Happy New Year!
It's too way too long since I've written. During the holidays, I pretty much hibernate to work on my biz, and getting ready for Christmas fesitivies. However, this Christmas, I couldn't get my act together, and didn't even send my holiday cards out, especially since I'm in Japan, I thought it would be a special treat to send cards out from Japan, but as usual, I love to relax and horse around then sitting in front of my computer during my down time, and never got around to it....
Well, there has been so much that's been going on, and the kids are in throes of the Japanese school here. Already, Micah will be going to first grade in March, even though he started Kindergarten in September! I feel as if he ended up getting the short end of the stick. It's so hard for me to see him grow up. I still love the fact he sucks his thumb in the middle of the night. (Shh! don't tell him that when you see him, it's a big secret for him!)
Well, ironically, Japan celebrates Christmas, not extensive like America, but Yochien (Kindergarten) did throw on a Christmas play (although it had nothing to do with Jesus' birth). His class acted the story on the "Big Turnip" Well, here is the video, and my son is one of the Mario Brothers doing tricks with the jump rope. Each group of children did some type of act, and they would all try to pull the giant turnip out of the ground.
Some thoughts: I cannot believe the costume, and all the props the kids and the children designed and made. His Mario hat was made out of a garbage red bag with red duck tape, and cotton. It is so cute and sturdy. The whole performance just blew me away. They are so creative and so serious about their education. Please see these 2 clips:
Part I of 4
Part II of 4
3 comments:
Oh those videos were SO cute! They did an amazing job on the costumes.
I wanted to ask you, how have your older children (or all) adapted to school, the language, and reading/writing? Have they transitioned right in without any problems? Of course my curiosity comes from wondering how well my own children will do once we get there. My son will start out in kindergarten and my daughter will be in 3rd grade. I figure your the best person to ask since your kids are right around those ages too! :)
Hello, it's been almost 4 months, and with private tutoring 3 times a week, consistently, and going to school, they know how to read and write. However, their conversation skills are still behind. Really behind! They cannot talk yet, and I believe this is because when they come home, no one speaks in Japanese to them. They need to be immersed completely in the language even after school. With that said, I would think twice before you decide to enroll your children into the Japanese school unless you have outside support where they can join clubs, and other ways to be around the Japanese-speaking children. The fact we live on base is very hard, because when they come home, they run over to their friends' homes. Another reason to have them join some type of after school activities.
Yes, my mother-in-law, my husband, and sister-in-law/her husband all speak Japanese fluently. They would spend the most time around my MIL who is full Japanese, so I'm sure she wouldn't have any problem speaking with them constantly. We will also be living off base, so that might help some too. We're non military, we'd be moving there to be closer to my husband's family.
I can understand your concerns and I'm sure that part is VERY difficult for your kiddos! It's like they live in 2 countries... Japan by day, US by night. :)
By the way, I added you to my FB (Nicole Vance), but not sure if you are taking friends who you've not met in real life. :) I just really love your blog because you give me so much insight as to what the some of the experience might be like for us. Especially for schooling because I know most American's kids will go to school on base while ours will *hopefully* go off base.
Thanks for answering my questions! I totally appreciate it! :D
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