If I could choose 2 phrases that could get you through maybe half of life in Japan (I honestly don’t even know how to calculate this), it would be: 「すみません」- Sumimasen- I’m sorry/please excuse me and 「よろしくお願いします」- yoroshiku onegaishimasu- Please have favor on me/thank you for your cooperation. I think you could possibly use one… Continue reading Now Accepting… Apologies
New Vocab
Growing up in school, particularly in spelling, you’d get a list of vocabulary words. New, challenging words that would come up throughout the lesson– new concepts and definitions and more sophistication. As you go through language school, they take you through a long list of vocabulary words as you go. There’s supermarket store words. Doctor’s… Continue reading New Vocab
Whole-hearted Hearings
There was drama. Actually, there hadn’t really been a lack of it, but this one called for a meeting with my two fellow PTA officers and another parent. It was 10pm and I was following the ping-ping-ping of continuous conversation flowing through our chat group, I tried to keep up with the conversation– the half-said… Continue reading Whole-hearted Hearings
Figuring it out as I go
We recently received a request to renew our blog domain. I felt a bit guilty, realizing how long it had been since I’d had a chance to post. About a year ago, I got dressed up, tried to give myself some good pep-talk in the mirror, then layered on my winter gear, jumped on my… Continue reading Figuring it out as I go
TCKs and Education: When the Flow Doesn’t Go
This summer, we spent time in the US visiting friends and supporters and forging new connections with those with a heart for ministry in Japan. It was a wonderful time and a great experience for our kids. While we were there, the subject of language was a topic in nearly every conversation. Do I speak… Continue reading TCKs and Education: When the Flow Doesn’t Go
Family Name
Last week, I shared a bit about choosing kanji for my kids’ names. After we’d gone through the challenge for their given names, I realized that we needed kanji for our last name, which I imagined to be quite difficult. Many years ago, someone had mentioned a few options which I brought up to my… Continue reading Family Name
All in a Name
It’s the end of the school year and I’ve been in the process of getting “all the things” that everyone needs: crayons, pencils, bottles of glue, notebooks, new school indoor shoes, etc. And labels. So many labels. Sticker labels of all sizes. Laminated ones. Iron-on ones. Sew-on ones. Gym clothes labels. Swimsuit labels. All the… Continue reading All in a Name
Graceful Exits
Well, guys… Are you still there? I’m still here. And I’d like you to know that I’ve survived the lowest ranks of PTA. I was quite nervous to begin with and my initial interactions within the meetings were quite humbling. But after several meetings, events and countless messages and confirmations and relays of information and… Continue reading Graceful Exits
Incompetent Competence
Remember that I had one goal: Complete the easiest task on PTA with competence. So, after the introductory meeting, which I described in the last post, I went to the leader and confirmed what all I had understood. I actually had understood the whole meeting and what I would need to do and had actually… Continue reading Incompetent Competence
PTA, SOS and other Acronyms
You know how when no one in a group wants to do a certain task and so everyone points a finger to nominate someone else? Well, that kinda happened to me, unawares. Several months before the end of the school year, I realized that I had suddenly been nominated to be the next contact person… Continue reading PTA, SOS and other Acronyms
Ninja Mom 