China, a Priest & the War... Oh My!

Somehow or another, I seem to learn something new everyday. Which is the goal, in many ways, I guess. But this week seems to have brought with it more than the normal serving of lessons.
Let's take yesterday, for example. So on Monday, I went over to the fridge in the staff room to get a drink (the ones the PTA donated - so awesome) and, as usual, Edagawa Sensei was sitting on the computer next to the little kitchen area. Edagawa Sensei has only been at our school since April, but he worked with Jane (and was in a band with Chigusa) before that. I don't know him super well, but we talk once in a while and he's a pretty cool guy. Well, he was busy writing away on the computer when I walked up (all in kanji so I had no clue what the program even was), and I asked him what he was up to. He said he was just journaling. Well, I am pretty protective of my blog (for obvious reasons - I don't want to have to limit content and don't need 1,000 Takasago Minami students checking in on their teacher's personal life at will or for English practice), but I trust Edagawa Sensei and decided to let him in on the secret. I think it was a good idea; he was really surprised and excited to see the pictures of me with Jane, Jen & Clayton (his old foreign coworkers). We talked for a bit longer and he said he was going to look through the site.
The next day, I went over to the fridge, and again, there he was, sitting at the computer. When I said hi, he told me he had read the China entry I posted last week and wanted to chat about it. Anyways, the topic of China-Japanese relations can be considered a sensitive subject here, so I got kinda excited.
Edagawa Sensei said he sympathized with my views (to my surprise), but gave me a new perspective on some of the tensions between the cultures; just things I maybe hadn't realized befor. For example, I told him how positive my experiences in the country have been, but he reminded me that I am received differently as an American in China than he would be as a Japanese person. I guess I didn't consider that, but it's a good point. Even if you love China, you might not have the warmest reception there due to politics and conflicts of the past if Japan is your native country (or even your ethnicity). It's an ongoing issue and roadblock to improving issues. Prejudice (and racism) run deep. Of course I'd have a different perspective (being from the west), yes, but it was interesting to actually hear it first-hand from someone that seemed pretty unbiased but realistic (and from Japan).
The next revelation occured later in the day, back at my desk. This time, I was chatting with Arauchi Sensei, the math teacher that sits behind me, and the nurse. The conversation was hilarious (the highlight was probably when I was telling them about the food in Hiroshima and Arauchi Sensei told the nurse her face was like Hiroshimayaki: "hot!!" - hahahaha!). Anyways, we somehow ventured onto the topic of Buddhism and I discovered that the other math teacher that I sit by is a Buddhist priest! What?! A priest?! That's so cool! It's apparently really common for Buddhist priests to have day-jobs, but I never suspected I sat right next to one. I mean, I sit kitty-corner from him. I was actually just playing around with some easy math problems and talked to him about his new daughter (who was born last week) with him earlier in the week. No clue! I saw "the priest" later and asked him about his relationship with Buddhism. Apparently, he lives in a temple and his family has a tradition of Buddhist priests. Wow... I love it!
Ok, so I have a lot of revelations (not sure if that's a good or bad thing), but there is one more notable conversation that I want to share; sort of the "moments" that make living here even more worth it. I was talking to Tsutsumi Sensei, my coworker & one of the kindest poeple I have ever met, about her family. They invited me to come to a festival with them next week (for Obon - a holiday that you traditionally spend with your family). I'm really looking forward to seeing her mother and two kids again after Claire (my friend from home) and I went to her house for dinner this spring. It was actually at that dinner that her girls taught Claire and I how to fold paper cranes, which led us to a discussion about Sadako (the little girl who died of luekemia because of the bomb and refounded the paper crane tradition) and the bigger subjects of Hiroshima and war. I showed her some pictures from my trip last week (Nozaki Sensei is borrowing most of my materials - we're maybe going to do a class on war & peace this fall...), and we started talking about the war time. Tsutsumi Sensei told me about her mother and grandmother's experience with the war. They lived in this area (very close to my school) and had to hide in holes in the ground as the area was bombed by the American fighter planes. Some Americans say they are embarrassed about talking about the war or going to Hiroshima, but I think it's really important. I mean, can you imagine? Tsutsumi Sensei's mother lived through the bombings (they actually captured her family and lied and said she was dead to protect her) and the war, yet 60-years later, here she is, making cakes for Claire and I in her home and inviting me join their family in these traditional events sicne I don't have a family of my own here. I'm not embarrassed... but I am humbled. It's pretty amazing.