Reservation not required

Regrettably it's been several days since my last post. It seems like time is flying by, though I want this month to chug along a bit more.

Aya had her Math Placement test on Tuesday the 14Th, the experience was odd according to my wife. She was brought to the school in the morning and there were about 15 students awaiting to take the test in the lobby or cafeteria. My wife asked Aya to go sit with the other students waiting, but she froze - didn't want to go in to sit with the other students. My wife had to ask Aya 3 times before she moved, ever so hesitantly.

Finally the Math teacher came down to greet the students and told them they had to proceed up to the 3rd floor; all but Aya started walking towards the stairs. My wife told her she had to go with the students and that she couldn't go with her or support her during the test. I don't know why she thinks there will be someone with her during her testing or schooling, though we've explained that to her already. I am guessing she's got 2nd thoughts about all this, but wants to suceed.

That evening I spoke with Aya, asking her about the test. She said it was little difficult because there were some word problems, but the answer sheet were (fill in the circle) multiple choice which made it easier. The questions (equations) were fairly easy she said (as I knew this since her math back in Japan seemed to be like 1st or 2nd year of college here).

Aya seems a little more relaxed now, however a little more reserved when it comes to certain situations. She does the dishes every night and shares that responsibility with one of our daughters, switching between rinsing or washing.

We sat down one night and created a chore list and either assigned or asked for volunteers from the children (ours and the exchange student). Granted we don't have a lot, my own kids make it seem like it's the end of the world and I am driving them to the bone. Sadly I had double their chores when I was their age as I am sure my parents had triple mine; we seem to be breeding children who expect more and do less with each generation.

Aya says she's lives in the country side, but somehow I don't envision that being an island and near cities and tourists year round. Who am I to argue, I've never been, but can view on a map (I've tried Google Earth, but it doesn't show a lot of detail in other countries as well as North America).

The other night I started to practice her English again, but I think she didn't really review the words nor looked up the definitions as we talked about. Not sure if she's becoming lazy, bored, forgetful or has this feeling that she may miraculously do well and doesn't need to review anything.

She seems to retreat to her room often; sometimes reading some Japanese subject books (little guide books from her High School or write in her daily journal), sometimes napping through parts of the day.

During some of our discussions, I get the feeling she goes places all the time with her friends back home and must have envisioned her stay in America to be the same (New York & Boston) or any other major city in the United States. Many things to do in those cities, where as in the small town of United States, we've got corn, woods and the activities she's used to are missing. Shopping, mall walking, arcades, beaches, hanging out where there are a lot of people, movie theaters and bus/train stations.

I don't feel my sole purpose here is to keep her entertained, but I try to keep her comfortable.

I've tried to explain to her this isn't really a site-seeing trip or vacation, this is a one-year sink or swim in an American High School taking American studies: U.S. History, Literature etc. all in English, taught by English teachers. She assured me she understood, but still acts nervous when we discuss it.

Eve before Math placement

The past couple of days have been leisurely for the family, where as I started work on Sunday so I wouldn't say it was exactly fun for me (12hr Days).

Last night I noticed Aya preparing for her Math Placement on Tuesday. I gave her several old text books I found that my wife had in her General Studies courses for Algebra I/II which Aya said she had done a while ago in grade school - and would have to brush up.

She also has this booklet, sort of a guide book in Japanese for Math that she used in the High School back in Okinawa. I couldn't read it, only could see the equations and some of the examples (which is what she said our text books look to her when she is trying to study).

The English is more complex for math books than what a normal text book would have and for her to understand a "Word Problem", will be a problem unto itself.

Currently she said she's doing Calculus but didn't seem to versed in Trigonometry and Statistics and Probability. Quite honestly its been many moons since I've laid eyes on problems like those and I would be drawing a big fat zero on my test, if I were to take it.

After I came home tonight I was trying to prepare her for English understanding.
For example:
I choose a text book on management skills and read excerpts (basically one or two sentences at at time) to have her listen then write (print) them on a notebook, then later check her auditory skills and to digest and reproduce to the best of her ability. I had also had her underline the bigger words or words in general that she didn't understand. This way she will be forced to look up the definition and maybe have a chance to review it later.

Oddly enough, she didn't learn cursive and prints everything - including her name. As I found out when we went to get her bank account the other day. They said sign here and sign here...
There was an odd silence as she printed her name in both places. Fortunately, then second bank accepted her application and allowed her to sign in her native Kanji.

I am not sure if this is a tried and true method, but I want to give her a fighting chance during her stay with us and if she wants to be able to hang with the homies at the school and keep up with teacher/student interaction.

