For almost 5 weeks 2 boys and I were in Japan while my wife m and 1-yr old LM stayed in Georgia. Taking the advantage of this opportunity, both boys temporarily went to local elementary school or kindergarten, both of which I went to in my childhood. 6-yr old HG thrived from get-go likely thanks to our devotion to Japanese language education as a 2nd language. 3-yr old AK initially seemed to have understandably struggled to adjust to the different environment in multiple ways but he eventually coped with it. They made friends, experienced nature there. Families from both sides helped a lot, and boys re-established bonds with both great/grandparents. It was indeed exhausting for me, and for grandparents, but that's what kids take to extend their world. It was worth it. I strongly hope that we can make this Summer trip and local school visit as our tradition.
Background
Everything worked out to send us to Japan for a few weeks
It was originally rather a spontaneous visit to resolve some legal issues in Japan that we didn't want to push back too long, then I found it'd require physical presence for certain period, say a few weeks at minimum. Then, HG's public school was already in Summer vacation, my work is now 100% remote and part-time (i.e. I have little time-sensitive responsibility), so combined everything, we might as well stay even longer to have boys experience Summer in Japan and spend time with grandparents (incl. a great grandma) from both families, some of which boys had never seen since since pandemic began.
Also it was a perfect timing to try sending boys to local schools. HG will be 7-yr old by the end of the Japanese school year so is eligible for temporary entrance to a local school, which I longed for starting (One of my elementary school classmates who live in Europe sent her son to the same school every Summer, so I knew it is possible). Also the director of the kindergarten, who's also a pastor at the church I go to whenever I'm back in my hometown, mentioned I'm welcomed to send my kids there even temporarily. Coincidentally the kindergarten was just approved by the municipality to receive public funding starting this year, which I assume makes the operation much more stable.
Transport
We took a direct, 13-hr flight to Tokyo. Family gave a ride for the transport to and from both airports, which helped a lot. If you're a parent who's traveled by yourself with your pre-K / elementary schoolers, I'd say there wasn't any additional hassle I had to deal with, with 1 exception.
3-yr old threw up at the end of the flight in his seat. He regularly does that at home at night, pediatrician friends say he may be dealing with reflex after dinner. It indeed happened a few hours after what was supposed to be dinner in American local time. I never know the cause. Anyways, lots of wiping and cleaning in the flight. Luckily I was able to cover by blankets.
Under pandemic, many people ask how easy/hard to enter the country. Thanks to FastTrack, the Japanese government's digitized convoluted process for covid-19 (mhlw.go.jp) (and also very time-taking process prior to the departure incl. figuring out mobile app's defect (twitter.com)), it was smooth except that we had to walk long distance to pass through all the check points.
Boys get to get on a shinkansen! I didn't have to take this route if I wanted to go easier though, 3-yr old is into trains so we went ahead (amid jet lag).
Adjustment to the miscellaneous changes
Time difference was 13 hours. Took about 5 days for boys to sleep through the night. I guess common wisdom worked, wake up early, exhaust, keep the routine. 1 unique thing in Japan was that it starts getting brighter before 5am (in Georgia it does after 6) so needed a plan for that.
6-yr seems to simply enjoy adjusting to the changes. There was only a few cases he looked agitated, which I didn't have to do anything special other than just talking to him softly.
3-yr old struggled. Worth a whole separate topic.
Language adjustment
Both boys went to local schools for about 3 weeks.
HG thrived from day#1. As with always the case for him, he didn't talk much in response to "how was the school?" question I and my wife via online chat asked daily, but it was clear from the daily communication with his classroom teacher that he was actively involved in classes and in various activities that must be totally new to him (provided lunch/kyushoku/給食, cleaning by themselves, walking to school with other students in the morning). By the way, one of the phrases he keeps saying is "なんでやねん", very casual but popular phrase in west Japan saying "why", although my home town is north east Japan. Just funny how such vocabulary propagates to the US.
 |
| No other students play in the schoolyard on a rainy day after school, but our boys were too excited (with rain gears on, which we haven't given them in the US as they don't even need since they don't walk to school). |
 |
Equipment I still had memory from my youth.
|
3-yr old Ak was always shy in a new environment, acted strangely. He kind of reminds me of myself back in his age (granted I must've been way worse). Language-wise, I don't really know how he was, but according to the diary I exchanged every day with teachers (this is so Japanese btw...so elaborated. I appreciate all those effort, but I also worry them to burnout), he might have not opened up with other kids. At home he continued speaking mainly English for awhile but we noticed at some point he switched to Japanese. At the time of writing today (a few days after we returned to home in Georgia), he still speaks in Japanese mainly.
We're really glad that we dedicated as the entire family for his Saturday Japanese school for the previous 1 year.
 |
| Japan classic-modern guest room in my side of parents' home was well maintained by my sister couple who left Japan on the day we arrived. |
 |
| Day#3
in Japan I took them to Ebisu, very center of Tokyo. First time for
them on Tokyo soil (below the layers of concrete). It was for memorial
event of a superior so was an unavoidable rush. It was a tough ride on
the way back with holding 2 jet-lagged, nonfunctional boys in public
transport. |
 |
| All 3 had a haircut at my classmate's salon. For AK it was his 1st professional haircut. |
 |
| "Old man and the river" - Over 50+ years my dad dedicates his weekends on fishing sweetwater fish / ayu / 鮎, (non-)arguably the most tasty fish in pure water in Japan. What does his grandson feel? |
 |
| My mother's specialite -- tempura. Nothing fancy (sorry) but it's my absolute favorite that I always ask her whenever I'm back home, even in the midst of Summer where kitchen becomes hot with boiling oil. Behind the scene: AK challenged himself to use chopsticks! |
 |
| I found there is/was a huge wave in Japan about the pancake (I missed it). Lots of variations of fancy pancakes in Japan. At this pancake (only?) restaurant in Nasu, there's usually waiting line on weekend for $10+ pancake dishes. |
 |
| Mask was still mandated indoor by the national government (I think) back then. AK was popular at the hotel with the oversized yukata/Japanese after-bath clothes. |
 |
| My retired dad proved himself to be a warrior -- caught a snake that stranded into the garage, by hand (we released it into the nearest stream where it probably came from). |
 |
| A convenient way to entertain kids in a hot afternoon - local train ride. |
 |
| HG is into all kinds of board games. Here an intense match in shogi/将棋 happening. |
 |
Walking to a school/kindergarten is a thing in my hometown. AK was excited in all the rainy gears (even with an oversized jacket).
|
 |
| Bombed with many questions on a visit to a local tofu factory |
 |
| Amusement park! Nice yu-enchi up in the mountain, Nasu, near my parents' hometown. Cruising on a lake with an anxious face :) |
 |
| Roadside water spring in town of Bato. In my childhood there were more of some of these at random locations even in town I grew up where I drank water from. In a modern science driven world that might not be an appropriate thing to teach my kids any more :/ |
 |
| Success! Caught a crawfish at the nearest stream (100 meters away from home). |
 |
| Almost every morning we chatted with mommy and LM in Georgia over Google Meet, sometimes in a costume. |
 |
| Dad's childhood obsession is successfully passed on to his boys -- cicada. Found a newly emerged minmin-zemi/ミンミンゼミ at the kindergarten on a rainy morning (it stayed there until the afternoon, then another kid took it, almost smashed it, but his mother guided to move to a shaded area 😌). |
 |
Fireworks at home is more popular in Japan. Wife's side celebrates both boys' birthdays with it. Official way to end Summer.
|
Recollection (may) continue.
Comments
Post a Comment