今は不思議な落ち着いた気持ちを感じている。
今週末は一年ぶりに「大引越し」が来た。一年間は香川県の三豊市で国際交流員として働いた。最初からは三年間やろうと思っていたが，元々働いていた町が合併に捕まれて，僕の役がリストラされた。変な状態でJETとして国際交流員の役を「リストラされるしかなかった」と予算のきつさで言われたが，その後個人で契約のオファーが来た。新しいオファーの給料が先より三分の二だけではなく，JETの研修や通訳の講座には参加出来なくなるので僕その新仕事を断った。
まあ，それと．． 田舎に住む体験が出来た良かったと思うが，人生を成長させるために次のロールに続けた方が良かっただろうと考えて来た。来週から大阪に引越しして，カナダの領事館でしばらくインターン・プログラムに参加する事となった。始まると，すぐMIXIやブログでアップデートしるので，何か質問等があったら自由にコメントを下さい。
そして，九月から日本で大学院生になる。 研究と論文の全部は日本語と韓国語でしなければならないが．．． 頑張ろう！！！！
写真は，カナダのケベック州のモントリオール市で撮った。ポストのテーマとは何か違うが，今の自分の気持ちとは，なんとなく，マッチした。
また宜しく！
An off-and-on photojournalist elaborates upon some of the crazier photos he'd taken in places like Kosovo, Egypt, Japan and North Korea.
7/25/2006
7/23/2006
A Basic Outline of the Japanese Educational System
I'm entering the system towards the latter end of the cycle over here, but have managed to accumulate some teaching experience at a few of the levels. So I thought I`d try outlining the basic levels Japanese education system their accompanying ages/grades. I've written this in an overly simplistic manner, so please feel free to add commentary and corrections as you might see fit.
システムの最後の方から入ろうとしているが、いろなレベルでの教える体験はもう出来ているので、簡単な言葉を使って英語で日本の教育システムについて紹介しようと考えていました。何か情報が足りないか間違えている事を見つけましたら、ご自由にコメントを通じて教えてください。また宜しく！
日本の教育システムのレベルと説明：
保育・幼稚園 (Hoiku/Youchien) Houiku is preschool and has children as young as two in attendance. Youchien is the Kindergarten equivelent, and accomodates children up to 5 years of age. These are generally privately operated, but many of the small towns that haven`t yet been hit by `amalgamation fever` often run their own Hoiku/Youchien centers.
小学校 （Shogakkou） shogakkou is elementary school and covers children from 6 years of age to 12 years. Until just a few years ago, half-day classes were required on Saturdays. However, following some of the political movements to cut down on `student stress levels` obligational Saturday classes were removed from most school boards. As of 2006, the National government has introduced a plan to incorporate basic English classes into the elemtary school system. (But... doesn`t seem to have come up with a solid plan to implement this requirement.)
In Japan, class sizes are very large, and most classes are conducted in the lecture/note-taking style. An interesting touch is that clean-up of the school and lunch distribution are taken care of by the students. There are daily `cleaning periods` where classical music is played, and the entire student body takes care of the various clean-up tasks. Including sweeping, mopping, wiping and washing the blackboards, picking weeds, wiping the desks, cleaning up around the pool (many elementary schools have their own pools!!) and cleaning up the Unicycle range. (All the elementary school`s I`ve visited have enough unicycles on a rack for an entire class at a time!!!) At lunch time, all of the students have a `lunch prep uniform` including a white hat, mask, gloves and doctor-style robe/jacket. All of the students walk down to the lunch distribution room with the Teacher, and carry each of the pots, spoons, bins, and milk cases to the classroom in pairs. Each student brings their own cloth table napkin, chopsticks, cup and toothbrush. After the lunch is distributed, extra food is distributed through `paper-rock-scissors` challenges among the classmates, and the end of the lunch period is accomodated by a song for synchronized toothbrushing.
中学校 (Chuugakkou) Chuugakkou is middle school/Junior Highschool and last for 3 years, from 12~15. The types of classes are similar to North American ones, but I was surprised to hear there aren`t any Design and Technology courses. Sports clubs begin at the Chuugakkou level, and are very time intensive. When one joins the Baseball, Kendo, Karate, Volleyball or etc... club, they are expected to practice each day on Monday to Friday after school for 2~4 hours, and also for a half-day on Saturdays. Saturday classes were dismissed with the `stress-reduction` educational movement a few years ago, but Saturday sports practices have filled up that resultant gap. Until 2006, English curriculum begins at the Chuugakkou first year level as a mandatory subject, and continues through Koukou/Highschool. A curious feature of the Japanese system has been the introduction of the ALT (Assistant Language Teacher) through the JET (Japan Exchange and Teaching) Program where Foreign University graduates are recruited to assist English classes at the Jr. and Sr. highschool levels.
