Aurélien Baron - a self-interview
Every year Ibaraki Prefecture welcomes a group of enthusiastic JETs from all over the world to promote grassroots internationalization. Each JET arrives here with a different background and objective. I have interviewed myself for you.
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Would I like to give a brief self-introduction?
Well, I don't mind at all. My name is Aurélien Baron and I was born in Orleans, France. This is a place known for Joan of Arc, a young virgin who saved France from the British invasion in the 15th century. There is actually a recent film about this, done by film director Luc Besson. I live in a small village a few miles southwards from Orleans. Try to pronounce it: Marcilly en Villette. I wish you good luck. My neighborhood is surrounded by fields and forests and beautiful nature. I have a younger sister and a cat called Max (no link whatsoever with Max Homerding. Though I heard him purr once. . . .)
What is my previous Japanese experience?
Funny I ask me that, I was about to talk about it. I studied Japanese at the University of Orleans for 4–5 years. I was in Japan as an exchange student for one whole year between September 12, 2001 (easy to remember, I took my plane from Paris to Nagoya on September 11th . . .) and August, 2002. I was studying Japanese only, at Aichi University in Toyohashi. 2 years later, I was doing a 3-month internship at the International Association of Utsunomiya in Tochigi-ken. These were very interesting and unforgettable experiences that made me want to come back, for a much longer time hopefully.
What triggered me to join the JET program?
I knew I would be asking this! Well, the main reason was that I need to improve my Japanese to accomplish one of my different career projects. Since I want to be in the translation business and, let's see big, the movie industry (doing subtitles), I know that I am light years away from that goal. But I am still very young and I love studying Japanese. Time will tell if I am aiming too high. Am I satisfied with this answer?
Yes, Thank you. Next question is: What was my first impression of Ibaraki?
I must say that I was at a complete loss for a while. Japan was not my first time but I was not completely prepared to my new lifestyle here so my impressions were pretty fuzzy. This was a mix of excitement, uneasiness, optimism, doubts about my Japanese abilities. This prevented me for a while from: looking at the beauty of nature, appreciating the legendary Japanese politeness that Ibaraki people have like in other prefectures, and making travel plans inside Ibaraki where tradition is said to be wonderfully preserved.
How does life in Ibaraki compare to life back home?
It is really hard to give a good answer since I live in central Mito. I am used to my French countryside where it is calm all the time. In Mito, I am in a city so I get noise and pollution (buses are my enemy) all the time. But I do have a life of my own, without parents, so I am extremely free to go wherever and whenever I want without the fear I might give worries to the people around me. I live close to very nice places such as the Kairakuen Park and Senba Lake. Combinis are 2 minutes away and if I feel like going to the museum, the Art Tower area is a few blocks away. The really big difference I will never get used to is sunset and sunrise. The light of the sun rising wakes me up too early and when the sun goes down, it feels kind of depressing when it is only 5 pm. I miss France especially in summer when the sun is up until 10:30 pm (although it does rise around 5 in the morning).
Tell about the town I live now!
I live in Mito, as I said (if I was not listening at all, shame on me). It is not far away from the sea (well actually no Japanese city is really far from the sea), knowing that I need less than 15 minutes by train to go to Ōarai. Mito is full of history that I should study more to be able to tell me about it.
What is the strangest thing I have come across in Ibaraki?
I will answer this, if I allow myself to, by talking instead about the most annoying thing that I encounter every single day here. I do not know if this is just about Ibaraki but I have problems with people not checking around when they move. Car drivers, bike drivers, walkers just seem not to care. This does not concern me only but all people. It looks like there is a big problem with circulation rules for a lot of them. I was lucky not to be in an accident but I have this horrible feeling I will have one soon. Some people do not respect traffic lights or just cross streets without checking if bicycles and walkers are not crossing the road next to them. Same thing for people getting out of buses. I am trying to be careful when I ride my bike but I cannot predict unpredictable and sudden moves from cars, walkers and other bicycles! On the other hand, this makes my life full of challenges and obstacles on the road, which are sometimes fun to avoid when I got my doping vitamins in the morning.
What is the best thing about Ibaraki?
I would first say its location. Close to great ski slopes, ferry terminal in Ōarai if you want to go to Hokkaidō, Tōkyō if you want to spend your money. The people, of course, are very friendly. I often get compliments for my (objectively not perfect) Japanese and this makes you feel good and want to study more. I would love to say nattō is great but this would mean I have to make an enormous sticky lie. I HATE nattō so much it is unbelievable. People compare this in a way to French cheese. It is not false. There are cheeses in France that could be used as mass destruction weapons. Really, to me nattō is NATTO so good (laughs expected . . . even out-of-pity ones).
Tell me about my job.
I work for the Ibaraki Prefecture in Mito as a Coordinator for International Relations. My job consists of translating documents, organizing events throughout the year, making school visits (mainly elementary), talking about my country in French culture seminars. I must say that I enjoy the school visits the most. They help me not grow up too fast. I want to stay young in my mind.
How do I spend my spare time here?
I am being very indiscreet about myself but I will answer anyway. I try to rest as much as I can after parties that I do with other friends and from the intellectual exhaustion provoked by the sometimes-hard-to-understand Japanese that my local co-workers are using. This is even more difficult when they have a strong accent and when they insert Ibaraki dialect in some sentences. I get the feeling that I am 12 years old again, trying to understand friends of my grand-parents in France with this awfully beautiful countryside accent and unique vocabulary.
What are the rest of my plans for the rest of my stay?
Trying to read more difficult books in Japanese, reshape my body, find a girlfriend who likes my weird sense of humor, go to the dentist more frequently, eat more vegetables, watch a soccer game in Kashima stadium. Take paid holidays for France's soccer games (late at night) in the soccer World Cup next summer. Oh, maybe I should buy a kerosene stove (finally, we are in January) because it is really too cold in my apartment.
Thanks for sharing my thoughts and experiences with me. Anything else I would like to add?
Yes, I really liked the strange way I conducted my own interview. I think I could become friends with me. Bye, see me soon!
Note: This interview was done under the influence of happiness and (flawed) creativity. No animals were hurt during this interview.
