by Whitey | Jan 5, 2008 | Weekly Re-Cap
As of tonight, I have officially been in Japan for one week. Things have been going well. I really like the people at the church here, and the neighborhood and city are going to be fun places to live. This week was spent mostly on getting aclimated and settled into my new surroundings, getting to know people, and numerous New Years-related events; New Years, of course, being a big holiday in Japan.
You can visit the Photo Page for some new pics from the past week. Meanwhile, here are some written highlights and thoughts from the past week:
Sunday: I attended my first service at Nagoya Immanuel Church (where I was introduced and brought brief greetings), as well as lunch with some of the youth — all of which was good, but also a huge reminder of the language barrier. I certainly feel like I have a lot to learn. But, I also have many new friends to learn from, and it can’t hurt to be immersed in it like this. Still, occasionally it feels a little overwhelming. In the evening I had supper with Pastor Saoshiro, the staff and their family. I really enjoy my new Family and look forward to working with them.
Tuesday: New Years Day was a full day, with a special service in the morning and a big New Years dinner with the Family.
Wednesday: Wednesday was an even more full day, with a combined district-wide service (at which I was introduced again, and brought more greetings, this time throwing in a little Japanese). Afternoon and into the evening was spent with the youth, with a special service for them (and in part by them) and again lots of food.
Thursday: There was a missionary couple (Ron and Joan Stoller) I met in Osaka when I lived there a few years ago, who just happen to live in this area, and also happen to be friends with Ken Saoshiro, one of my new cohorts here in Nagoya. Small world. They had a party on Thursday we went to, and it was good to catch up with them.
Friday: Pastor Hirase (one of the staff pastors here) took me out on his scooter to help me do my foreigner registration thing at the ward office, to help me pick out a computer printer, and to give me a whirlwind tour of the city. It was both a fun and productive day.
A good week, all in all. My jet lag didn’t last too long; as of yesterday I was feeling pretty much back to normal. And now that I’ve been around the city, done some shopping and laundry, and been here about a week, it’s starting to feel like I actually live here and am not just visiting. The weeks to come should be interesting and fun, as well as challenging, as I begin my studies and ministry. I’ll try to keep you updated with shorter, more regular posts. In the meantime, that’s a wrap for this week.
by Whitey | Dec 31, 2007 | Ministry News
This is just a quick note to let you all know I’ve made it safely to Nagoya, Japan. So far so good. More news and regularity of blogging in the new year.
Happy New Year.
by Whitey | Dec 24, 2007 | Ministry News
Here’s a copy of my latest prayer letter for those of you not on the email list. Hope you all have a great Christmas. Come back to the blog next week for updates from Japan.
Dear friends, family and supporters,
It’s Christmas Eve and I’ve been enjoying the opportunity I’ve had to spend time with family and friends here in New Brunswick. I’m also looking forward to more, as I celebrate with my church tonight and my family tomorrow. It’s great to have some downtime, too, as I transition into the next phase of my ministry.
And on that note, I’m happy to report that my visa came last week, my plane ticket is booked, and I’m set to fly to Nagoya, Japan this Friday, December 28th! I want to thank all of you who have been with me on this journey, praying, giving and encouraging me in pursuit of my support goals. God has given me a great support team and it’s because of all of you that I’m able to leave for Japan and begin my new life there.
Please be praying for me this week as I travel and as I settle into my new home in Japan. I’m really looking forward to celebrating the New Year with my new church in Nagoya! I’ll try to send out a newsletter early in the new year.
In the meantime, I hope you all have a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year, too!
Blessings,
– robin
by Whitey | Dec 23, 2007 | Thoughts
Check out this short article about a non-Japanese person who’s become a part of a very-Japanese part of society:
Japan Today – News – Japans first ever foreign geisha debuts
The interesting thing to me is that it says she’s spent half of her life in Japan, and yet the article’s title still calls her a foreigner. It’s interesting because of what it says about Japan’s attitude toward foreigners: no matter how long a person’s been in Japan, and no matter how integrated they become in that society, they’ll always be considered a foreigner if they weren’t born there (or if they were born in Japan but aren’t Japanese racially speaking). Now, to be clear, I’m not saying that they’re racist or anything; just that it’s such a homogenous society it’s nearly impossible for an outsider to become an insider. Even the Japanese word for foreigner — gaijin — itself carries the connotation of being an outsider.