高校 （Koukou） Koukou is the highschool equivelent. Classes are mostly a continuation from the Chuugakkou curriculum, but a few optional courses are added and the availability of afterschool clubs/sports are expanded. Koukou runs from mid 15 to 18. A really important element that I didn't mention earlier is that progress from each level of schooling is not determined by class marks and attendence, but is determined by the entrance examinations for the following level of education. Because the content of the entrance examinations for the next level of education are often arbitrary to the educational requirements of the former level, a majority of students are systematically forced to begin attending private Juku. (Cram schools) Because students marks aren`t relevant to a student`s educational continuance, and teacher evaluations are not conducted, the prevalence of the Juku system has led to some serious academic discrepancies. Many teachers `moonlight` at evening Juku`s and are said to `conserve` their energy for their evening classes. (Where teacher evaluations highly affect the teacher`s salary.)
大学 (Daigaku) Daigaku is University. University in Japan has three classifications. 専門学校： (Senmon Gakkou) Specialty schools, similar to the Canadian equivement of a Specialty College (As opposed to a University.) There is 短大 (Tandai) which is a 2-year college course. These are for students who wish to enter the workforce quickly, and then the 4-year 大学 (Daigaku) for students looking for honour degrees, or to continue their education. A curious feature is that if a student can pass the incredibly difficult entrance exam to enter their school, graduation is pretty much guaranteed. Graduation essays are not often required, and students will take an absolute minimum of classes in their 3rd and 4th years to conduct 就職活動 （Shuushoku Katsudou） or the Job search. Companies in Japan hire graduates at least a year before their Graduation. Taking a year off after Graduation (to `find` one`s self) is frowned upon, and having gaps in a resume can lead to many difficulties during a job search.
大学院 (Daigaku-in) or Graduate school. This is where I`m entering the system. I`ll be entering at 26, but the average starting age is 22 or 23 following University Graduation. Entrance general consists of an even more impossible exam than the Undergrad one, but there are exceptions to the rule. I've managed to get through on the strength of a research proposal (4000-Sino-Japanese character length) and Interview. I will certainly devote myself to my own research, but Graduation from Japanese Graduate schools is nearly guaranteed after two years. (The emphasis having been put on the entrance exam...) which has resulted in many Japanese Grad schools having a rather poor International ranking. Most of my former Professors have seriously recommended that I consider attending Grad school in the States, but as my research is focused on minority groups in Japan and I`ve gotten comfortable with the details of my upcoming scholarship I'm prepared to settle down here for the next two years...
博士 (Hakase) or PhD... Dear goodness...
I can only speculate......... I`ll look into the details and update this posting once I stop freaking out about writing having to write my Graduation thesis in Japanese.......... (>o<) D`oh!!! What was I thinking when I applied...
システムの最後の方から入ろうとしているが、いろなレベルでの教える体験はもう出来ているので、簡単な言葉を使って英語で日本の教育システムについて紹介しようと考えていました。何か情報が足りないか間違えている事を見つけましたら、ご自由にコメントを通じて教えてください。また宜しく！
日本の教育システムのレベルと説明：
保育・幼稚園 (Hoiku/Youchien) Houiku is preschool and has children as young as two in attendance. Youchien is the Kindergarten equivelent, and accomodates children up to 5 years of age. These are generally privately operated, but many of the small towns that haven`t yet been hit by `amalgamation fever` often run their own Hoiku/Youchien centers.
小学校 （Shogakkou） shogakkou is elementary school and covers children from 6 years of age to 12 years. Until just a few years ago, half-day classes were required on Saturdays. However, following some of the political movements to cut down on `student stress levels` obligational Saturday classes were removed from most school boards. As of 2006, the National government has introduced a plan to incorporate basic English classes into the elemtary school system. (But... doesn`t seem to have come up with a solid plan to implement this requirement.)
In Japan, class sizes are very large, and most classes are conducted in the lecture/note-taking style. An interesting touch is that clean-up of the school and lunch distribution are taken care of by the students. There are daily `cleaning periods` where classical music is played, and the entire student body takes care of the various clean-up tasks. Including sweeping, mopping, wiping and washing the blackboards, picking weeds, wiping the desks, cleaning up around the pool (many elementary schools have their own pools!!) and cleaning up the Unicycle range. (All the elementary school`s I`ve visited have enough unicycles on a rack for an entire class at a time!!!) At lunch time, all of the students have a `lunch prep uniform` including a white hat, mask, gloves and doctor-style robe/jacket. All of the students walk down to the lunch distribution room with the Teacher, and carry each of the pots, spoons, bins, and milk cases to the classroom in pairs. Each student brings their own cloth table napkin, chopsticks, cup and toothbrush. After the lunch is distributed, extra food is distributed through `paper-rock-scissors` challenges among the classmates, and the end of the lunch period is accomodated by a song for synchronized toothbrushing.
