Day 37: Sukiyaki

Today I taught with Chuck Sensei in the fourth grade classrooms. Much of the English lessons are review, and today included much review of past material as well. It is difficult to teach the material to the students at a decent level of comprehension when we only see each student for two class periods a week. Therefore, review and application of the English they learn is essential. I reviewed the TH sounds with the students first, making sure they bite their tongue to make the correct sound. The Japanese have a tendency to pronounce TH sounds like and S. For example, they might say, "Sank you," instead of thank you.

Chuck Sensei and I took turns teaching numbers to the students. Number are great because the students are already familiar with the visual representations of numbers, and they need only know how say them. Numbers are not entirely universal as far as communicative language, but they are more so than words and phrases. We played some fun games in which the students were given a few numbers and they had to guess the order of the numbers that gives us the correct cost of something. For example, a light bulb is 134 yen. After working a lot with numbers, I worked on past tense with the students. I started with simple "repeat after me" phrases, but then moved on to simply asking them what they studied yesterday or what they did last weekend.

After school today I decided to go for a swim. It was not just the fact that this was the most humid day I have ever experienced in my life, but also that I will be swimming two kilometers with the fifth graders in a few weeks. Basically, I wanted to get some exercise and get a feel for swimming again. I am glad I did, because I realized what a workout swimming for distance is...I was dying. It is difficult, but I think it is important that I be ready to swim with the students. Most teachers just watch the kids swim, but I hope to spark at least a little bit of hope in the students when they are trying to make that long journey in the water. I am going to swim with them and make the event even more special for both myself and the students. In short, I need to start swimming more!

Yuko prepared sukiyaki for our last dinner together. Sukiyaki is sooooo good! Junpei flipped on the television during dinner and I could not believe my eyes; the television show Full House was on! It was great to see a familiar show. I used to watch Full House all the time, but this time it was in Japanese. Still, it was a very entertaining show. After dinner, we all went outside to enjoy some fireworks. Junpei ran around crazily with his sparklers. I kept thinking about how the Fourth of July is next Tuesday; I usually go up to our cabin in Woodruff, Wisconsin to watch fireworks. Junpei thought he would try to scare me when I was walking through the house, but I ended up scaring him so bad that he started to cry. I don't think he wanted to, it was more like a reflex. Poor Junpei. We played some silly games on the Harry Potter DVD, and then went to bed.

Day 36: Challenge Yourself

This morning I awoke ready for another week of teaching at Notre Dame Elementary. Being at the Hotta'’s house is relaxing and I feel a bit reenergized. Everyday I open the shades wide open so that I can see the beautiful garden outside. I took a picture which actually turned out well. The garden is very peaceful and relaxing, so I often work at the table right by the window. This morning I packed up my computer, had breakfast with the family, and hit the road.

When I arrived at school, the first activity on the schedule was an all school assembly in ND Hall. The school let the students vote on what the new school motto should be. The students were able to choose from four proposals made by Sister Beatrice. I think that two of them really stood out for me: always challenge yourself, and never give up. They are both good, but I like the motto that encourages the students to always challenge themselves. I still think they should never give up, but continually challenge oneself is how we become better people. Coming to Japan to teach is the challenge that I am currently testing myself with. I think that the students will be better off in life if they are brave and take on new challenges.

After the morning gathering, I spent some time planning the second grade English lessons with Afrela Sensei. We decided to start each class with the body parts song the kids sing to while I play the guitar. Next, we moved on to studying family. I drew a family tree on the blackboard, held up word cards, and the students had to tell me who the person is before I would place the card on the family tree. The students then played a game using the family tree in their English books. One person would cover up a family member, and the other would have to guess who it was. Afrela and I created a dramatization of Disney characters introducing their family members. The kids really enjoy when we do skits for them, and they all pay close attention too. I acted as both the father (reading a newspaper) and the brother (playing with a ball and wearing a baseball cap). Once the students seemed to have a good grasp on the storyline and the family members, I made them put their heads down while I removed one of the cards. The students had to be able to speak the words from the missing card to earn points. I then mixed up all the parts of the story on the black board and the students had to put them back into the correct order. Afrela, Miko, and I focus a lot on vocabulary and sequence with the first and second grade students.

Whenever I have a free moment in my office, it seems that everyone knows. Mr. Yukita asked me to edit a letter he had written to send to the principal of a school in Australia who is arranging home-stays for the Discovery students. I spent about a half hour making some changes to the letter on his computer. Mr. Yukita also asked me to teach with Chuck Sensei tomorrow, since he will be teaching alone. I was planning on helping Afrela Sensei, but I agreed to help Chuck instead.

Throughout the day I put together some activities for today’s advanced English class. After school I headed over to the advanced English house and waited for the kids. First, I had the students practice communicating ideas to their peers through a fun game. We learned the names of many different shapes using a large posterboard I brought along. The students sat back to back and one partner had to draw two of the shapes on their paper. Then, the students had to explain to their partner how to draw what they drew. Most of the kids did very well, but I had to emphasize some things they should describe, like size, orientation, and location. The students enjoyed the game.

For our second activity we worked with word families and rhyming. I had volunteers help me read the story Green Eggs and Ham to the other students. After reading the book I wanted to work with some poetry, but we simply didn't have time. I sat in a circle with the kids and started a simple rhyming game. I started with a word and then passed the ball of yarn to another student. That student had to say a word that rhymed with mine, and so on. I had to change the rhymes a couple of times, because the kids got stuck. Overall, the activity really got the students thinking, using their vocabulary, recognizing word patterns, and learning new words from their peers. The yarn added a fun twist to the activity, and we ended up all tied together in a large web of yarn.

Back at the Hotta's house I had some time to work before dinner was ready. You will not be surprised to hear what Junpei said before the meal was even finished: "Ryan. Second floor. DVD?" "Yes Junpei. When I am finished with my beer," I replied. We ended up watching Jurassic Park II, which is exactly the same as Jurassic Park I. I enjoy spending time with the little man, and I can tell that he enjoys my company.

Day 35: Sightseeing

Last night I made sure to get lots of sleep. After all, it is the weekend. I am a bit sore this morning, but mostly just from sunburn and not muscle pain. The whole family had breakfast together again today: Junpei, mom, dad, grandpa, both grandma's, and I. I usually only follow about a third of the conversations going on, but it is fun just to watch them because they are such happy and light-hearted people. After breakfast I made phone call to my beautiful girlfriend Lindsay and caught up with some emails before a day of sightseeing with the family.

