Oh the Places You'll Go

So, awhile back, I mentioned that I was making copies of Oh, the Places You'll Go! for my graduating seniors. Well, I am happy to say, I finished all 170 of them including hand-inscribing each of their names. Typing the entire book in Japanese and English (which I did) would have needed about 16 pages, so instead I made an abridged version to give to them. Also, (if you are familiar with the story) at the very end it lists a bunch of names. Thankfully, Japanese easily rhymes so I switched the names to Japanese ones. My team teacher (who is also my vice-principal) and I, also each included a special message in the back. Without being too forward, I was really happy with the results, and the kids, too, seemed really touched -- some of my toughest boys were teary-eyed. Below are pictures from the finished product (the cover was printed on light green paper -- though it is hard to tell by the picture).

Chocolate Covered What?!?!

If you have been reading my blog recently, you might remember my Valentine's story and how I mentioned that when I gave my principal his Conversation Hearts, he turned bright red. Well, a couple of weeks ago he went on a trip to Tokyo. In true Japanese fashion, he brought back a little omiyage (snack souvenir) for each teacher. Well, that evening when I was leaving school, I heard someone call my name. Turning around, kochousensei (Japanese for "principal") was hanging out of his first-office window with a small gift. In another true Japanese fashion, he had specifically remembered me on his trip because of my gift to him. In fact, he had bought me a bag of special "White Day" Chocolates (March 14th: the day that Japanese men give women chocolates). Due to his manner of presentation (hanging out of the window instead of giving me the present in front of all of the other teachers), he was obviously shy. In fact, the two of us don't interact much -- I'm too intimidated to talk to him because of his position in the school and my lack of Japanese and I think that he, too, is a little overwhelmed by this crazy foreigner! So the fact that he remembered me with chocolates was really cute...

... even if they were white chocolate covered red-beans!

Spring is Here (and so are the Onions)!

Part of my first-year-students' "life skills" curriculum is working in the school's farm plot. A local farmer donates a small portion of his field and seedlings to the school every year. In the summer the students plant sweet potatoes to be harvested in the fall and then, in the winter, onions are planted for the spring. These vegetables are then sold at local events and the money raised helps to pay for the students' class trips (they take one a year). Anyway, this past Thursday was onion harvesting day...

Sweet onions!Mediation time

(The students take two minutes before each class or activity to mentally regroup. Its actually a really great idea that I would recommend to any teacher!) Harvesting Have you ever heard of flying onions?

When it comes to Japanese, "r"s and "l"s anything is possible!

the kind (albeit masked) farmer

Yummy, yummy!

Guess who was having fun playing with her camera's settings

Yes, the students were allowed to use the sickles with no adult supervision!

Cute boys!

Taking the onions back to school

Drying the onions in the soccer field behind the school

Currently there is a crate of onions in the school's foyer for visitors to take. Also, there are several boxes to be presented to important visitors. Needless to say, the entire first floor smells of onions!

Learning to Count

When one learns a new language, the first words taught are usually numbers. Right? one, two three... uno, dos, tres. Well in Japanese, first you learn the numbers (ichi, ni, san, shi/yon, go, roku, nana/shichi, hachi, kyu, ju) Then you must learn the crazy counting system. The numbers for paper are different than the numbers for long objects (think pencils and hot dogs). But, the most popular long object in Japan (chopsticks) has its own set of counters. The same goes for living things. Big animals are counted differently than little animals (unless you are a rabbit and you are counted in the same way as birds). Cups, bottles, electronics -- each has its own counter and it never includes the traditional, aforementioned, numbers. However, today in Japanese class, I learned how to count people. According to the textbook, with the exception of one person (hitori) and two people (futari), people are counted with the traditional numbers plus the suffix nin which means "person." "Finally!" I exclaimed, "something easy to remember." "Oh," my teacher replied, "but you must NEVER count four people as shinin." "Why?" you ask. Well, come to find out there is a very important verb shinu. Its base form is shi. Shinu means "to die." Therefore, shinin can mean "dead person." (And explains why Japanese hospitals don't have rooms ending in the number 4. Can you imagine the following scenario: "Doctor, please help the nin (person) in shi (room 4)." "Oh you mean the shinin?" It kind of reminds me of my friend who once intended to say to the taxi cab driver "Please let me off here." But said, thanks to a pronunciation mishap, "Please kill me here." At least they were polite about it! As will I be, the next time I ask for a table for four.