中学校 (Chuugakkou) Chuugakkou is middle school/Junior Highschool and last for 3 years, from 12~15. The types of classes are similar to North American ones, but I was surprised to hear there aren`t any Design and Technology courses. Sports clubs begin at the Chuugakkou level, and are very time intensive. When one joins the Baseball, Kendo, Karate, Volleyball or etc... club, they are expected to practice each day on Monday to Friday after school for 2~4 hours, and also for a half-day on Saturdays. Saturday classes were dismissed with the `stress-reduction` educational movement a few years ago, but Saturday sports practices have filled up that resultant gap. Until 2006, English curriculum begins at the Chuugakkou first year level as a mandatory subject, and continues through Koukou/Highschool. A curious feature of the Japanese system has been the introduction of the ALT (Assistant Language Teacher) through the JET (Japan Exchange and Teaching) Program where Foreign University graduates are recruited to assist English classes at the Jr. and Sr. highschool levels.
高校 （Koukou） Koukou is the highschool equivelent. Classes are mostly a continuation from the Chuugakkou curriculum, but a few optional courses are added and the availability of afterschool clubs/sports are expanded. Koukou runs from mid 15 to 18. A really important element that I didn't mention earlier is that progress from each level of schooling is not determined by class marks and attendence, but is determined by the entrance examinations for the following level of education. Because the content of the entrance examinations for the next level of education are often arbitrary to the educational requirements of the former level, a majority of students are systematically forced to begin attending private Juku. (Cram schools) Because students marks aren`t relevant to a student`s educational continuance, and teacher evaluations are not conducted, the prevalence of the Juku system has led to some serious academic discrepancies. Many teachers `moonlight` at evening Juku`s and are said to `conserve` their energy for their evening classes. (Where teacher evaluations highly affect the teacher`s salary.)
大学 (Daigaku) Daigaku is University. University in Japan has three classifications. 専門学校： (Senmon Gakkou) Specialty schools, similar to the Canadian equivement of a Specialty College (As opposed to a University.) There is 短大 (Tandai) which is a 2-year college course. These are for students who wish to enter the workforce quickly, and then the 4-year 大学 (Daigaku) for students looking for honour degrees, or to continue their education. A curious feature is that if a student can pass the incredibly difficult entrance exam to enter their school, graduation is pretty much guaranteed. Graduation essays are not often required, and students will take an absolute minimum of classes in their 3rd and 4th years to conduct 就職活動 （Shuushoku Katsudou） or the Job search. Companies in Japan hire graduates at least a year before their Graduation. Taking a year off after Graduation (to `find` one`s self) is frowned upon, and having gaps in a resume can lead to many difficulties during a job search.
大学院 (Daigaku-in) or Graduate school. This is where I`m entering the system. I`ll be entering at 26, but the average starting age is 22 or 23 following University Graduation. Entrance general consists of an even more impossible exam than the Undergrad one, but there are exceptions to the rule. I've managed to get through on the strength of a research proposal (4000-Sino-Japanese character length) and Interview. I will certainly devote myself to my own research, but Graduation from Japanese Graduate schools is nearly guaranteed after two years. (The emphasis having been put on the entrance exam...) which has resulted in many Japanese Grad schools having a rather poor International ranking. Most of my former Professors have seriously recommended that I consider attending Grad school in the States, but as my research is focused on minority groups in Japan and I`ve gotten comfortable with the details of my upcoming scholarship I'm prepared to settle down here for the next two years...
博士 (Hakase) or PhD... Dear goodness...
I can only speculate......... I`ll look into the details and update this posting once I stop freaking out about writing having to write my Graduation thesis in Japanese.......... (>o<) D`oh!!! What was I thinking when I applied...
7/21/2006
カナダでの中華料理っていうのは
日本で「中華料理を食べよう」って言ったら、
メニューは大体最初から決まってある。まあ、日本での
中華料理も好きですが、それぞれの店であるメニューは
なかなか変わらないみたい。
先月カナダにちょっと帰って来た。
そのうちに久しぶりに本番の中華料理を食べたって感じだった。
他民族に中心している国のいいところは、インド料理だったらインド人が店長、ブラジル料理だったらブラジル人が店長、スペイン料理等もほとんどそう。
中華料理には、中国は国事態で広くて、人口が１０、００００、００００人過ぎているし、6000年の歴史も立っている。こういう関係と移民が多い関係で、カナダで中華を食べようと友達に聞いたら、答えはどうなるかなぁ？
実家に帰って、友達に「中華を食べよう」と聞いて、彼の答えは： 「じゃあ、どんな中華にしよう？ 上海料理？ 北京（Beijing）料理？ 香港料理？ 西安料理？ 台湾料理？等等と答えてきた? 最近、僕の実家で台湾料理が流行っているみたい。Bubble Teaのセットも可能性となっている。
この画像は、トロントの北のマークハム市で撮った。米国辺りの一番大きい中華街がある。しかし、道にあるのそれぞれの店があるところより、新宿の１０９のデパートの大きさとは近い?
