Wow- time really flies when you're quarantined!! Sorry, sorry... I hope someone out there is still reading this... Ok- I am finally back at school. Its been three weeks. I was a bit afraid that the students would have either forgotten who the heck I am or thought I'd gone home permanently. On arriving at school, I was delighted when they actually seemed happy to see me! ;) Today has been a fun day- I taught three classes, all of them major listening excercises as I told the story of my stay in the States and the students attempted to understand my English and psychotic (and not the least bit artistic) chalkboard drawings. Want to hear it?

Ok picture this: the kids each have a map of the US with the states labeled. To start, I wrote my date of departure to the States on the board and a huge arrow to my lopsided outline of the contiguous US, landing on the general location of North Carolina. I asked them all to look for North Carolina on their maps and to color it in. Then I explained that in NC I saw my friend (much pantomiming: Oh hi!! Long time no see!! How ARE you?, etc. with the other teacher), and she got married (insert cute stick figure drawing of Beth and Joe with a heart between them and a white veil on Beth's head.. also imagine a fast pace wedding march hummed by yours truly in the background.. also just to make sure they understood, I whipped my ring off my right hand and shoved it onto my left ring finger and repeated "got married- so now.... LIKE THIS!"). I think they got it. I also passed around a postcard of NC (thanks Beth.. good thinking on the gift basket...!)

NEXT (I say)... I drew another arrow from NC to In-di-an-a and asked them to find that on their maps and color it in. (the first graders already had Illinois colored in because i used the maps for my own intro at the begining of the school year... so it was easier to say; "next to Illinois!"). I then explained that my mother, my father, my grandfather, and my dog (makes 'em giggle) all live in Indiana (complete with matching stick figure family). I proceeded to add that I also saw my brother, my other grandfather, and my grandmother... 6 (count aloud here) people!! "I was very busy".

THEN (says me)... I went to a car- race! I drew a floppy oval and colored cars then as I drew arrows around the circle track I made the appropriate "zoom, zoom" sound effects. It was great. They thought I was loony. Then I told them that the cars go around 500 times and they were astounded! And just as they were really getting into the story about the race (How many cars? How big is the track? etc...) I told them how I slept through half of it! (they laughed at me). I also passed around some Indy 500 brochures I'd picked up at a rest stop in Indiana. Ok.. you still with me? yes, they were.. so

LAST: I drew a third arrow from Indy to Min-ne-so-ta and asked them to color it! (they were getting a bit overwhelmed and I was starting to sweat). I explained that I went to visit my college friends and we ate lots of food. ;) I passed around three MN postcards. Then I told them that I'd gone shopping (key word for many of them). I told them how cheaply I'd been able to buy a CD, a book, a hat, and shoes... they were really impressed! I didn't even attempt to explain the Mall of America...

FINALLY (sigh): I drew an arrow from MN back to Japan, wrote the date and that it had taken over 13 hours to get home. What a trip!! I kind of impressed myself.

After I finished, I got a break because it was the students' turn to ask me questions. I picked up a couple of comic books at Borders there and told them if they asked a question (1st graders asked in Japanese and the other teacher translated) they could check out the comics.. it was more incentive than I'd even imagined! They think they're totally awesome! Some of the questions: What did you eat in America? (Answer: lots of fruit, watermelon, pasta, chili, fish, and grandma's cookies!), How old are your mother and father? (I told them... but maybe I won't tell you), How old is your dog? (don't know why they were curious), Was your friend beautiful at her wedding? (of course!), What did you eat at the wedding? (it was a buffet but I had pasta, salad, fruit, and cookies!!). and so on... they were really funny.

So that's been my first day back. And my trip... for those of you (I'm so sorry) who I missed (so sorry!).

Did you still want to hear about my quarantine? I might have to take a break before I rewind. I will try to get to it later, though. I promise!