Kudos, though, to Sayuki the Geish, for becoming more of an insider than most of us could ever dream of.
So how does a skinny, white, English-speaking, Canadian boy like myself get “in”? I love Japan, its culture and its people, but no matter how long I’m there I’ll always be gaijin. It may be a frustration I’ll just have to live with.
by Whitey | Dec 21, 2007 | Weekly Re-Cap
These weekly updates will be a lot more interesting when I’m in Japan doing stuff. At least I hope so. These days as I’m in transition things are a little quiet on the news front. But here’s a brief re-cap of the week anwyay:
I finished my TESL course work on Monday. My visa came Tuesday. Also Tuesday, I had my last lesson with Haruka, my Japanese tutor here on the home front. I’ve been spending a lot of time with friends; in fact I’ve been out every night this week which is very unusual for me. It’s that bittersweet time of looking forward and looking back, of packing and planning and saying goodbyes. Oh yeah, and Christmas time too. In all the busyness of going away I’ve hardly thought about Christmas — but yes, I have done my shopping.
Next week, I’ll be spending Christmas with the family, and then traveling to Bangor, Maine on Thursday. Friday morning I fly from there, to Detroit, to Nagoya. It’ll be around 6 PM Japan time when I arrive on Saturday (but only 5 AM back here in NB). Then my new life, adventures, learning and ministry begin as I ring in the new year in Japan.
This site will probably be pretty much dormant next week. But I’ll try to post an update soon after I arrive in Japan. Till then: merry Christmas, happy New Year, and thanks for being a part of my Japanese adventures!
by Whitey | Dec 18, 2007 | Ministry News
Yes, that’s my passport, complete with my visa stuck in it.
Less than two weeks now…
by Whitey | Dec 15, 2007 | Etc.
1. My car is as good as sold. This is good.
2. I have another blog that some of you might not know about HERE. It’s much older than this one, so if you want to read about my life the past few years (ie you’re bored), well, there you have it. More recently, it’s become a photo blog, so it’s much prettier even if it’s not any more interesting. I may or may not retire it when I get to Japan.
3. Two weeks from today…
by Whitey | Dec 14, 2007 | Weekly Re-Cap
I don’t have much to say as far as new news goes, but here’s a brief look back at the week and a look ahead…
- I am only one assignment away from completing my correspondence course in Teaching English as a Second Language. I plan to get it finished today or tomorrow.
- Two weeks from this moment I’ll probably be sitting in the airport in Detroit, waiting to board my flight to Nagoya.
- No sign of my visa yet. I was hoping it might arrive today but it’s only been a week. Hopefully next week, since Christmas and my actual trip to Japan are the following week.
- I got a handful of Christmas cards and letters today from churches and individuals who are supporting my ministry. It’s nice to be remembered. One card even had a cheque in it! Always a nice touch.
- I shipped some boxes to Japan this week. Since I’m taking my guitar with me (of course!) I have less room for luggage on the flight. Also, since I’m going for at least two years, it’ll be nice to have more than the clothes on my back with me. Still, moving that far away is a nice way to force you to simplify. There’s certainly a lot being left behind.
- I may have a buyer for my iBook. The car is still up for grabs, though.
- Next week, with moving preparations, support raising and my TESL course behind me, I plan to spend lots of time with friends, as well as enjoy having time to study (cram) my Japanese, read some books, relax, reflect and pray before the big move.
I said more than I’d thought I would. It was more of a brain-dump than a news report, though. But anyway, that’s a wrap for this week.
by Whitey | Dec 12, 2007 | Thoughts
With my move to Japan less than 3 weeks away (eek!) I’ve got lots of little things to do, as well as some not-so-little things. The visa application is out of my hands, the plane ticket is booked for the 28th, and just yesterday I shipped two boxes of stuff to Nagoya. The rest of the week my focus is on finishing my TESL course.
