Though I risk falling behind on my updating schedule I think readers will find interest in what I did yesterday. As I mentioned before, we had two guests visit Shikaoi Elementary School. A lady each from the Philippines and Sri Lanka. They were studying with an extended group of six other foreigners with Jika (pronounced "Gaika", and standing for what in Japanese I have no idea), a program run by the Japanese government to assist agricultural and agricultural research in developing countries. I don't actually know much about the program except that both ladies were working in the agricultural departments of their respective governments doing research and organizing. It's a worthy program, the Japanese pretty much just handing over cutting edge agricultural research, hoping to give a helping hand up sustainable themselves. The program on a whole is rather politically neutral (unless one mentions free trade agreements and agricultural subsidies). It was never made clear to me why they were visiting the school but they both looked daze at the pace of the schedule and weight of Japanese culture, something that Kevin and I by now have completely absorbed and expect.
We used the morning to make some traditional Filipino and Sri Lankan food (the potato curry was particularity good) with the two grade six classes and in the afternoon we had a short cultural exchange presentation with the grade fives. Games were a constant theme through out the day. I was especially proud of my grade fives who sat quietly and attentively while the two ladies used English in their presentations that was far too diffucult. Also, I was very surprised when one of my favorite grade five students pulled out of nowhere, in prefect English, "So... How long have you studied Japanese?" That's cracked me up with shock: Where does he pick up such language?
Today it has started to snow again but it's staying warm. Tomorrow it's back to Shikaoi Sho Gakko. I am going to go for a long run tonight.
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