Jasmine the Shark

As with any Monday, Wednesday, or Friday, I got to work at 10am.
Assembly, sunshine song, weather forecast, jumping, dancing, etc.

But I totally didn't realize Friday meant Park Time!
Every Friday, the kindergarteners go to the park and play for about 15 minutes. Last Friday it was raining so we didn't go. This was my first park field trip :)

This trip was so much fun!

We left at 11:45am. It was supposed to be 11:30 but playdough time, snack time, and bathroom time took much longer than I expected. Finally the all the kids were gathered at the door, putting their shoes and jackets on.

As we waited for Michiko, one of the managers, a kid named Kouki and I were playing/talking.

"So Kouki, are you excited to go to the park?"
"Yes!!!"
"Me ::kneels down:: TOO! ::bops the tip his nose::"
Kouki laughs and touches my hair.

"Hair! Yucky hair!" he says over and over.
Kids are so unpredictable.

"Nooo, don't say that, Kouki. That's not nice.."
"Yucky--"
"NO! NOT YUCKY! NO KOUKI," exclaims Asuka.

Asuka is another kindergartener who loves my hair. She absolutely loves patting the top of my head. If I let her, I'd bet she'd spend at least 20 minutes doing it, which is saying a lot for a 5-year old.

"Thank you Asuka," I said with a smile.
I looked at Kouki and tried to explain to him that it's very mean to say that. "My hair's different from your's, but you can't say it's yucky, Kouki."

We'll see if it happens again. If so, I'll have to drill it in. Something tells me I won't have to though.
It's funny, when Kouki first met me, he was the main one climbing on my back and touching my hair! I'm not taking his comment personally though, haha. Kids will be kids. But you have to teach them what's right early on so they don't form any bad habits.

Anyway, we all went to the park and getting there was half the adventure, at least for me. Everyday I realize more and more how much attention kids need. Wow. A very watchful eye must be kept on all of the kids at all times.
Even though we had 10 kids, paired each kid with a partner and had them in rows, having less than three teachers would've been a disaster!

"No running, Shouta!"
"Boop-boop! Stay inside the white lines" (sidewalk, Japanese style)
"Watch the cars!"
"Oh! Pick up your shoe, Yuki!"

Yes, Yuki did lose his shoe as he walked to the park, haha.

But when we finally got there, the kids had a blast. Some immediately ran to the jungle gym, some started playing hide and seek. I stood there watching them play and I was really amazed at how vast their imaginations were.
Asuka and Ai were on the slide. As Ai was at the bottom climbing her way up, Asuka was at the top of the slide, extending a hand to Ai trying to "save her." From what, I have no idea, haha. But it gave me the idea to act as a predator of some sort.

Thus, Jasmine the Shark began.

"Okay guys, listen up! I'm going to be the shark, and if you're on top of the jungle gym, you're safe! If you go off the jungle gym, you have to run from me!"

I didn't even have to explain the rules again, the game was in full swing before I even said "go!"

Little shrill screams came from each of the kids as I put my hands up above my head indicating a shark fin. I ran around that jungle gym with a vengeance, looking for prey.

"Raaaaaah! Raaaaah!" I wailed as kids ran to the jungle gym.
Yamato, the real jock of all the kindergarteners, jumped down from the jungle gym, came close to me and when I tried to catch him, he ran away with swift speed... maniacally laughing as he got away.
This went on for a few minutes and from the jungle gym, I started getting requests of what villain I should become next.

"BE A SNAKE, JASMINE!" shouted Ai.

"SSSSssssss! SSSSSssssss" I hissed, switching up characters.
The shrill little laughter/screams were even louder this time.

"BE A LION!!" shouted Yuki.

"RRRAAAAAARRRRR!" I roared.
Yuki had the cutest little smile on his face, I swear.

Somehow the kids got little harmless sticks from the trees and started hitting my jeans. Since this didn't hurt, I let the twigs be my krypotonite. They hit me and let out defeated cries.
Of course, some of the kids got too rough with the sticks, as expected. But simply telling them to not hit so hard did the trick. They didn't want me to stop playing the game so they listened, haha.

