There it goes ... another year!

The year certainly continued to be a challenge, but as I sit and watch the last sunset of 2020 from the warmth of my apartment in Tokyo, I am grateful for so much.

 

 

At school, we have navigated the challenges of hybrid learning, shifting to being fully open and then a second version of hybrid learning. And, as the cases are now at unprecedented levels, who knows what shifts we will have to make in the future. Despite this, I have enjoyed getting to know new colleagues and working with my middle school team to ensure that we are thriving as a learning community.

The big news is that I have resigned from Nishimachi and will be returning to Adelaide in July 2021. There were numerous factors that went into this difficult decision but once it was made, I felt like a weight was lifted from my shoulders. I am not sure what the future will hold but I am looking forward to spending time with family and friends and even being bored. This is the fourth time that I have resigned from a job without another to go to and I am sure that I will end up in an interesting place!

Despite the risks of COVID, I have managed further explorations of Tokyo and Japan and have thoroughly enjoyed these trips. Hokkaido at Fall Break was full of colour and several weekends away have also allowed for new sights and great food.

The final trip of the year to Hakuba was cut short due to bad weather but it was great to be in the mountains for a few days with good company, food and wine.

Wishing you all the best in 2021. I am sure there will be adventures aplenty for us all ... stay safe!

Interesting times...

Challenging, disruptive, disturbing, confronting, anxiety and gratitude are all words that came to mind as I started writing this blog and I am sure they will resonate with you too, as we live through these historic times.

The year started off well with a recruiting trip to Bangkok and then a quick trip to Taipei during mid-winter break. There was risk in the trip to Taipei as it was at the very beginning of February when talk about the virus began to escalate, yet Mihoko and I decided to go ahead as planned and we were fascinated by the lines of people queuing for face masks. Little did we know! It was a great weekend and is certainly a place I would like to revisit at some stage. It reminded me so much of old Hong Kong, and we ate very well.

We were lucky to be able to run our week-long ski trip at the end of February, even though there was very little snow. However, while we were away, Abe-san announced that all schools would be closing. When I announced this to the students there was great excitement - little did they nor we know what was ahead of us. 14 weeks of remote learning - three different schedules until we got it right and way too many hours on Zoom to think about. However, all things considered, it went very well as we were able to pivot and engage most students in the online experience.

The extended time in Japan, did afford a couple of trips that would not have happened if it were not for Covid-19 and for this I am grateful. Plus, some further explorations around Tokyo by bike and on foot.

The stadium looks amazing - I pass it on one of my regular walking routes!

Firstly, during Spring Break, two colleagues and I took the risk to travel to Wakayama prefecture to hike the Kumono Kodo trail. The pilgrimage trail has been in use for over 1000 years and was mind-blowing from an historical perspective and also for its remote beauty. We loved the silence as well as the birdsong and the amazing meals we had as part of our accommodation packages. Photos are here.

 

During the summer break, I (along with another two colleagues) took a two-week, 2800km road trip around Northern Honshu that was nothing short of spectacular. We were incredibly lucky with the weather and had very little rain compared to other areas of Japan. The green of the rice fields, the mountains, rivers and lakes were so beautiful and visiting the Sanriku coast, which was hit by the tsunami in 2011 was sobering. The whole area is still a major construction zone. We truly appreciated our time in nature, and for me especially, to really switch off from school. More photos ...

I also managed to squeeze in a quick trip at the end of my break to the mountain town of Hakuba in Nagano. This was another new location for me and I was amazed by the beauty of the valley. I will be heading back there for sure.

Now, I am about to go back to school for the new academic year and am already daunted by the decisions that we will need to make and how the goalposts will keep moving as they did in the first half of the year.

Things that I learned or re-learned along the way:
1. Having hobbies is vital
2. Mindful colouring is stressful
3. It is difficult to keep up with daily Japanese lessons via Duolingo
4. Jigsaws are the best way to de-stress away from a screen
5. You can never please everyone

6. We have to take responsibility for ourselves and each other

So, on that note, I wish you and your families good health and a positive outlook.