I Love English in Japan (Whisper Version)

My kids are smart. They really are.... at least that's what I keep telling myself. Usually, they will surprise me for the better, but today, I have absolutely no idea what was going through their minds. Let me explain.

One of their favorite games is the "Dengon Game," which is basically like "Telephone." In my classroom, the rules are as follows: the last person in each of the six rows comes to me. I whisper a word to all six. They then whisper it down their respective lines. The first person in each row then runs to the blackboard and writes the word while my vice principal makes sure they don't cheat by looking at each other's word. Now, this game is absolutely great for phonics. In fact, usually it is the culminating activity after a month long study of difficult phonics. It forces the students to watch each other's mouths, listen carefully, and practice correct pronunciation. Plus, the students always get a kick out of the resulting words. Well, today they weren't only laughing, but also scratching their heads.

Word 1: lice (It is very important for Japanese students to know the difference between "l" and "r." Few things sound weirder than them saying "I eat lice everyday. Or I ate lice for breakfast" :-)

Word 1 answers: lice, rice, lice, lice, rice, rice (mistakes are understandable)

Word 2: bat (Students easily confuse t/d/b/v and a/u)

Word 2 answers: bat, bad, but, bat, but, bat (ditto)

Word 3: she (sh/s is a challenge. If you ever want to really confuse a Japanese person just say "She sells seashells by the seashore")

Word 3 answers: she, sea, see, love, she, she (hmmm.... now that's interesting)

A Labor of Love or an Indication of Insanity?

Here in Japan, Valentine's Day is also celebrated -- but with a slight twist. Only women give chocolates to men. Currently there are all kinds of chocolates for sale -- fish shaped ones, red bean filled, green tea flavored -- you get the point! And for the exceptionally brave women, there are also every imaginable doodad for making one's own chocolates. When I first found this out, I figured I was safe. No boyfriend, no chocolates! However, the longer I have been in Japan, the trickier I have found this holiday. Come to find out, the recipient isn't always one's boyfriend. Last year, I missed Valentine's completely (I was having a date with Mr. Mono!), but according to Sarah, at her school, the female teachers joined together to give the male teachers chocolates. Then, last March on White Day (the men's holiday to present gifts to the women) I received cookies from one of the male teachers at my school. (No massive panic alarms went off though -- I could easily be his third child!) After research on Wikipedia and a excerpt from a Japanese drama, I found out that yes, teacher's give each other chocolates. But, then one of my kids asked me if I was going to give them to one of the single male teachers chocolates (which totally made him and I blush. Yikes, what was I going to do??? Since I couldn't get any clear answers, and none of my female teachers were providing me with any guidance (not that I dared to ask) I finally decided the best option was to play the "gaijin" card. Now gaijin in Japanese means "alien" (you know, like ET -- oh wait, I am ET) and as hard as I try to follow the great proverb by St. Ambrose Toyota "when in Japan, do as the Japanese do" occasionally its a lot more convenient to just be foreign. Valentine's Day seemed like a perfect opportunity. However, instead of completely ignoring the holiday, I thought I would add an American twist; hence, 34 boxes of Conversation Hearts -- one for every teacher at my school -- both girl and boy! Well, it seemed like a good idea at the time!

I think there are two universal phrases -- "Happy Birthday" and "To/From." All American Valentine's candy is all decorated with "To" and "From" on it and in Japan (where they TRY to make English the second language) everyone knows what it means. So, I was faced with two options. Play the "gaijin card" again and write everything in English or this time follow St. Toyota and "do as the Japanese." This time, the blonde hair didn't rule out, and I spent a good two evenings attempting to write 34 Japanese names in Japanese!!!! Ahh......... Well, all's well that ends well. Everyone at school was totally excited -- the guys were tickled to get candy; the girls were thrilled to not be left out; my horrid Japanese was a hit, and my Principal turned bright red! (and was completely relieved when my vice-principal told him that everyone else got candy too). So I guess it was worth it. Now, if I just keep on telling myself this, maybe my next project (typing the entire English and Japanese versions of "Oh, the Places You'll Go" for my graduating seniors) won't seem so....so insanely loving!

