Day 11: Change
This morning I quickly took a shower so as to leave more time for the Hotta's and I to have breakfast. I grabbed their presents from my room and brought them into the kitchen where the family was sitting around the table. They too had some gifts for me. It was a sad and happy last breakfast with the Hotta's. They had a cake made for me that said, "Ryan Sensei, Arigato" in Japanese katakana writing. I gave Junpei a red Wisconsin shirt and a Green Bay Packers bracelet. I gave Mr. and Mrs. Hotta both grey Wisconsin shirts. I also gave them a wooden USA sign to have for their house. The Hotta's gave me a set of nice handkerchiefs, which are necessary because most public Japanese places do not have paper towel to dry your hands. After breakfast we exchanged cards. The card they gave me told me that they consider me family and will miss me very much. My card to them thanked them for sharing their beautiful family, home, and lives with me. Mr. Hotta was a bit teary, but I think we all were. The Hotta's are great friends and fun to be around. I hope to plan some more things with them in the near future.
School today was a bit different than usual. First of all, all of the kids were dressed differently. The students changed their school uniforms for the summer season, but they look cute in the new ones too. Secondly, today I didn't have classes, but helped the third graders on their hike up Mt. Daimonji. We took a bus to the base of the mountain and then started the hike. The hike was challenging for the kids, which it would have been even if it was not so hot outside today. I love the outdoors and enjoyed helping the kids do the same thing. I was asked to go to Daimonji because as it was there was only one male teacher going and they wanted more just in case. We had to take many water breaks so the kids could rest.
When we reached the top of the 1,500ft mountain the view out of the trees became clearer. I will try to put the magnificence of the view into words, but only your own eyes could possibly do it justice. Surrounding Kyoto are five mountains with Japanese symbols written on them. Each August there is a festival in which spirits are believed to come and visit. When the festival is over the mountains are lit on fire to summon the spirits back to the other world. We were walking on the bonfire paths of the symbol on Daimonji. 
The mountain can be seen from most vantage points in Kyoto. It goes without saying, then, that from the mountainside upon which we stand we can see most of the city. To the right we could see the north ends of the Kamo Gamo (river), which is the most famous river in Kyoto. Straight ahead we could see many patches of trees housing shrines and temples, breaking up the otherwise continuous run of buildings making up the city of Kyoto. Southward we could barely see the Kyoto Tower as the cityscape faded into the white haze of Kyoto's infamous humidity. It was really amazing to be able to see a near birds-eye of the city. Kyoto is a city surrounded by mountains, and the Japanese make use of all the space in between. I am surprised how easy it is for the school to take the students on such risky field trips on a regular basis. The culture here allows more liberties for teachers, and students therefore get to experience a wide range of activities! The United States concerns itself so entirely with lawsuits and liability that many quality learning opportunities are made impossible.
The students and I enjoyed our bento lunches and tea on the mountainside. Some of the young girls started screaming because all of the ants, spiders, and other insects crawling around. There actually were a lot of ants. After the students finished their paintings I was ready to lead them back down the mountain, but the other teachers decided to continue to the very top before turning and heading back down. It was a short hike up some stairs and a muddy trail, but it certainly added some distance for the kids to try and make it back. Probably about half the kids slipped and fell at least once during the hike. It wasn't necessarily dangerous, though, because there was just so much mud. At one point in the decline the kids had to grab a rope and walk down a slippery slope of rock. After seeing a couple students slip, I stood there and helped the other 118 down the rock. By the end of the hike everyone was exhausted.
Our bus arrived back at school at 3:10pm and I was getting picked up at 3:30pm by my new host family, the Nagasaku's. I had to run to my room and pack for the new homestay. All I wanted to do was shower and sleep, but I had to show at all of the courtesy I could to my new host family. The Nagasaku's live in the Shiga Prefecture, which will make my commute to school everyday about one hour by train. Mrs. Nagasaku and I stopped at the Biwa-ko Hotel and had a drink before going to a grocery nearby their house. Once at the Nagasaku's home, they showed me to my room and I rested for a while before our trip to dinner. I just wanted to sleep, but I tried my best. Mrs. Nagasaku and her two daughters, Ai and Midori, went to a sushi bar for out first meal together. This sushi bar was a bit different because the sushi dishes were on a track that rotated around the room and you simply grab the sushi you wish to have. Behind the bar the chefs were making the sushi. There is a large fish tank behind the bar which the chefs grab fresh fish from to filet for sushi. Fresh fish makes all the difference. At home we had to spend some time getting my internet working, and eventually did so. I went to bed as early as I could.
