Venice Gakkuen

 I always thought that Japanese Language school was a waste of my time.  My precious Sat. time, Sat. morning cartoons, sleeping in late, and any other normal Sat. stuff like mowing the lawn. 

You would think 5 years of 9am to 3pm I would be somewhat literate in Japanese.  The reality is that of the 5 years, I learned the basic alphabet (hiragana) and some of katakana.  And that was in the first grade because Kikuno sensei would not let me out to recess until I learned it.  To this day, I still can read hiragana.  

The rest of the 5 years (you do see a pattern here....) being bored.  Mainly because most of the instruction (95%) was in Japanese.  All the teachers were from Japan.  To say I didn't understand what was going on in class is a understatement.  Boredom usually means finding ways to get in trouble.  Whistling, drawing, and watching the clock as recess was every hour.  Lunch was usually an hour and the afternoons more tolerant.

I have been in front of the class holding a chair, scolded, and been called Wada Kun (not an endearing term when being shouted across the room of at all school assemblies.  My saving grace was that the principal Yamanaka Sensei knew my family.  Not to mention an older sister that did well and graduated.  

What I didn't realize was the cultural value of my education.  There was Radio Taisho (morning exercise before school), lining up in class, cleaning up at the end of the day (sweeping, mopping, general cleaning), Ohanashikai (speech contest on a stage in front of family and friends), Ondokai (athletic competition between white and red teams), etiquette, Omiyage (gift giving) we used to get a box of Hershey chocolate bars for Christmas, Community events being part of the Venice Community Center, and things I never recognized.  The faculty office was a small room where the principle was at the head desk,  the teachers desks were lined up in front, similar to Japanese business setups in TV shows.   

I can instinctively bow when required with my hands at my side and mutter a response.  I understand the hierarchy of Japanese authority, and on the other hand I don't know a lot.  As I watch NHK TV, I see things that are oddly familiar.  I still don't understand the language, but I can somehow tell if the subtitles are not accurate. 

These are things that I learned before my two stints teaching English in Japan and my 1 yr. of Japanese in college.  What all this means, I don't know.  Other than I now don't despise the 5 years of Saturdays.