Week 43: I wanna vacation!

It has been a loooooong stretch without any break.  And everyone REALLY wants one.  Just a 3 day weekend!  That's not much!  But no, we still have another 3 weeks before we get one.  At least June is almost over.

I'm afraid this week won't be that interesting to look at. While stuff did happen, I couldn't take pictures of much of it.

For instance, Tuesday, there was a choir concert!  BYU Hawaii came and members of the ward who pre-booked got free tickets!  I mean, it still cost money, train isn't free, but it was such a nice night!

However, you can't take pictures at a concert, so here's people standing around before hand talking.

ooOOOoo

The music was just lovely, and they covered a lot of different cultures.  They started off by singing the Barber of Seville, which, of course, doesn't have words, but they did the silliest actions to it, and it was all really good fun.  They ended by singing this lovely Japanese song called "Hana wa saku" or "Flowers will bloom".  It's a lovely song, and I've linked a choir arrangement of it. Not BYU Hawaii, but oh well.  Though one of my favorites was when they sang "Oh Susanna" and the crowd just got so excited, clapping along and cheering when some of the girls started clogging.

Thursday, as I mentioned before, I showed up for school, and there was no one there.  Well, hardly anyone.  There had been a major typhoon warning the night before, so to be safe, they delayed the start of school.  Not for the teachers, just the kids.  Anyhow, it WAS raining, but it wasn't bad, and it came and went.  Still, the students were on delayed start and then short day, so I ended up not teaching as much as a normal day.  The students left before lunch, and the teachers then left FOR lunch (I had already eaten) so I was alone.  I went into a spare room and took a nap. :P

When I was finally released, it had stopped raining, and I gotta say, It was a prime example of Typhoon warning days around here.

Fear it.

Friday, I was going slow. As the title states, I really want a vacation, so often I feel like by Friday I am just dragging. (I'm sure you've all gone through it.)  Anyhow, after teaching the classes, I was chilling out in the teacher's room when I noticed a bunch of my students walking by.  Now, I've never followed them before, because they're always off to music class, or PE or something, but I was bored, so I decided to see what they were up to.  I got ESPECIALLY curious when I saw yet ANOTHER of my classes following them.  Well, I got there and...

choir practice!

This is a shot of ALL the 6th graders in my school, three classes of 33 students, so 99 kids. Approximately.  This is why I can't estimate, because this does NOT look like 100 students to me.  Oh well.

Anyhow! They don't have designated choir, they're ALL in it.  There's a singing competition coming up, so they're practicing their song, and I got to sit through it!

This is obviously not the full song, but STILL, pretty good showcase of their abilities!  Listen! They're doing HARMONY, they're doing at least 3 different parts of harmony!  oooooh, if only we could do more arts in the states.  OOOOoooooh, if only.  I've noticed when I teach them songs, they pick them up pretty well too.

Speaking of songs, I gotta say, I am getting REALLY TIRED of "If you're happy and you know it."  It's teaching emotions, so I don't always get "I'm fine, thank you, and you?"  When I ask them how they are.  And it works!  But I want each class to sing the song at least 4 times.  And I only get them once a week.  So in the end, I sing the song.  Five times a day.  For a month.  June is almost over, and I am SO GLAD to move onto "what's the weather?"

ANYHOW

Friday afternoon looked scary, weather wise

the river is rising!

But didn't actually rain on the way home.

There was a farewell party to one of my friends, it was a really small affair, he doesn't like a lot of fuss.  So we played a few card games and one of them looked at me and said "what do you want to play next?" and I was like "I know it's only past 9, but I just want to go to BED."

So I did.

Saturday was GLOOMY and DREARY, and I was TIRED, so I was completely useless.  No, really.  I had done laundry on Thursday (remember the Typhoon warning?)  and I had leftovers to eat, and I just..sat around and was tired.  I took a nap, I watched some cartoons, I chatted with Dani and Katie.  Life was good.

dramatic re-enactment of Saturday.

Today was nice. They fed us after church.

so much FOOD.

I might not have to eat for the next few days.

Oh! And, I don't know if I've mentioned this before, but they are big on the aesthetic of food.  Gotta look pretty.  You know my approach.  Gotta taste good. Pretty is a plus, but often not worth the hastle. Anyhow, check out what they do to their oranges!

it's a bunny!

CUTE!  still too much bother for me, but if THEY wanna do it. :)

Next week should be more interesting! Loves all!

Week 42: Death by exercise

This was a week filled with exercise.

Which is a problem because I was still recovering from being sick last week.

On the bright side, I think I AM well.  Hopefully for good, because I really hate the insomnia I get when I get sick.

