Week one Yochien - wakatta yo!

Sam's first week at yochien went pretty well all in all. But I doubt it will be forgotten soon.

This week three of the days were half days, so it was a pretty good way to ease in. Most of the stuff I had labeled was fine, though several new Mama homework projects developed for me by the end of the week as I am now on the "Game Corner" committee for a November 1 event.

Most things went pretty well. He seemed to basically understand what was going on, whether he followed directions or not. Each day he spoke a little more Japanese Every morning he said that he wanted to go to yochien and cheerfully put on his uniform, mostly by himself and was willing to pass up his favorite green Crocs for the white sneakers. Sam has an imaginary cat friend named Jiji. The name is based on the cat in the movie Majo no takkyubin (Kiki's Delivery Service), but he prefers his invisible one to any stuffed animal version of the one in the film. Jiji is the arbiter of all things for Sam and apparently he likes yochien too. He rides to school on Sam's hat. He reports that he "talked Japanese to the other boy" at school, and he is speaking more and more Japanese at home every day. He says "dame da" (no! no!) to his toy fish in the bath and used his first Kansai region tinged expression "wakaran" (I don't understand). And his favorite is an expression very appropriate for a 3-5 year old, or really for anyone with parents, "wakatta yo!" "I understood you!" (implied, "I get it, so leave me alone already!").

He said "wakatta yo!"a lot this week as I tried to correct any of his behaviors that seemed to be a problem at school - please don't forget use the toilet, please don't run around on the alter, don't spit, don't throw toys, and so on. Meaning that he did all these things. But his teacher and classmates were all very tolerant and said at least he seemed to be having a good time.

Usually the students wear their uniforms just for commuting and then change into a different exercise uniform for the day. Sam got the part about taking off the commuting uniform but resisted putting on any other clothes. He's supposed to be wearing white underpants, but he happened to be wearing red ones that he picked out in the morning. So just picture him tearing around the school in his underpants, like the nightmare people have about being at school in pajamas. I guess it was just not enough for him to stand out as the only non-Japanese child in the school! Some Japanese preschools practice something called "hadaka kyoiku" (lit. "naked education"), so I get he was after that? Everyone thought it was pretty funny, but also asked that I try bringing him to school in his play clothes for awhile...