Visitors Part II: My Family!
[Subplot: How I Rocked The House (with 30 others) With A Professional Taiko Group]

My beloved family came to visit me this past week -- Mom and Dad from Canada and little sis Hana from Australia. I saw my parents this summer but I hadn't seen the Hanster since I left for Japan over a year ago, so it was great to see her again. Below you will see a live-action photo capturing the moment of our reunion. Tall hugs and smiles all 'round. Plus, I think this was historic because as far as I know, this was the first time our entire family has been together in Japan!

The reason for their coming at this time was the mysterious alignment of the cosmos that made Za Ondekoza stop in Kudamatsu on their 2007/2008 tour. Ondekoza is one of the oldest professional taiko groups (japanese ensemble drumming) in Japan and was one of the original pioneers of Japanese-style ensemble drumming as it exists today. Ondekoza is also the group that made me fall in love with taiko when I was just a wee lad of 13 -- they played at the Centre in The Square in Kitchener and totally blew my mind.

When I heard that I might have a chance to play WITH Ondekoza at their concert, along with select members of two other local taiko groups, I couldn't quite believe it. I thought I had heard wrong, or that it was a different taiko group, or that I wouldn't be able to play since I was still new..... but no. My fears were allayed and when I came back to Japan after summer vacation, our practice started in earnest.

We practiced twice a week for 2 months (near the end, I was helping to teach a kids taiko group on Fridays too!) ... all for 2 minutes of glory onstage with the legendary Ondekoza.

Anyways, to make a long story a little less long, we rocked. I made some mistakes, mostly due to the fact that the Ondekoza version was approximately twice as fast as we'd ever done it in practice, but I kept up for the most part. It was really awesome. I don't actually remember much of it, but our group manager told me later that my cheering section (my family, Brett, Ashley!) gave us a standing ovation at the end. One dream come true.

Anyways, back to my family. In between day trips to various parts of Yamaguchi and Northern Kyushu, we chilled at my apartment: listened to music, cooked and ate delicious food and read good books. Just like home! Also, while Hana and I slept in the mornings, my dear parents cleaned my apartment ("Sinks are my specialty." - Dad).



Some pictures taken during our time together:



Reunion of the Ken and the Hana.


Me Da at Miyajima.



Brett joined us for dinner one night. He impressed us all with his wit and manners. He managed to not swear for almost 3 hours.


Me and Hoder in Akiyoshidai, the biggest limestone cave in Japan. Certainly the biggest limestone cave I've ever been in.

Kokura Castle - A beautiful castle in Kokura city, Northern Kyushu. This is significant because it was at one time ruled by the Ogasawara clan! What! Mind you, my Ogasawara-ness is geographical rather than geneological, but still cool. The 3 diamonds stacked on top of each other is the Ogasawara family crest and the first three characters beside it read "O-gasa-wara". The rest I can't read.

Kokura Castle, at a unique photographic angle that is pleasing to the eye.

My Dad.

Visitors: Part I: Jonny D.

Greetings to all.

Right off the bat: In my first year in Japan, I had exactly zero people visit me (from outside Japan). Wait, unless there was somebody. Dang. If you did visit me last year, I apologize, it seems I have forgotten. Anyways, nobody that I remember came to visit me last year so my hosting muscles were not taxed in any way.

However, this year, most especially this fall/winter season, I will have/am having/had a number of guests beginning with Jon Dunford of New Hamburg, Ontario, Canada.

Jonny D taught in China for a year, realized that teaching was "not his calling", decided to get the hell out and on the way out, visit his friend Ken in Japan. This was Jon's first visit to Japan and really, his first experience with anything Japanese (let's be honest, Jon)(also, watching Karate Kid does not count, Brett).

Anyways, here are some photos featuring Jonny D and some pictures not featuring Jonny D but were taken during our time together.




Hanaoka Shrine, in my city.

Hisyaku, ceremonial dippers at Hanaoka Shrine.

Jonny D REALLY concentrating on his Gusto Burger.

MIYAJIMA Part II (Part I was exactly one year ago).

Two Things That Made Me Smile This Week.

Now that I'm getting down to writing about these two little things, I'm experiencing some slight discomfort because the stories, on the surface, show me as the hero. My humble Mennonite (moreover Japanese-Mennonite) upbringing has instilled in me an allergic reaction to making myself look awesome, awesome though I may be.

Despite these slight twinges of faux-humility, I will tell you about the two things just because I have time.