Misuteriasu Tsua-

Last spring I took my first trip with my LOLs. We were heading for Kyoto but accidentally ended up on the train platform for Tokyo. (For those of you who aren't completely polished up in your Japan city geography, let's just say the two places are in two completely different directions!) Anyway, from then on, it became an inside joke that wherever we were, whenever we got lost, we were "heading for the Tokyo Tower." It wasn't until this Fall, though, that my LOLs realized that I had never actually seen the Tokyo Tower. After that, they made it their mission to plan a "Misuteriasu Tsua-" (say it really, really slowly and then gradually speed up!! Did you figure it out? And no, the last word is not sewer.) Anyway, Thursday was a holiday, so on Wednesday evening my LOLs "kidnapped" me (alright, I over exaggerate, I had a little pre-warning!)

My fearless leaders on the right train platform holding our bento box dinners
the Tokyo Tower at night!

the city that never sleeps -- from the Tower

Me in front of the Tower (sort of)

It was a huge picture of the Tower

Emily, we are not in Hamamatsu anymore!

It was a rainy, snowy day

Guess who had fun taking pictures!!!!

The entrance to the Emperor's Palace

You can't actually go in!

Some scary looking guy who jammed up my camera's "smile setting"

Asasuka's famous gate

(Dieter, remember your Christmas present?)

Chinese pagoda in Asasuka

As always, we have to eat ice cream!!!

They went for vanilla/green tea swirl (blech!) I had Japanese plum (yum!!)

Hello Kitty Bus

A Peek into My Classroom

Singing "That's What Friends are For"
Practicing all those pesky phonetic sounds

Not paying attention to Emily...

my vice-principal giving the rules of the English speech contest

(I have no idea what the face is behind her)

one of my students giving a speech on Kyoto

(with a picture of Okinawa's aquarium behind her!)

another student explaining his favorite place in Japan -- our school!

I Love English in Japan (Pickles Bersion)

Just in case you can't read the small print: "To a fresh radish preservative with salt and malt and greens pickled overnight..." and to all a good night!

My Most Favorite Thing...

...brown paper packages, filled with harp strings!!!

Yes. Your eyes do not deceive you. Thanks to a wonderful "Harp Mover Dad" who has incredible experience in all things harp, all things "Big Boxes", all things international shipping, and all things "Emily's crazy ideas" I'm going to be a harpist again! In fact, at this moment, I feel more like an expectant parent attempting to adopt a beautiful girl internationally. We have had to deal with so much red tape trying to get my newest daughter (Madame Eglantine is staying home, this is her new "baby" sister) over the ocean and across the border! But finally, the gears are in play. It looks like she can be shipped out soon... Oh, and for those of you wondering about size. Let's just say that the 7-foot grandfather's clock is peeking out from behind the box!

Just Because My Kids are Cute!

Usually when I'm not teaching, I am in the staff room grading papers or lesson planning. Earlier this week though, I happened to be up and around the school and I found some of my third-year kids practicing their baking skills. Its really fun to be with these kids because their English is decent enough to make basic sentences and since we have a good relationship, they try really hard to explain things (at least some of them!). Beyond snapping pictures, I ended up walking around with a spoon tasting some of their creations!

Sponge cake with strawberries, real whipped cream, and a very happy cook!

Close up on the cake with a side of homemade vanilla pudding

The ubiquitous "peace" sign.

(As an aside, in Japan, it is perfectly natural/expected that you will have your "own" version of the peace sign which depends on its angle and placement)

Boys doing the dishes?????

Some delicious strawberry, puffed pastry dessert

In Japan, its also perfectly normal to be a middle school boy wearing a teddy bear imprinted apron that you made, a purple bandanna in your hair, and a medical mask.

(Its also perfectly normal for the boys to hug each other, sit on one another's laps, and hang off of one another like monkeys)

Another "boy-washing-dishes" spotting!