Kinders

This blog is very, very late. It's about half a week late this time.

I was aware of it, but I've just been way too tired lately to even consider blogging. Anyway, I just got out of the shower a little while ago and that woke me up a little, so I thought I would get to it. I kind of wanted to write last week's blog by today so that it would end up being categorized under the same month. (Although I know it doesn't really matter... haha)

In my apartment, there's a bookshelf filled with books left behind by former ALTs. I've been somewhat making my way through them (whenever I can get myself torn away from re-re-re-re-reading the Ender series book.) Anyway, this evening I started reading a autobiography about a Japanese man who was born with no arms or legs, Hirotada Ototake.

I haven't gotten very far, but the overall optimism of the book is pretty impressive.

Yes, I do intend to tie this into something about last week.

I already finished the part in the book about his experience being in kindergarten. Apparently, the kids all gathered around him and asked him why he had no arms and legs. He gave a very simple explanation, which the kids accepted and his difference was no longer an issue.

My job schedules me to go to kindergartens every few months or so. I may have all of my limbs, but I am still one of the strangest looking people they've ever come across. But thinking about my experience with these kids, I can perfectly see the scenario in the book in my head.

These kindergarten students are not afraid of things that are different, but rather they are intrigued by them. It makes me think that fearing differences between people is something that is learned rather than something that really comes naturally to people.

I recall being different from that, though, when I was that age. There was a kid in my class who had silver teeth and, in kindergarten, he sat across from me. I was very disturbed by them and I was scared to drink milk because I thought one of his silver teeth could've gotten in there somehow. Looking back, I don't see myself as a kindergarten student going up to somebody unlike anyone I've ever seen before and boldly asking questions.

Is this a cultural difference or am I just making generalizations based off of the very limited things I have experienced?