Kazuo and I went to the Zen temple Ryoanji, which is very close to Kinkakuji. The most attractive part of the Temple is the main Zen rock garden. Everyone sits quietly next to the garden and stares at it for some time. There are fifteen large rocks placed in the garden, and their meaning or placements are open to the viewers interpretation and imagination. I didn't try to think too deeply, because it was enough just to stare at the garden's beauty, elegance, and simplicity. Today was a rainy day, but Kazuo described the color contrasts of the garden during more favorable times of the year. He said that the grey of the rocks in the garden, the beige of the walls surrounding it, the perfect blue sky above, and the white cherry blossoms can make the garden even more beautiful. Ryoanji is one fo the most beautiful and serene places I have ever seen. If there were not tourists there, then it would be the most aesthetically pleasing atmosphere for a person to find peace. I can only imagine how awesome it must have been hundreds of years ago.

Kazuo and I met up with the rest of the family at Tenryu-ji Temple for some sightseeing there. Tenryu-ji is also famous for its Zen gardens. As we walked past the large pond in the garden, all of the carp followed closely in the water. The Japanese love carp. We walked deep into the more forested part of the garden and we could here the singing if Japanese Knightingales. Two of them flew really close to us, but Junpei scared them away in about two seconds.

For lunch we all went to a restaurant across the street from Tenryu-ji Temple. I had some cold tofu, somen (noodles), rice, and some kind of shellfish. Junpei requested that we go to a bookstore, so we headed there after lunch. I looked at some Japanese novels and some Japanese cookbooks too. I will really miss the food here, because it is both delicious and healthy. Near the bookstore is an import shop which sells foods from all over the world. I wa excited to see what American foods they had to offer. My main goal was to find the food that I have been missing the most: salsa and chips. Before to long I found some Old El Paso salsa and Tostitos tortilla chips...yes!

Back home Yuko started to prepare dinner, while Junpei and I finished watching Star Wars Episode II. Dinner was great: pizza, salad, meatballs, and of course my chips and salsa. Junpei tried a chip with some salsa and immediately started screaming and asking for water. I felt bad at first, but then realized he was over reacting. The salsa was not that spicy, but for a Japanese taste, I suppose it was. The Japanese usually eat foods with very mild flavors and little spices. Junpei's mom and dad really liked the salsa, and there is no question that I did. Kazuo also bought some American beer, Samuel Adams. I don't usually drink Samuel Adams, but it was still more American-tasting.

After dinner I had some time to catch up with my work before bed. Tomorrow starts my sixth week at Notre Dame Elementary! Unbelievable. I am not sure, as of now, what my duties will be for this week. Mr. Yukita is back from his trip to America, so I may find myself in several different classroom scenarios this week.

Day 34: 2006 Beatrice Cup

This morning Yuko and her mother made a special breakfast: pancakes!! I love Japanese food, but I also love pancakes. Today was a really fun day. Yuko put together a lunch for me and gave me a couple bottles of water for the day. I wanted to make sure I had a lot of liquids to help me survive this hot day outside, so I also had them stop at a convenience store where I bought a large bottle of Aquarius. The Hotta's dropped me off at the tennis courts near Notre Dame, and that is how it all began. The Pieczulewski's signed me up for the men's doubles and the mixed doubles competitions. Each of us drew cards to decide who our partners would be. I was told before the playing started that I had drawn some good partners.

Everyone at the tournament got together for a group picture before starting the games. The forecast looked like rain for today, but it was actually sunny, really hot, and humid. For the men's doubles I was paired up with a guy named Kim. He was a pretty good player, but so were the two guys we were playing. I was definitely the weakest player out there, but is was my first match of the day. We lost the match 6 games to 2. The picture here shows the expression that was on my face many times throughout the day...frustration. Luckily, there was a competition for the consolation, so we had one more match to play together. This time Kim and I actually played Charles Pieczulewski and his partner, a funny old man who kept making faces at me. I played pretty well during the match, but I still made my share of mistakes. We ended up leading five games to three and then I closed out the match for a 6-3 win! It was awesome to win a match.

For lunch I joined the families under the shade of a large tree at the edge of the park. It was nice to be out of the sun. Unfortunately the ants thought it was a nice place as well. The Hotta showed up after lunch to watch me play tennis. They also brought me more water, which I needed desperately. My next match was in the mixed doubles category. My partner had already finished winning the women's singles, so I thought we had a good chance as long as I didn't blow it. Our first match we played a good couple. I think I played really well actually. I am naturally a competitive person, so it was very enjoyable for me when I was playing well. My partner and I won the first match six games to one! That was a good confidence booster in itself. The next pair we played included my old partner, Kim. It seems that Kim had warmed up his game throughout the day as well; He and his partner beat us six games to two. The games we did win were convincing, but we just didn't win enough of them.

Sachiko Pieczulewski and her partner we in the final match against Kim and his partner, who had just beaten us. The final match was a nail-biter, ending with a score of six games to five! I am glad I wasn't in the final match because both of those pairs really played well. I was also looking forward to getting out of the sun. Kim and his partner won the mixed doubles. I got a picture with each of my partners, and then the Pieczulewski's surprised me with some great gifts: calligraphy of my name that Sachiko made, and a really cool hanging tapestry for displaying the calligraphy. It will look nice hanging up at my house.

I took a shower right when I got back to the Hotta's, and my sunburn from today really became evident. For dinner we had fried pork and chicken, which is really delicious with the sauce they use. Every meal is so nice when I am with such great families. Before I was even done with my meal Junpei said, "Ryan. Second floor. Star Wars DVD?" Now I have gotten used to telling him, "Okay, but after I finish my beer." This way I at least have some control over when I go upstairs with him; He watches anxiously and his parents just laugh.

Day 33: Basketball

Chuck and did not have English classes today, so my plan was to catch up with my emails and blog entries. It is not often that I get time along to work, and it was not about to happen today at school. Mr. Yukita and Sister Beatrice were back at school today after their near two week trip to America. Mr. Yukita brought me a package of beef jerky for a little taste of home. He administered an English listening test to a group of students before school, so I observed the assessment. The students basically had to look at a picture and pick the correct descriptive phrase out of three possibilities.

