Flowers, School Lunches, and Recess Games

So yet another week has flown by. Here are some highlights! I’m currently on my elementary school portion of my 6-school rotation. Earlier this week I was at the largest ES and I taught 3 classes of 5^th graders about “I like” and “I don’t like”. During a break between classes (I taught 1^st, 2^nd, and 4^th periods), I was craving a refill of green tea, so I walked out of the teachers’ room to the rest/relaxation room, most similar to a lounge. I ran into a boy and his teacher making torayaki (とらやき)or Japanese pancakes (think 2 pancakes stuffed with custard in the middle). This boy was probably 4^th grade but he was actually in the 7^th grade program, or the special needs program. They were kind enough to offer me a piece of the torayaki and it was quite yummy. I ended up staying and talking with the boy and his teacher for about 20 minutes. I tried to teach him to say “yummy” but he wasn't having it. I offered to make Christmas cookies with him in December. I’m already looking forward to it! I would love some recommendations about what we should make, the period is only 45 minutes, and so it has to be relatively quick.

Here is my lunch from Tuesday. It was interesting. Rice, umeboshi (dried plum….very sour), soup, deep fried tofu covered in pork sauce, random veggies, and a Satsuma. Although I wasn't too enthused with the lunch choice, recess definitely made it a thing of the past. I made some new friends and played a very worldwide game with them, tag. The kids all have 2-sided hats, red and white, which they are required to wear when they are outside. There were 3 oni’s or demons, in red hats and everyone was running from them, if you got tagged by them, you had to return to “jail” or some corner that your teammates could rescue you from. (I know I played this game in ES). Thankfully, the bell rang just in time or else I think my whole team would’ve been in jail.

Random Fact of the Day: I noticed that in all 6 schools, the teachers’ room at each school is located in the SW portion of every school/main building. Odd?...I think so. I’ll have to do some research.

Just for kicks, here is another school lunch. Green tea, veggies, a fish (definitely passed on him), deep fried beans, milk, rice, a beef stew that you pour on the rice, and a slice of pineapple. Yum!