Amidst earthquakes, aftershocks, tsunamis, nuclear meltdowns .... life in Japan outside of the disaster areas goes on. And so, as history is being made, Kai started elementary school!
Kai is very chuffed to be a primary school student. He will proudly tell all who will listen that he is now an ichinensei (first grader/primary one student). He is very excited, very enthusiastic about the whole thing. A good start I guess.
The first day of school was not much school but more ceremony. The suit that he is wearing is not a school uniform. In fact, there is no school uniform and he goes to school in whatever day clothes he has that has been washed. That suit was bought specially for the entrance ceremony. It would be worn just once by Kai and hopefully Taiga will be able to fit into it in 2 years time to make it twice that it will be worn.
At about 9.30 am, the kids flanked by mum and dad started entering the school. The kids reported to their classes and the parents had to wait in the school hall. Then the ceremony started with the staff telling us what to do if an earthquake hits. Something tells me this is not how they usually start off these ceremonies in other years. VIPs are introduced, this would be local board of education people and local politicians. Then some solemn classical piece comes on the ichinenseis enter the hall, 2 by 2. More speeches. Honestly, nothing terribly exciting. Then the ichinenseis exit. We then do class photos. Once again, the ichinenseis enter. For Kai's class, the kids sit in the front with the form teacher and the principal. The moms stand behind and the dads are right at the back. Professional photographers snap away.
In Kai's year, there are 110 students divided into 4 classes. Kai's class has 27 kids. I think this is the usual size of a Japanese class. Not sure what Singapore is like now but back in my school days, each class would have about 42/43 kids. Quite a difference. As Kai is in a public school, education is entirely free. We pay only about US$40 a month for lunch.
After the photos are taken, we go to our kids classes where we are given some instructions. And then the first day of school is over! For the next 2 days, school ends slightly after 11.30am. And the second week, school ends 1.30pm. Who knows what the 3rd week's time is? The school has been releasing the times on a week-by-week basis! I understand though from parents with kids already in school that the usual finish time is about 2.45pm.
Anyway, after that, we have lunch with baachan and jiichan. Baachan actually came for the ceremony. That is how big this first-day-of-school thing is here in Japan. We go to our favourite French restaurant nearby. They usually are quite strict about their no-under-6 yrs of age rule. We told them beforehand that Taiga is only 5 (actually, a soon-to-be 5) and they said it's OK to bring him in. I think it is only because restaurants are hurting for business since the March 11 quake. They gave us cakes on the house to celebrate Kai's big day!
After that first day, school starts at 8.30am. Ever since the string of crimes against little kids on their way to/back from school a few years ago, the kids now are organised into groups and walk together. Kai meets his group very near our house at about 8am and all 10 of them will walk together with 1 mum accompanying them. So that is quite a relief (I am more concerned about traffic safety...). On the very first day of school after the entrance ceremony, Tomo was to accompany Kai to the group as it was his very first time. When I looked out my wooden deck and saw the group starting to gather, I told Kai. Kai could not wait for daddy, who was in the toilet, to bring him there. He quickly put on his shoes and rushed out to join the group on his own! So that has how it has been the last few days. I peer out the back, when the group is starting to gather, Kai leaves on his own. I wait till I see him join the group and then I get back into the house.
And here is a pic of him next to the customary sign board in Japan for entrance (and graduation) ceremonies.
Congratulations! He looks very happy to be an ichinensei!
Posted by: Cecilia | April 14, 2011 at 09:37 PM
Thank you! He is still very much enjoying school and enjoying being an ichinensei.
Posted by: Heidi | May 31, 2011 at 01:41 AM
you have such a beautiful family and your son is absolutely handsome in that uniform!! :D :D congrats to him on becoming an ichinensei.
Posted by: sugarmouse | June 05, 2011 at 12:31 AM