This morning I had a meeting with Shimizu Sensei, the head of the committee overseeing my stay and teaching activities here at Notre Dame Elementary. I scheduled the meeting mainly to discuss my formal evaluations, which need to be submitted to St. Norbert College in order for me to graduate. It is a bit frustrating that SNC uses the same evaluation for overseas student teachers as for those people student teaching in the United States. I think that the goals should be the same, but in a place like Japan where the culture and language is so different, I think other factors should be taken into consideration as well. All I know is that I am working hard, doing my best, and seeking out additional teaching opportunities everyday. This Wednesday I will be teaching English to a group of parents, and next week I will be teaching a group of parents about the United States. It will be fun teaching even outside of the regular school hours.

Today I played a ridiculous amount of basketball. During the students recess I was monitoring the students in the gym, which is right next to my office. Instead of just standing there I joined the game along with another teacher. After a lunch of fried pork, fried chicken, vegetables, and rice, I had limited time to work in my office before my next class. Shimizu Sensei asked for me to help her class during their P.E. lesson. We split the class into two groups: dodgeball, and basketball. I took the basketball kids to the Second Court and split them up into two teams. Shimizu Sensei even gave me my own whistle! I felt so powerfulJ. After school today we had our weekly club activities for the students. Guess what I did…Yes, I played basketball. We worked on dribbling the ball different ways before actually playing games. Anytime I can teach, get exercise, and have fun with the kids is great time for me. It was quite humid today, though. This rainy season’s horrible humidity is starting to be a daily occurrence.

After the club activities, Yuko Hotta picked me up and we went to a sports facility where Junpei was getting private swimming lessons. They have a really nice complex, including areas for every type of physical activity: dancing, swimming, weight lifting, racquetball, etc. We watched Junpei swim from a lobby on the floor above. Junpei is funny to watch no matter what he is doing.

For dinner tonight we had some tako (octopus), cheese fondue, unagi (eel), salad, and a sort of omelet with beef inside. Junpei’s grandparents drove here today from Himeiji for a visit; they are great people to spend time with. Junpei’s grandfather is very proud of the things he has built around the house, and the garden which he works on himself. Apparently he got stung by a bee in the garden today. It might not sound like a big deal, but the bees here are huge! They all wanted to see pictures of me and my family again, even though they have seen them before. After looking at all the pictures they told me that I have to bring my girlfriend next time I come to Japan. Junpei’s grandpa smiled and suggested Lindsay and I have our honeymoon at their house in Himeiji! These are the nicest people ever.

Junpei and I built some things with legos for a while in his room. He always wants to play with me. I have come to realize, though, that I do not even need to play. Usually Junpei just wants me to be in the same room. Still, it is fun to actually play with him from time to time. Before long we were all sitting in the living room upstairs watching their favorite baseball team, the Hanshin Tigers. I was tired and went to bed before the end of the game. Tomorrow will be a big day for me, since I will be playing in the 2006 Beatrice Cup Tennis Tournament!

Day 32: Goodbye Otsuki's

This morning I had my last meal with the Otsuki Family. I gave them a thank you card and several gifts for the family. It has been great staying with them, despite the fact that we only had a few days together. I will always remember their kindness and their great personalities. Mayuko and had fun together playing baseball and always singing Do-ray-me together as we walked down the street. Yoko always loved to practice her English with me, and she would always tell me a story for her English class at school called Freddy the Leaf. I have never heard the story before, but it was entertaining to hear her tell it. It is always difficult saying goodbye in the morning, because it always seems like there is not enough time.

Today I had four classes of fourth graders to teach. The lesson I prepared for today included a greeting, prayer, counting to one trillion, review of time (What do you do at __?), and an introduction to past tense. I really wanted to make the past tense clear to the students, so I really emphasized the difference between to day and the past. Before reviewing their schedule for today and having them say, "I study English at nine o'clock," I first asked them what day today is. When the review was finished I told them, "Okay. That is today's schedule, but what did you do yesterday?" I went through several examples with the students, having them repeat after me: I played basketball yesterday, I played soccer yesterday, etc. Next, the students had to speak the phrases on their own using pictures of the classroom subjects: I studied Japanese yesterday, I studied math yesterday, etc.

To draw a concrete connection for the students, I used their actual class schedule from yesterday for the game we played. The students had to choose the correct cards to place on the board to complete the phrase, "I _______ _______ yesterday." I would read a class from their schedule (I studied math yesterday at nine o'clock) and they would decide what terms I used. As another adaptation, Chuck had three students come up and memorize yesterday's schedule for ten seconds. By memory, the students would then have to answer the question, "What time did you study science yesterday?" The first student to answer correctly got the point. I enjoy teaching English and I think that Chuck and I work well together. It is always best when team-teachers can sort of feed off of each other and make the lessons more effective, and I think that is what Chuck and I are able to do.

Back at the Hotta's after school, I met Junpei's English tutor and helped with the lesson. After
the lesson Junpei and I watched some of the movie Madagascar. He just likes the Move-it song part of the movie, but I think it is more entertaining when he sings the song and dances. For dinner tonight we actually had lasagna and pizza! I love Japanese food, but this meal really put a smile on my face. Junpei always says to me before I am even done eating, "Ryan. Second floor. Play." He says it like I have a choice; Of course I will come upstairs to play. We played a few computer games and then went to bed.

Day 31: Taking over

After this morning's staff meeting, I had a few minutes to play dodgeball with the kids in the gym. The students are there every morning, but I usually prepare materials and write in this blog in the mornings. It is always fun playing dodgeball with the kids, perhaps because it is so easy. It takes little effort to dodge the balls they throw, and they are helpless when I want to hit them;

Today I had four classes with the third graders. We reviewed numbers, vehicles, and statements like, "I have four red apples." The students have been practicing these phrases a lot, so today I introduced a new set of phrases: "How many ___ are there?" and "There are ____ _____." I integrated the musical instruments, vehicles, and sounds which are a focus of this month's curriculum into a powerpoint game with the new phrases. I was impressed by the level of the students thinking and understanding of the material. I think drawing the connection between the past and the new material helped their understanding.

This morning Chuck made a good point clear to me, that we shouldn't gesture with our hands when it is not necessary. It is important for the students to have to listen to the teacher in English class and make sense of what he or she is saying. For instance, if I ask them all to stand up, then I should not gesture for them to do so but simply make the request verbally. Before the lunch period was over Chuck and I visited the fourth grade classrooms to record their schedule for the day; I want to use the students actual schedules for my lesson on past tense tomorrow. The afternoon classes went well, but the kids seemed a bit wound up. Chuck had to leave early today, so I took over the last class of the day without him. I enjoy teaching more when I have chance to be completely independent.