Unfortunately since we got off to a late start, we had to end park time 10 mins earlier. But they had a lot of fun so they didn't even complain about heading back. I don't even think they noticed the shortened time.

On the way back, my manager Michiko said, "I loved your shark! The kids loved it!"

That meant alot :)

So much more happened today, since I taught two other classes that were both filled with noteworthy stories. But I'm tired and this post is already so long!

Ashita ne!

The Sunshine Song is Stuck in My Head

I should start off with saying that I've been an English teacher at an International school since March and it has been one of the most challenging things I've done so far. In some ways, it's even more challenging than moving to Japan and being here for a year!

I found the job by a friend named Lucas. I met him at my favorite bar (well, the only bar that I go to because I love it so much) Orange County. Turns out he was leaving the school to pursue his glass art career and told me to go have an interview. I did, and they hired me!

This job is the best job I've had so far. It's fun, extremely challenging, and I'm learning a lot about myself and of course about kids. I started off teaching the advanced and basic classes, and now I'm also teaching kindergarten, pre-kindergarten, and the baby class. When I get home, I'm exhausted. But it's awesome :)

So today, I came into work and greeted everyone. I think some of the teachers were a little out of it for not having to go to work for a week, including me. Tomo and Michiko, the managers, are always on their game though. They're really sweet ladies.

Anyway, we always start the day by gathering all of the kids by doing an assembly. One main teacher sits on the stage and we start by singing the sunshine song.

"You are my sunshine,

My only sunshine.

You make me happy

When skies are grey.

You'll never know, dear,

How much I love you.

Please don't take my sunshine away"

Of course that's accompanied with cute hand gestures and loud 5 year old voices, haha.

And after that we do the weather.

Teacher, "Is it cold today?"

Students, "NOOOOO!!!"

Teacher, "Is it hot today?"

Students, "YESSSSSS!!!"

Followed by show and tell, laughter, etc.

After that we split the group into sections, I usually take the pre-kindergarten class, which is usually five 3-year olds.

I'm still trying to get the hang of things so I try to have what I'm supposed to do and when written down. But today, I didn't have time to do that. I played everything by ear. I knew that we started at 11am and ended at 12:30, so whatever we do has to fit into that time block.

First we did a whale craft. I gave each student two cut-outs of a whale on white printing paper. They were connected, so if you folded it, it would look like one whale. Anyway, they colored the whales on both sides and after they were done, I taped the two sides together, enclosing a wooden chopstick.

After everyone was done, they were able to hold the whale by the chopstick and make it swim in the air. It was really cute. They played with that for a while and then we played with playdough.

Kids are great, but it's difficult trying to get them to listen.

Especially the boys! Why is that?? Two of the boys are so rowdy. But one of the boys is extremely sweet and obedient. I guess it depends on the personality. But I never have the same type of trouble with girls.

Anyway, two of the rowdy boys kept speaking Japanese to each other and I repeatedly had to say, "ah-ah ahhh, no Ja-pa-nese"

They looked at me, stopped, and started up again. So whenever they said something in Japanese, I would just translate whatever they said and told them to say it in English. They said it in English, so that was good. I figure most of what they're doing isn't necessarily out of spite... it's just that they don't know how to say it in English yet.

But one of the boys DID look me straight in the eye and told me "NO!" after I asked him to clean up the dominoes. Haha... oh man.

After we had snack time and I read them The Three Little Pigs, I let them play with dominoes. The boy who told me "NO!"... let's call him Charlie. As this is a Japanese boy, that's obviously not his real name.

Charlie has always been a little disruptive, but he definitely has his good days too. Today... he was in the middle. It started when we were playing with the playdough. Everything was fine until all of the sudden he literally fell sideways on the floor, right out of his chair!

