Get Up and Dance!

If I had to put a weekly theme to my life, this week's theme would've been dancing! Dancing seemed to pop up frequently this week and that just made it much more entertaining.



A DUCK DUCK GOOSE FEAT!
Tuesday I went to a preschool and taught them how to play duck, duck goose. After trying to teach this game at other preschools I finally came up with the perfect way to teach it, and at this school it worked! The kids caught onto the game quickly and afterwards the school boss told me that it was the best game of duck, duck goose she had ever seen. It's a weird compliment, but I'll take it!



BOOGERS & THE SINGING EXPERIMENT
At the same preschool I had one little boy come up to me with a finger up his nose. And if that wasn't gross enough he then stuck that booger-laden finger in his mouth. His smile clearly expressed the pleasure he got out of doing this. I gave him the most disgusted look and made it apparent that that wasn't normal. But does he care? HA! No!

So he continued... and repeatedly ate his boogers. It may seem funny to a child, but I would think that the taste would eventually get to them? I guess not!


Then we played outside and I was helping a 3 year-old build a mountain out of sand. It was fun and all, but I decided to do a little experiment to entertain myself.

Usually when I go to preschools the kids are all about playing and they can only pick up very, very simple English. Therefore, I will just spit out random English where ever I go so that they are at least hearing English around them.

So this time, I starting humming/singing a song that I was making up on the spot while I was helping this kid build his mountain. I kept singing and never stopped - in fact I don't even think it had a consistent tune. Then I had to help another child with her cake sand project.

But 10 minutes later, I hear it. The little boy was behind me, humming the SAME song that I made up while he was sanding his heart away!

HAHAHAHA! How cute and hilarious! It worked! Sooooo easy to manipulate. I got a great chuckle out of that one.



LUNCH WITH THE LADIES
Finally! After probably a good month or so I finally got a chance (twice actually) this week to eat with the ladies that I ate with when I first got here. Since I've been eating school lunch daily, I haven't been eating with them at the Town Hall. So, I was really excited for this mini reunion.

I love eating with them because even though there is a language barrier we somehow manage to have really engaging conversations over lunch. I'm so glad that they aren't scared to try their English on me, as most adult Japanese people don't like to try, and that they have the patience to understand my Japanese.

But also, I'm happy because every week that passes means that my relationship with all of these people just keeps on building. So with these ladies in particular I am able to talk about "girl" problems and it is a kind of a relief to have that portal to vent through.

But it also makes me realize how much our cultures have in common. I see how their reactions to certain situations are the same as the reactions of my friends back home. It's comforting.



CALIFORNIA IS ON FIRE!
And not in a good way. This is all the rage in American news and apparently it's such a big deal that even Japanese news is discussing it. The other day I had 3 different Japanese people ask me about the California fires - and I didn't even have to bring up the topic.

Heard that there were 3 fires in Irvine and that those weren't natural fires. Damn.

I'm also reading about theories that it's because of Global Warming, but I don't think that GW is the cause of every disaster. But, at the same token, it isn't helping any.

Thanks to everyone that has kept me posted and sent me links. It's unfortunate and I'm hoping for the best.



HARROWEEN DECO
As Halloween approaches I think about costumes and wanting to go the haunted theme parks, but none of that happens here. However, two of my schools have asked me to teach their students about Halloween next week. So I have decided to do a quick lesson, a craft project and a Haunted Room! WhaaaaooOoOOOo!

I think it'll be fun for the kids. When I think back to my elementary school days, it was things like a haunted room, a walk-through maze or a planetarium that really captivated our pea-sized brains.

This week I made a bunch of decorations for the room and did lesson planning with my Japanese friend. We made costumes for the teachers and the principal/vp. I was trying my best not to make my skulls, spiders and ghosts look so cute. It's hard.

I also wrote my monthly article about Halloween to educate the town about it. I said that even though Halloween has religious origins, most people don't even think about it in that sense. I wish the Japanese people shared the same Halloween spirit. I miss seeing orange pumpkins around (they only have little green ones here!) and people scrambling for the best and most outrageous costume. But, that's what internalization is for! So I will step in!



DANCE WHILE YOU CLEAN! DA DOOT DOOT DOOT DOO!
Had a good time at the another elementary school this week. Well most of the classes were good except one, the 5th graders. For some reason, the vibe just wasn't there with these kids even though the teacher told me afterwards that the lesson was very fun for them. I wish I could say the same for myself.

But cleaning time is always a great time! I whooped all of their butts in the race to scrub the floors from one end of the room to the other. Then I decided to show them how to clean with style by dancing gracefully and singing while sweeping up dead bugs and dirt balls. But we had fun, except for the fact that I didn't realize that another teaching was watching attempt ballet moves. D0h! =)



HAIRSPRAY ★★★★★
Thursday night I went to the movie theatre for the 2nd time. So exciting! Hairspray just released in Japan and since our choices are limited this was the best thing to watch. But I've always been a big fan of Hairspray so I was interested to see if this remake could outdo the previous.

It was great! I loved it. Yes, it's a musical - and musicals can be cheesy and super feel-good, but I love this one. The dancing, singing, costumes and the colors can really turn your frown upside down. I walked out of theater feeling like I was light on my toes. I wish we still danced like that.

But, it was funny seeing John Travolta as the Mom. And Michelle Pfeiffer was such a great villain. She looked and sounded great; definitely my favorite character. I am getting this DVD when it comes out in November. Whoo!





ARE YOU BY YOURSELF?
I had some time to kill before meeting up with my friends at the movie theatre. So I decided to head over to Mister Donut and chow down on a couple of sweets.

I sat at a table with my two donuts and a cup of water, just enjoying the break and the time to myself. Then two little kids, an older sister (probably 7) and her younger brother (probably 4) sat at a table across from me. And of course in typical Japanese children fashion they stared at the Asian who kind of looks like them, but not really. Who is this foreigner?

At first I tried to just ignore them, but sometimes they just stare so damn much that you have to stare back! So I did and they laughed. Then their mother yelled for them as she was leaving. As they got up to leave the little boy approached me and said in Japanese (which I was able to understand):

Boy: Are you by yourself?
Me: Yes
Boy: Really, how come?
Me: I don't know. (shrug & smile)

He then gave me the sympathetic, "Aw, that's sad..."-look and said goodbye.

LOL. My oh my - these kids really like to delve into your personal life! For a moment I felt like the old man in Home Alone who shovels the snow and the Pigeon Lady. I love kids.