1. At lunch-hour yesterday, I walked into the gym for the first time, where a bunch of kids were shooting hoops. Everybody was like "whooaa! Ken!" and two of my favourite 8th graders, two girls named Kanako and Nagano passed me a ball and told me to shoot from the free-throw line. Everyone in the gym was watching. You can guess what happened. I lined up and with perfect form and luck, swished the ball in. A collective "whooaaaa!!!" from all my students and I walked out in triumph, my hand still raised in the cookie-jar, forever a great basketball player in the minds of all who were present. Kanako and Nagano followed me out, barely able to contain themselves, they were so impressed: "Ken!! Great! Great!"; Nagano upped the ante by using correct grammar: "Ken IS great! Ken is great!".

2. I was teaching 9th graders, typically the most detached and unlively bunch of kids. But today's class (section 3-4) was, as my teaching partner Mr. Ishida said, "the best 9th graders in the school". The target sentence was, "It is important for me to...." and the interrogative version, "Is it important for you to...?". Mr. Ishida put me on the spot and asked for an example, which I had not prepared. Finally, after much thinking, I said:

"It's important for me to respect my students." Everyone's eyes got all big and they were so impressed that the class burst into spontaneous applause! I was very happy. Some boys were then inspired to make up their own equally noble and impressive sentences. When I looked at their papers a few minutes later, one boy had proudly written, "It is important for me to sleep". He gave me a big thumbs up and a smile: "Very important!".

Another noteworthy note from that same lesson was when we were reviewing "It is easy/difficult for me to...", one boy asked how to say ______ in English. I didn't know, so I asked Mr. Ishida for the translation: "It is difficult for me to control my feelings". !! Holy crap! What an awesome answer, especially from a 14-year-old boy.

Well, then. There you have it. A few snapshots out of my teaching experience which is often boring, but often very meaningful and rewarding, too.
Also, I hope we can all see that such great reactions to my trivial actions reveals the real heroes to be the students, not me.

So as not to end this post on a cheesily serious note, I will write this last sentence.

The Adventures That Happen In Any Given Day Of Ken's Life In Kudamatsu, Japan.

As the crucial moment crept closer and closer still, I prepared myself for the encounter. Finally, after much creeping, I was face to face with my adversary. I steeled myself, and her, with a steely look. She couldn't meet my eyes. I knew it was only a matter of time before this fierce battle of wills would be outcomed.

Suddenly, without any warning, she asked me, "Would you like a bag with that?". I testily told her that no, I did not need a bag, I could put the case of Cup Noodles in my backpack, thank you. To which she retorted, "That will be 670 yen, please". I reached slowly and deliberately for my wallet, all the time with my eyes trained on my foe. The man in line behind me told me to hurry the hell up, he was in a hurry. I paid my due and was walking away with dignity when, suddenly, without any warning, again, she called me back. I had forgotten my point card.

The sky outside was clear and sunny, with clouds spread liberally throughout. I smelled trouble in the air - and I was soon proved right. No sooner had I mounted my bicycle when two of my male students materialized in front of me. I eyed them carelessly at first, but then more carefully. I noticed they both were wearing their school uniforms and were smiling. All of this takes time to write down but in reality took half a minute to observe. They burst out, in unison, "oh! Ken! How are you?". I started, then stopped. Why would they want to know how I am? What business is it of theirs? Should I be anything other than fine? Why were they pressing the issue? But then I recalled that they were junior high first graders and as such, this greeting was nearly the extent of their English conversation skills. I relaxed the corners of my eyes a bit.

"I'm fine," I said, "how are you?"
"I'm fine, and you?", they replied cheerfully.

My sixth sense was reactivated immediately -- how very curious that they would ask me how I was when I had just told them I was fine! As I was thinking this aloud, they reached for me, ostensibly to shake my hand, but I saw the danger in their eyes. I moved like lightning - first chopping the first boy on the thumb to stun him, and then judo-flipping him through the window. The second boy proved tougher but I overcame him using my superior height, reach, weight, strength, age, and taser.

Safely back in my apartment with a half-empty bottle of Medium-Amber Canadian 100% Pure Maple Syrup, I reflected on the morning and thanked my lucky stars that I had watched all those Steven Seagal movies. As I took off my Chinese-style tunic and undid my ponytail, I realized that I was winded. Better start running again, I thought. Tomorrow, though. Today is for me.

Mysterious Mini-Matsuri.

A few weeks ago, there was a little neighbourhood festival in Kudamatsu near Junko's (Brett's girlfriend) house. It was mysterious because nobody knew what it was called, or what it celebrated, or how it came about. But it was great! Lots of people dressed up in either a) traditional yukata kimonos, or b) as various superheroes and villians from Japanese cartoons. I couldn't figure it out, but it was a good time.


