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Hiroshi66
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Re: J-Documentary: グッと！地球便 (Global Messenger)
After watching the segment about the 19-year old Formula 1 racer, I thought about how the Japanese educational system and how strongly Japanese society feels about being accepted to university right after college. Even now, adolescents who are not able to go to university (for whatever reason) or who choose a different path in life are looked down upon. This traditional mindset may have gotten a little better in recent years, but it seems like individuals (and their families!) who don't follow the traditional formula of going to university, getting a job at a company, etc., are still somewhat looked down upon. I wonder if this has played a role at all in the boy from last night's segment, as well as for the Brazilian soccer player.
It also adds extra pressure on the lives of these young people living in foreign countries. Both the soccer player in Brazil and this Formula 1 racer in the UK must feel immense pressure—not only to succeed at what they are trying to do, but also to make their family members and communities back home proud of them. It must be extremely difficult, and frankly, it is a little sad to watch. They have so many hardships to face.
Very complicated dynamics here, especially when we look at the big picture.
Thank you for the link to that fascinating Wikipedia article about the piano, Nchristi! It was very interesting, especially that Wikipedia article with the sound clips comparing a piano built in 1851 with a current piano. Though it is the exact same piece by Chopin being played, the sound sounds so much richer, so much more wonderful. It makes one wonder about the future of music, and how much difference an instrument makes on the piece of music. I didn't know that Bechstein pianos are the only ones who still adhere to high standards. Very sad indeed. How times have changed!
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2/11/2012, 9:40 pm
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PeggyME
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Re: J-Documentary: グッと！地球便 (Global Messenger)
This really is a good show Greg. I have caught it by chance several times and they have always been in Europe in Italy or in Spain etc. The last couple of times I was delighted to see them in UK and I was sure it was Chester. they did a marvellous job with showing all the Tudor buildings and The Rows where they have shops on a second story with a roof overhanging a walkway. It was lovely. The next town I could not pinpoint but it was with a canal where houseboats were moored of the long canal type. Very interesting. I think it was more down south than up in the Midlands. It was not in the Welsh canals.
It's a special kind of camera they use, holding it on the shoulder, and there is a special way they do the narration.
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2/18/2012, 5:45 pm
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Hiroshi66
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Re: J-Documentary: グッと！地球便 (Global Messenger)
Fri 2/24
Well, my reception for the 18.x channels seems to be back today... (*Knock on wood* - LOL!) Let's just hope it stays this way, since the Taiga is premiering tonight.
I enjoyed this episode more than some of the previous ones we've seen, but I don't know why. As always, it was very sad to see families living apart and not being able to see each other for years at a time. Both the gymnastics teacher and the dolphin trainer were both living out their dreams and trying to do good for the people of another country (especially the gymnast living in Jamaica.)
The story of the dolphin trainer in Palau was very touching. Her grandmother, with whom she had been very close, had passed away the previous year, and she had wondered many times if she should quit her job in Palau and return to Japan to be with her family. The dolphin trainer finally realized that her grandmother would have wanted her to continue on with her dream, especially since she had always talked about wanting to visit Palau and see how her granddaughter was training the dolphins. So, she decided to stay. The gift her parents sent to her was the final batch of pickled plums the grandmother had prepared before she passed away. The woman was moved, mentioning that she will treasure it as she enjoys the final batch of her grandmother's specialty.
The dolphin trainer really seemed to fit in well to society in Palau, although she mentioned something about it being very difficult at first, especially due to cultural, linguistic, and social differences between Japan and Palau.
Speaking of Palau, the islands seem to have an interesting history. It had been a German colony until 1914, when the islands passed under Japanese control. It remained a colony of Japan until the end of the Second World War, when the islands passed under the control of the USA. I think it remained an American territory until the islands became independent in the 1990s. As such, Palau has a varied linguistic background. Palauan and English are the official languages, but many people speak/understand Japanese as well, with many Japanese words being a part of the local vocabulary. I also found it fascinating that there are no concepts of addresses in Palau!
The dolphin's trainer's apartment - What a view of the ocean she had! What a truly beautiful place. It makes me want to visit there someday.
