How bicycling in Tokyo reminds me of route finding in the backcountry!

I am getting in a huge amount of biking. At least 15 k a day to and from work (if I don't pick a longer route); 30 km round trip on Sunday's to Quaker Meeting plus wherever we end up exploring on Saturday in this vast city. But it's a whole different kind of biking as you can imagine! 

I am lucky that on my commute to work I have figured out a path that takes me most of the way along a river with paved walkways and tree lined parks to give me a peaceful commute perhaps like Kaslo. Only here I have to figure out a way to get my suit to and from work when it needs to be dry cleaned, so here I am with my suit back on the back of my bike. I try to do this on the days it isn't raining... It has been raining quite a bit recently. 

Returning home after a rainy day. I was pretty wet. But it's fun.

Here's one of the parks right through on my way to work.

This is "my river" where they are beginning to hang paper carps to celebrate boys day. The carp is a symbol of strength.

But then on weekends we dive into the city to explore this amazing place. This involves weaving in and out of traffic, dodging other cyclists, pedestrians, challenging all of the Maserattis and Lamborghinis at the street lights. There are cyclists everywhere so drivers are used to us but it is also strange because many ride ride right on the sidewalk with pedestrians so it all gets very tangled sometime. More like Nelson than Kaslo but then...

In some ways it reminds me of the thrill of route finding when you are bushwacking in the Purcells. There are a myriad of tiny streets bisected by massive freeways that weave seemingly at random around temples, huge office complexes then ancient neighborhoods and parks. It is a real challenge to figure ANY logic into what the streets are doing. We kept thanking the GOD of technology for GPS.

I had a real sense of triumph today because I biked to and from Quaker meeting 30km across the city WITHOUT consulting my GPS ONCE and I got home in the expected time. I have finally started to figure out the "logic" of these streets and recognize the huge buildings as my landmarks so I can find my way. Who needs a sight line on Loki when you can see the Gotham city style City Hall towers from miles or the "birds nest" skyscraper that is unmissable? Pretty cool hey?

Quick note about work as it has now started

One of the fascinating twists for me in this new world is what is being pilotted as the "co-teaching" model. For our students to get both a Japanese and a BC diploma, to get in enough subject matter for both parties I have been assigned to "co-teach" a biology class, a chemistry class and a math class. This means that the content is taught in Japanese because it is similar in both programs, while I then teach the vocabulary and context in English. 

None of my co-teachers speak any English so... this is an interesting and new challenge for all of us. We use the Google translate app a lot (have you checked it out? This is my BEST friend) lots of hand gestrues and humour as well as bringing in my wonderful bi-lingual support teacher Atsushi to help us parlay through the specifics. 

Wow... this is all brand new.

Some photos of the team and the students at work today with Maggie who is our Ministry of Education Offshore consultant.

A very different world at work!

Today was the first day all of the students were at school. We had opening ceremonies for both the Junior High students (680 of them) as well as the senior high classes (700 plus). It was an amazing experience so totally culturally different than my previous experience as principal. This how they proceeded (no photos because it was WAY to formal for me, in the position of honour, to take out my camera.

I arrived in the gym after all of the Junior (grade 7/8/9) were seated. I was escorted to the front in one of the positions of honor (as principal that is a given here. I have the best placed shoe locker for my inside shoes, I have the best office in the school to meet foreign standards, our class is class number 1, a rare honour in such a huge school!).

I sit down, not quite being sure of hwat was happening because all instructions were in Japanese. then the gym goes silent... and I mean ABSOLUTELY silent. All 800 plus Junior High girls sat, with their hands on their laps, waiting quietly without a sound. We probably waited 10 minutes (can you imagine that in our schools?) in absolute quiet until the board of directors finally filed in. Apparantly we were all waiting for the owner of our school to get here (the owner is a multi-millionaire passionate about education who owns several universities and schools).

After that there was a whole series of speeches. After every speech all students would stand up and bow to the speaker who would return their bow. As the speaker would walk by me and the other Japanese side principal they would bow and we would bow back. The assembly must have lasted 80 minutes and during that entire time the girls ALL sat quietly and focussed on the speaker; feet on the floor and hands in their laps. Wow; I was amazed.

