Ikuko says goodbye to Sosua, Dominican Republic.  

What Reverse Culture Shock?

Well, I've been back in the States for a month now and I have yet to experience this "reverse culture shock" that many of my friends said that they experienced when they came back from Japan. I think that I haven't experienced it because I came back on July 31st and on August 8th I was back at work at ICFJ (www.icfj.org ). It was good to get back to some level of normalcy, although my body paid for it. For about three weeks, I was jetlagged. I would sleep only until 4 am and then wake up and go back to sleep an hour later.

Some of the things that I notice about myself is how I have changed in social settings. In a conversation with a group of people mixed with those that I don't know, the old Gina would've been talkative and welcoming. The new Gina is more standoffish (is that a word? another affect of living abroad in a non-English speaking country) in a great conversation. I often sit and listen and observe because I'm so used to not knowing how to express myself effectively in Japanese in a Japanese conversation that I was often unwillingly thrust into. Don't get me wrong, I did have great conversations in Japanese, it's just that the dynamic of the relationships within the "talking group" might not be a group of people that may appreciate what I have to say about a sensitive topic. Most Japanese people stayed clear of conversations on politics because if it involved my country, it often wasn't good. And I got the feeling that they followed the rule that my grandparents followed, "If what you have to say isn't nice, don't say anything at all." Yeah, that about sums it up. So, I've started following that rule. I've started not speaking unless I'm spoken to and I often tell myself that I shouldn't do or say things that might "rock the boat." So, please excuse me as I go through my "reverse culture shock" in my own way. I am slowly coming back to my old ways, but I've been through so many changes in these last few months (i.e. the joy of knowing God [see "The Purpose Driven Life" book] and my heart [break] attack). There's more to come in the changes in my life. The cultural connections that I've had in these last two years have been enough to fill a book (see my future book in say... 3 years).

Working
Yesterday was my last day of temporary work at ICFJ. It was good to come back to work with my old friends there. I have been trying to figure out exactly what I want to do with my career, and it has caused me some stress just dreaming about it. But the overwhelming feeling that I get is that my calling is somewhere in the world of international development. I have had two great job offers working in that field, although indirectly, that are a great step in the right direction. I should find out which job I will have by the end of September or the beginning of October. I'm not worried though, God knows what he wants for me and I'll do the best that I can at whatever job I do get.

Volunteering
Well, starting Tuesday I will be heading to the Dominican Republic to visit my friend, Ikuko Shimizu, who has been living in Dajabon, DR since January. She is doing some great work there in that small village (www.ikukosh.blogspot.com). I will know more in depth what it is exactly that she does there when I arrive. I will help her with some workshops that she will administer and get the opportunity to teach English to some Haitian immigrant children that cross the border everyday. I just want to get my hands in there and work in whatever way that I can. I really wish that my Spanish skills were up to par (it's been ten years since I've taken Spanish lessons), so that I can communicate with them. I'm not too worried though because when I first came to Japan, I had that same problem, but I survived. I know that going there and having this experience will give me one more new perspective of the world outside of America. I wish that ALL Americans had this opportunity to see the world in this way. Every chance that I get I want to travel abroad and not just for leisure travel in overpriced hotels and resorts, but the chance to make real cultural connections. I want to contribute somehow to the society/community that I visit wherever I go. I can't imagine going to another country and not being educated somehow. I will post pictures to the site when I return. I bought a disposable camera with me just in case I lose my digital camera. I'm so excited to go. You'll get to read more about my experiences later.

Mini-Sayonara Party

My favorite students from Heguri Junior High graduated in April and went to various high schools in Nara and Osaka. I wasn't able to see them as often as I'd liked this summer, but they found out that I was leaving, so they came to visit me at my house. They were SOOO sweet. They brought drinks and snacks over and all these cute presents. They bought me a wind chime, the Japanese versions of the 3 Little Pig (3 of the girls call themselves the 3 Little Pigs) and this other old Japanese story. They told me to keep practicing my Japanese. They also gave me this album of pictures of them in various places around school and a picture of "Love Gina" on the ground in rocks with my stuffed animal that they gave me. Sooo thoughtful of them! I'll NEVER forget these girls. Mariko cried sooo much before we separated and then she called me again and cried some more. I'm going to miss her SOO much because she's so thoughtful and always made me smile when I was having a rough day at work. Yurie was also sweet even though she was the school bully. If she found out that an underclassman was giving me a hard time in class she'd ask, "Sensei, do you want me to fight them?" and I'd be like, "Noooo! It's ok, I'll talk to them later." Itsuka and Mai have been really good students too. They wanted to help me do my laundry and help me pack too. The only one that was missing was my little Misa, but she will come by the morning that I leave to see me off. I'm going to cry soo much on the plane!!!