As for the second segment about the gymnast teaching gymnastics in Jamaica, by the end of the segment, I realized what a big sacrifice he had made to come live in Jamaica and teach gymnastics to the population there. He had spent his life savings on opening a gymnastics school, but was unable to gain any money from this. As such, he was living on the second floor of his gym, cooking the same meal in a rice cooker day after day. Through it all, though, he kept smiling and looking at his situation positively.
I was very impressed by his perseverance, though. Despite being mugged and burglarized several times since coming to Jamaica, the gymnast would go to the poor areas of the city and teach children gymnastics there—always having them repeat that their goal was to go to the Olympics. There were no materials or textbooks about gymnastics in Jamaica, and so the gymnast wrote one himself. Gymnastics is not taught in schools in Jamaica, and so not many children (nor their parents) have any idea about it. So, he's been having trouble getting students, but has been trying to spread the word about his school. He also gets money by going to various elementary schools and teaching gymnastics for an hour or so there.
The gift that the parents gave him were some awards that the gymnast had earned while in Japan. They wanted him to frame the award in his school, so that it would improve his business. It gave the son the drive to keep on trying hard.
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2/25/2012, 2:45 pm
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nchristi
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Re: J-Documentary: グッと！地球便 (Global Messenger)
I enjoyed these two stories, as well. Palau really is a beautiful place. Seems to be a wonderful vacation locale, though I wonder how difficult it is to get there.
In watching the dolphin trainer opening the pickled plums, I thought how difficult it must be to even look at them, knowing they are one of the last things her beloved grandmother made with her own hands. I might be able to eat some of them, but I don't know.... I couldn't do it without my heart being very heavy.
Jamaica. I can't imagine a place whose culture would be more frustrating to a Japanese person. But he has a wonderful attitude. Even when the custom made gym mats showed up with really sloppy workmanship, he just laughed it off... 'that's how things are done in Jamaica.' He's smart! He'd die of frustration if he allowed it to bother him.
I liked that guy very much. I felt the happiness he and his friends exuded when he went on his weekly sea hunt for fresh food. He came back with the most wonderful catch of lobster, sea chonch, and many other delicacies. How they enjoyed their once a week feast! He laughed and said this feast is what makes it possible for him to eat only rice all week long.
Also, it was great to see how he keeps up his own gymnastics skills. Can you imagine how impressive that must be to those kids? A shining example and role model of things they can aspire to... and attain themselves. Great stuff.
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2/26/2012, 4:44 pm
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Hiroshi66
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Re: J-Documentary: グッと！地球便 (Global Messenger)
Yes, I think Friday's segments with the dolphin trainer and the gymnast were two of my favorite segments, too. Both of their stories were so touching, and it was so nice to see how motivated and enthusiastic they were about their work—even though life in their respective countries didn't seem easy by any means.
I feel the same way about the pickled plums. While watching the dolphin trainer taking some of the plums out, I thought that I wouldn't be able to eat all of them, either. I think I would be tempted to keep some of them without eating them—especially since they were the final things the grandmother prepared before she passed away. When the dolphin trainer mentioned how she would "eat them with great care", I think she might have been feeling the same way, too.
I'm still in love with her apartment facing the sea, though! Palau sure does look like a beautiful place.
I found the guy in Jamaica very likable, too. Despite the hardships he was experiencing, he never once seemed to show it—especially to his young students. I think he was aspiring to be a great role model to them, and it looked like he was trying so hard to keep them inspired and hopeful about making it to the Olympics someday. What an inspiring story. I'm sure his parents were very happy to see their son's great attitude and what a difference he was making in the lives of so many Jamaican children. During the video montages, both the father and the mother had big smiles on their faces. I don't think we've seen parents this happy appearing on this program before! They seem to be very, very proud of their son, as they should be!
Yes, I think this was my favorite episode yet. Very positive and very memorable.
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2/26/2012, 9:56 pm
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Hiroshi66
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Re: J-Documentary: グッと！地球便 (Global Messenger)
Fri 3/2
The first segment was another story of someone living on an island in the Pacific—what a beautiful place! The island of Chuuk (formerly known as Truk) in Micronesia had the most breathtaking spots for diving and such a beautiful ocean. However, the nature was contrasted by rampant poverty across the islands. Despite the tough economic situation, a Japanese man (who quit his job as a banker two years before) has moved here with his friend to open a diving store and work as a diving instructor. He has occasional tourists and clients, but he is struggling.
