School started today for Kaiya and she is now wearing a big girl uniform and will be in the big kids class (4 year olds). Her class name is the 'Blue Class', which she is thrilled, or Kumi Aoi (Japanese). Her class mascot is a Pig (not a real pig). Each class has a name and a character. Last year she was in the Dandelion Class with a Chicken as their character. It's cute. On Saturday her Yochien held a ceremony for the kids. She wore her uniform and I wore what I felt comfortable in--nice jeans and button down shirt. Needless to say I was completely underdressed. I wanted to kick myself as I KNEW inside I should wear a dress or at least nice slacks, but the mere thought of me waddling down rocky concrete streets and sidewalks in high heels for 10 minutes was not appealing (there is no parking at the school nor nearby). So I opted for comfort and was the only odd ball in a sea of dark business suits. The MOMS were wearing suits. To be quite honest this ceremony looked more like a funeral than a celebration of the new school year! Whatever, I can get away with it--I'm the only American. Next year I'll look stunning in a drab funeral suit. Next year I'll be able to fit in a drab funeral suit!
They had a brief introduction, roll call (you will see on the video), a couple of songs and then it was off to take a class picture with the parents. I stood in the back (to hide my non-suit slacks). But I have to say they are really stunning jeans! Anyway, then the kids went to their classroom, the principal, Anjo Sensei spoke with us and I just listened with a smile, not having a clue what was being said. Then the parents met the kids in the classroom and the teacher spoke with us, once again--not a clue. Well, I should give myself more credit. I understood what she was talking about but couldn't understand the details. Kaiya's new teacher/sensei is Teramoto Sensei and she seems very nice. She's also rather helpful and assured me that if I didn't understand anything to just ask her (she speaks limited English, basically it's Japlish or Enganese, which I understand pretty well). I respond in the same manner but have found myself to throw in a lot of Spanish words, so now I speak Spanlishpanese, which is rather interesting. Side track--funny story:
During Christmas Vacation, I was lecturing Kahlia, my sister, about the importance of learning and doing well in her Spanish Class. I went on how I could help her if she needed. At one point this gentleman comes up to me and asks for directions to the mall in Spanish, so I start talking to him except nothing was coming out. I was sputtering out words but couldn't formulate an intelligent sentence. I finally was able to give him what he needed and he left. Kahlia just looked at me and shook her head. I tried to explain to her that the whole time I was talking to him I was thinking in Japanese. I think Kahlia fired me after that!
Back to school. Kaiya seemed to love her class, but didn't want to separate from me during the ceremony. She was periodically crying or running away from class to find me! She's much better when I'm not around. So today I walked her, well we ran (a little late), to her bus stop, which she'll take in the mornings. I am not a good morning person now! Well, who am I kidding I've never been a morning person! Kaiya is the same way--so there is a lot of rushing around in the mornings! It was so wonderful to see her happy and excited about being a big girl, but it was so sad too. My little girl is going to school on a bus and wearing a uniform now. It's amazing and I'm so proud of her confidence and independence, but it's hard not to think of when she was my little baby, my little chubby toddler waddling around the house asking me to feed her! Well she still hasn't stopped asking me that---except she can get it herself now, to include my chocolate stash!!! That little sneak!
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