Not ALL the exercise was bad though.  On Tuesday, I was supposed to teach the 5th graders, only they had national health testing all morning.  This mean that, although I felt like death, I did not have to call in sick, I just sat around school and relaxed. :)

I DID go out to see the kids exercise, and it was interesting!

They had standing jump

good timing on that one.

And a sprint, of course

they could really book it!

  They measured ball throwing

and that one kid that stood in front of the shot no matter how much I moved.

And sit ups

THEY got a MAT. I was so jealous.

and they did pacer running!

By class, of course

Pacer is... how to put it.  Basically, you have the students run from line to line, over and over and each time, the recording the government gives you to play shortens the amount of time you have to get to the other side.  So not only are you getting tired from running a long time, it wants you to SPEED UP.

The record was 90 lengths this year.  They beat last year's record of 80.  I...can't even imagine.

I was feeling mostly better by Thursday, and it's a good thing too, because that's when my bike decided to hate me.  My chain came off on the way to school.  TWICE.  The second time it came off, it jumped immediately into that gap where it gets stuck and you need the jaws of life to pry it out.  So I had to call in and be late, and of COURSE, this was the day that my first class started first period, so I showed up and immediately gathered my stuff and headed to class, never mind the fact that I was sweating like mad because it was so humid and I had just speed walked about a mile.

And the vice principal fixed my chain again. :)

By afternoon I was feeling less grumpy (that kinda thing can throw off your whole day)  And it was raining like the dickens, so I was like "I already did the humid as anything today. I'm not putting my rain coat back on."  Instead I wrapped it around all my stuff and biked home in the pouring rain.  The expressions on the kids faces was fantastic. I got a lot of second takes and one lady even asked if I had an umbrella.  (yes, it's in my bike basket)

SOAKED

But it was a fairly warm day, and really I had fun, so that was nice.  (and neither of my roommates were home to complain about the wet floor...)

Friday, I took the train to school, because every time the chain comes off my bike, it's on my way to Friday school and I just didn't want to risk it!

So Friday the students started swim classes!

I'm sure the wind is colder when you're wet.

It was so well organized, I was impressed!

I mean, I know, of course it HAS to be, but still.

that black hat behind the student in the water?  That's the teacher.

rows of swimmers

They had uniform suits, but different styles.

sleeves for those that get cold (or don't want to tan)

swim caps that just keep your hair in one place. 

everyone has the option of shorts

In all, very nice.  The thing that amazed me the most was when they went to go rinse off.

See, they go into this thing that reminds me of a sprayer for cows.

And then they stand there for a few seconds.
Then the teacher blows her whistle and they rub their hair for a few seconds.
Then she blows her whistle and they rub their arms for a few seconds.
Then she blows her whistle and they rub their legs for a few seconds.
Then she blows her whistle and they rub their fronts for a few seconds.
Then she blows her whistle and they rub their backs for a few seconds.
Then she blows her whistle and they get out and the next block of kids get in.

And it...well, it's a different way to do it, but it makes SENSE too!

Friday was a lovely evening and I just didn't want to stay in, so I went on a little adventure.  The sister missionaries had told me there was a good hamburger joint near me.  They were right!

little heavy on the sauces, but very good.

and I went to a mall and picked up some of those wide legged pants, because if this last week has told me anything, it is that it is TOO HOT AND HUMID for normal pants.  They just are uncomfortable.

Saturday, some friend invited me to go on a hike with them!  To Rokko mountain!  It was on my "to-do" list, so I figured it would be fun!  And we were going in the morning, so I'd have the afternoon to myself.  Right?

Right?

Yeah. no.

They said approximately 4 hours, and I've done that kind of thing before, but it turns out it was 4 hours UP.

sometimes VERY up.

There were places with stairs

of varying difficulty 

And lovely plants and streams

And there were warnings about wild boars, but we never saw one

they had others, but I didn't get a clear shot of them.

And there was a lovely pond.

Yes, I'm wearing a headband. I sweat a LOT that day.

Alright, here's the pond.

it had water lilies!

And I gotta say, I didn't actually take many pictures, because these people were set on HIKING.  I'd stop for another picture and they'd be like "ok, catch up when you can!"

There were the usual tiny little old people hiking along.  And..

d'awww

The one that threw me was the biker.

proof!

He was going down stuff I was unsure I'd want to WALK down.

Anyhow, we managed to make it almost 4 hours with minimal breaks by telling ourselves "5 more minutes!" and putting the one who's in shape in front.  (that might have been a mistake)  We made it (almost) all the way and there was a restaurant!

yes, there was a road up too. can you imagine hiking this in?

We had ice.

strawberry flavored

And it was really good, but I might not do it again, because it made my lungs feel funny... I think it was too much cold on an overheated body.

