Elementary School Visit #3 - Ainoura Elementary School

So today I had my first visit to a "real" elementary school (real being that there were more than 15 students!). I had three grade 6 classes to teach - and they were wonderful! They asked lots of questions and seemed pretty enthused about the games and such. I also did my self-introduction for about the 50th time - and I think the biggest hit of every class is the picture of Daisy, and my Sens jersey! (Thanks Nevil & Auntie Naomi!). But the best part of my day was when the whole school was practicing for their Sports Day next Sunday. Now in all my years of teaching drama and dance, I have never seen such synchronization and enthusiasm from that many kids! All 400 students, from the 1st to 6th grate were perfectly in line, doing all the movements and dancesteps on time and to the beat and chanting along. It was absolutely incredible! Now Evy and I have produced our fair share of good shows with Drama & Dance in the 6 or so years in which we did it (not to toot our own horns or anything), but they were nothing in comparison to these "Sports Day" shows! I can't wait to go to my junior high schools' next Sunday! It's times like these that I wish I had a video camera or my camera recorded sound!!

On another note - last night I had my very first Japanese date! Okay - maybe not a "date" persay, but more of a "group hang". Jenny, Nicola, Claire and I met up with some j-boys they had met previously to help them practice their English. It was a lot of fun! We met at Starbucks and then made our way to an isakaya for a drink. They were really funny and kept us entertained - mainly with their interpretations of the English language...but we won't tell them that...And surprisingly, they were pretty cute as well - although one was really short and we didn't notice until he stood up...but hey, what can you expect?!

And as you can tell I've survived the typhoon - Sasebo wasn't hit that hard, but just south of us was pretty bad. I spent many hours locked up in my apartment eating far too much, watching too many episodes of "Friends" then I care to admit to, cleaned my apartment, and sadly, succumbing to my natural dorkiness and did a puzzle. Oh - and listening to the new John Mayer and Justin Timberlake cds....good times...