And on that subject, on to the real topic of today’s post: Teaching Methods. This article is a copy of one of my TESL course assignments, done several weeks back and posted here for you to read if you have any interest in teaching English. If you’re a teacher yourself, I’d love to hear your thoughts, so feel free to respond with a comment.
It is certainly possible to adhere to only one teaching method throughout an entire lesson. The examples Larsen-Freeman shows us in Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching, for instance, are all one-method lessons. All of these teaching methods have some value, but whether or not it is a good idea to use one method exclusively is another question. I think there is more value in using a variety of methods in the second language classroom.
Every learner is different, and comes to class with a unique mix of talents, weaknesses, and learning preferences. Each learner would best be served with a different teaching method. Some people learn best by hearing, some by seeing and some by doing – and for each of these learning styles there are a variety of possible methods to use in teaching. If all our classes were one-on-one, it might be possible to use one method for each student, with lessons targeted specifically for that one student and his/her learning needs. The reality is, though, that most English teachers need to teach a variety of personalities in the same class. It’s also probably true that each learner, while he/she might have a particular learning strength or preference, is actually mix of different strengths and learning styles. Therefore, a variety of methods would be a great asset in the ESL classroom.
Choosing the right method depends not only on the students, but on what aspect of the English language is being taught. Since language is meant to be used in the “real world”, it would be wise to give the students a lot of opportunities to practice. After all, this is how we learn our own language as children – by trying it out for ourselves, not by copying notes from a board or listening to a lecture. On the other hand, reading and writing, as well as listening and speaking, are important components in language learning. And some concepts do need some explaining before they can be practiced.
Before I became involved in ministry or considered living and teaching overseas, I was a graphic designer. When I was in community college learning graphic arts, there were a variety of classes and subject matter being taught. As such, there were a variety of teaching methods being used as well. For topics such as law and business, there was a lot of lecture and discussion. For software use and design techniques, there was more “hands on” learning.
Personally, I learn best by doing. In fact, there were many techniques and tricks I learned on the job, after finishing school, that I didn’t learn in the classroom. On the other hand, even in regard to the practical, on-the-job aspects of design, I needed both to be told what to do and to have the chance to do it for myself – to learn by trial and error. I might not have learned by doing without first having someone give me some direction. And it might not have “stuck” if I didn’t have the opportunity to put theory into practice.
I think language learning is much the same. For the sake of different learning styles, as well as the different parts of English to be taught, ESL teachers should use variety in the classroom. We need to remember, too, that not every method will work in every situation. So there is trial and error on the part of the teacher as well as the student. This will lead to even more variety, as we experiment to see what works in our own context. What is important is that the students are learning. It couldn’t hurt to keep things fun, either.
by Whitey | Dec 7, 2007 | Ministry News, Weekly Re-Cap
I’m writing today from my friends’ house in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Here’s some bullet points re-capping the week in life and ministry-related stuff:
- My Certificate of Eligibility arrived yesterday, basically meaning I’ve got the OK to work in Japan.
- Since I finally had my COE, I mailed my visa application this morning. Should be back to me in less than two weeks. Here’s hoping.
- I posted a new podcast last night (see previous post).
- I’ve started the final module of my TESL course. Should be wrapped up by next week.
- I’ve got a quote in my email inbox for a plane ticket to Nagoya (from Bangor ME, through Detroit MI) for a really good price, and I’m pretty sure I’ll book it; it’s got me flying out on the 28th.
- My car is for sale. I’ve also got an Apple iBook G3 for sale, if anyone wants a slightly old but still good laptop computer. Also lots of comics, mostly Marvel, from the 90’s. There’s lots of stuff I’ll need to leave behind, so might as well pawn some off.
- I’m really looking forward to spending Christmas at home and New Years in Japan!
That’s a wrap for this week; see you next time.