I will have to wait until tomorrow night to find out how she faired on the test and what and if the teacher(s) had any input as to her ability to follow / understand directions well.

Yard Sale, Tag Sale, Garage Sale its all the same.

Today the town is holding a "Town Wide Yard Sale" as well as Massachusetts is going tax free this weekend as an incentive to buy more.

In the past years, we've set up a lot of unwanted items and they still became unwanted items which we ended up donating to The Salvation Army.

Allie has to tend to a neighbor's yard sale and my wife will be tending a small table at our home, I think Aya and my youngest will drive around checking out the other's around town. I fully don't expect her to look much or buy much. I've gotten the impression she likes new things and budgeting hasn't hit home yet. I presume her spending money comes from her family for now until she works full time.

Small town in New England...try to cope with it.

It's raining today and overcast, the temperature dropped to around 58F. Had to take my wife to the outpatient for pain management (back, Sciatica, hip and referred leg pain). She's been pretty much immobile for the past 4 weeks now (hoping a solution can be reached). Treating the symptom versus the root cause will not help the issue.

The kids played some Nintendo Game Cube down stairs - a game that used to play as a kid (RAMPAGE). My daughter's tend to gravitate toward watching the T.V. a lot, where as Aya doesn't watch much T.V., as she explained she doesn't watch much at home.

She seems anxious to do stuff - typical bored teenager, more exaggerated here in this small town and the fact that 58F is cold to her she is confined to the home. I asked her what she does at home in Okinawa. She says she does a lot of shopping at local malls and shops. She said she loves to just hang out on the beach or in the malls with friends.

She comes from a larger populous and is used to lots of things to do in a larger city, but here in this quiet little Podunk town in Massachusetts there isn't all of that and for teenagers even locally - they become bored.

Local teenagers here do any of the items on the list if they can't drive themselves:
- Walk around town
- Read
- Bike and skateboard
- Hang-out at the skateboard park (other side of town)
- Hang out at the basketball park (other side of town)
- Boat and swim (lake near by)
- Fishing
- Surf the web and IM, text message, MySpace and YouTube
- Play PC games: World of Warcraft or WoW, Counter-Strike, Battlefield and more.
- Console game: xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, Sony PlayStation III
- Play in a garage band or attend a jam
- Hang out (anywhere around town, looking menacing)
- Board games and playing cards usually at the bottom of the list

All of which seems boring to them. We get the same old line from our kids: "We're bored", "I'm hyper and don't know why, I just want to do something - go somewhere."

I guess you can say, welcome to the World of Teenagers or WoT. Which is a cruel game of life and pretending you didn't hear what your parents asked of you. ["WoT" = "What?"]

To be continued...

As my main PC is still dead - missing its power supply I haven't been playing any online games. I think I am going through some sort of withdrawl, like a smoker with cigarettes or something.

On the bright side, I actually did more around the home than I had in the past year, as far as unpacking boxes we had in a storage room from when we moved that last 2 times, made office space for Aya, tightened up a wiggly Foosball table, put together shelving - free time can be dangerous. (Need more level 70's !!)

Positive message in a kids song for Naruto!

ALIVE: by Raiko

Raiko - Alive (Ending naruto)
Uploaded by onikari

dare datte shippai wa suru nda
hazukashii koto janai
kono kizu o muda ni shinai de
waratte arukereba ii

Everyone makes mistakes at times

It's not something embarrassing

Don't waste these scars

Keep on going laughing, and it'll all be good

(RAP)
sou shizuka na kuuki suikomi
hiroki sora ni kao age tobikomi
toki ni ame ga futtara hito yasumi
jaa yukusaki wa kaze fuku mama ni
takusan no matotteru koukai
kono kizu o muda ni shicha shounai
ude ni kunshou kizami ikoukai shougai
sou kokkara ga Show Time

(RAP)

That's right, breathe in a silent breath

Look to the vast sky, jump in

Take a break once in a while when it rains

Let the wind take the destination

All the regrets you carry

Can't let these scars go to waste

Carve an emblem into your arm, lets go as long as we love

That's right, from here on is the Show Time

ah iroasete kono PORA naka de ikiteru kako no jibun toka
itsumo TSURU nde hi no nai you ni
ibasho mitsukete hiataru you ni
konna kanji de hibi kattou ippo fumidasu beki ganbou
makkou shoubu jibun ni muke issou koko de kono uta hibikasou

Ah Like the past that lives in this fading polaroid picture

Just like the days we hung out

We searched for a place so we can sit in the sun

We fought every day like this

The one step you gotta take for your desire

A real fight for yourself Let's sing this song forever in this place

dare datte shippai wa suru nda
hazukashii koto janai
kono kizu o muda ni shinai de
waratte arukereba ii