Happy New Year

It has been a while since I have written and quite the 6 months for me, so here’s to a great new year and a new decade.

In June, on the first day of my summer break, my Dad passed away. Although he had been in failing health, this was sudden but the blessing was that it happened quickly and he had been admitted to hospital. This meant that a quick return to Adelaide was needed and I had to cancel my plans to attend a conference in Washington DC and spend a week in New York. Instead, I spent the next 5 weeks in Adelaide to begin the process of dealing with Dad’s affairs and help Mum adjust to the new normal. During this time, Mum was also officially diagnosed with Alzheimer’s so this added to the challenge. I did have a few days in Noosa on my way home, and of course, I had some good times with family and friends!

Needless to say, it was a difficult return to Tokyo and at school was tasked with transitioning a new Head of School and Elementary Principal as well as opening a new middle school building.  Let’s just say that there have been a few sleepless nights and it has been a major learning curve for dealing with people who have different values and ways of working.

In October, I made two more trips to Adelaide to move Mum into residential care. This happened quickly as well - another blessing, as her decline was rapid and she was not coping in the house on her own. Being alone for the first time ever in your life at the age of 82 and with Alzheimer’s is not ideal!! So, as much as it was a huge upheaval, it is the best place for her.

Just prior to the break, I again led the school trip to Cambodia, which also had a couple of extra challenges, as two students contracted Influenza A. One was correctly diagnosed whilst we were in Phnom Penh and the other was first diagnosed as Dengue Fever while we were in Sihanoukville. This did not feel right to me from the outset and as the clinic did not have the same level of professionalism/hygiene that we would expect I was keen to get the student back to Phnom Penh as soon as possible. After dealing with several logistic challenges, this eventuated in an overnight ambulance transfer on a very dangerous road and a trip that would normally take 6-8 hours during the day took just 3 hours and 20 minutes. Thank goodness I was not in the ambulance, but instead stayed with the rest of the group. The good news was that the student was immediately diagnosed with Influenza, not Dengue but this still meant that he was not able to fly back with the rest of the group - I stayed on an extra night and flew back with him. This was an example of Cambodian corruption at its best and I am now glad that I had a personal experience with Dengue Fever to assist my decision making.

The next piece in the jigsaw, involves my younger brother Robert and his family moving into Mum and Dad’s house after their house sold and they await the build of their new home. This too happened quickly and involved moving into a full house. My parents had lived in the same house since their wedding night 56 years ago and not much that went into that house came out! So, my Christmas break involved the first major push to clear the garage and the house - all in the consecutive 40 degree days!

 

Life, however, has not been all bad. I continue to enjoy exploring Tokyo and its surrounds - I have had some great times with friends and fabulous meals and I also made it to one game of the Rugby World Cup. I have also decided to sign on for one more year in Tokyo which will take me to July 2021. I have tickets to 5 different events at the Olympics and am looking forward to the year ahead. I hope it is a good one for you and your family too.

    

A new era .. Reiwa

This week was a unique one in so many ways for Japan - a 10 day holiday (but only 5 for me), the abdication of a well-loved emporer and the enthronment of his son, Naruhito. This signals a new era called Reiwa, and with friends I saw in this new era with an obligatory champagne and a couple of days away at one of the lakes near Mt Fuji. Very pleasant it was too. And now, for the final 6 weeks of the school year!

