Today I had my first `Japanese Culture` and `Japanese Society` classes. Get this, both classes are taught by a young American. I have to admit, my first thought was "What`s next? Is he going to try telling Malcolm X about the African American Experience? Or Gloria Steinem about the Feminist Movement?" It seemed just a little strange to me that a foreigner would be asked to understand and interprit culture to native's, but Peter (the prof) seems to actually comprehensively understand many fascinating nuances of Japanese culture.
He made me laugh too, which is a good quality for any person you are asked to listed to for regular three hour sessions.
He's pretty ballsy - he teaches both classes in English - at a conversational pace - using academic language! I'm the only student in all of MWU who is a native English speaker, but English is the language he has chosen. He knows full well that many of the students struggle with language, but after assuring them that anyone who makes an effort cannot fail (and that he has no intention of grading their English writing or speaking abilities) he basically tells them to `sink or swim because it's English from here on out.
Victor Kogan, my first sociology teacher was one of the most inspirational and influential teachers of my SMC career. But many students never gave Dr. Kogan a chance and dropped his class after the first day. See, Dr. Kogan has a really thick Russian accent, and if you sit in the front row of any of his classes you are guaranteed a certain allotment of his spittle each class session. But I can't reflect upon my Freshman year without remembering Dr. Kogan, he really shaped my intillectual development in that pivotal period of new experiences.
Maybe sociology is best when taught by a foreigner? Perhaps outsiders possess the necessary analytical eye to best comprehend all facets of a society?
Though, I don't know how I would have reacted has I been required to take Dr. Kogan's class in Russian. Would I have appreciated him the same way? Would I have dropped the course after the first spit bubble came flying my way? I sure am glad I didn't - here's to you Dr. Kogan!
After class I had a great discussion with Mikiko, Kemiko, and Emiko from my class. We went to the McDonald's on MWU's campus (their idea, not mine - I swear!) and discussed linguistics, politics, racism, prejudice, and MEN; you know, the important stuff. I find that the more I am forced to explain American culture, the more I realize come to realize about it myself.
From my observations, many Japanese have no clue about the American civil rights movement in America. If they do know about it, all they know is Martin Luther King Jr. was a great man, and they think that now all racial issues have been solved because we have a national holiday in his honor.
I found myself explaining that America is a nation of immigration, and it's quite ironic that the only natives are among the most oppressed people in the country, rather than being a dominant majority. I explained that, even though my skin was white - my ancestors had been oppressed too. The Irish immigrants in America were turned away from jobs, sent to do the hardest possible labor in building our nation (like railroads and mining) and it was just a few generations ago that an Irishman could be treated like a second-class citizen. I explained that places like Chinatown, Little Italy, and Jewish Neighborhoods were founded because new immigrants needed to band together in the face of social alienation. On a personal note - Would you say that Butte is home to Rocky Mountaian area Irish culture (we get Butte? Seriously?)
Today in class Peter mentioned that 99% of Japan's population are of Japanese descent. This little stat confirms what I had earlier suspected - This is a culturally, racially and ethnically homogeneous society, and I am definitely a minority. But Prof also alluded to racial tensions with regional sub-groups and other Asian cultures. Interesting...
Hey I gotta end this early, my time is up. But I'll keep you guys posted on great conversations as they happen.