Everyone makes mistakes at times

It's not something embarrassing

Don't waste these scars

Keep on going laughing, and it'll all be good

(RAP)
kyou hajimari o tsugeru asayake yume to genjitsu no hazama de
What's Say kono koe kareru sono hi made
korogari tsudzukeru Another Day
shuppotsu shinkou kamase in o shindou kaitaku michi ippon yeah
yagate toori ni hanasake soshite mirai ni mugete habatake
genjitsu omoku nokkaru ga mezase chouten Like a No Culture
saru ga saru ni shikanarenai Oh
jibun wa jibun ni shikanarenai Yo
asu o ki ni shite shita muku mae ni
kyou no jibun no ki no muku mama ni
saisei kyou wa chou kaisei nanimo nayami nankanaize

(RAP)

Morning dawn tells you the beginning Between the borders of dream and reality What's Say until the day my voice dies away

keep on truckin' Another Day

All aboard ready to go Develop a single road yeah

Soon flowers bloom along the way And will spread its wing toward the future Reality burdens real heavy but go for the top Like a No Culture

A monkey can only be a monkey Oh

One can only be himself Yo

Before you worry about tomorrow with your head down

Be what you wanna be today

Rebirth, today's a fine day I've got nothing to worry for

omoku no shikakaru genjitsu ga
ima no boku o semetateteru
kantan ni wa ikanai na
sonna koto kurai chouchi shiteru yo

Reality leans heavy on me

And it's torturing me

Nothing comes easy

I know that well enough

dare datte shippai wa suru nda
hazukashii koto janai
kono kizu o muda ni shinai de
waratte arukereba ii
takusan no koukai o matotte
aji no aru hito ni naru sa
kanashimi mo kaze ni kaete
tsuyoku susunde ikereba ii

Everyone makes mistakes at times

It's not something embarrassing

Don't waste these scars

Keep on going laughing, and it'll all be good

With all the regrets I've gone through

I'll be a person with taste

Even turn sadness into a wind

Keep on going strong, and it'll all be good

(RAP)
sou shizuka na kuuki suikomi
hiroki sora ni kao age tobikomi
toki ni ame ga futtara hito yasumi
jaa yukusaki wa kaze fuku mama ni
takusan no matotteru koukai
sono kizu o muda ni shicha shounai
ude ni kunshou kizami ikoukai shougai
sou kokkara ga Show Time

(RAP)

That's right, breathe in a silent breath

Look to the vast sky, jump in

Take a break once in a while when it rains

Let the wind take the destination

All the regrets you carry

Can't let these scars go to waste

Carve an emblem into your arm, lets go as long as we love

That's right, from here on is the Show Time

Day of R & R

I awoke fairly early this morning, mostly due to our dog begging to be let out.

Grabbed quick bowl of cereal and started my coffee in the Keurig, which IMO is the best invention in a long time for non-morning people.

I used to grab a coffee at Dunkin' Donuts or make a full or half pot, wasting the rest of the coffee. (I think I am saving money)

Browsing the web through some email, blogs and Japanese links - I saw this YouTube video that I thought was hysterical. As I notice I will soon come to the realization that getting older is a permanent situation, but hair is only temporary.


It's 9:25 a.m. now and the eldest girls are still fast asleep. I figure I will let them rest since they only have a few more weeks until they have to wake at the crack of dawn.

Sort of a lazy day around the house, Aya and youngest shot a few hoops then came indoors for a little Foosball action; it was 2 on 2. I teamed up with my youngest and Allie and Aya teamed up. It was entertaining, its a wonder why won't don't play it until friends come over. I do miss a real pool table or even a good Air Hockey table.

There is a tentative plan to go out on the kayak's since the weather is good today and will rain Friday and Saturday, but the girls left for some errands.

I did accomplish something today; I set up a study area for Aya as she requested and as I stated in an earlier Blog, I had planned on doing. (Something positive came of it - hurray!) She has a very large desk to use cleaned off with a matching bookshelf and its in a quiet area of the home away from all the activity. It's hard to tell, but I think she's happy about it.

I could be a cultural thing, but after dinner last night (one that my wife made), she didn't say whether she like it or didn't like it. I know guests and friends usually say I like this (even deep down inside it could be something they didn't really care for, but to be polite people say these kind of things). It feels a little odd there is no real expression (a deep in thought look), little eye contact is made often unless directly spoken to. Only when asked did she say she thought it was good.

I think it will take some time for all of us to adjust, as the guide book stated - we will notice and expect different reactions and events than what actually comes to surface. I am sure she expected something totally different as well in every day family living.