In the afternoon the same assembly happened with the senior high girls. This time as they walked in the band played beautifully. At the end of the assembly a 200 girl choir sang the Hallelujiah chorus. 

After the assembly I did a little exploring around the school before heading back to the office. As I got to the sixth floor I was concerned to hear yelling and wacking going on at the end of the hall. I ran up there thinking that I needed to intervene.

Well... welcome to Japan. It turns out this was a highly disciplined group of 30plus girls practising their required course of Kendo which involved aggressive attacks, hits and parries with the bamboo poles. They were extremely well organized, skillful and did this all with no teacher present. Check out this video.

The next afternoon Shelley came to the school because I really wanted here to experience this. This time we dropped in on the Naginata club. We just stuck our nose in the door to get a glimpse. The minute we did the entire group of thirty girls came running over and stood at attention around us with their spears to show respect (!!!!).

We asked to watch them and they got all in a fluster getting us set up in comfortable chairs and ensuring that we had the seats of honour. Then they proceeded to do astounding demonstrations of skills for us. It turns out that the Japanese national Naginata champion is a student at our school. Check out this video.

It has been a real pleasure to see the level to which adolescents can rise if society expects it of them.

From the work perspective

Yesterday was my first official day of work. I'm actually employed now :-) though I was in and out of the office last week and preparing for the coming weeks. My contract officially started on April 1.

I have already been hard at work marketing our program in different events. My program assistant Komico and I  and Atsushi, one of our English teachers, were invited last week to the Canadian embassy for a networking session.

Thought we would do some shopping on the side? The embassy is in a pretty posh neighborhood.

The week started with a well-planned retreat of our new grade 10 dual track Canadian international school. We were taken by bus to a retreat center belonging to our sponsoring University. This is a beautiful facility tucked high on the mountain looking over the active volcano on the horizon.

This was a wonderful opportunity for all of us to work together and get to know each other. We had our two Canadian teachers and two teachers from the Japanese sponsor school. Together we worked with students all day alternating between Japanese lessons and high-energy English activities.

Check out the fiberglass totem pole one of many set up around this resort development. Makes us feel right at home! :-)

This is a group of brave and dedicated girls. They have a range of English skills but they're all excited to be in this unique a new program the first want to know. We have a ways to go but their attitude is great and they are very enthusiastic. I'm looking forward to the year working with them.

Hippy Karuizawa

Nobody would stop to let get a good picture of the first big Volcano we've see here. 

This is an old wooden Catholic church in Karuizawa downtown.

Great Hippy clothes I'lll get for the summer.

Like everywhere Camo stuff even if you're not a hunter.

New mall with an old water wheel incorporated.

Dan and Komoko checking out food options.

Cozy streets to shop with few cars, though we were told our 20 minute drive would take 3 hours in the summer. I guess we'll continue to do our off season travelling as much as possible.

Lots of fun stuff and signs that indicate some fun with foreign presence.

St. Francis's appreciation of animals and nature would have been appreciated.

Christian camp probably relating back to missionaries in the late 1800's. Japanese Christian cells here carried on.

At one time, perhaps in the 70's a faux French tourist shopping area.

A place for Mary and Gerald to feel at g

home in. I haven't seen horses though.

  From one modern home Dan looks up at one of many abandoned Villas.

In between the big homes was this well kept mini cottage. Great fun.

 Notice the stilts the back home is propped on in the front, earthquake protection?

And a small town Ontario cottage look.

We thought this volcano was a ski hill but the ski hill is across the way.

There is good signage, just not so helpful to illiterates like us.

Dan always wanted a turret, I think even this slightly weathered hostel might be more than we could buy, given the new earthquake requirements.

Hippy cottage area near the schools retreat centre.

 A Dome, like Liz's in Kaslo.

The curse of 60's A-frames invaded everywhere.

Can you tell why BC foreigners felt at home in the woods here?

A little bit of a Muskoka, Ontario feel too.

We loved hiking around the hills here, in hippy Karuizawa.