November 2022
When I think about my children knowing Japanese before me I sometimes have this feeling of them being in a separate place, like I won't be in that world, not yet at least. It feels strange. But I know I can’t hold them back, I want them to learn Japanese. And school is going to be the quickest way for them to learn - total immersion!
I wait outside for Missy to finish school. The school grandfather-clock bell chimes and as the students start emerging through the doors I wonder which is the girl that Missy told me about. The girl that is obsessed with Missy’s skin. She strokes Missy’s skin like she’s some porcelain doll! I find it so fascinating because my children have the same coloured skin as the rest of the kids at school: tanned. Yes, images of white-skinned Japanese are not a true representation of the entire population. (I was shocked when I visited Japan for the first time. I thought everyone would be white, not brown! How naive of me!) For sure you get pale-skinned people (who somehow enjoy life under two hats and an umbrella), but a large majority are beautifully tanned that any Aussie would die for!
Another parent joins me outside the school and we wait. I know it’s a small school, but I find it interesting that there are no school buses. Do other schools have them? I want to ask the mum standing nearby, but alas, I still can’t get past konnichiwa. Hardly any kids get picked up by a parent. Most children either go to after school care next to the gymnasium, or they walk home. Which was another surprise for me since we were told in our meeting with the school that the children weren’t allowed to walk home alone… But other students seem to??? Anyway, whatever. Maybe it was a mis-communication. I understood nothing in that meeting. Like a mannequin sitting beside Shujin, I had to sit still and concentrate on not looking bored… And then get all the info from Shujin afterwards. Well, the important stuff at least.
As I wait for Missy to emerge the school nurse sees me and rushes over with paperwork. What?! More???!!! It looks like Shujin forgot to sign something. I apologise and thank her as I take it for him. Missy finally comes out and her teacher is with her. She’s trying to communicate something to me but I just don’t get it. Finally, she points to the “Lenlaku” book, a communication book between parent and teacher. I thank her as if to say “I’ll get Shujin to read it.” We walk home and I look at my watch. In about 45min I’ll have to walk back to school to collect Bob. It seems really strange to me, but the children don’t finish at the same time every day. I’m yet to work out a pattern. Luckily we only live a 5 minute walk from school! Imagine the poor parents who have to drive any sort of distance and then come back an hour later for the next child! Oh, maybe no one is in that situation since it seems nearly all other kids walk home themselves or go to after school care… Maybe I’m the only parent doing this???!!! When do my kids get to walk home without me?
I walk back to school within the hour, grateful for the extra exercise (haha), and wait for Bob. The school bell chimes its grandfather-clock tune and Bob eventually emerges with his teacher. They both walk over to me and his teacher tries to talk to me with a mix of charades, Japanese and English. After several minutes of me just not getting it he finally has a bright idea. He points to Bob’s school bag and motions for him to open it. Bob holds the bag open. He points inside and Bob pulls out his empty tuna can from lunch. Right, so we’re talking about tuna cans! Now I get it. Visuals are so helpful!
NO tuna cans allowed at school. In Australia kids take cans of tuna to school so I honestly thought nothing of it when I packed it for them. But it’s seen as too dangerous in Japan, and now looking at it through the Japanese lens I can see how yes, it could really be used a weapon! So I take note to not send tuna in the can, I need to empty the can into the lunch box and keep the can at home. Despite understanding what the teacher was telling me, he still ended with pointing to the “Lenlaku” as though he needed to make sure this conversation has been completely understood. I apologise for the tuna can and thank him. Whilst making a mental note about the tuna cans I’m also making a mental note to bring Okasan, my mother in-law, with me to school pick up. It’s very apparent I need a translator! Shujin has always been my translator in Japan but he’s now working. Despite his translation help, I was soon to have a personal experience that wasn’t going to be pretty…
Oh, all the little everyday differences between school life in Japan and Australia. But you seem to be handling them smoothly and competently. Well done, Mum!