音楽の力が偉大と感じるとき

　西日本で梅雨明けとなり、いよいよ本格的な夏を迎えます。私は寒さに弱くとも、暑さには比較的大丈夫です。家では毎日、長めの半ズボンとTシャツで過ごし快適です。これは、若き日に日本人学校教員としてインドのカルカッタ市で過ごしたからでしょう。インドでは６月の今、夏休みはすでに終わってます。インドでは年間で最も暑いのが５月だからです。現在は雨季に入っているでしょう。

　ところで、以前に、高崎市からインドの青年をホームステイとして受け入れの要請がありました。インドは昔、世話になった国なので、私は躊躇することなくすぐに受け入れを承諾し、彼は１０日間ほど我が家で過ごしました。私も暫くぶりに青春時代に戻った感覚で、二人の娘たちとも楽しく交流できました。彼は日本語が全く理解できなくても英語はお得意なので、共に生活を通してこちらが勉強になりました。

　ところで、彼が我が家に到着するなり、私は「真っ先に何をしたでしょうか。」

　それは心から歓迎の気持ちを表すため、ピアノで「インド国歌」を弾きました。彼の目にはうっすら光るものが見え、彼にとって日本は未知の外国なので内心心配だったでしょうが、拙い私のピアノを聴いて安堵したようでした。音楽の力は言葉より偉大と感じました。

　当時、私は前高に勤務してました。このため、毎日、学校へ連れて行き、生徒たちにとって実際の国際交流は興味あることで、彼に授業に参加してもらい、インドの様子について英語でいろいろ説明してもらい、多くの生徒は理解できたでしょうが、私は拙い通訳もしました。生徒からはインドについての質問も英語で飛び出し、授業はまるで外国にいる感覚になり、互いに良い体験になりました。

Dear my friends who are crazy about international mutual understanding and great music.

　The simultaneous interpretation into English for our mutual understanding will be done after my breakfast in Japan time.

...............................................

　The rainy season has ended in western Japan, and real summer is finally approaching to us. Although I am sensitive to the cold, I am relatively tolerant of the heat. I wear long shorts and a T-shirt every day at home, so I feel comfortable. This is probably because I spent my younger days in Calcutta-city, India, as a teacher at the Japanese school. It is now June, so that summer vacation has already ended in India. This is because May is the hottest month of the year in India. it is in the rainy season now.

　By the way, I received a request from Takasaki-City to be a host for an Indian young man as a homestay. Since India is a country that I have been grateful to in the past, I immediately accepted the offer without hesitation, and he stayed at my home for about 10 days. I felt like I had returned to my youth after a long interval, and was able to enjoy interacting for my two daughters as well. Although he does not understand Japanese at all, he is good at English, so I learned a lot by means of living together with him.

　By the way, as soon as he arrived at my home, I ask to you, "What was the first thing I did?"

　To show my heartfelt welcome, and I played the "Indian National Anthem" on the piano. I could see a faint sparkle in his eyes, Although he must have been worried because Japan was an unknown foreign country to him, he seemed relieved when he heard my poor piano playing. I feel that the power of music is greater than words.

　At the time, I was working at Maebashi High School. Because of this, I took him to school every day, and as real international exchange was of interest to the students, I had him participate in my class and he explains various things in English about India, and although most of the students were able to understand, I also interpreted for them. The students asked questions about India in English as well, therefore the class felt like we were in a foreign country, so it was a good experience for both of us.