Last updated at 10:12, Friday, 11 July 2008

DO you slurp your food, and sniff luxuriously rather than blowing your nose?

Making their way: Becca Price and husband Ed, who moved to Japan four years ago, have now formed their own language teaching company in Osaka.

If you do, you can be assured of a warm welcome in Japan.

At least that’s what Becca Price found when she swapped the wide open spaces of the Allen Valley for the Land of the Rising Sun.

She and husband Ed moved to Japan four years ago to teach, and remain fascinated and enchanted by the way of life there.

Becca said: “One of the first things I asked was why do all the shop staff shout at me in unison when I enter and leave their store?

“I discovered they are actually welcoming you as you walk in, and thanking you for your custom as you leave.

“And no, you shouldn’t thank them as you depart, even if it feels rude not to, because if you do they’ll think you’re really weird!”

The sniffing and slurping is another culture shock for the average Westerner.

Becca said: “Yes, you have to forget what your mother drummed into you.

“It’s a cultural thing. Slurping is the perfect way to chow down your noodles, and Japanese people think it’s disgusting to blow your nose in public – so sniff it up!”

Other puzzlers still wrinkled Becca’s brow.

She wondered: “Why do they play the theme from The Third Man when the last train leaves the station?

“And while we’re on the subject, why do all the tourist attractions play Auld Lang Syne when it’s closing time?”

All her inquiries revealed was – they just do, okay!

Becca’s love affair with Japan began when she had completed her CELTA (Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults) qualification, and started to work at a language school, teaching students from all over the world.

She said: “The majority of my colleagues had either lived overseas teaching English or worked half the year – usually the cold half – abroad and came back to the UK for the summer season.

“After hearing about their experiences and adventures, I started to wonder if this was something I could do too.”

Her then boyfriend Ed got his CELTA too, and the time came to choose a destination.

Becca said: “We knew we wanted to go to somewhere very different from anything we knew, so Asia seemed like a good starting point.

“I had quite a few Japanese students in my classes who were only too happy to tell us about their country.

“They brought in photos of their home towns, told me about everyday life in Japan, taught me some elementary Japanese and took me out for sushi, giving me a crash course in the finer points of Japanese cuisine.

“We were well and truly sold – Japan it was!”

They secured jobs with NOVA, one of the biggest eikaiwa (English conversation) schools in Japan, and were married in the summer of 2004.

Soon afterwards they were on a plane bound for Osaka’s Kansai International Airport quietly wondering what on earth they were letting themselves in for.

Becca said: “It was October 1 and it was really hot. It was all a bit dream-like really, but thankfully we were met at the airport by a company rep who took us to our apartment in north Osaka.”

Because they were working almost straight away in their allocated schools, there wasn’t an awful lot of time to sit back and drink it all in.

Becca said: “We just kind of got on with it which, looking back, was probably for the best.

“We perfected the art of pointing and miming in our quest to get various things done. And whenever a query arose we were able to ask our colleagues and, even better, the students, who were more than happy to help answer my many random questions.”

Her students were a delight to teach because there was such a big mixture of different types of people.

She said: “I was especially fond of Chisato and Yoko, two elderly housewives who never progressed beyond elementary English (“today we go to shopping!”), and probably never would, but they loved a chat, loved their English lessons and were absolutely brilliant.

“My Saturday morning class included Ichiro, an avid Harry Potter fan, who when I mentioned that ‘Hogwarts’ was very close to my home town, could barely speak he was so impressed.”

Then there was Ryota, an eager salary man who was sent to work in Boston by his company and took his rice cooker with him.

Finally Takafumi, who entertained everyone on a weekly basis with tales of his doomed love life.

Becca said: “They were always, without exception, extremely hungover as Friday night was their big night out, but they always came to class – dedication or what?”

Becca and Ed have been back to Tynedale twice since moving to Japan, and the first time was a bit of a reverse culture shock.

Becca said: “I remember waiting at Heathrow for my flight to Newcastle, completely overwhelmed by the fact that I could understand everything that everyone one saying.

“I seemed to tune in to all the conversations at once which left me feeling a bit bewildered – it was very odd.

“But it’s so nice to see family and catch up with friends when we go back.”

Becca was born and raised in the Allen Valley, and her parents, Liz and Fergus Sandison, both live in Allendale now, so that’s usually the first port of call.

“I love the drive from Hexham to Allendale; the scenery is absolutely beautiful in any weather and as soon as I see it I feel that familiar tug.

“There are so many connections and good memories: going to Sunday school at the chapel in Catton when I was little, then getting married there all those years later.

“Then there were my Saturday jobs at the Allendale Tea Rooms and walking the dogs at the Catton Kennels, the school plays and discos at Allendale First and Middle School, bike rides with my sister and camping with friends by the River Allen.

“I know it all sounds a bit Enid Blyton but it really was like that.

“Inevitably, it’s the people we miss most when we’re out here so we always try to see as many people as possible; friends from Allendale, Hexham QEHS, university and so on. But being away has made me appreciate the fact that Northumberland is a stunning place and that I’m so lucky to have been born and raised there. It will always be a pleasure to go back”.

After a year and a half with NOVA, Becca managed to move up the ranks to work at headquarters in the children’s section, designing and creating textbooks.

However, disaster struck in October last year, when NOVA filed for bankruptcy.

That very night, Becca and Ed met their friends Midori and Tomo for a few drinks and the idea of setting up their very own eikaiwa school together was suggested.

Becca said: “It just seemed like a brilliant idea. We were the perfect team, with Ed and me teaching, Midori keeping an eye on the business side and Tomo using his skills as a graphic designer.

“My last day at NOVA arrived on Friday, February 15, and on the very next day, we held the opening party for the Imagine Language Studio. It felt very good!”

Imagine currently has about 20 students on its books, including Kotaro the international florist, Saki the film student, Yuki the trainee chef and Rei, a seven-year old AC Milan fan.

Becca said: “We’re hoping that numbers will grow as the year progresses, and kuchikomi (word of mouth) spreads.”

Summing up her life in Japan, Becca acknowledged there were times when life in the Far East can be frustrating, with the language barrier, cultural differences and missing special occasions back in the UK.

She said: “I had a big problem in not being able to buy Marmite (although I recently found a dealer so all is well), but the pros most definitely outweigh the cons.

“Living in Japan has been such a brilliant experience.

“The reasons are endless:the people, the cultures of old and new happily existing alongside each other, the fantastic food, the trains which run on time, the attention to detail and the karaoke boxes.

“Then there are the taxi drivers who wear white gloves, the bizarre TV game shows, the tatami mats in my flat, the countless vending machines, the delight which is onsen, the ‘no shoes in the house’ rule, sashimi and a cold beer…

“I could go on and on….but I’d better not. You’ll have to come and see for yourself!”

First published at 13:30, Thursday, 10 July 2008
Published by http://www.hexhamcourant.co.uk