Sometimes I feel like a big fat failure in Japan. The following is an example of why I feel that way.
I said in my previous blog that I had to drive to Taragi (a neighboring town) to attend an informational meeting about English camp yesterday morning. My supervisor drove me there the day before, and just in case I got lost, printed off maps for me. The town office was very easy to find, so that part didn't worry me. The driving part did. I feel like I'm 16 again! I get soooooooooo nervous behind the wheel!! This was my first time driving alone in Japan, and this is what happened:
My supervisor told me to leave at 9AM, and that would give me more than plenty of time to get there. I went out to my car at around 8:50. My Japanese car is......special. It's tiny, old, and has plenty of character. The lock is very difficult to get into. It needs some WD-40. What's the Japanese equivalent of WD-40, lol??? Once I got in, I tried to start the car. It wouldn't turn. It wasn't b/c the engine or battery was bad, I just couldn't get the key to turned. I tried and tried and tried. I thought to myself, what the heck am I going to do?!?! I saw a lady in the parking lot and pulled her over to help. I'm pretty sure that it was the sheer grace of God that started that car.
I made it to Taragi fine. The meeting went well, and I met two other JETs that live in neighboring towns. My real problem started after the meeting. I went back out to the parking lot to leave, and silly me, I thought my car would actually start. Nope. Same thing. I tried and tried and tried. It felt like the key was locked in the ignition. I tried mashing the brake, taking the parking brake off, jiggling the steering wheel, anything that might magically make my car start. Nothing. Here's my situation: I'm in a town where I don't know anyone, and I can't communicate with people. I don't have a cell phone yet, but even if I did and called my supervisor, what could I say? Car broke? (Remember, she doesn't speak much English, and I don't speak my Japanese.)
I saw a guy walking in the parking lot, so I asked him to help me. The good thing about Japan is that you can do that. If my car broke down in the USA, I wouldn't do that! I'd call someone to come and help me, and even if someone did ask if I needed help, I would say, "no, thanks. Help's on the way!" The guy was reeeeeeeally nice to me. He tried to start the car but couldn't. He told me, "One minute," and went back inside the town office building. He returned with two other guys. Both guys tried to start it. Nothing. They were looking at the tires, engine, gages, anything that would give an answer as to why it wouldn't start. The original guy left, but the other two guys stayed and called a Suzuki mechanic to come and look at it. (Have I mentioned that the Japanese will seriously bend over backwards for you??) The Suzuki guy couldn't get it to work, either. Everyone was speaking Japanese, and I had absolutely no idea what was going on. The only thing that I knew was that I was currently stranded. I kept thinking, why did I buy this car??? This thing is a POS!! Also, it was incredibly hot on the black pavement. I had sweat dripping off my face, down my back and stomach, and even down my legs. They finally jumped my car, and at least it started!
The Suzuki guy left, and one of the other two guys could speak broken English. He asked if I was an ALT, and I said yes, in Yunomae. He was amazing to me. He never left my side and completely took care of the situation. He told me that I'd have to take the car to the shop. I gave him my supervisor's business card and in half English/half Japanese asked him to call her. We went back inside the town office building, and he told me to wait in a chair in the entrance area. As I was sitting there, I kept telling myself to pull it together. Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry. It was sooooooo stressful to not know what was going to happen! He reached my supervisor, and she said that she was on her way.
We went back outside. He told me to follow him to the shop. When I tried to start my car, it was the same problem. :( The key wouldn't turn. My supervisor arrived a little while later. Apparently, my car is REALLY special. There's a little trick to starting it. You have to push the key in, SLIGHTLY PULL IT OUT, and then turn the key. She did it w/o a problem. I'm pretty sure she explained this to the guy. I felt like a big, dumb idiot! I don't think it was completely my fault. All of those guys couldn't figure it out, either! I told the guy thank you, thank you, thank you so much! He responded with, "No problem. Don't worry about it!" :)
When we got back to the office, everyone wanted to know what happened. I'm pretty sure they were all concerned b/c my supervisor had to get up and leave quickly. I'm sure she explained to them that the silly American couldn't start her own car, hahahahaha. Everyone had a good chuckle at my expense. Awesome. As I was saying, big fat failure! :S
I've been showing my scrapbook to my coworkers. Today, I showed it to the very bubbly lady who tries to speak English to me. She kept saying how Ian and my brother-in-laws were so strong. I'm not sure if that's a polite way of saying that they are built bigger than Japanese men or what. Anyway, I think it's funny that the Wurth girls like their strong men! lol.
Tomorrow, I'm going on an outing to the mountains with elementary school kids. I'm not 100% sure of what's going on, but I know that we're going to the mountains. I am pretty excited b/c that means I don't have to go to the office tomorrow! Woot! It's technically still work since I'm obligated to go, but having adventures in the mountains with kids is a lot more fun that sitting at a desk pretending to look busy. :)
-Melissa-
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