I recently moved to Asakusa. It's a great part of Tokyo: friendly locals, Sensoji, the Sumida River, and lots of interesting foreigners. I've managed to find some family-run fish shops, grocers, etc. Even my apartment, after 3 weeks, is starting to feel familiar. I know where stuff is located. My body is starting to remember its way around the kitchen, so when I'm cooking it's become more like a meditation (once again) and less like the confusion it was only a couple weeks ago.


I've moved about 30 times, 20 since I started university. Even when in the same city, there's a lot to get used to. I believe every time we move house, our brain is put in a state of (hopefully mild) shock, that serves to jolt us into being, offering a refreshed perspective. I'd like to examine this 'shock' in detail by looking at these three changes: new living space, new neighborhood, new transportation lines.


A new living space challenges our minds to become active and creative. At first we must decide where to put furniture, electronics, etc., by considering room dimensions, window locations, power supply needs, feng shui, and whatever else. Once we've done so, our living space evolves quickly as we grow accustomed to where we've put simple things like our keys, our mail, and our cups (hopefully near the fridge.) We make changes to increase efficiency and organization, and soon enough the space becomes ours. It's an external reflection of how a human, you in particular, uses a space to live life. As we get used to it, our body starts to remember the distances, and we comfortably do things without thinking, like our previous living quarters. This acclimatizing process is very cognitively stimulating, and I think it's really good to wake up our brains and start thinking a little differently. The space itself looks different, which is totally refreshing.


Ever think back to a memory, in university maybe, and wonder what year it was? Could you figure out the approximate date? I can almost always do this. I remember my context visually. This means I can envision where I was living at the time and, since I moved on average every 6 months, remembering the context allows me to pinpoint my memories to that 6 month period.


Ever found that you can't study at home? It's partly because there are too many distractions. It's harder to form memories as well, because the surroundings are too familiar. Go to a strange place, and you may remember every minute of it, even if you were just sitting around. I solved this problem by studying in my university's library. When that stopped being effective, I started studying in a different (nearby) uni's library, and then later a café. My brain needed, and still needs change to function optimally.


Our functioning is also greatly affected by the neighborhood we move to. We have to experiment again with different supermarkets, restaurants, pharmacies, comparing quality and price and location from our home. Then there's leisure: parks, temples, galleries. The first couple weeks of a new neighborhood are way stimulating. Every outing can be a cultural experience*.


Finally, let's not ignore the fact that Tokyo is a sprawling metropolis. Our social life can completely change, just based on our home's proximity to particular areas. Would your social life really be the same if you moved to Odaiba or Shibuya? I find myself going to Ueno a lot, because it's better connected to the rest of Tokyo by train, and there are lots of things I can buy there like chick peas, aka chana, aka garbanzo, aka hyoko mame. Even knowing four names, most grocery store employees still have no idea. But in Ueno they know, they've got hella large imports.


I also work in Ginza once or twice a week. Now I can cycle there from Asakusa! Moving was a lot of trouble, but that passed so quickly; I'm glad I went through with it. While I know it's not really possible for everyone to just 'move', I want to stress that just a change of scenery in general can refresh your mind and boost your mood and memory. Thanks for reading.

* In Asakusa, anyway.


▼▽▼▼【講師】Sandy先生のバックナンバー━━━━━━━━
・【MIWA (Memory Improves With Age)】2009.07.08 (Wed)

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しかし、国民が投票する機会すらない国もまだまだ沢山あります。
また、選挙が行われたばかりの国もあります。
ずいぶん前の話ですが、1993年に行われたカンボジアでは村人が精一杯の一張羅を着て、晴れやかな顔で投票していたと聞いています。
私は選挙の日に着る服なんて特に気にしたことはありません。それだけ日本に住む私自身に民主主義が根付きつつあるのかなと思います。

では、他国の人たちはどうでしょうか。


キャプション：「1996年、内戦下の旧ユーゴでの極右政党の集会。国会前にドクロ・マークの旗をたなびかせ、数万人が『あいつら（敵対する民族）を殺せ！』と熱狂していた」


ベオグラード、サラエボ、プリシュティナ。
学生時代に旧ユーゴの各都市を訪れたとき、街角で食堂で多くの市民に質問しました。

Q：内戦下で、あなたはなぜ銃を構えたのか？
A：「家族を、友人を守るためだった」

Q：なぜ銃で守らなければいけない状況になったのか？
A：「あいつら（敵対する民族）が攻めてきたから」

Q：なぜ敵対する民族が攻めてきたのか？
A：「一部の政治家が戦争を始めたたからだ。私は望んでいなかったのに」

山奥に避難していたおばあさんの言葉が忘れられません。
「きちんと政治に関心を持っておけばよかった。。。」

彼女は地元で知り合った方と結婚し、質素ながらも平穏な生活を送っていました。
内戦が始まったとお隣さんから聞いてはいましたが実感はまったくなく、別世界での出来事のように感じていました。戦局が悪化したある日、突然兵隊が襲ってきて命からがら逃げ出しました。
そして、農夫が夏季に使う山奥の簡易宿泊所で、いつか生れ故郷に帰れるかも分からない将来への不安を抱えて厳冬期を過ごしていました。

日本の現状と比べると極端な事例ですが、政治は市民の生活をこんなに変えてしまうこともあるのです。

皆さんには既に「投票」によって政治に関与できる権利があります。
政策、実績、政権。どんな観点で判断しようとも、それはあなたの自由です。
もし、あなたが支持する議員・政党がなくても、「よりまし」だと思うところに投票できます。
ポスターの印象で候補者を選ぶのだって間違いではありません。

あなたが投票用紙に記入するまでにまだ時間はあります。
投票権は天与のものでもなければ、何もせずに未来永劫続くものでもありません。
8月30日の総選挙、行って下さいね。


▼▽▼▼【受講生】田口さんのバックナンバー━━━━━━━━
・【留守番係から】2009.06.29 (Mon)

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