9/4/2001

9:45pm Akagi National Youth Center
We spent most of today on the bus. I was very thankful to give my feet a much deserved rest. Nikko- a city containing a shrine to Tokagowa (the first shogun.... see field notes). That was very interesting, however, shrines are beginning to all look alike to me. What I noticed most during the day was the behavior of my fellow travelers. In one way they were a little Japanese: following our group and behaving according to their immediately perceived social conditions. Unfortunately, those behaviors mostly included being loud and complaining. Also, people seemed to think that the most important goal was to get themselves as individuals where they wanted to be. This manifested itself in students leaving their luggage in the courtyard and going to the bus. Also, despite warnings that sheets should be folded as neatly as possible, many were little more than balled up. We refolded many sheets because of this. Later, I heard students complaining about the time it took for "them" to sort out sheets. This, to me, reminded me that as respectful as the country we are living in is- some chose to remain simply Americans visiting a strange and often inconvenient society. People do not have the attitude that they are living in this country- but that the daily events of eating food and sleeping in unusual situations are getting in the way of their fun in another country.

Once we arrived here in Akagi I noticed the Japanese did not want to tolerate our fundamental American-ness. I felt unwelcome when the main security guard yelled at us to wear inside shoes. He looked more than aggravated at the fact that none of us brought inside shoes. We were rushed through our dinner- feeling the consequences for our bus arriving late. Students realized quickly that we are "not in Kansas" anymore at the NYC orientation. We have specific bed-making instructions, a lights out time, and a quiet time. The "rooms" are no more than partitions in a larger hallway. One girl said, "Oh my God, we're in hell." Unfortunately, I think many students feel this way tonight. Every time I hear an American voice rise above our incoherent noisiness I feel embarrassed and understand why Japanese often think we are noisy and rude: It's because we often are.