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Will's Tour Diary - updated daily (ish)!

Will's tour diary - What? Why? When? Where? - Shows - Seminars

Thursday 30th November 2000
Thankfully we had the morning to recover from our vehicular ordeal.

The Genkimobile arrived on the back of a different towing truck and we unloaded our equipment. We had amassed an obscene amount of junk. The Mizunuma's loungeroom looks like a warehouse.

In the afternoon we visited Akanma Primary, a tiny school in the part of Uwa just over the border from Nomura. The kids called out loudly as we arrived, and then came over to say hello.

Akanma has less than 30 students, so we did the show for the whole school at once. Unmitigated success. All the teachers attended, and we had them dancing and singing too.

Afterwards we took a class of 5th and 6th years. What to do? We decided on the "How are you?" song. The kids were amazing. With no writing - just actions and listening - they learnt all of these words in 15 minutes:

How are you?
I'm hungry
I'm sleepy
I'm cold
I'm sad
I'm happy
I'm great
I'm good
I'm OK

Then all the kids had a singing competition with Richard to see who could generate the most volume. Richard is loud, but he was no match for the Akanma kids (and their teacher Wake Sensei!). Having zoomed through the song we moved onto the Gokiburi game and finished off with the Hammer Game. It was a riot - education has never been so much fun. When time was up the kids didn't want us to go, and we didn't feel like leaving, but they had homes to go to and so did we. We were escorted to the school gate and then as we drove away, laughing smiling children lined the road, waving to us and singing out "Goodbye!".

We dropped in at Uwa Deaf School, where Mrs Mizunuma works. I had volunteered to teach a class there on Saturday, and wanted to meet the Principal. We did the business card swap and then chatted with the English teachers, Ms Ogino and Ms Nagao. It was agreed that I would teach the primary school kids (the deaf school is a combined primary, junior and senior high school). One problem - given the kids are hearing impaired, how effective would the songs be?

That evening the Mizunumas invited ms Ogino and Ms Nagao over and we had ourselves a small party. The Genkimobile issue hung over us. "Don't worry - you can use the red Toyota - Genkimobile 2!" said Mr Mizunuma. He is the best.


Will

email: will@genkienglish.net


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Opinions expressed in this diary are personal views of Will Jasprizza. They do  not necessarily represent those of Genki English, especially where he is  making jokes which sounded better at the time!!! Please be understanding!

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