Mayuko and I took the bus home again today. When we got back I went straight upstairs to spend some time with the Otsuki's. We watched videos of Yoko playing violin at recitals when she was younger. She was not pleased to hear that we watched them, but I enjoyed them. I finally had a chance to share my photo album with the Otsuki's. Tonight was actually my last night with them, and we have not had much time to get to know one another. Our last dinner together was at a place nearby called Kushihachi, or something like that. Basically, everything is on a stick. Some of the new things I tried were fried quail eggs, takoyaki (has octopus in it), and raw carp. I like trying new things and seeing what Japanese food is all about, but if I would have know they were going to order raw carp I would have stopped them. It didn't taste that bad, and I like most sashimi, but it is carp! I am definitely putting carp (especially sashimi) on the list of things that we just should not be eating.

It was a fun last meal with the Otsuki's. Mayuko was testing me with these riddles and mind games. Think about these riddles, then check the answers below:
(1) There is a mother and a daughter, and the daughter had a glass filled half way with orange juice. There is no ice in the glass, and the mother tells the daughter to drink the juice fast before the ice melts. Why?
(2) You have three apples to split amongst five people. How do you do it equally without cutting the apples?
(3) There is a blue bird and a red bird sitting in a tree. A hunter has two blue bullets. The red bird can only be killed with red bullets and the blue bird only with blue bullets. The hunter fires one shot and both birds fall to the ground dead. How did this happen?

We had a lot of fun tonight, and I really appreciate the Otsuki's kindness and generousity. Tomorrow I will be moving again.

Riddle answers:
1.) The glass is made of ice.
2.) You crush the apples and make juice.
3.) The hunter shot the blue bird and its mate, the red bird, died of a broken heart.

Day 30: "Adjust We Must"

This morning I had breakfast with my new host family, the Otsuki's. Yoko shocked her parents by showing up to the dining table in her school uniform. They told me that she usually just sits down in less appropriate clothing for breakfast with the family. They thanked me because they think that I am the reason Yoko dressed nicely this morning. I thought it was pretty funny, but we all probably act a little differently when we have guests.

Hiroshi walked Mayuko and I to the bus stop. We were actually a couple minutes late for the bus, but fortunately another Notre Dame Elementary parent asked the bus driver to wait for us. Mayuko and I made it on the bus for a short ride to school. No matter what mode of transportation one takes to Notre Dame in the morning, they are bound to see other Notre Dame students along the way. The bus Mayuko and I were on picked up several children dressed in their Notre Dame Elementary School uniforms.

This week will be another week in which Chuck and I will take over all of Mr. Yukita's English classes. First thing this morning I prepared some word cards for an activity I created, which I will explain further. The lesson for today focused on numbers, and phrases dealing with time. I started the lesson with a greeting and then a prayer in English. Then, we moved on to numbers. I focused mostly on the difference between _teen and _ty. Most of the English lessons include a lot of recitation and question/answer activities for the students, but I also try to design activities that are more fun and engaging. After Chuck Sensei introduced counting up to one trillion, I had only limited time for the activity I had planned. I designed a game for the students to play and review phrases like, "I study math at nine o'clock." I wrote the phrase on the blackboard and left spaces for the students to place the word cards I created. The students asked me questions like, "What do you do at ten o'clock?" Then I would reply with something like, "I study science at ten o'clock," and the student-volunteers would have to complete the statement on the blackboard. I wanted the students to review the phrases, but I also wanted them to get used to the activity so that I can use it for introducing past tense phrases in our next lesson. Most classes only had about ten minutes to play the game, but at least they will be familiar with the format for next time.

The big adjustment that I had to make today was switching from the fourth grade classes to the first grade classes. After lunch, I helped Afrela Sensei with the first grade English classes. Miko Sensei, who usually teaches with Afrela, was absent today. The younger grades are so much fun to teach! We celebrated the June birthday's with singing and having them blow out candles on a fake birthday cake. Afrela and I constructed a family tree on the blackboard and reviewed family names with the students. We also introduced three new terms: aunt, uncle, and cousin. Afrela told the students to close their eyes and put their heads down while I removed one of the family members from the family tree. The students had to figure out which person was missing and say, for example, "My uncle." We also sang a few songs with the students, reviewing body parts, months of the year, and family. I played the guitar for a couple songs. The last class of the day Afrela had some trouble setting up the computer, and I improvised with some guitar and the students were laughing and dancing around to my melodies; it was hilarious.

Mayuko took me to the bus stop with her after school. I follow really close when going new places, because I have no idea where I am going. Mayuko's friend also came home with us looking to play with "the American." The three of us walked to a nearby park and played baseball with some of the other neighborhood kids. The first time I was at bat I whacked the tennis ball clear out of the park with the plastic bat they gave me. I didn't think it would really go very far, but the kids were amazed. I had fun playing with them. It is times like that that I make myself take a long look around and realize that I am in Japan. It is still crazy being here and living the Japanese life.

Back at home we had Yakiniku for dinner. Yakiniku is really good, consisting of grilled beef and vegetables mostly. I was planning on sharing my photo album with the Otsuki's, but we ended up just talking for a while. The kids brought out movie magazines to share with me. When you go to a movie here in Japan they sell magazines or guides for the movie you are going to see. They have all seen the Davinci Code, which I want to see but probably wont until I am back in the United States.

Day 29: Swimming Lessons

This morning I awoke a bit earlier than usual, so that I could wrap gifts for the Pieczulewski's and pack my suitcase for another new homestay family. For breakfast we had some of the leftover peanut butter marble cake that Sachiko and Naomi baked, some fresh fruit, and some freshly-made muffins. Time is always a factor here in Japan, and I didn't have much time before school to give the Pieczulewski's their gifts. I made Sachiko open the bamboo napkin holder I made for them first. I think she was surprised to get such a gift. I admit it is a bit strange, but it is something that they can use and something I spent time making for them. I also gave them Wisconsin Badger baseball caps to wear. Secretly my mission in Japan is to change everyone into Green Bay Packer or Wisconsin Badger fans. I think they enjoyed their gifts, and I was happy to give a little something back for their hospitality. They invited me to play in the annual Beatrice Cup Tennis Tournament, which is next Saturday! Tennis is a lot of fun, so I look forward to playing next weekend.