このWest Pacific Mallのお好みの場所は三階にある。そこで、五つの繋がっているレストランがある。五枚のメニューで、同時に中華（シルク・ロード系）・日本料理・寿司・タイ料理・韓国料理・と台湾風のバブルTeaから注文する事が出来る！！ ：D 舞句わくわくしちゃうの注文は： 前菜で対の辛マンゴ・サラダを注文して、飲み物はセサミのBubble Tea,次は中華のBlack Bean Sauce Beef and Green Peppers、ミニ寿司の盛り合わせ。もうお腹に入らんと思うが? 韓国のブルコギを注文してから日本のわさび味のアイスクリームのデザートは最高????
（宝くじを優勝せずに、一発でそんないっぱい食べれんと思うが、結局の値段は多分6000円以内に出来ると思う。）
メニューは大体最初から決まってある。まあ、日本での
中華料理も好きですが、それぞれの店であるメニューは
なかなか変わらないみたい。
先月カナダにちょっと帰って来た。
そのうちに久しぶりに本番の中華料理を食べたって感じだった。
他民族に中心している国のいいところは、インド料理だったらインド人が店長、ブラジル料理だったらブラジル人が店長、スペイン料理等もほとんどそう。
中華料理には、中国は国事態で広くて、人口が１０、００００、００００人過ぎているし、6000年の歴史も立っている。こういう関係と移民が多い関係で、カナダで中華を食べようと友達に聞いたら、答えはどうなるかなぁ？
実家に帰って、友達に「中華を食べよう」と聞いて、彼の答えは： 「じゃあ、どんな中華にしよう？ 上海料理？ 北京（Beijing）料理？ 香港料理？ 西安料理？ 台湾料理？等等と答えてきた? 最近、僕の実家で台湾料理が流行っているみたい。Bubble Teaのセットも可能性となっている。
この画像は、トロントの北のマークハム市で撮った。米国辺りの一番大きい中華街がある。しかし、道にあるのそれぞれの店があるところより、新宿の１０９のデパートの大きさとは近い?
このWest Pacific Mallのお好みの場所は三階にある。そこで、五つの繋がっているレストランがある。五枚のメニューで、同時に中華（シルク・ロード系）・日本料理・寿司・タイ料理・韓国料理・と台湾風のバブルTeaから注文する事が出来る！！ ：D 舞句わくわくしちゃうの注文は： 前菜で対の辛マンゴ・サラダを注文して、飲み物はセサミのBubble Tea,次は中華のBlack Bean Sauce Beef and Green Peppers、ミニ寿司の盛り合わせ。もうお腹に入らんと思うが? 韓国のブルコギを注文してから日本のわさび味のアイスクリームのデザートは最高????
（宝くじを優勝せずに、一発でそんないっぱい食べれんと思うが、結局の値段は多分6000円以内に出来ると思う。）
7/16/2006
東京のなんじゃら祭
久々なぁ?
先月東京へ行ってきた。その後カナダにも行って来た。最初は東京：
東京の浅草辺りの一泊二千六百円ホステルで泊まっていた。面接のために東京行っとったので、ワールドカップの間にＴＶがあるホステルで泊まるのはちょっといかんと気づいたが、泊まっているうちにホステルの周りで近所の祭が行った。
祭の男性の格好には、なかなか慣れないだろう。ミニスカートみたいな格好で別にいいんだけど、なんでパンツがこんなに出る必要があるだろう。（笑） 後ろから見たら、もっと危険だった。しかし、このブログの観客者のためにその写メは見せない。
東京はかなりいい街と思った。市内が大変込んでいるが、自然が出ているところもよくあるし、築地刺身マーケットもある。
先月東京へ行ってきた。その後カナダにも行って来た。最初は東京：
東京の浅草辺りの一泊二千六百円ホステルで泊まっていた。面接のために東京行っとったので、ワールドカップの間にＴＶがあるホステルで泊まるのはちょっといかんと気づいたが、泊まっているうちにホステルの周りで近所の祭が行った。
祭の男性の格好には、なかなか慣れないだろう。ミニスカートみたいな格好で別にいいんだけど、なんでパンツがこんなに出る必要があるだろう。（笑） 後ろから見たら、もっと危険だった。しかし、このブログの観客者のためにその写メは見せない。
東京はかなりいい街と思った。市内が大変込んでいるが、自然が出ているところもよくあるし、築地刺身マーケットもある。
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