John McGraw is someone that I've met a couple of times at lunch, thanks to an introduction via our mutual J-E translator friend. I guess that you can say that we're ramen buddies. But in any case, he began a YouTube channel called Hiyaku Coaching and a podcast titled "Intercultural Insiders" more than a year ago which in his oft-repeated words "...helps expats feel more confident in their new country in less time and pain than they would on their own". Whether it be in Canada or another nation, I'm sure that lot of us including myself have gone through the euphoria and despair of culture shock in the early years of residency in a new country. Well, McGraw and his coaching are the shock absorber.
Obviously I'm living in my home nation again, but I've been listening to John's podcasts for a couple of reasons: 1) I'm an introvert and I can use some of what he's spoken about and 2) he's got a very soothing voice.
But the reason that I'm starting off this edition of KKP on the first Saturday of March 2024 with some intercultural therapy is because of what this particular song is saying. It's been a while since I've posted anything by aidoru Yoshimi Iwasaki（岩崎良美）but I was able to find this track "City Polka" which is a track on her 3rd original album "Weather Report" from July 1981.
I know that Iwasaki actually began her career as a singer with some City Pop under her belt, but I have to admit that I've never heard of "City Polka" before. As created by lyricist Etsuko Kisugi（来生えつこ）and composed by her brother Takao Kisugi（来生たかお）with arrangement by Masaaki Omura（大村雅朗）, "City Polka" isn't a polka at all even in its jauntiest moments. In fact, I'd say that it's a very congenial aidoru tune with a hint of 1950s girl pop and country. Lyrically though, the song is about a woman coming to grips with a new life in the big city, presumably Tokyo. Yes, she can feel very lonely in a megalopolis with a daytime population of 14-16 million souls. Overall, I can add that the song is a very pleasant underrated track that is very Kisugi indeed.
J-Canuck I wonder if you experienced any reverse culture shock after you returned to Canada. Any thing by either of the Iwasakis is always welcome! "City Polka" is a very soothing easy listening experience. I enjoyed this track very much. I noticed that John McGraw has a few copies of よつばと! on the bookshelf behind him. Anyway, he is decent speaker.
ReplyDeleteHello, Brian. If I did suffer any reverse culture shock, it must have been pretty subtle since I don't remember any particular issues. I knew that convenience would be lower in Toronto than in Tokyo.
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