Brett, Junko, and Junko's friend.

The festival was dominated by this raised platform on which drummers took turns thumping out a beat to which an old man sitting at a table would sing, non-stop, for what seemed like hours. It was quite awesome. Around this platform people danced or paraded about in time the music.

I have no idea.

"That's a lawsuit waiting to happen!"

This is a phrase I taught my eikaiwa (English conversation class) peeps. An eikaiwa is a small group of unusual people who are dedicated (to varying degrees) to being conversant in the English language. My group, which has about 7 or 8 regular members, is actually really really awesome both in terms of English proficiency and just being friendly and amicable with each other and with me. We meet every Wednesday evenings for two hours and just talk about anything. Periodically I'll write a phrase or word on the board that is useful or somehow relevant to the conversation.

"That's a lawsuit waiting to happen!" was introduced when we were talking about teaching; the teacher's role, the teacher's relationship and conduct with the students, etc. In Canada or the U.S., for a teacher to lay a finger on a student in ANY way is pretty much your job, or a lawsuit, right? In Japan, not so.

One of the men in the group is a retired math and chemistry teacher who now teaches "juku" (after hours cram school - where jr./sr. high schoolers go to relearn what they should've absorbed in regular school except that they were sleeping at the time) from his living room a few nights a week. Anyways, he was saying how if a kid gets out of line and just won't behave, he gives the student a "horse bite". A horse bite is simply grabbing a handful of someone's thigh and PINCHing with your whole hand. ["That's a lawsuit waiting to happen", I wrote on the board].

We got into a discussion then about how teachers no longer have any power to discipline students. "It's because parents are getting stupid. Before, teachers had respect, had authority. Their job was to teach not only lessons, but discipline and good conduct as well. Society ASKED teachers to teach their children. These days, parents ALLOW teachers to teach their children."

Since parents rule the teachers, and students rule the parents, teachers are often left feeling underappreciated, overworked, and without authority in their own classroom.

What a can of worms!

Discuss.

Kennel.

My friend Jonathan Kennel, who has checked the blog daily for the past year in the hopes of seeing himself featured. Today, Kennel, your dream has come true



Isn't he a cutie?? He's single, ladies!

Free Trip To Bangkok, Thailand.

My flight to Uganda gave me around 18 hours between flights with which to explore Bangkok (eight hours on the way there, nine on the way back). Awesome. I didn't really plan this trip - no Lonely Planet or anything - so I just sort of wandered about, occasionally peering at a very confusing tourist map provided at the airport.




The Emerald Buddha. The thing was so huge I couldn't fine my way in. At one point I found a gate that was open but when I inquired as to whether I could get in, the armed guards just kept repeating "No", so I left.


The Democracy Monument. I think.


The view from the back seat of a "tuk tuk". I think that's what it's called...those little three-wheeled go-carts with roofs that were made famous in the stellar Thai martial arts blockbuster, ONG BAK.






I sneaked through a random gate into a compound which turned out to be a monestary for monks in training. Bright orange-robes and shaved heads everywhere. Also, they were all walking on air, and bending spoons with their minds.


This is Azusa The Awesome. She sat beside me on the bus ride into downtown Bangkok (this is on the way back to Japan). We got to talking and it turns out she studied at a little college in BARRIE, Ontario for a year a few years ago!! Holy crap! That's (relatively) close to my hometown, BADEN. She asked me where I was from:

"Toronto.... well, outside Toronto. Do you know Kitchener-Waterloo? You DO?!! Just outside there." If she would've known Baden I would've probably had a heart attack.

Turns out that a) she speaks excellent English, b) is really cool, and c) also killing time before her flight back to Tokyo at midnight. So we decided to hang out and take the town by storm.

"Taking the town by storm" meant eating a lot of excellent food. One of these foods was this awesome juice stall which featured giant aloe vera and dragon fruit (below).



Also, street vendor-style pad-thai. So delish.
The last thing we did just before we cabbed back to the airport was get a Thai massage.

There are lots of Thai massage places in Khao San district (which is tourist central) but we decided on one that had the best pictures posted out front. We had to go up 3 flights of stairs and I was kind of wary about what kind of establishment we were getting into but we were in for a pleasant surprise. A big air-conditioned room with beautiful dark wood floor and about 8 crisp white mats on the floor with a perfect pillow on each. We ordered half an hour of foot massage and half an hour of Thai massage. Total bill: like $8 per person. It was absolute bliss. The PERFECT thing after (for me) 20 hours of travel which started on a dusty bus in Uganda. Thai massages are insanely awesome - especially if you get them in Thailand where they're dirt cheap.


