Karaoke Kids corner & Floppy Spine Syndrome

I get exasperated with slouchers - some classes are just chronic! Can't stand up without leaning on the table or hanging on a chair, worse feet on the walls or getting in each others space. Floppy spine syndrome tends to coincide with mumble central.


Clever K did not want to sing any more than the other boys. However, displaying considerable courage (he was new today!) he took the mic...and then very sensibly shoved it into Rui's face when the music started! Excellent chutzpa, and you can see it clearly worked :)


Why the mic? Find it makes children (and adults) anticipate their turn better... it doesn't have to be hooked up to anything! Japan did invent the hollow orchestra phenomenon, so reap the whirlwind kids!

Grown ups' Christmas party at Luna

Barely time to catch our breath after the children's party this afternoon, before we welcomed our bigger friends and students to the school for our end-of-year/Christmas party. Last year's BYO format was really successful, so why change a winning format?!

It never ceases to amaze me that in Japan, "start at 7pm" means you can expect everyone to arrive at 7pm on the dot...and so they did tonight. A lot of familiar faces, some bravely coming for the first time and making new friends. Eleanor stole a few hearts, and Jim went quiet for the first time all day.

Unlike last year, we put on a couple of events which got people working together less self-consciously. Tana's quiz was hard - "What do Turkmenistani people do at Xmas?". The winning team scored about 40% - and this was multiple choice!

The "Who am I" activity worked well - Taro Aso won. However, some very long faces due to the fact that Bugs Bunny was apparently a woman, Nelson Mandela and Winnie the Pooh American. Jun didn't know too much about reggae, and Ineko couldn't remember John Lennon's name. Oh well!

Frank Sinatra also featured, as we broke into some unusual karaoke to the tune "I love New York in June". Two teams had to organise the lyrics first, then put a dance together and sing along. Hilarious efforts from both teams and a lot of fun, before attention returned to finishing off the buffet.

Lots of happy faces, new friends made, promises to come and party some more with us in 2009. Wishing everyone a super Christmas - few more classes yet before we can relax properly though!

Cheers!

Painting the town red

On Saturday evening, one of Jim's business classes went out for dinner and a few drinks in town. We had a some great nabe and yakiniku; Kazu bizarrely topped up his draft beer with tomato juice and salt...which in a ll my drinking years I don't think I 've seen before!

Tana's first certificate (FCE) class also had a meal, and eventually caught up with Jim's group at karaoke - not a regular event for Jim and actually Tana's first time (can you believe it?). As we were such a large group, we had to wait a while for a room - so we had a few more beers to pass the time & Tomohiro found his friend's wedding party in the same bar!

Surprise crooner of the evening was Yuki, letting rip with style and skill. Most of the rest of us gurning along drunkenly - Rie & Kyoko excepted, so well-behaved. Yosuke & Tomo did their best to keep Yumie awake!

Where did all the time go? Suddenly it was something like half past two in the morning, cold & rainy. Tomo staggered off homewards, others planning to share taxis...Sunday looking like it was going to be a slow day for eveyone concerned! Thanks - I had a great time. I didn't even mind sleeping on the floor (again) when I tried to stay awake for the football.