Yep, kindergarten… In America, my elementary school included kindergarten but apparently it is not the same in Japan. They actually have 3 grades in Kindergarten school. This one in particular teaches 150 kids and has around 10 teachers.
Bright and early, I walked in with my host mom to greet the principal. We went into the staff room and had our tea, thankfully she gave me water. :) After some talking, the principal’s daughter walked in. Turns out she was going to be my interpreter for the day. She studied English in college and even went on exchange to America, to live in Kentucky for a year. I was surprised to say the least. Extremely grateful though, especially after I started meeting the kids.
I’ve found that there are three types of reactions I get when little kids see me. One, they are extremely interested and come towards me at once. Two, they are in complete awe and can’t say anything. Or three, they are really nervous and quickly dart away. Thankfully, there was only a small majority of the latter.
Yui, my interpreter, and I went around to all the classrooms and greeted all the little kids. They asked me questions like “What’s your favorite color?” or “What’s your favorite food?” I have to admit there was one question I couldn’t answer. “What does a chicken say?” I know what a rooster says “Cock a doodle doo!” But a chicken? Cluck? I didn’t know. Haha. Apparently animals sound different in Japan.
For lunch I had my first experience with Tatami Mats. They are the traditional flooring used in Japan. You can only wear socks or go bare foot on tatami too. No slippers even! My feet were in shock. No slippers? Haha. Of course, there are no chairs on tatami mats you sit Japanese style, which is on your knees with your butt resting on your ankles, at a low table. Your legs HURT if you’re not accustomed to sitting like that. All the older women were fine throughout the whole meal. I had to put my feet under the table about half way through and I could tell Yui was feeling the pain at the end.
The Kids, Yui, and me.
After school was over they had an earthquake drill. I hate earthquake drills at home. We have sit under our desks where there is always gum! Here they get to practice with an earthquake truck! Yeah, the thing simulates an earthquake. We waited for all the kids to go and when there was only a couple kids left I made Yui go on it with me.
I had to hold the poor little kids head near the end. The poor thing kept banging it into the pole.
The guys who drive the earthquake truck are firemen. They do the earthquake thing occasionally I guess.
My host mom wanted a picture of course. I think it was just because the one fireman was pretty cute.
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