Uya yushi kwa yushi

This issue’s Okinawan proverb is:

Uya yushi kwa yushi – Parents and children teach one another.

Children inherit many things from their parents. They inherit heir physical appearances and, to some extent, their personalities. They also inherit their languages, customs, and ways of looking at the world. From the time we are born, the things we learn from our parents leave an indelible imprint on our lives.

Children, in turn, have much they can teach their parents. The easiest example that comes to mind is technology. I’m sure I’m not the only one who has had to teach a parent how to use “the Google” or work the remote control. In a broader sense, children are often a parent or grandparent’s best link to the modern world.

In Japan, for better or for worse, teachers often become “second parents” to many of their students. It is something that we may not be used to in our home countries, but embracing it can often lead to new understandings as students share their interests, hobbies, hopes, and fears. Especially as foreigners, students can often be a window into learning about Japan and Okinawa, and the reverse is also true as we teach students about our cultures.

Within the JET Programme itself, the veteran JETs and new JETs often have a lot to teach each other. The veteran JETs teach the newbies the ropes and how to survive in a foreign land where you need a PhD to sort your garbage properly. The new JETs can teach those who have been in Japan for a while what the kids are listening to these days and how the situations in our home countries have changed.

As we head into the New Year, I hope that we will all continue to learn from each other and remember to thank the people who have helped shape you into the person you are. Uya yushi kwa yushi!