Up to this point at Notre Dame Elementary, I have mostly taught English classes or about Wisconsin. Today, I taught swimming! This morning started with swimming lessons for the third grade classes. Kawakami Sensei gave me a group of students who needed to practice swimming underwater. It was my job to teach them how, which was challenging given the language barrier. I had the students practice each part of the underwater swim: (1) take a death breathe, (2) arms straight and together over their head, (3) keep kicking. It sounds simple, but I just observed the students and most of them seemed to be having trouble with one of the three aspects. Therefore, I had them practice all three steps. It was nice to use numbers with them, since they could definitely understand that.

After lunch I had swimming lessons for the fifth grade classes. The fifth graders classes are a bit more serious, considering they are basically training for their two kilometer swim in the sea next month. I was given another group of students to teach for the two hour class. I focused on the kicking and arm strokes of the breast stroke form. The students really needed work on the kicking. The students practiced their kicks using kickboards and I pulled students out of the pool to work on the form of their kicks. I helped them move their legs correctly, and most of them did experience some improvement in their breast stroke form and speed. I wasn't exactly prepared to teach swimming, but I handled it well. It just goes to show how hard the teachers here work. The teachers clean, setup events, and go along with their students for all subjects. If the students have swimming, then the teacher is in the pool giving lessons. If the students have lunch, then the teacher is in the lunchroom serving meals and leading the students in prayer. The work ethic of the teachers here is amazing.

Today after school I was picked up by my new homestay family, the Otsuki's. Mayuko Otsuki is a fourth grader, and I have had her in English class many times. Together with her mother, we went to visit Ginkakuji Temple. The temple itself was not very impressive, but the zen gardens of rock, moss, trees, and ponds were awesome! I had heard about the temple's spectacular gardens from my brothers, who visited there during their visit a couple weeks ago. This temple was built by the son of the Shogun who built Kinkakuji, with the famous Golden pavilion. The son did a better job with the gardens and landscaping, but he died before he had time and money to cover the pavilion with silver leaf.

The Mrs. Otsuki showed me to my room back at their house. I will be sleeping in their tatami room on the first floor. Their home is narrow, but it is three stories tall with its own elevator! I feel bad because I wish I could spend more time and effort with the family, but I have been busy and tired since Chuck and I took over all of Mr. Yukita's classes. For dinner, they prepared some meatloaf and many side dishes. I was flattered to see that they tried to write "Ryan" on the meatloaf using kernels of corn. What sweet people. After dinner I went through several photo albums with the family. I chose to postpone sharing mine until tomorrow; I was really tired and still had to finish the lesson materials for tomorrow. I completed the work I needed to, setup my internet at the Otsuki's, checked my email, and went to sleep.

Day 28: Father's Day

Today was a special day for many reasons. First of all, it was Father's Day. Secondly, it was also Charles Pieczulewski's birthday! Today was also my last day with the Pieczulewski family. I awoke this morning around seven to the sound of Naomi and Sachiko making a peanut butter marble cake for Charles. They tell me that he really likes peanut butter.

The four of us at some bananas to hold us over until after church. We rode bikes to the Pieczulewski's church, which many of the other teachers and Notre Dame families attend. It was much like a church mass in the United States, but with one obvious difference: it was in Japanese. It was interesting to see that when the time had come in which Americans usually shake hands and say, "Peace be with you," the Japanese simply bowed to the people around them. I was glad that I was able to experience church in Japan.

We rode our bikes back along the Kamo River to the Pieczulewski's. We made some delicious waffles with strawberries, kiwi, maple syrup, and whipped cream for breakfast. For some entertainment, we played another game of Apples to Apples Junior. Naomi, Sachiko and I sang happy birthday to Charles and then tried some of the cake they had made...it was delicious. We definitely had our share of sweet things this morning, but we worked some of the food off playing tennis. I am not a great tennis player, but it was a lot of fun playing. The Pieczulewski's are part of a Notre Dame Elementary parents group which does a lot of sporting activities together. I watched Charles closely during his first game, in hopes that I might have some idea what is going on when it was actually my turn to play. During my first match, I was not good at all. The serving was the hardest part. My next match was much better and I think I held my own for those four games. I think it would be fun to pickup tennis when I get back home, if I can find people to play with.

We all walked home, took showers, and got ready for dinner. The Pieczulewski's made a reservation at a nice restaurant in Kyoto Station. They have long been talking about a delicious and fun meal called shabu shabu. The meal is a lot like fondu with meat and vegetables, but you cook in bowl of hot water at your table. They slice the meat really thin and you simply sweep the food through the water a couple times and it is done! The sound the food makes in the hot water as you cook is how the meal got its name, "shabu shabu." Not only was the meal delicious, but it was fun to cook and eat with friends. The Pieczulewski's are a lot of fun to spend time with. We have done a lot together and I am grateful for their kindness. They know what it is like to live in America, so we got to move past those simple things quickly and really get to know each other well.

Day 27: Eventful Saturday

All of us at Yamanoie went to bed so early last night, that I didn't need an alarm clock to wake up at 5:30am. The kids woke up at six, so that gave me some time to shower and write in my journal. I took a short walk down the road to look at all of the rice fields in the valley. The morning sun was shining bright and all but the water rolling through the stream below was quiet.

Everyone gathered outside for morning exercises. The Japanese like to do morning exercises. There are several radio broadcasts each morning that people can tune in to and exercise with. We used a tape recording of a radio show for some fun stretches. I have heard that some Japanese companies and schools even have their workers or students do exercise routines together; try getting Americans to cooperate in such an activity!

Breakfast was not bad today: croissants, bananas, milk, fish sausages, and fresh tomatoes and cucumbers from the garden outside. The sausages were made of some sort of fish. They didn't taste too bad, but the texture was very strange. After breakfast I was lucky enough to catch a few minutes of the 2006 US Open on the television in the teachers' room. Tiger Woods golfed horribly and did not even make the cut! Phil Mickleson was in second place with an even par. Watching golf and other simple things that feel a bit more like home is always a nice experience.

The students were evaluated on the presentation of the craft items that they constructed yesterday. Of course, I also shared my bamboo napkin holder, but napkins themselves are foreign to the students. Looking at their work it is easy to see that the students are very creative. Each student was also required to write about their creation and give themselves grades for the activities at Yamanoie. I think they all did a great job. I can't wait to go back to Yamanoie again in two weeks.

