thinking.

-drugs. i was recently put in a rather odd, borderline uncomfortable position when this subject arose. we were out for my birthday dinner- uchiyama sensei, kodama sensei and i. we were discussing uchiyama san’s time in san francisco and she revealed how surprised she’d been by the prevalence of marijuana. they questioned whether it was as popular everywhere to which i replied yes. i explained that my state and city are small relatively but still, in those dinky corners of the country, drugs are readily available. they confessed that they’d never even seen drugs or considered doing them. then the bomb…”have you ever tried marijuana?” in an instant by brain was thrown into overdrive…the consequences and implications of possible answers scrolling across my mind. the difficulty reconciling the need to tell the truth in an effort at true inter-personal communication and cross-cultural exchange versus the desire to maintain a healthy relationship with these people who are instrumental in maintaining my quality of life and helping me survive. i weighed the fact they are both curious, progressive and open-minded against the fact they are intrinsically Japanese and were raised in a paradigm where no leniency is given to drug use. i contemplated their desire to truly know the way people outside of japan live and the opportunity to challenge an aspect of the Japanese government’s control over the social and individual rights of its citizens, but also the need to preserve some semblance of a connection between them and me on a human, personal level, one that could possibly be shattered by divulging insight into the true width of the cultural divide separating us. if you know me, you already know which part of this argument won in the end. i’ve never been known to bite my tongue and didn’t in this situation either. you should have seen the size of their asian eyes as they gasped in surprise, and the flurry of questions, born of genuine curiosity, which followed convinced me i had made the right decision. although i did couch it in a disclaimer, paraphrased... 'please don’t let this change the way you feel about me. i want to know that i can be truthful with you all because i consider you friends and i think it is truly important to have an open and free exchange when it comes to cultural questions. that’s what it’s all about, that’s why i’m here, that’s why you’ve traveled. if that line of communication is hampered by fear of judgement it severely limits what we can learn from and about each other.’ they thanked me for my honesty.