Hmmmmmm, I’m not feeling very inspired about my blog today. I can’t really think of anything to say. I am hoping that by just starting writing, suddenly I will think of something to say . . .

Ah, I know. It is almost the Kansai Gaidai University Festival. There are going to be lots of booths selling different kinds of food, as well as music and dance demonstrations, art shows, etc. All kinds of stuff. I went to the Kansai Gaidai Festival last year as well, and one thing that I noticed that is different between Canada and Japan, is that in Canada the students seem to be much more political. However, this could be because I am not able to read or speak Japanese very well (okay, practically not at all), so perhaps I am just missing something, but it does seem that most of the stuff that goes on in the festival is not of an overt political nature. I remember in Canada, if a similar event were to take place, there would be all kinds of groups involved, such as Amnesty International, the youth organizations for different political parties (left wing and right wing as well as centre parties), organizations for Palestinian rights, pro-Israel organizations, groups of people protesting high tuition fees (which are a fraction of what they are in Japan anyway!), people promoting animal rights, gay rights, women’s rights, Kurdish rights, etc., groups for various religions: Christians, Muslims, Jews, Bahai, etc., groups running food banks in Calgary, groups raising money to help overseas children, groups protesting the American war in Iraq, other peace groups, and people handing out Marxist-Leninist pamphlets. In fact, I remember once there was even a group promoting the use of Esperanto as a world language, instead of English. Just about any kind of group would be represented, all actively promoting their own particular political agenda and opinions. It is this kind of “dialogue” that I don’t see at Kansai Gaidai. The students don’t seem to be very politically motivated in what they do. When I hear students chanting on campus and waving posters and signs, they are not protesting anything, just inviting people to take part in their club activities.

Anyway, I guess I thought of something to blog. I would be interested in people comments about the differences between Canadian campus culture and Japanese campus culture. Am I missing something?

Peace!