When I arrived back to the Pieczulewski's house a little after noon, they were all ready to go to Otsu for a company barbecue. I was happy to go with, since grilling outside is definitely an activity that I am used to doing in the summer back home. This time, though, we would be grilling on the shore of Lake Biwa! Unfortunately for us, the weather decided not to cooperate. I was lucky not to get stuck in the rain at Yamanoie, but the rain eventually rolled in today. The crowd at the park seemed indifferent to the weather. Charles Pieczulewski's co-workers just kept throwing food on the grill, despite the rain. Unlike grilling in Wisconsin, we didn't cook brats, burgers, chicken and hot dogs. The guys grilling made sausages, small marinated pieces of beef, cow tongue, okonomiyaki, and large shellfish. I tried a little bit of everything. All of the food was tasty, but the shellfish was very strange to me; they grilled the entire shell first, and then pulled the meat out of the shell, of which I only ate the muscle part.

After the rain became heavier, we all packed up and left the park. The Pieczulewski's and I went to a hot spring called Kurama Onsen. I had heard about these types of hot springs from my parents, who have experienced them before. The are, essentially, public baths: you shower, rinse, and then relax in the warm bath water. Charles and I sat in the indoor bath and sauna for a short time, before moving outside to the bath with a view.

The bath house is sitting on the side of a mountain in northern Kyoto. It was still raining lightly, making it even more interesting sitting in the hot tub outside; the water was hot, but the raindrops falling were cool and refreshing. On the opposing side of the narrow valley there was nothing but tall green pines. We just stared at that mountain slope in awe of its simple beauty. Light clouds drifting through the valley had to fight their way through the thick treetops. I wish I could have taken a picture, but taking a camera into a public bath is probably not a good idea.

After a long, relaxing soak in the hot baths, we all sat in the massage chairs near the locker rooms. They were full body massage chairs and felt pretty awesome. Sometimes it was a bit painful, but overall it felt great. We all left refreshed and relaxed, ready to go find some dinner and go home. Charles knows of a great okonomiyaki place, and okonomiyaki is always cool with me. This particular restaurant was pretty large, having an upstairs and a downstairs full of tables. We had some huge orders of different types of okonomiyaki. We even had a type with yaki soba noodles in it! Squid is also popular in okonomiyaki, so we had some of that as well. At home we watched Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. It has been a while since I have seen a Star Wars movie, but I do love them. It was especially exciting watching on the Pieczulewski's widescreen television with a Bose surround sound system.

What a great day!

Day 26: Yamanoie

I find it hard to believe that it is already the middle of June! Time is flying by so quickly lately. Our natural instinct is to try with all of our might to hold on to each moment, only to have them slip from our grasp even more quickly than before. I think that the children have the best of both sides. They don’t realize the time passing or sit and reflect on the day’s events; instead, they play, they laugh, they smile, and never look back.

Today was not a typical day at school, since I joined the third and fourth graders for an overnight trip to Yamanoie (the mountain school). Sachiko helped me prepare everything for the trip: water, tea, rice balls, rain gear, garbage bags, gardening gloves, etc. For breakfast we had some good old-fashioned French toast with Canadian maple syrup. Lately we have been eating biwa fruit, which is native to Japan and in season this time of year. Biwa tastes a lot like a peach, but smaller and not quite as sweet. The weather this morning looked promising for a nice day to spend outside. The weather forecast has repeatedly predicted rain, which is only natural considering that it is rainy season. Even if it was pouring rain outside, the bus still would have left at 9:00am.

Surprisingly, I didn’t fall asleep on the bus. I was trying very hard to pay attention to the location of Yamanoie. I even sketched a small map and tried to note any landmarks that might help me locate Yamanoie in the Google Earth program. My goal is to mark the major places that I have been in Japan. The only good landmarks I noted are the Kamo River and the mountains, which doesn’t help locate much of anything in the Kyoto area. It will be hard to find Yamanoie, since we crossed the Kamo River over six times, and all of the mountains look similar.

The students led the opening ceremony at Yamanoie, and I even said a few words. In short, I expressed our good fortune avoiding a rainy day, and told the kids to be safe and enjoy the day. The first assignment involved a trek through the woods. The groups of students needed to locate the trees with questions on them, answer the questions, and move on to the next. Each team’s goal was to complete all ten questions and return to the main complex within one hour. If a team took longer than one hour, then points were deducted from their total score. Some of the trails were quite steep, wet, and challenging to follow. The kids were all racing around, but I was enjoying the hike and the beautiful scenery. I must be honest; I was also keeping my eye out for the monkeys that dwell in the woods here. My job was just to watch the kids and make sure there were not any fights or things of that nature. The students behaved very well, and I ended up helping one of the last groups find a question they were missing. The group of girls I helped finished last, but at least they had a chance to answer all of the questions after I took them back to the top where question three was located.

After the race, Kawakami Sensei showed me the traditional Japanese style house that the students were in the process of constructing. Apparently the students build a new one every five years. It is very unique for a school to have such fun, applicable, and hands-on experiences for the students. The school owns up to the peak of this small mountain, offering more than enough space for exploration and experiential learning. This trip to Yamanoie makes me think of summer back in Wisconsin; if I were home I would definitely be planning some camping trips. It is always nice to have a trip in which you can get a taste of the outdoor life.

Sachiko made me some rice balls to take along today for lunch. I like the salmon rice balls, but I also tried some of Naomi’s favorite, a sour plum rice ball. I ate lunch with two girls, Mizuki and Mayuko, on the steps of the schoolhouse. After lunch, the students had another fun assignment: each group had to make something from the supplies they brought with them and the natural things they can collect from the woods. The students were really excited to be able to create! I saw a lot of great ideas: bow and arrows, swords, Pachinko boards, squirt guns, picture frames, slingshots, and numerous small crafts. I set out to collect some bamboo for my project. The Pieczulewski family lives a lot like Americans, and so they use napkins when eating. Sachiko told me she has been searching for a napkin holder, but cannot find one because the Japanese do not normally use napkins. As a gift to the Pieczulewski’s, I made a napkin holder for them out of bamboo. I think they will really like it, or at least appreciate my effort.

Around 3:30pm we started preparations for tonight’s dinner. Part of the experience of the trip is preparing our own meals. The students split into several groups and started working. Some students put rice in mess kits and washed the rice, and other students carried wood and paper to start the cooking fires. The rest of the students washed and chopped fresh potatoes, onions, and carrots. Everyone was busy doing their assigned duties. The final product was some delicious curry rice! It is basically a pork, carrot, onion, and potato stew with curry seasoning. I ate with Mizuki and Mayuko again. Mizuki could not stop giggling. She really lost control when I bonked a boy on the head with my bottle of green tea and said, “Kampai!” Basically, I said cheers on his head.