School today was a bit different than usual. First of all, all of the kids were dressed differently. The students changed their school uniforms for the summer season, but they look cute in the new ones too. Secondly, today I didn't have classes, but helped the third graders on their hike up Mt. Daimonji. We took a bus to the base of the mountain and then started the hike. The hike was challenging for the kids, which it would have been even if it was not so hot outside today. I love the outdoors and enjoyed helping the kids do the same thing. I was asked to go to Daimonji because as it was there was only one male teacher going and they wanted more just in case. We had to take many water breaks so the kids could rest.
When we reached the top of the 1,500ft mountain the view out of the trees became clearer. I will try to put the magnificence of the view into words, but only your own eyes could possibly do it justice. Surrounding Kyoto are five mountains with Japanese symbols written on them. Each August there is a festival in which spirits are believed to come and visit. When the festival is over the mountains are lit on fire to summon the spirits back to the other world. We were walking on the bonfire paths of the symbol on Daimonji. 
The mountain can be seen from most vantage points in Kyoto. It goes without saying, then, that from the mountainside upon which we stand we can see most of the city. To the right we could see the north ends of the Kamo Gamo (river), which is the most famous river in Kyoto. Straight ahead we could see many patches of trees housing shrines and temples, breaking up the otherwise continuous run of buildings making up the city of Kyoto. Southward we could barely see the Kyoto Tower as the cityscape faded into the white haze of Kyoto's infamous humidity. It was really amazing to be able to see a near birds-eye of the city. Kyoto is a city surrounded by mountains, and the Japanese make use of all the space in between. I am surprised how easy it is for the school to take the students on such risky field trips on a regular basis. The culture here allows more liberties for teachers, and students therefore get to experience a wide range of activities! The United States concerns itself so entirely with lawsuits and liability that many quality learning opportunities are made impossible.The students and I enjoyed our bento lunches and tea on the mountainside. Some of the young girls started screaming because all of the ants, spiders, and other insects crawling around. There actually were a lot of ants. After the students finished their paintings I was ready to lead them back down the mountain, but the other teachers decided to continue to the very top before turning and heading back down. It was a short hike up some stairs and a muddy trail, but it certainly added some distance for the kids to try and make it back. Probably about half the kids slipped and fell at least once during the hike. It wasn't necessarily dangerous, though, because there was just so much mud. At one point in the decline the kids had to grab a rope and walk down a slippery slope of rock. After seeing a couple students slip, I stood there and helped the other 118 down the rock. By the end of the hike everyone was exhausted.
Our bus arrived back at school at 3:10pm and I was getting picked up at 3:30pm by my new host family, the Nagasaku's. I had to run to my room and pack for the new homestay. All I wanted to do was shower and sleep, but I had to show at all of the courtesy I could to my new host family. The Nagasaku's live in the Shiga Prefecture, which will make my commute to school everyday about one hour by train. Mrs. Nagasaku and I stopped at the Biwa-ko Hotel and had a drink before going to a grocery nearby their house. Once at the Nagasaku's home, they showed me to my room and I rested for a while before our trip to dinner. I just wanted to sleep, but I tried my best. Mrs. Nagasaku and her two daughters, Ai and Midori, went to a sushi bar for out first meal together. This sushi bar was a bit different because the sushi dishes were on a track that rotated around the room and you simply grab the sushi you wish to have. Behind the bar the chefs were making the sushi. There is a large fish tank behind the bar which the chefs grab fresh fish from to filet for sushi. Fresh fish makes all the difference. At home we had to spend some time getting my internet working, and eventually did so. I went to bed as early as I could.
posted by Ryan Harkins at 2:22 p.m.
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