Singapore Students!

Several weeks ago, my school was host to 10 students from Singapore.   They were supposed to come last June, but due to the earthquake and resulting disasters, their trip was postponed till this year.  It was so interesting observing the kids as they attempted to integrate into my school.  I felt like I was watching myself  -- a bumbling foreigner trying to fit into a society where everyone else seems to know what they are doing.  I was so glad that I could be there to help them out.  It was an interesting experience to be walking the middle line -- semi-relating to both sides of the spectrum.  And it was soooo fun to have students who actually talked to me ;-)

My kids meditating before the welcome ceremonies

Here come the Singapore kids... (When the first guy entered, everyone gasped in amazement at his height!)

Meeting each other for the first time!

As a special presentation, the Student Council (and several teachers) created a dance based off of the popular Japanese female group AKB 48 (KMT stands for the Council's president -- the guy in the middle)    It was sooo funny but unfortunately my video didn't come out ;-(

This kid (Timothy) had the best smile!  It really brightened each of my days to have the kids smiling (since my Japanese students don't do it so often)

One thing that occurred while the students were here was our annual jump rope contest

This is what is supposed to happen -- an entire class jumps together to see how many times they can succeed in three minutes

The school record is 58!

I just love this picture because it is the complete opposite of the goal of the exercise!

Having never done this kind of group building event, it took the Singapore students a couple of days to get the hang and see the point of it.  It was really interesting to see all of the individual personalities come out (kind of like watching a bunch of Westerners!)

It was also really interesting because at the beginning of the two weeks, the kids REFUSED to sit on the ground -- by the end, they had completely adapted!  And, they managed a record of 31 jumps!!

During the weekend they were here, I was also asked to join a group of them on a trip to Mt. Fuji.  One student was staying with an elderly teacher (versus Japanese classmates) and he asked if I could come along as an "older sister"

Nothing like ice cream at 9:30 in the morning!

The "famous" Mt. Fuji walking sticks (you buy one at the bottom of the mountain and you can get them stamped at each station on your way up.  An interesting item to note, is that the stamps supposedly get more and more expensive the higher you climb!)

Ready to go!

What we were SUPPOSED to see!

What we ACTUALLY saw!!  Due to the weather, Mt. Fuji was nowhere in sight!