Because there is no electricity or power (outages are rampant in Chuuk) the man has had to live off of canned goods and cup ramen. He hasn't eaten meat or any other fresh foods in such a long time because he doesn't have a working refrigerator. That's why he looked so moved when his mother sent him simmered meat and potatoes—a hearty home-cooked meal.
It was also interesting to hear about how Chuuk used to be a colony of Japan before the Second World War, and the ruins of many sunken Japanese ships are found deep below the sea, which explains why many tourists find it an interesting experience to go diving there.
The second half of the episode with the elementary school teacher in Senegal was also touching, especially watching the young teacher's reaction to her beloved grandmother's sweets that were sent to her. She probably hadn't tasted them since she was last in Japan, and after such a difficult day, it must have been the best thing to experience the taste she had loved since she was a child. I think that's why she broke down upon just seeing the sweets.
I felt sorry for the young teacher in looking at the struggles she was facing in Senegal. In art class, she suggested to the teacher that instead of drawing a 'sample' bicycle on the board and then grading students how well they copied his drawing, he should encourage them to draw a bicycle on their own and grading them on their creativity. The teacher was reluctant to change this style because it was all he knew—that's how he had been taught, too. However, the teacher was reluctant to really listen to her. She felt that as a foreigner living in Senegal, her opinions on education weren't really being considered.
I thought it was a good idea for her to have that "Japan" room in her apartment which reminded her of Japan (surrounded by pictures of her family and friends.) I think it was a great way for her to sort of unwind after a hard day and meditate on things.
It was really touching to see how emotional both the grandmother and granddaughter got. They really have a great relationship. I hope that they can see each other more often.
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3/3/2012, 1:12 pm
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nchristi
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Re: J-Documentary: グッと！地球便 (Global Messenger)
What a surprise to learn that Chuuk was formerly known as Truk, an infamous battle location during World War II. It is the biggest ship graveyard in the world. Here's the link to Truk Lagoon/Wikipedia. Very interesting read. Especially the last item from an Australian documentary in 2011, "likening the effect of the impending massive release of tens of thousands of tonnes of oil from the rusting Japanese warships into the coral reef to that of the Exxon Valdez spill in Alaska. The ships are classified as a Japanese war grave, requiring Japanese government involvement in the eventual clean-up."
I wonder how that will affect the diving business?
The young Japanese teacher in Senegal was very admirable, I must say. For someone in her position, doing her work, she is like the beginning of something that will take a very long time to accomplish change. Though she has definite small victories in teaching art, culture, and PE, her experience with that older male teacher sums it up in a nutshell. He wouldn't listen to anyone younger than he, I imagine, much less a young woman who is also a foreigner.
Too bad she can't teach the art class on her visits, instead of only observing and trying to give suggestions to someone with a closed mind. But if she taught in her way, she would doubtless be harshly criticized for destroying the strict order and encouraging individualism, in opposition to the tightly controlled order that has been established for generations.
I could certainly understand her favorite place being those bluffs overlooking the sea. It's probably the only outdoor place she can forget about the garbage, flies, and mosquitos—reminding her of Japan.
Last edited by nchristi, 3/3/2012, 6:05 pm
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3/3/2012, 6:04 pm
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Hiroshi66
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Re: J-Documentary: グッと！地球便 (Global Messenger)
Thanks for that link to the Truk Lagoon page, Nchristi. Wow, that is very interesting, indeed. Chuuk is such a beautiful place, and it's sad to think of how it was the location of such major sea battles during World War II. That sad history continues even today, since it is the biggest ship graveyard in the world. It's scary to think of what an environmental hazard this must be, as well. I wonder what the Japanese government plans to do when (or if) they clean-up these warships from the bottom of the ocean.
As for the teacher in Senegal, I was very impressed by her, as well. She had excellent thoughts on the future of education in the country, and I hope she will find a group of younger teachers or administrators who want to change the current system and will help her to do it. Until then, though, it looks like she will have a hard time in a conservative country like Senegal, where the educational system must be very traditional, as well. I'm sure there are many times where she feels ignored or perhaps even mistreated by the older teachers. If only they would listen or even consider/try out her ideas.
The bluffs overlooking the sea were beautiful, indeed. Yes, such a stark contrast from the other shots of the city...
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3/4/2012, 7:35 am
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