Azusa at the new Bangkok airport - maaasssive and sparkly clean.

Pretty much the best urinal signage I have ever seen.

So there you have it. Awesome free side trip.

The Place Where To Find The Worstest English In The World: You Tube.

Probably the worst English I have ever seen on-screen is the comments section on You Tube [second place goes to Facebook wall posts]. The comments section seems to bring out the most malicious, fickle, childish, and stupid impulses from humans. Ninety-nine percent of the time, the bickering is not about the video itself but about someone else's comments. Seriously, everyone seems to take random strangers' comments personally. It's hilarious.

Aaaanyways, every once in a while, someone is malicious in a funny way and I have posted it below. It was when I was watching some clips of Conan O'Brien and Jennifer Garner was on the show....


TheGermanJuggernau (2 days ago) Show Hide Marked as spam

I love Jennifer Gardner's figure. It's muscular yet feminine. I wish I could meet a girl with a body like that

KoroOutbreak (2 days ago) Show Hide Marked as spam

who cares about your stupid, boring fantasies.

UGANDA Part II: Kanungu.

Kanungu is the name of the town and district where I taught for one year at Mother Care. Having travelled around most of Uganda (North, East, Central) in 2001/02, I have to say, without any bias whatsoever, that Kanungu is the most stunningly beautiful place in the world. At least in my world.

Dorcas aka "Mummy" aka "Aunt". There's a Dorcas in the Bible, (Acts 9) "who was always doing good and helping the poor". That pretty much sums up Dorcas; a woman of incredible strength of spirit and faith. She is so awesome. In addition to having Godwin and I live with her for a year, she also had about 12 or so other dependents under her care, none of which were her biological children (who were all schooling in Kampala).

Dorcas at Mother Care Primary School.

Kadia presenting me with gifts for me and my Mom (my Mom visited me for a month in 2002). Kadia was the one with the original idea of starting Mother Care Nursery/Primary School. Great lady.


The long building on the upper hill is the Primary section of Mother Care; below is the Nursery section. In the background behind the nursery section is Dorcas' house. The long smooth hill in the far background is called Kyentare.



Judah! Though now 29 years old with a family of his own, Judah continues to work for Dorcas taking care of the livestock as well as helping out with any chores that need to be done around the place. Dorcas took care of Judah since he was a teenager. Special note: when I visited in May 2004, my friend Ben Riche came with me (shout out to Ben!). Apparently Ben made a favourable impression on Judah because he has named his first-born son, Ben Riche! Not to take away from Ben's personality, but Ben Riche is at face value an awesome name, so....

Makiro Hill. Catholic church at the top with Catholic primary and secondary schools on the way up. Below is a piece of Kanungu town...

Mother Care class room...

The Masya Gang. Masya is probably Godwin's and my favourite place in Kanungu. Many of our favourite students live in Masya; the walk up to Masya is gorgeous, and there is always an open door with a soda waiting. The final destination when going to Masya is always Monday's place. Monday is the short smiling man in the back row; he taught in our nursery section, goes to the same church as Dorcas, and knows every song in the book.

On the road to Masya...

Brothers Genesis and Naboth sitting in Monday's living room. Whenever Godwin and I visit Monday, half the kids in Masya show up and we ALWAYS end up in a big singing, dancing jamfest, led by Monday. That's why we go!

The man, Monday Andrews.

UGANDA May 2004 - with Ben Riche. THE Ben W.C. Riche.
Since I'm putting up photos of Uganda, I might as well put up some that I took in 04.

This is at the top of Kyentare, that big hill. To get to Kyentare, one must walk through Masya and thus, we are never alone by the time we reach the peak. Here is Ben with two Masya kids... Ben was really ticked that his face looked the way it did because he swears he was happy at the time of this photo. Actually, he was quite moved by the experience. The first time you see this breath-taking view, and at that very moment a small child slips her hand into yours, it's a great moment in life.

The aforementioned Genesis, three years younger, strumming away while Ben chords. He was actually really good, even though he had never held a guitar before.... the famous innate sense of rhythm that most Africans seem to possess...

Charlotte, Monday's second daughter, on top of Kyentare.

Me, Hilda (a friend of Sarah, Dorcas' youngest daughter) and Masya kids on Kyentare.