As you can expect, there have been a few eventful moments since I last wrote, mostly involving trips away. At the beginning of February, Mihoko and I visited the town of Kanazawa and at the time, this became my most loved destination in Japan. The walkability of the town, with the tradtional areas, the famous garden and castle, the modern art museum and the food, especially the seafood was amazing. And, we also went on a sake brewery tour which was most interesting. Kanazawa photos

But then, during Spring Break, with Mihoko once again and my lovely guest Samantha, we visited Naoshima and Teshima Islands in the Seto Island Sea. These islands are well established art venues and we were blown away by the installations that combined the old and new and the landscape with architecture. We spent 3 days in the area and the photos really do not do it justice. I would go back in a heartbeat! A day in Hiroshima completed the trip, and as I was last in the city 36 years ago, it was good to go back and get another perspective of the city and its history. This trip also coincided with the much loved sakura season - so good times were had all round! Spring Break photos

Change is a constant at Nishimachi, with many positive things happening. Last week, a group of teachers, parents and students marched as a school in a the Pride Parade. This is big event for Japan where the LGBTQ community still has a very low profile and is frowned upon.

Work is also underway to construct a new middle school space which will be ready for August and we are also preparing for a new Head of School and new Elementary Principal! Interesting times ahead that is for sure, and I am positive about it all.

Naturally, I will miss Michael and Mihoko but I am grateful for the time we have had together both professioanlly and personally and there is still time to create a few more memories!

Christmas again!

It has been a busy few weeks since my last post, and once again I am looking forward to a week of relaxation and family time here in Adelaide over Christmas. My brother and nieces certainly had fun at the beach today!

The trip to Shanghai was a very productive one school wise, as we visited a couple of schools and attended a conference to learn more about a global network of schools, called Round Square. We visited quite a few different parts of the city, and the conference was in an area called Thames Town. Bizarre is all I can really say, and I was glad to get downtown to the Bund - the one area of the city that I remember but boy how it has changed! It is spectactular and I was fascinated by all the automation and the surveillance cameras. It was also nice to wander through the French Quarter and a couple of parks to see the locals enjoying their Sunday.    Photos of the trip to Shanghai 

During the school Walkathon, we were lucky to come across the designer of the Tokyo Olympic Stadium, Kengo Kuma, being interviewed. He is quite an icon In Tokyo, so this felt like a special moment.

A weekend away in Karuizawa, was a welcome one for a dose of nature and relaxation and once again the winter illuminations in various areas of the city have been good to go and see.

     

    
School continues to provide its joys and challenges and after Michael resigned we have recently been through the time consuming process of selecting a new Head of School and this will be a big change come August 2019.

Last week, I again led the Grade 9 trip to Cambodia and it was another great success despite having a quite different vibe with 10 boys and 2 girls on the trip, plus a few upset stomachs. Let’s hope the impact of what they saw and experienced will be long-lasting!




Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas (it will be a hot one here - 35 degrees) and a Happy New Year.

It’s Term 2 already

 

How time flies. It’s November and we have had one week of Term 2 already!

So, what has happened since I lasted posted in July? I had a nice low key summer holiday: enjoying Australia in the winter, visiting Noosa, Melbourne and Sydney with most of my time being in Adelaide with family, and it was great to catch up with a number of good friends as well.

The school year has started well and the 13 new staff have added a good vibe and there is a real positive atmosphere around the campus - possibly a testament to our hard work!! We, however, have also begun the process of looking for a new Head of School, so that will add a new dimension for next year.


As usual, there has been quite a bit of fun amongst the work, with traditional summer festivals, trips to the nearby mountains and beaches, plus a weekend in Matsuomoto, in the mountains, where Mihoko and I enjoyed the craft beer festival in front of the castle and visiting a wasabi farm. I even went to the Mariah Carey concert! Who would have thought?!

Fall Break was spent in Malaysia with a few days of relaxation in Melaka where we enjoyed the fusion of the different cultural influences over time and then we headed back to Kuala Lumpur for a conference. Naturally, it was very stimulating from a professional standpoint but also a good chance to catch up with friends from the region. 

Next week, I jet off to Shanghai for a couple more school commitments,and as I last visited the city in 1992, I am looking forward to seeing if I recognise anything at all! It will be an interesting visit I am sure.