Yochien Reassurance

So my little Claire Bear has been dragging her feet once in a while in the mornings before Yochien and I got a bit nervous.  Mick probably will not confirm or deny a freak-out in the realm of "I don't know what she thinks!  She probably doesn't understand they're speaking a different language and just wonders if she has gone into Absurdo world!"  So I digress.....I took her one morning and asked Ai Sensei "Is Claire doing okay?" and then mimed tears running down my cheeks.  Ai ran and got Chisano, another Sensei in an older class who speaks English pretty well, and I told her that Claire has cried a few times before the bus.

The next morning, when the bus came, the Sensei (a different one takes her turn on the bus each morning) hopped out of the bus and gave me a letter.  All written in Japanese.  I call Mick in a panic, immediately going all the way to "I fear they are telling me she's not assimilating and we need to withdraw her, but I need to get Gigi to daycare and get logged into my online class, but I NEED TO KNOW WHAT THIS SAYS NOW!"  (I try to keep positive at all times, but hey...I'm human and I have been sending my 3 year old out in the big country of Japan for a month without really knowing what's going on.)  So, God Bless Mick, he jumped in my cute Mazda Miata and came home to take the letter back to his Saint of a secretary, Miss Mina-san to translate it for me.  (Mick accidentally took the letter with him to the States....did I mention he's gone for 10 days?  I will post a scanned copy of the letter in a later post.)

Miss Mina-san calls me ten minutes later and tells me that this long letter is all about how great Claire is doing and how she plays so nicely and has fun and smiles and while they know she has cried a few times, once she gets to Yochien, she is so happy!  And it can take a few months for kids to adjust and to please not worry.  Or something like that. 

And then they sent pictures home that afternoon.  And I love Sensei Ai.  And Sensei Chisano too.  The next morning I took two large bottles of Hidden Valley Ranch dressing for Sensei Ai and two 12 packs of Dr. Pepper for Sensei Chisano because my good friend Kristen, who sent her kids to this Yochien four years ago, tipped me off that those were the American things they loved.  And bowed deeply and said "Arrigato Gozaimas" and mimed taking a picture.  Okay, here are the pictures.

Claire has loved these pictures to crinkles and tells me this is her favorite one.  ☺

This one CRACKS ME UP because Japanese people pose with the 'Peace" sign in the pictures and you can see her friend Ryu doing that and Claire giving the "Hook 'em Horns!"  Is she her Daddy's girl or what????

They have two different hats they wear each day.  A summer or winter beret that they wear, from what I can tell, from the bus to the school in the morning and then the school to the bus in the afternoon.  ("Why?")  Then they wear their little caps (different color for each class....Claire's is red, obviously) when they go outside to play.  When Claire sees this picture she says, "That's me playing in the sand!"

Just my cute girl, but isn't it the SWEETEST that they took all of these pictures on the day I was worrying and then sent them home the next day?

I was talking with the CO's wife of the MAG and she told me her son went to Kawashimo last year.  She said that she didn't know what he did, but he just came home happy and with his face dirty every day.  She said she went to the open house or something in January and was ASTOUNDED by all they accomplish there every day.  These kids are BUSY, doing crafts, playing and learning! 

There are only 2-3 kids in Claire's class, depending on the day.  I thought Ryu, shown here, was pure Japanese because his nametag was only in Hiranga, but I met his Mom and Dad at Sports Day (such a long post needed about Sports Day....another day) and his Mom is Japanese, but his Dad is a Marine from Miami.  Claire and Ryu are BEST friends! 

See?  ☺  This one is my FAVORITE!  She loves Ryu!

Claire and Ryu doing crafts

I love this picture for so many reasons.  Click on it and blow it up.  Ryu, of course, is such a good friend.  But then the shoes!  Look at all of those orderly shoes behind them!  The Senseis don't do that.  That's the kids, putting them in so perfectly!  But finally, Claire's beautiful eyes!  She has these crazy light blue eyes with this dark blue rim around them.  She's sooooooooooo pretty!!!!!!!!!

I saved the best for last!  LOVE this one!  Rya and Sensei Ai doing the "Peace" sign and Claire doing the "Hook 'em Horns!"  ☺

THANK YOU KAWASHIMO!