ハンタ里帰り体験入学初日

English version is below the photos.

NY在住二児の母アラフォーフォトグラファーのひろこです。現在、地元に里帰り中です。

昨日は、ハンタの幼稚園、体験入学初日。予想通り、朝は大勢の子供達に圧倒されて恐怖を感じ、上履きが気持ち悪いとごねまくり、担任の先生に抱えられて、泣き叫びながらつき組の教室へ消えていきました。

、、、そして６時間後、なな子と一緒にお迎えに。寂しそうにいるかな〜と思いきや、意気揚々と正面玄関に出てきました。私の姿を見るやいなや、こっちに走ってきそうになったけど、クラスメートの男の子が「ハンタ君こっちならぶんじょ！こっちこっち！」とすかさず呼び止めて、『さようならのご挨拶をする事』教えてくれていました。

担任の先生は、つき組のお迎えの保護者が集まった時点で、ハンターの自己紹介をしてくださいました。普段はニューヨークに住んでいること、日本の文化を学ぶために体験入学していること、今日はつき組みんなでハンタにインタビューをしたことなど。

『クラスの女の子が「すきな花は何ですか？」と聞いたら「たんぽぽ」と答えたんです。「それは英語で何て言うんですか？」とまた聞かれると、「Dandelion」と、とても綺麗な発音で答えてくれました。笑』と担任の先生。

や、や、や、やるやーん！！！！うちも日本語教育がんばって良かった〜。

面倒を見てくれる子供たちが本当にたくさんいて、「ハンタ君、教室に連れていってあげてな」というと、「えー。いやー」なんて言う子はいないし、トイレに連れていってスリッパに履き替える事を教えてくれえたり、お弁当の時に「お箸はな、こうやって持つんじょ」と直してくれたりしたそうです。

泣いていたのも最初だけみたいで、後はみんなに面倒を見てもらいながら、楽しそうに遊んでいたみたい。

先生からも「新しい園児が入る事によって、その子のお手伝いをしてあげたり、一緒に協力して何かをするという、他の園児の頼もしい側面を見て私も驚いています。お互いにいい影響になっていると思います」と、おっしゃっていただき、、、うおーーー涙ちょちょぎれ〜。

入学前からいろんな面で柔軟に対応してくださった園長先生、そして細やかな配慮を常に心がけてくださっている担任の先生、本当にありがとうございます。あと１ヶ月よろしくお願い致します。

さあ今日はプール。今日もハンタの笑顔がたくさん見られますように。

ハンタネタなので写真はなな子で。

We are back in Japan, spending some quality time with my family. Yesterday was my son’s first day of Kindergarten in Japan. He just completed his year in New York, but in Japanese school calendar, he is still in the first semester of Kindergarten. It’s so nice to see children with same size as my son here…(my son was the smallest in his school in NY).

He was very scared to go into the school, and like the first day of school in NY, he cried, screamed, and then a teacher carried him to the classroom. I heard him screaming for a while but I had to leave…what else is new. I was very curious how he was when I picked him up 6 hours later…

When I went back to school to pick him up, the students from his class were coming out. They were suppose to lined up and waited for their parents. Then teacher shook hand one by one by saying “Sayonara” then the student could walk to his mom or dad. When my son saw me, he started to run with a smile on his face but one of the student told him “Wait Hunter! You have to stay here, stay on line and wait for “Sayonara” time” so he went back. He got a friend who knows his name and cares about him already!?!? I was sooooo happy.

Once all the parents were gathered, a class teacher introduced Hunter and I. The teacher explained that we were living in NY and came to this school to learn Japanese culture for a month. She also told us that they did an interview to my son during the class. According to the teacher, my son was on stage, and a girl asked “what is your favorite flower? (in Japanese)”, then he answered “Tanpopo”. She continued “How do you call it in English?” then he goes, “Dandelion” with a fluent English.
I was so proud of him (and me!).
I was also impressed by the other children at school. They were caring and kind. They took him to the bathroom and taught him how to switch the slippers. They showed how to hold the chopstick the right way during the lunch time.  His teacher also told me that by having a new student, she started to see the other students kindness and the initiative to help others. That was something she wasn’t expected to see so it was a win-win situation!

My son and I are blessed to meet a welcoming principal and heart-warming teachers.  Today is a pool day. I hope I can see my son’s smile throughout the day.

This post is all about my son, so I will put my daughter’s photo for the sake of her. lol.