Linking Maine and Japan

Hello from Himeji, Japan!

Today our group of 20 teachers visited a public Himeji High School. The students were extremely friendly, and the staff were most gracious in allowing us to visit any classroom we wished. They scheduled a few special opportunities for us, while we were there.

It was very neat to see the students bow to their teachers at the beginning and end of class. Everyone takes off their shoes at the entry way to the building. Each students has a cubby for shoes as they change into slippers for most of their school day. They change back to shoes for gym class and if they need to go outdoors to a gym or practice. Since students sweep the floors and otherwise work to keep the school clean, they are careful to take good care of the facilities.

I got to visit a sewing class. It contained both girls and boys. But only girls took the cooking class. We made sweet potato “boats.” I hope to try the recipe when I get back to Maine! mmmmm!

We visited the English communication class. They switched effortlessly from discussion to computer images, from workbook to audio tapes. Most student carry their pencils and pens in cloth pencil cases. I saw several that had English language items. I took a picture of a pencil case with “Elmer”. They also love Winnie the Pooh, Mickey Mouse, and especially Hello Kitty.

I also saw some judo and kendo classes, as well as the folk music club. Very cool, very engaged students. I got to help make a sweet potato dish, and learned to write the word “wind” in calligraphy.

One fun thing I saw today was the school club baseball team. It was practicing indoors because it was raining. The students were batting using a pile of “shuttlecocks,” the badminton “birdie.” Cool idea!

Mrs. Aportia’s class encouraged me to talk about my pillow. They got me thinking, and I investigated. I learned my pillow is filled with buckwheat hulls. This is supposed to be very healthy for muscle pain and stiff necks. I remember hearing that a woman in South Berwick was making buckwheat pillows several years ago.

I need to pack out of my hotel by 9 a.m. tomorrow. I move on to 2 days with my host family, then a day and a night at a “hot springs resort” called a ryokan. So I’ll take lots of pictures, but may not be posting until I get back to Tokyo.

Sayonara

Mrs. Grumbling