Following our day trip to Matsushima Bay, Beth and I jumped into G5 summer school, and then K4 and K5 summer school. I didn’t anticipate being so sleep deprived and overwhelmed all week, yet I awoke with a migraine each morning and never could seem to get enough rest. Evenings were pretty busy too… Sleep deprivation definitely affected my patience during the day, though when I managed an extra hour of sleep I noticed how much easier it was to enthusiastically play games with the children during outdoor playtime, and how much less energy it required to interact with students throughout the day. With enough rest, I could even sing during playtime, which always seemed to mystify the children. Summer school is quite different from regular school, and I found myself helping with many crafts, baking cakes, preparing snacks, enduring water play, and coaching kids through nap time. Let’s talk about nap time…
Confession: I detested nap time more than the children. Every day the kindergarteners were expected to lie down and sleep peacefully for an hour. For me, that hour every day turned into 5 years of birth control. Trapped in that dark, cramped room with as 65 kindergarteners, I hunkered down on a futon and listened to the incessant giggling, murmuring, frequent bathroom requests, and gagged on the smell of farts and urine. Naturally, every gassy eruption sent the room into a round of giggles, punctuated by bouts of coughing. (Clearly,  Japanese children are more prone to chest colds than the rest of the world’s population.) Coughing fits began much the same as a village of howling dogs, in which one dog hears an imaginary noise and sets off the entire village of howlers until everyone is awake and in a frenzy. I “slept” between students requiring a little more discipline, and the darkness lulled me into a state of grogginess in which I nearly begged for sleep, yet was denied on account of what must have been dire sickness, evidenced by such dreadfully dramatic coughing. As soon as I passed out, the lights snapped on and I was up and changing for water play. *Sobbing
Thankfully, all the children whom I told to lie still and quietly quickly forgave [my earlier sternness] during playground duty, and on several occasions my little friends presented me with their collections of miniature acorns and bugs as “gifts.” Also, the mosquitoes were especially ferocious during the daytime in August, and even covered in bug spray I was bitten rather savagely. (*Note: Japanese bug spray is highly ineffective.) One day I was outdoors eating my lunch and watching students play on the playground. While chatting with two kindergarteners I realized my legs had been bitten by mosquitoes 16 times in 20 minutes! Irritatedly, I began scratching my calves, when suddenly the two adorable and rather chatty K5 students began “helping” me scratch my bites. I couldn’t stop laughing. 😉
Despite the torture of nap time, I still really enjoyed MeySen’s summer school program. Â We made dozens of crafts, and snack time was a huge deal. On my birthday we made crumble cake, and to say thank you, my K4 students sang the happy birthday song. I mean, when will I ever have a bunch of cute Japanese kids singing to me again?!
THEN, during lunch time MeySen held a Sandwich Party, during which the kindergarteners were allowed to create their own sandwiches. Bread, meat, cheese, strawberry jam, chocolate spread, mayonnaise –you name it. As you might imagine, I wholeheartedly encouraged the children to create the most absurd sandwich concoctions possible. Of course, I assisted in making (not eating) these chocolate, ham, and cheese atrocities, and though disgusted by what kids wanted on their sandwiches, found the gross combinations absolutely hilarious. I loved watching the students gleefully smear goo across their bread, and happily bite into their masterpieces. Incredibly funny. Perfect birthday present. 🙂
Perhaps the most exciting part of that day was the beginning of Tanabata Festival in Sendai, which runs August 6-8. This festival is celebrated all throughout Japan, yet Sendai celebrates Tanabata unlike any other city. 😀 After work, Beth and I raced downtown to visit the park and walk through the outdoor malls.  The paper streamers, flowers, and giant hanging decorations were simply stunning! Although the streets were flooded with people, we wound our way through the crowds into the midst of live concerts, found festival food (more gyutan!), and wandered among vendors, old men pushing their dressed-up dogs in baby strollers, and women dressed in yukatas. Everyone seemed to enjoy the festival, yet by the end of the night Beth and I felt pretty sick from the food, but vowed to return later. (We didn’t.) Picture overload…
Somewhere, during the hectic days of summer school and late night festivities, I decided to plan a trip to Tokyo to climb Mt. Fuji.
Yeah. I know. Planning a couple months in advance would have been ideal, but the thought never crossed my mind until I was in Japan, and all the teachers were talking about it, and I wasn’t sure I’d ever have the chance to climb Fuji again (at least while my knees were still bendable)…and and and… Why not?
So, all week I planned the trip — purchasing Shinkansen tickets, booking a tour climb, booking a hostel, buying hiking boots, borrowing gear, and figuring out how to get to and from Tokyo… The MeySen teachers and an especially wonderful fellow intern (SAM) were so kind in helping me arrange the trip. I was going alone, and with my horrible sense of direction, I needed all the help I could get. 😉
The night before I left I was so excited I could hardly breathe. I’d never climbed a real mountain before, and I was dying to go, though after reading a few firsthand accounts and scoping pictures online I wondered if this trek would be even slightly enjoyable, or if I’d even be able to see the sunrise, or if I’d just get altitude sickness and freeze my *fingers off. However, two of the girls working in the school cafeteria mentioned how much fun they had climbing and camping out in sleeping bags on Mt. Fuji, and both encouraged me to go. I was sold.
My roommate was pretty worried I’d get hopelessly lost in Tokyo (rightfully so), which made me more nervous, yet I was determined this climb would happen, despite not having a working phone or a GPS, or anyone to hold my hand and drag me through train stations. 😛
And instead of a step-by-step description of climbing Fuji, I’ll just drop off some pictures below.
🙂
Lastly, Goodbye Japan.
For now…
My Favorite Things 