Hanna with Ms. Jennifer, her teacher
Last week was full of play dates (all the kids are trying SO hard to see each other before everyone departs to their home countries for the summer!). Hanna had the chance to have her first play date with a friend from school, which THRILLED her. She loves the kids in her class, but her class is so small, and none of the kids live in our same area,so it has made after school playing a lot more difficult for her than it was in Michigan. She also discovered a new friend, Mei, who recently moved into our building. Mei is 5,and Hanna has declared her "my new best friend". Hanna also had a field trip to the Shinigawa Aquarium this past week. Since we had already been there, we didn't stay too long- but we did get to see the dolphin show, which was much better with an upfront seat than it was the last time we were there in the nosebleed section!
This past Wednesday, I had a chance to spend some time in Hanna's class, and even got to read some stories to them. Her class is so small, and the kids are from other countries- New Zealand, Australia, France, the UK....I don't know any of them well, and it was a real treat to get to spend some time with them and especially, with Hanna. The best part was when I was leaving,they all ran up and gave me a great big group hug!
Thursday was Maya's Sports Day at school. I was supposed to volunteer, but ended up getting there late, and therefore, got to just walk around and watch what Maya was doing. It was a GREAT day weather wise, and a really fun morning...Maya's gym teacher, Mrs. Seevers, did a great job setting the whole day up, and the kids had a blast. That being said, I myself, got a 15 minute lecture on the need for sunscreen from Mrs. Seevers, as well as a lecture on how I need to stop coddling Maya. I was standing talking to my friend Debbie, when Mrs. Seevers comes over and asks me if I am volunteering (mind you, I had been trying to avoid her the whole day, as I didn't want to have to!). I told her I could if she needs me to do something. She proceeds to pull out sunscreen from her bag, when I apparently stupidly ask "you want me to walk around and give sunscreen to the kids?" and she says "no, I want you to put sunscreen on" and proceeds to explain the importance of it..she also tried to make me wear a very large, quite ugly straw hat, which I had to refuse!! So I start asking her about Maya and swim class- how is she doing, etc. Here at ASIJ each grade has 3+ months of Red Cross swim lessons as their PE- which I think is great! Maya was doing very well in swimming, so I wanted to get an update on how she was doing here. She asked me which Maya was mine (there are 3 Maya's in the first grade here), and I pointed to Maya, who was standing all alone, looking for her buddy. Mrs. Seevers proceeds to Scream at her from across the field - asking where her partner is, etc., to which Maya starts BAWLING. The lady scared me, so I can imagine what she must have sounded like to a 7 year old!! So, she turns to me and says "I yell at her all the time like that and she has NEVER cried..that reaction is all your fault- you coddle her too much"...blah,blah,blah....for 15 minutes!! I will say, that she is right to a degree, and there are some things that I need to work on, especially where Maya is concerned. Maya is a softy by nature, and to add to it, a complete drama queen. She plays it up when I am around, and at times, though I try not to, I get completely sucked into it. However, it baffles me how she can give me a lecture on how I am with my child, based on one interaction between us. I have been warned she routinely calls parents in for consultations on their parenting skills, and have been told that if she hasn't called me in for one, than things are ok. Ahhh...good times! 
Overall, aside from the lecture, the day was a great day - I had the chance to have lunch with Maya afterward (ramen...yummy!), and got a nice start to my suntan for the summer!!Funny Stories
Pizza Anyone?
I have to share a story that came to me from my friend Karen. Karen's Japanese sensei told her of a particular student that she taught Japanese to. This man's family would order Pizza Hut every Friday for dinner, but it seemed that there was always issues, and a lot of confusion. He didn't speak Japanese well, so he had no idea what that confusion was. So, one Friday after his Japanese lesson, he asked her if she would call and pre-order the pizza, to be delivered later that day. So, she proceeds to call the number he had given her...and finds out it is a PHOTO HUT!! He had been calling a Photo Hut for over a year to order pizza! And the craziest thing is that they would take his order and then call the Pizza Hut for him and place it with them!! I am sure that at some point during this year long event, they tried, unsuccessfully in Japanese, to tell him he was not calling the right place, and then, because they are so polite and indirect as a culture, just gave up and waited for that Friday phone call!
Haircutting adventure
Srgt. Garrison
Scott has found this 1000 Yen haircutting place (similar to a Master Cuts or Great Cuts- cheap and fast- no appointment necessary), a short bike ride from our place, He has gone there and had success, so when he went to get his haircut today, felt very good about it. He gets there and waits his turn, only to end up with a barber he had never had before. He tells the guy, in Japanese (we looked up the words, and they have always worked in the past!) how to cut it. The guys proceeds to pretty much butcher his hair...Scott tells the story, which is a lot funnier than I could ever write it- about the guys chasing his head around as Scott tries to dodge the scissors/clippers- he pretty much shaved one side of his head nearly bald, took the clippers (without the guard) and did like an oval around the outside of his head, cutting the hair in front SUPER short, and then leaving the top and back super poofy! Scott said he was waving his hands, trying to tell him to use the clippers and describe as quickly as he can what he wants/doesn't want as the guy is attacking him with the clippers! Scott had to get up mid-cut and run away from him!! I am laughing as I write this, because his new title is Sargent Garrison, and he will be inducted into the military at 0800 hours!! He had to have another person fix it, but he seriously looks like he could join the Marines!! I told him to tell people he wanted to go REAAALLY short because of the heat...believable, right?
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