High Touch

Well, finished my first week of elementary school. It was pretty exciting, intimidating, tiring, and all other adjectives. Basically the day goes like this.... I show up at the school around 8:30 in the morning, and since no one really knows who the heck is this tall white guy I had to give a little speech (in Japanese) to the entire school. About six hundred kids. After that it was back to back classes of about 20mins. being as cheerful as possible and doing my best at songs I haven't even heard or sung since my days at elementary. You know, your basic Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes, and Hokey Pokey. The classics. Anyway, the kids are super psyched to just sing and play games that its not too hard to be enthusiastic. Next comes lunch at around 12:30-ish and I eat with the students. Its pretty amazing actually. Students do all of the serving, setting up and announcements and once the meal commences, everyone is practically dead silent. I couldn't believe it the first time. I thought no way in hell would this happen in the States...
Anyway, being one of the few foreigners, and more specifically white foreigner, its an understatement to say that I stand out. This "celebrity" status generates some weird interactions. So right before lunch I get surrounded by students wanting me too sign things. At first it was a book here or a hankerchief there, but then students ran out of things to sign so I started signing their individual cheese slices, they also brought up their bread for me sign and also lots of hands...
After lunch is usually cleaning and I will just walk around the school and talk to students or play in the gym. School's done at 3:30 and then its back home....
Its a pretty intense day, but the kids are so fun it doesn't really feel like work. But we'll see when junior high starts.......
that it for now. Oh yeah, in case anyone was wondering, 'high touch' is what they say here in stead of 'high five'. go figure.