Aww, I'm going to miss them.  

Me and Mariko 

Me and Riana 

Me and Itsuka 

Me, Mayu, Mai and Yurie. 

The girls couldn't resist popping my bubble wrap. I guess this is a worldwide thing that kids do. 

Last Weekend w/ Sachi & BooBoo

This was my last chance to hang out with Sachi & BooBoo before I left Japan. I stayed over and "oka-san" ("mother" in Japanese) became my mom too. I can't wait until she comes to the States to visit me and Sachi!

BooBoo in her yukata (spring kimono made of cotton) when she & Sachi came to pick me up from the train station. 

A festival in Sachi's part of town in Osaka. 

Sachi & BooBoo in Osaka on our way to the aquarium. 

Tea Ceremony

Enjoy!

Traditional Japanese tea ceremony with little Sayaka, Emi-chan and Kimie, my friend.. There's this special way to prepare the special tea, perfect temperature of the water, perfect way to sit, and serve people the "honorable" tea. The woman in the kimono is Kimie's mother. She is skilled in tea ceremony, ikebana (Japanese floral arrangement) and many other traditional Japanese arts. The woman in the background is one of her students. She was so sweet, she gave us some real fine tea and a small "sensu" (folding fan). 

Drinking the tea that I was served while sitting "seiza" style (sitting w/ your legs completely folded under ur body w/ the bottoms of your feet touching your bum). 

Me, Sayaka, the tea ceremony lady, Sayaka and Emi-chan from America. 

Saying Goodbye Part II--Heguri Junior High School

The teachers that were my friends all had a private party for us at this Italian restaurant in Nara City. It was fun. Many of them speak some pretty decent English. I got some great gifts. The English teachers got me this Japanese handpainted lacquer box, it's so beautiful. Tatsumi-sensei (white shirt) is a secret artist. She made this stained glass jewel box. She chose my favorite color too, lavendar, to decorate it. I got so many cute gifts from them. I will cherish them forever.

All of my teacher friends. We just had a private farewell party at an Italian restaurant in this shady area of Nara. It was really good. A 10-course meal. And the best part as usual, at the end of every farewell party in Japan, you get money! 

Sato-sensei cracking jokes on Tsuchida-sensei as he's trying to be serious and say his sayonara speech to me in English. 

Last chance hanging with Kay (2nd from left) and Pebbles (the only other African American present besides me) and Eva, the one w/ her eyes closed. This was at a new Cajun Soul Food joint in Osaka. 

Saying Goodbye to Japan...Part I

These are some pix from my Kita Elementary school where I taught in Heguri-cho until July 15th. I LOVE the elementary school kids. On my last day of school, I got SoO many little letters from them with little cute handmade gifts that they made. I'll read them on the plane and cry even more. I will miss them SOO much, but hopefully they'll be at the junior high school when I come back to visit. I totally cried at the farewell party with the elementary school teachers. I will always remember Ikuko-sensei and Yamamoto-sensei.

My goodbye ceremony that I was late to. The kids were so sweet. They waited and played the band music. I did my speech in Japanese and amazingly I didn't cry....this time...

Fumi-chan kawaii!!! Cute!!! I have nicknamed her "Pantene Girl" because I always tell her to flip her hair and she does it just like in the Pantene commercials back home. 

I forget her name but she's too cute. She was making so many faces, I had to capture one of them. 

Ikuko and Munehiro-sensei's 6th grade class. They're so cute and funny. Ryoji, the little boy standing next to me, is too funny! 

Look at the little one back there cupping her hands around her chin. Precious! 

Oh MY GOODNESS! These kids are unbelievably cute! I don't teach the 1st and 2nd graders, but once or twice a year. They're soo small and they ask the cutest questions. Aww... precious! 

The kids @ the elementary school have a garden and some rabbits. I ate some watermelon from their garden at my sobetsu-kai. It was so good! 

All the 6th grade class boys. We taped this class for the NHK TV program on my English Conversation class. That's Naohiro in the background jumping up and down. He was crying when I left and that made me cry too :( 

Me & The Elem school teachers at the sobetsu-kai or farewell party. That's Ikuko-sensei to my left. She's so sweet, she gave me a yukata.