Anyhow, we finally made it to the TOP

our group!

And saw the view!

oooOOOOoooo

And a guy showed us these flowers that ONLY grow on Rokko

And we were like "this was fun! Let's take the bus down"  So we had our Japanese member ask for directions to the bus.  Unfortunately, he asked for directions "down the mountain" and we WALKED DOWN THE MOUNTAIN.

guess why I can take a shot from so far above these people...SWITCHBACKS.

I mean, it WAS lovely

reminded me of Washington

BUT IT WAS 4 MORE MILES THAN WE WERE PLANNING ON WALKING.

We are never putting him in front again.  We were well on our way down when I realized we were going the wrong way, and we would have had to walked UP to get out and we were like "eeeeeeeeeeehhhhhh. don't waaaaaaaaanna."

Maybe shoulda.

Finally got OFF the mountain!

walking stick dumping box.

Had to walk through a town (more ouch) and FINALLY got on the train.

By the time we got back home, we hurt, smelled funny, and it was after 5:30.  I got showered, limped to the store, made dinner and then hid in my room the rest of the evening.

I DID sleep well that night.

But now everything hurts.

Week 41: I got sick again.

bleeegh. I dislike being sick.

I was recovering from my day of sickness last week so well, when Thursday, I started feeling...Less well.  I tried to brush it off, but by school time on Friday, I was feeling pretty icky.  I even stayed in and took a nap on my desk for lunch!  (thank heavens for Japan length lunches that let me do that!)  The funny thing about that was...
So. Last Friday, it was beautiful out, so for lunch recess, I went out to hang out with the students.  One girl in particular latched onto me, and asked me (mostly through gestures) to join in.  So I did! I ran around, I hung from bars, I climbed the jungle gym, it was lots of fun.  This Friday I (obviously) didn't feel like it.  During cleaning time, the little girl came into the teacher's room and talked at me (in Japanese) and the only words I could understand were "Kim Sensei" and "dokko" (where?) So I'm guessing she was asking where I was.  I mimed that I was sick and she looked sympathetic at me, patted me on the shoulder and left. :)  It was nice to be missed. :)

Let's see! Interesting things from this week... Well, rainy season has started. This doesn't mean that it rains EVERY day, but it does rain often, and it is really humid. One side effect of this is that many of the little garden patches in town are being turned into rice paddies!

he's weeding it.

I have no idea if this is a neighborhood thing or WHAT, but they really care for their garden patches.  After the ground is flooded and weeded, they plant seedlings.

by hand.

And of course the local fauna moves in.

This could also explain why there are so many mosquitoes...

The students are also growing stuff, but they seem do to this year round. Still, it was fun to see them empty out their old pots and re-fill them!

I think these might be tomatoes?

these are usually flowers.

Anyhow, I decided to get into the whole "growing things" trend and bought myself an eggling.  It's a little egg with all you need to grow some stuff inside it.  All you gotta do is crack it open and water it!  I got Basil.

I hope it turns out better than poor Albert.

And for fun, I took pictures to document its growing!

little wormies!

this is daily, so they're growing fast.

Look at all that green!

I had to thin it out.

They're happy!

I make sure to put it out on the balcony every day so it can get some sun, and after a while I will transplant it into a pot and REALLY pray that I don't kill it.

Something else the students are doing, some of mine are learning to sew!  By hand!

look at them go!

It's REALLY basic stitches, and not really pretty, but they each have a little sewing kit and learn how to thread their needles and right now they're making an apron!

there's the sewing kit and the apron kit next to it.

He's sewing his name onto it so he can find his kit later.

And it was just so neat to see them doing this so...confidently!  (Hey! American schools!)

I also got to see them do an address to the students, giving recognition awards to some students, and reminding them of some basic school manners

like putting your umbrella away appropriately so there's space for everyone.

The kids loved this especially because the teachers play acted it, and the kids got to see them wearing randoseru (the elementary style backpack)

I loved it because I got to see how well they behave in an assembly again.

this part was kid run.  They do so well.

So it didn't rain every day. In fact, we got some very sunny days.  We almost got hit with a serious storm once.

which made for some lovely clouds

And Friday, sick or not, I had to go to the local mall to pick something up.  I treated myself to Ice cream, and the Baskin Robbins was having a special!  Get two scoops, get the third free!

Woo!  Just what you need when you're sick!

So that was nice.

Here is a dramatic re-enactment of what I did Saturday.

You can't hear the whining though

Except  I was feeling better Saturday evening, so I went with some people from the share house to see the fireflies.  It was close, and an easy walk.  Unfortunately, despite attempts to the contrary, you cannot schedule fireflies, so we saw only a couple.  I did take a picture though.

Enjoy!