As usual, the students cleaned up after dinner. I helped the other teachers stack the wood for the bonfire tonight, and then pour gasoline on it. It was awhile before all of the students were in their seats around the fire pit. Four lucky students were given bamboo torches for the lighting ceremony. There were a few announcements and songs to be sung as part of the ceremony. I sat back listening to the crackling of the fire and the calming sound of joyful children singing. We even had a fun dance for one of the songs; I didn’t know what the song was, but it was a blast moving around the fire.

Mikasa Sensei told a few stories to the students, which they seemed to love. Then, everyone played a game called Fruit Basket. I was a mango, and every time they called “Mango,” all the mangos had to get up and run to a new seat. It was like musical chairs, but without the music. If they called “Fruit Basket,” then everyone had to stand and find a new seat. Before going inside for the night, we all went for a short night hike through the trails we had walked earlier. These are experiences that the students will not soon forget, and neither will I.

Day 25: More English

Today was an early morning for me, finalizing the activities for my classes today. I am not sure why, but all of the teachers and I had a morning meeting today. Mr. Yukita was not there to translate for me, but I knew some of what was going on. Perhaps the most notable part of the meeting was the presentation of gifts for Ayata Sensei, who is Junpei's home room teacher. Ayata Sensei's wife gave birth to their first child this week, a baby girl! He is a really nice guy and it is easy to see the joy in his eyes lately; I am happy for him.

My classes with the fourth graders today were a lot of fun, and the activities I planned seemed to be very effective. In the morning, I was in R12 and R13. I reviewed the -teen and -ty numbers with the students, and then Chuck had them practice counting numbers all the way to 100. Chuck had the students play bingo with the numbers, and then it was my turn to take over again. I practiced time again with the students, and created a fun game using time. First we reviewed the class schedule and I asked, "What do you do at nine o'clock?" The students replied, "I study math at nine o'clock." The game I created was essentially a race: two students were each give a paper hour hand and then I would say a phrase like, "I study Japanese at eleven o'clock." The first student to correctly place the hour hand, on the large clocks I drew on the chalkboard, earned a point for their row. The students seem to love the game, and it really forced them to think about time. The other great thing about the game is that we adapted it towards the end of class to introduce new material. One of the curriculum goals for this month is to teach past tense phrases. Therefore, we introduced past tense in the same game format: "I studied English at eight o'clock." Next week I will teach the kids more about simple past tense phrases.

My classes today went really well, but there were some challenges throughout the day too. First of all, I had to help one girl during Chuck's bingo game, because she doesn't have a good grasp on numbers in English. Chuck just kept going with the activity, but that is really all he could do. The English program at Notre Dame is very good, but it is still not treated as a core subject. In other words, the students take English classes to absorb what they can from them. As a result, the students' ability levels vary greatly within each class. Another challenge arose at the beginning of my fourth class of the day: a fight between students! I was shocked to see a fight break out right in the classroom. Chuck and I separated the two children and then Chuck took them outside to cool off while I started the lesson. All it took was some time for the students to cool off. If the other students are allowed to take part in such situations, then they only continue to escalate. Within a few minutes the students were back in the class and ready to learn.

Teaching on a regular basis now feels very good. It is nice to have at least a somewhat regular schedule from day to day. Today I saw several similarities between teaching here and teaching in the United States. In particular, adjustments and adaptations can always be made when teaching lessons. After trying a lesson for the first time, it becomes clear to a good teacher what small changes will make the lesson better. Time management is one of the clearest examples of things that teachers can improve on within a lesson. It is difficult to plan exactly how long an activity will take the students, but after one trial the teacher can have a better sense of the time requirement.

Day 24: 3rd Grade Classes

This morning's breakfast was typical Japanese traditional breakfast: miso soup, salted salmon, an egg roll, and rice with edamame (fermented beans). The beans were the interesting part of the meal, because I have heard a lot about them before actually eating them. Maybe it is better to just try new foods and hear about them from other people afterwards. That is if the food in question is not necessarily liked by all. The beans have an interesting scent to them, since they are fermented. Naomi showed me how to add the packet of sauce and stir the beans until they have a somewhat gummy consistency. The visual appeal, nor the smell, is not all that appealing. We put the beans on our rice and then gave them a try. They were...okay. Without the rice, they probably would taste just plain bad, but with the rice they were okay. The rest of the meal was great.

Before my classes today I had time to watch the production of the morning TV show by Notre Dame Broadcasting (a.k.a. the students). It had been a while since I had called my parents, so I called my mom's cell phone with a program on my computer called Skype. Using Skype it only costs me two cents a minute to call anywhere in the world! It is a great deal for anyone really. It was great talking to my mom and dad and seeing what is going on back home. I am enjoying my experience here, but I also miss my family, friends, and the fun summer activities in Wisconsin that I am used to. I can just picture the calmness of Mid Lake outside our cabin in Woodruff, Wisconsin. It would be nice to eat with the family, go fishing, ride the jetski, and play softball on Friday nights in Stoughton. I suppose that in life, it is best to break the mold once in a while. I was super excited to receive my package the other day as well. My mom sent me some things I didn't pack in my suitcase, and I was ecstatic when I got the call that a package had arrived for me. I knew it was coming, but I nearly forgot after all the happenings of the day. Just a simple note can really make my day, or anyone's day. So, never hesitate to give that little bit just to show you are thinking of someone.

Our classes with the third graders today went well. We worked numbers again today, focusing on the difference between __teen and __ty (ex. sixteen and sixty). I went through the numbers with the students repeating after me. It is always fun to test their knowledge and listening skills by saying things like, "twelve and two-ty." The catch on quickly and correct my mistakes: "No, it is twenty." This month's curriculum for English has us teaching new terms as well as new phrases. One of the sets requires us to teach transportation terms. Today I gave a quiz on different transportation terms. Before we get into practicing the terms and learning new ones, we need to assess the students current ability levels. They have not formally been taught many transportation terms, but the students can absorb new information and new English from numerous sources here in Japan. Overall, the students had a good understanding of the terms, but their vocabulary can definitely be expanded. We studied time, which is an addition to the existing curriculum, using the PowerPoint and the students' class schedule on the chalkboard.

