Essay

Treetop ladies

By John Gathright

The van was loaded with ropes and harnesses. I was off to do a tree-climbing event, but for some reason, I had butterflies in my stomach. I was a little nervous. Why? I'm not normally like this. I have climbed some of the biggest and tallest trees in the world; I have shared my hammock with snakes and scorpions; and never (well, almost never) have I felt a nervous twinge. Today's trees were not even large, nor were there dangerous animals to contend with. I was baffled by my anxiety, and then I put my finger on it: I wasn't nervous of the trees, but the women that were going to be in them.

Perhaps I should explain.

Today was my first day as a tree-climbing and forest-healing professor at Chukyo University. I had been invited to teach by the president of the university to help inspire its female students to use their talents and strengths to better themselves and to help society and the environment. She offered me the freedom to create my own curriculum and to use any method of teaching I chose, which was great

At the same time, I had some reservations about the students. The university is famous for its athletic women — women with endurance, strength and muscles, like the members of its three-time World Cup-winning wrestling team. So I had this image in my head — a stereotype, I know — that I would be teaching women in tight spandex, with rippling muscles and cauliflower ears. See why I was nervous?

So, what a surprise it was when I arrived in class to find myself surrounded by intelligent, graceful and witty woman, all of them enthusiastic about learning! I quickly learned that the students at the university came from all walks of life, and pursued a whole range of hobbies and interests unrelated to sport.

We started off the class by talking about the psychological effects of domestic violence, child abuse, bullying and other social ills. We went through the basic principles of environmental psychology and theories on social identity, as well as discussing methods of therapy and communication. The students were all quick and bright, and later, when we went outside to climb a tree, their teamwork skills and athletic abilities were very impressive. Within a few minutes they were up the ropes and in the tree tops, laughing all the way.

Their happy voices rode the wind. The sound must have reached the president's window, because she came outside in a kimono to cheer the students on. "It looks fun," she said with a smile. "Do you think I can climb up there in my kimono?"

My first day of teaching will be one that I will never forget. I am now much more settled in my teaching role and since then we have worked hard to clean up a local forest, assist disadvantaged children, help kindergarten children climb trees, and learn the various methods of tree therapy

Soon my class will finish but the tree-climbing and forest-healing lessons will live on as the students grow and participate in their communities. I personally have grown. I have learned not to stereotype!

In 2003 a government study indicated that a child's perspective on the environment and helping others is most affected by the example and teaching of his or her mother and other females. I look forward to having more ladies in the trees and one day creating a world-class tree-climbing ladies team.

Shukan ST: June 9, 2006

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