Fun In Classrooms

During their stay, the Koyo students have spent a lot of time in a variety of classrooms. They have been in a photography class, the Japanese classes, middle school classes, their hosts math classes and soon they will go to a sign language class!






Visiting the 4th year Japanese class. Brandon and year-long exchange student Sena talk with their new friends.








Suhaib and Ian talk with Yuki, Mizuki and Serina














In the Photo class, students were given camera and taken around school to take photos. I don't know about you, but I think you need to have your eyes open to take photos!










Kazuna is writing Japanese for a McKinley Middle School student.











Yuki teaches a McKinley student how Japanese people pose for photos.










This is a quick video of the students eating lunch with McKinley Middle School Students.


Jan Keene is a great sport playing fruit basket upset with the exchange students and McKinley students. Meiko is such a kind hearted person! She let's Jan take her spot!

House Parties

There have been several parties hosted by families. Here are a few photos from some of those:



Lauren playing ping-pong with one of the students.












Yeah!! Smiles - an international language.












Fooseball?!?! Soccer players without arms... ick.














Hoshino and Serina preparing food for the host students at Mr. Ray's house.













Aya and Kae preparing cabbage for okonomiyaki.













Eric, Ryan, Wes, David, Lauren, Katharine and Amber all try the Japanese food that the exchange students made for them. Better than Sushi House?





























Yoshiya and Randy - always at odds? Was the bet to let Yoshiya drive?











Yuki dresses up like an Iowa Pig. I can't think of anything much more adorable.

Assembly Photos!!

I have not been able to get our video camera to work and so I am resorting to photos. I won't quit trying but I thought it was time to move on...

The exchange students from Koyo usually have a full week at Washington before they stand up in front of the entire school and introduce themselves. This year, they did it with just 3 days!



The students practiced for 4 hours during the day and for 2 hours after school!! That is dedication!











They also practiced at Mr. Ray's house on Sunday after the bowling party















All of the students lined up to introduce themselves! They are wearing their school uniforms.









Yoshiya Sensei presents Dr. Plagman with the give from Koyo High School to Washington High School.












The girls all look like princesses as they get in formation for their dance.












Don't they look great? It was a really fun dance!













Everybody dance!












I think the crowd's favorite part was the candy!


I'm adding more photos tonight!!
The students leave us on Thursday and we are trying to cram in as much fun as possible... stay tuned!

What happened to Monday?

Since I only have video of Monday and I still need to work with it to put it online, I'm going to start with today, Tuesday. It was an exciting day for the Koyo students! They started first with visiting the Washington High School Student Senate. We enjoyed bagels, juice and great conversation. Okinawan students taught the student body representatives about a new culture and helped further international understanding. Here are some photos:





Yoshiya Sensei shows Lemi, a native of Ethiopia, some magical gadget from Japan.
















Sakiko LOVES bagels!!













A truly international experience. Piluka, an exchange student from Spain, is part of the Student Senate welcome party.











Kae leads a conversation about her native island. She goes to school so far away from home!











Mizuki helps Sarah and others understand more about the Japanese school system.










Another very exciting event of the day was ice skating at the CR Skating Arena. Thanks to Jan Keene for the photos and a ton of thanks to both Jan and Dawn Stephens for driving today.




Ice Skating!! I think they are like me... afraid to leave the security of the wall!












Working together, you can stay up longer.










We're getting better!











Yeah!!!












I think we may see this maneuver at the next Olympic pair skating competition!










Watch out world! Here we come!










Well, maybe. I think you're supposed to be upright to skate.


Tonight's meal cooked by the Japanese students for the host students is likely to be very eventful. Feel free to share photos with me, I will put them up here!

Bowling Party

Today we went bowling at Westdale Bowling Center. It was a great time for families and new friends to get to know each other better.




Aya, Madeline and Lucy get in some sister bonding.

あやとモドリンとルシー、三人姉妹。









Mizuki, Sarah-Elizabeth and David finally pose for the family photo.


みずきとサラとデビドです。ニーン！









The Davenports are figuring out their bowling order with Kae.


ダベンポートの家族はボーリングの順番を決めているところ。かえはもう、はめている！








Ben and Akino seem to be fast friends.

ベンとあきのはもう友達になってな！










Maddy and Hoshino hamming it up for the camera. (^_^)

マディとほしの　ー　ニーン











Like an Olympic bowler, Yoshiya Sensei has gold in his sights. He really wants to know if anyone beat his score of 172. Shall we declare him the champ for the day?