I was so alarmed. I didn't make a big deal out of it because I didn't want to scare the kids but I said, "Charlie, don't be so silly" and I walked over to him to make sure he was okay. I seriously thought he fainted or something. He looked at me with this groggy look on his face and sloppily sat back in his chair. I called Michiko over because I wasn't sure if he was pulling my leg or not. I wanted to be safe and say something, rather than blow it off and it turns out he has a serious condition that I'm unaware of.

Well, it turns out he was just pulling my leg. Michiko came over and said, "Yea...he does that. You're okay, right Charlie? He's just tired."

Yea... and effing dramatic!! Don't scare me like that!!

That's what I wanted to say.

So back to the dominoes. We were all playing and having fun. We stacked them high and the kids LOVE to knock them down.

"Let's make a crash!!" they said, over and over.

Somehow, I think I said "It's raaaaiiinning dominoes" and they all repeated after me. But instead of letting the dominoes fall close to the ground, the kids of course threw the dominoes into the air and let fall hard on top of their heads.

"Oh god," I thought. "Not good. What were you thinking?"

Surprisingly, this game didn't end with poked out eyes and bumps on their foreheads! But it almost did when Charlie started literally THROWING them at everyone.

"NO Charlie! boo-boop"

["boo-boop" is a Japanese onomatopoeic expression for "wrong" or "bad" or "だめ (dame)"]

Charlie didn't listen.

"Charlie! Three...two... o-"

That did the trick.

The rest of the kids still wanted to play raining dominoes the right way so I put my chest to the floor and let them "rain dominoes" on my afro and back. (Haha, I have to save the "kids love my afro" story for later.)

Finally, it was time to clean up. Everyone else but Charlie was doing the right thing and putting the dominoes in the brown sack. But when I said "Okay, Charlie, let's clean up" he promptly looked at me and shouted "NO!"

I was shocked because no child at that school has said "no" to me like that.

The only thing I said was, "Excuse me?" in a very mother-like "oh-no-he-didn't" tone.

I think he got the message because he started cleaning up.. while moping albeit... but hey, it's better than him thinking he can step all over me.

Haha.. I think there are a lot of reasons why he obeyed me at that moment. My surprised facial expression, my "oh-no-you-didn't" tone of voice. I think that in combination with the fact that he's probably never heard annnyyyooonne say that before in that manner haha. Not his parents, not anyone at that school.

Sure, he's heard of "Excuse me.. let me through" but never "Excuse me? Did you really use that tone of voice with me?"

I'm happy to pass it along :)

More later. This post getting cho long!

First Post!

Hey Ya'll!

I wanted to start this blog because... well, I'm ashamed I don't have one already! I've lived in Japan for over a year and I haven't told the world of my "wild" adventures and constant, unique challenges.

One day, I'm going to look back on these years and... I don't want to not remember anything!

So, although I've been here for 1 year and 4 months, I'm going to start blogging (seriously) from today and maybe blog about some older experiences I've had as well.

When I reflect on my time in Japan, it's hard for me to actually say what I like this place. Sometimes, what I don't like about this place comes to my head first. But obviously, if the bad outweighed the good, I simply wouldn't be here.

I came here as a study abroad kid, only supposed to be here for 4 months. At the end of 4 months, I decided to stay until the end of the summer.

At the end of the summer, I decided to stay until I graduated (another full year). I totally had no idea that my life would lead me here, but I'm really enjoying living in a place that's always challenges me. I'm hitting my last semester of my college career, so soon I will be leaving Japan... and no, I won't find an excuse to stay.

Yes, I'm sure. I'm a Peace Corps Applicant now :)

I am meant to go somewhere else in the world, and I am content with my time in Japan coming to an end. But before then, I must blog. It's important for me to have something to look back on, and it's important for other people to know what it's like living abroad!

Oh, I forgot to say this: I started an English teaching job in March and after a week of being off (for Golden Week), I'm starting back again tomorrow! Gotta get some sleep. But I will blog again tomorrow :D

Til Then,

Jas