Brendan in Japan: Michael Longley

Friday, December 29, 2006

Michael Longley

The Weather in Japan

Makes bead curtains of the rain
Of the mist a paper screen.

Michael Longley, in "The Weather in Japan", poem and title of his 2001 prize-winner.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...: BRENDAN!!!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
We love your Japan Blog! We just found out about it this morning from your Mom's Christmas pdf.
Can you tell us more about your job? We haven't read your entire archive yet, but we will. We are all well here on the West Coast. We had everyone together for the past week: from little Eden to we retirees. Please email us at terry.miller@shaw.ca Do you have an email account? Would you like some pictures from us?; 10:40 am

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The story

I arrived here in Japan in 2005 on a scholarship. I was gleefully ignorant about the country, ill-prepared and basically only came because I wouldn't have to pay a thing and well... it seemed cool.

At first I hated much of it: the food, the accommodation, and the prospect of being blown away by an approaching Typhoon. But now, two years later, I love it.

I have spent my time learning Japanese (fascinating in numerous ways), frivilled away too much time in the time-warp capsules of Japanese style internet cafes, camped it up with some barbershop, and been to lots of festivals - some beautiful, some with lots of fire, and some with lots of fire where I got drunk and joined in.

There's been the odd bit of travelling around Asia too, with trips to China, the Bridge over the River Kwai in Thailand, Korea and the homeless snows of Northern Japan.

During my time I've had some surprises: professors that find it de rigeur to start a scholarship with an organized boozing session; a nation of women that are enchanted by the western male; or a the cultural-muddle that is a Japanese Christmas. (Especially hearing about how - in a particularly inspired feat of confusion - a department store once presented a Chrismas scene with Santa nailed to a cross.)

I 've also been baffled by the odd gadget, impressed by the odd bit of Japanese design (confused by others) and been delighted by the warped incorporation of English into Japanese.

Started as a "day job" my teaching position at a local primary school has turned into my daily pleasure. Though part of the Tsuzuki Gakuen (a kind of Microsoft of Japanese education), which means even regular school events like Sports Day are a bit odd, children are simply the most fascinating and amusing category of human being alive. (See above.)

Two years since arriving, I now enjoy reflecting in words or pictures more generally on Japan: Everything from Japan's sex industry, its unique approach to religion, to its vending-machine fetish.

In April 2008, I finished teaching and moved to Tokyo, where I am currently interning for a Japanese MP, deep in the heart of the Japanese political system. Which is another way of saying I clean cups and answer the phone.

All Over

Friday, December 29, 2006

Michael Longley

1 comment:

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