よしや先生はオリンピックのチャンピオンみたいに注進している。いいフョームだな！









Someone must have hit a perfect gutter ball for these kinds of smiles!!













Yoshiya and Andy show the way Iowans wear their glasses. We're way cooler than most Americans!

よしや先生とアンディはアイオワのメガネのかけ方を見せてあげる。アイオワの人は他のアメリカ人よりかっこいいよ！






This Hi-5 is NOT posed!!

Lauren and Sakiko celebrate a near strike!

Day 2 at Washington High School ワシントン高校の二日目

Well, I asked for anecdotes and I sure got some fun ones!!!

Here is the best:

The picture to the left has a former student, Maggie John who went to Japan on the trip in 2003. It is posted on the Washington High School Japanese Facebook group. Elizabeth was showing her student, Yuki, the website and wouldn't you know it, she said whe is in the photo!! Directly across from Maggie you can see a student from Gushikami Elementary school. She has short hair and you can see her head and her white shirt. That is Yuki!!

Elizabeth also shared a moment at sushi house when she pointed at the chopsticks and said "oshiri," meaning to say the Japanese word for chopsticks, "ohashi." Imagine how red her face got when after Yuki looked at her puzzled, she realized she had said the word for rear end!

I'm also fond of hearing about Andy Mitchell getting a huge pair of pruning shears to cut a little ole' lock off of a suitcase. I imagine Sakiko thought something scary was going to happen!

This is such a fun time and I hope that all families are starting to settle in and having fun with each other.

I'd like to share with you a few photos and a video from Friday at school. Every day we have a student or 2 go on the announcements to teach the school a new word. Here is a video of yesterdays announcements:





Here, 4th year students Ian and Suhaib give a tour of Washington High School to our new exchange students.












Have you ever...? Another one of Sensei's dorky games with cards!! Lauren and will show Sakiko how to play.











Japanese 2 students type up letters to "host families" and the exchange students type up e-mails to the Japanese 2 students. Lucas and Scott look on as Kazuna and Mino type.










Can they pull it off?!?! Here not even 24 hours and the students are practicing their performance for our assembly on Monday. They sure are brave!








See everyone at the bowling party tomorrow!!

Koyo Students Arrive!!

Welcome to Cedar Rapids!! シーダラピズへようこそう！！

The Washington High School host families awaited the exchange students from our sister school, Koyo High School, from Okinawa! This is the 13h year that they have visited and we are EXCITED!!! Join us everyday for a brief summary of what they do everyday.

ワシントン高校の日本語の学生と家族が空港で十六年目の留学生を待ちました．沖縄県立向陽高校を楽しんで待っていて、今晩着きました．毎日、このブログを読んで、生徒達の行事をごらんください！


This is our first meeting of the exchange students. It is probably very scary for them, but we are very nice Warriors!

これは初めての出会い。留学生にはとてもこわいかもしれないのい、ワシントン高校の生徒はとても親切ですよ！








This is Lauren and her student Sakiko

ラーレンとさきこです。











Elizabeth, Ron and Aileen and their student Yuki.


エリザベース、お父さんのロン、お母さんのアイリーンとゆきです。










Wes and Serina.


ウェスとせりなです。











Maddi and Hoshino。In the back are Gerry and Mary.

マディとほしの。後ろにはお父さんのジェリーとお姉さんのメアリーです。









Amber and Kae with Mom, Katrina.


アンバーとかえとお母さんのカトリナーです。









Katharine and Minami with Dale, Holly, Aimee and Brian.

カサーリンとみなみです。それから、お父さんのデール、妹さんのホリー、お母さんのエイミーと弟さんのブライアンです。










Robin, Meiko and Eric.


お母さんのロビン、めいことエリックです。









Julie, Mino and Ryan.


お母さんのジュリー、みの、とライアンです。









Madeline, Dawn, Lucy, Greg and Aya.


お姉さんのマデリン、お母さんのダーン、ホストのルシー、お父さんのグレーグとあやです。










Scott and Kazuna.

スコットとかずなです。












Ben and Akino.

ベンとあきのです。









Senseis!!

Yoshiya Sensei and Ray Sensei.

先生達！！
よしや先生とホストのレー先生。