After school I went to help with the advanced English classes. Little did I know that it was a party having a lot to do with me. We combined all of the classes for one large session in the lower level. The students each introduced themselves and then asked me a question. Most of the questions were simple: favorite food, favorite color, etc. Of course, there was one little boy with very probing questions. He asked me, "how many girlfriends do you have?" He was funny to talk with. After the interview questions we played a charades game using different types of animals. The kids really enjoyed acting like animals and guessing what their friends pretended to be. Lastly, Afrela made me play some songs on the guitar for the kids, since she heard I like to play. Before going home I spent some time on the computer preparing the lesson for the fourth graders tomorrow.

When I arrived at the Pieczulewski's home, there were two energized young girls waiting for me: Naomi and Sara. The two of them thought of a game which basically involved me walking around the house picking up polished stones they threw everywhere. At first they told me there were 59 stones, then 69, then 79, then 99, and then I quit. I had found most of the stones, but a game with ever-changing rules is not often entertaining. The games of tag and hide & seek which followed the stone game were fun. They have so much energy it is amazing. Sachiko made some curry rice and chicken for dinner! It was awesome!

Day 23: Chuck & I

This will be a short week, but also a very busy one. Today Chuck Sensei and I took over all of Mr. Yukita's English classes, and we will do the same until he returns from his trip to the United States. After a tasty meal including a grilled ham and cheese sandwich, fruit, and coffee, Naomi and I walked to school. I spent the first period of the day checking out the latest teaching jobs listing. So far, I have not had any interview offers. I am looking to apply for some more vacancies sometime this week, if I can find the time to do it here in Japan. I also backed up my computer files, because I take a lot of pictures here and I who hate to lose them.

It was hard tracking down Chuck before class, since he arrived shortly before our first class. We started off teaching English to the fourth graders in rooms thirteen and fourteen. The lesson for today went as follows:
1.) Greeting: "Good morning class. How are you today?"

2.) Prayer

3.) Numbers

3a.) Practice with _teen and _ty (ex. fourteen and forty)

4.) Number quiz

4a.) Recognition and recall/comprehension parts

5.) Time - practice reading clock

6.) "What do you do at __ o'clock?"

6a.) Response: "I study _____ at ___ o'clock."

7.) Review of V, TH, PH pronunciation sounds

8.) Practice with body parts

8a.) Students had to draw a monster with the given number of body parts (ex. three heads)

9.) Practice reciting daily routine

From the morning lessons it was easy to realize several things about teaching this level of students. First of all, it is important to give them a clear time limit for even simple tasks. This keeps the students on task and on track. For example, I simply count down from three, five, or ten, depending on the time I think they need for a step of an activity. Secondly, these students will repeat just about anything you say. If I say, "good job," after an activity, then they will all repeat: "good job!" All I can do is laugh really, but sometimes we keep it going: "Chuck is great"..."Ryan is smart"...etc. The students get a good laugh out of it as well.

The afternoon classes in rooms fifteen and sixteen were also with fourth grade students. The lesson remained pretty much the same throughout the day, with some minor adjustments for time management. It was a fun day teaching English. I think the next couple weeks will be a lot of fun and I will get a good amount of teaching opportunities.

I prepared for tomorrow's lessons after school. I have been getting some exercise somewhat regularly. Today I jogged to a nearby lake. There are about three blocks of city building before a small mountain, and then I jog a path over the mountain. Today I pushed myself a little harder and jogged through a long tunnel to the other side of the lake. The lake and the surrounding park are actually quite beautiful. There were a lot of turtles, birds, and other wildlife to see in the park. The lake is pretty small compared to those I am used to in Wisconsin, but it is a nice place to go.

Back home Sachiko had prepared an excellent dinner once again. We had Unagi (eel) on rice, shellfish soup, and some vegatables. I never thought that I would like eating eel, but I have had it many times here, and I like it a lot. It is always cooked and has some spices or a teriyaki sauce. Tonight the eel had teriyaki sauce on top of it. Sachiko also helped me read a handout I recieved regarding my trip with the thrid and fourth graders to Yamamoie (mountain school). Apparently we will be cooking a lot over a campfire and exploring the trails, so I will need the proper supplies. Another day down and another night of beautiful, deep sleep.

Day 22: Calligraphy

With no school today, it was a great opportunity to sleep a little later than usual. Still, I woke up at around eight o'clock or so; there is always something to work on or something exciting to do. Sachiko made some kiesh for breakfast, along with fresh fruit and bagels. Today's plan was unclear at first, given all the options: hot spring, temples, shrines, calligraphy, Japanese pottery-making, etc. Some more of the Pieczulewski's friends came by for a visit and to say hello to me. They brought me great gift: a Japanese-style fan with spirits of good fortune painted on it. There is no doubt at this point that gift-giving is a part of Japanese culture.










We decided to stay at the house for the day and practice some Japanese calligraphy. Naomi and Mari prepared the dark black ink themselves, but added some pre-made ink just to keep it nice and dark-colored. I just watched the kids at first, noticing that this sort of thing is second nature to them. Each of them even has their own calligraphy kit to work with whenever they need. I started off with some single katakana characters, and eventually wrote my name a few times. Using the paint and brush was relaxing and made learning the characters a lot of fun.

The ultimate goal was to create a display of my name using kanji characters. There were several character combinations which could represent my name, but I chose the one that seemed the "coolest." One of the combinations included symbols that represent flowers and plums or something like that. It might be a good girl's name, but I passed on that combination. The two characters I chose to use represent thunder, and a horse or saddle. I practiced a few times before lunch, but never worked on the final piece. We will finish my calligraphy project sometime this week. Calligraphy is really fun! Painting in general can be a lot of fun, it is just finding the time to do it that is difficult.

For lunch, Sachiko made some pumpkin soup to go with our large order of sushi, which was delivered right to the front door. There were some salmon roe (eggs) pieces of sushi, but I wisely stayed away from those. The kids seem to enjoy the salmon eggs, though. I ate my usual: salmon, tuna, etc. I also tried some squid pieces. The squid wasn't bad at all, since it doesn't have much flavor anyway. A lot of Japanese foods have really light tastes, but they vary widely in textures. Squid has a firmer texture, but it was pretty good.

Today was another hot day, but the heat and humidity will only get worse in the upcoming weeks. I can't wait. After lunch we rested a bit before biking to a nearby park. Sachiko went to the store while Naomi and I played catch in the park. Naomi is so funny: always laughing, smiling, and full of energy. Naomi and I watched a Disney movie when we got home...at least it was in English. Tomorrow will start a new week at school, and I will have a somewhat regular schedule this week since Chuck and I are taking over all of Mr. Yukita's classes. It is a great chance for me.