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May 27, 2004
2nd Grade Class Experience
This was one of the most insane and interesting events, and unfortunately I did not bring a camera! Joy's photo page, luckily, has photos from Minami Kodatsuno elementary school (Minako, for short).
We were divided into small groups and assigned to classes full of 2nd graders. My group consisted of myself, Sandra, and Pierre. The kids were noisy, hyperactive, and life-threateningly cute! There were also extremely obedient and hurried to do everything the teacher said. I was told the hyperactivity was a result partially of them still being young, and partially because they were having strangers from other countries visit. (Apparantly as children get older in Asian school systems, their will is crushed and they become slaves to their schoolwork... scary!)
We talked to the kids about our hobbies, our countries, and whatever else we could manage in Japanese. Even though they were only second graders (they talked slowly and simply), we still had trouble communicating. But the kids were very patient and so cute... they didn't mind having trouble. I talked to a few kids about Miyazaki animations, and just about every kid insisted on being picked up into the air. At lunch time the children serve their own lunch (it was very orderly; I was impressed). After lunch we played outside for a little while. Some of us played dodgeball (the kids love dodgeball), while other kids played on gymnastic poles, or rode unicycles, or threw balls. After recess the kids cleaned the school. Literally... they got down on their hands and knees, and ran wet towels all over the floor, washed the windows... basically cleaned everything.
It was sad to leave the kids, but they certainly wore us out. It was such a fun day!
Posted by dminky at May 27, 2004 06:00 PM
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