I had some MP3's of some Japanese music from a Anime show I watch and enjoy, though I am a grown up called Naruto. I know we have the syndicated version in America - but I prefer the subtitled Japanese version, it has more feeling to it.

In one of the several car rides we took this week, I played a song I like the most from a set of 10 different theme songs. I was surprised she never heard of the song and when she asked what it was from I told her Naruto. She laughed and said she doesn't watch that show, boys do mostly. (Oddly she admitted to watching Dragon-Ball Z and Pokemon) - which I thought to be boys cartoons as well.

Above are the Lyrics with English translation (not by me) and a video clip. Surprisingly a lot of the songs have a positive message regardless how coarse it may sound.

The Day

Rise and shine; actually it's raining out and kind of dreary.

Woke Aya up promptly at 07:30 in order to be ready by 08:30.
My other daughters I decided would be best to drag them out of bed, for comfort and reassurance. We know she will be nervous.

One thing I recall from being in Japan is the house slippers - Aya is wearing them now while she is preparing her bowl of cereal. She bought all the girls them as well which was wonderful.

I notice that most Japanese guys or girls walk in those slippers or Zori's with a shuff-shuff sort of walk as the heels sort of never leave the ground. At my work there were two guys from Japan that helped us install and repair machines; and they too walk with the same shuff-shuff. Its sort of funny, but as a kid my dad used to yell at me for doing such a thing.

Pick up your feet! You are acting lazy and I will not have that in my house!

He'd say as I instantly ceased from such activity.

---------------------------------------------------------------
And off we went to the High School with my two daughters or should I say three.
There was some obvious visible anxieties, since we fully expected to meet the Principal first thing.

To our relief we met the Guidance Counselor that put together Aya's schedule yesterday.
We did notice another exchange student there from Thailand and Alli noticed another student there yesterday at her orientation who is from Brazil. (I have a feeling that both students may speak more fluent English, which may compound some anxieties).

We spent a good portion of the 2 hours in the cafeteria on some hard plastic seats. As I recollected one of my college professors state that the brain will absorb only what the butt can endure. (I think that statement has more meaning with age.)

Most of the orientation was about schedules and classes, location and how to read your schedule and how many credits is expected by the end of the school year. Afterwards we took a tour around the high school 3 of the 4 floors worth, seeing all the different sections. I knew the High school was large, but it felt even larger once within its walls. Compared to my High School which was more of a Voc-Tech High School it was gi-normous.

After orientation we set her up with a Bank Account at another banks, it seems the 2nd Bank is more flexible when it comes to foreigners and the ease of working with exchange students etc.

We were even able to obtain a Visa Check card (debit card) from them, where as the other bank we tried she was only limited to just an ATM card.

We stopped by McDonald's for lunch, we believe it was her first time in the U.S. , but as well all know McDonald's has already spanned the globe. Fillet-o-fish was her sandwich of choice; she had mentioned that she is missing Japanese food now. Which might explain why last night when given a choice of what to eat, she choose the Ramen package in the cabinet.

I understand that she wants to have Sushi or other Japanese foods, more as a comfort food while in a strange place, but as it had been explained to us from the Exchange Program, that we need to treat her as one of our own and not as a guest - thus not cater to all her desires.

I am finding this one of the hardest things to do. How do you not treat someone who is staying with you not as a guest? I think it will take time, though I don't want it to take too long before we figure how to do this or else it will become expected.

She is asking for a quiet place to study with desk, as my oldest daughter's room is a little cramped and has only a computer desk and is in close proximity to the kitchen / great room which is where most of the family's activities take place, hence it may be too noisy.

Alli has found that studying in her room was no problem, though as an American teenager she can study on the floor sitting Indian style or half on the bed and half off. It never affected how well she has done in school (an honor student).

But I suppose I can't expect Aya to just mimic that way of studying and doing her homework. I presume at home she has a quiet place to get away from it all and study.

In the next coming days, I think I will clean up and organize our Entertainment area in basement where there is a desk I got from work - and make it into a study area, just that it will be rather cold in the Winter time down there (heat is limited to a propane heater).

Just when you think you have too much in life to do, God plays a joke and add just one more item to your task list.

As a treat, I brought the girls to one of the larger Malls in the area. Aya says she loves to shop, it wasn't much later that day when I didn't see her leave the stores with items that she meant she loves to check out stuff at the mall, but only buy what is necessary. Window shopping comes to mind.

To fill you in girls these days like stores like:
- Claire's
- Pac Sun
- Hot Topic
- Spencer's
- FYE

There may be more, but they weren't interested in what I thought girls were interested in like. Aeropostele, Abercrombie and Fitch, DKNY, Banana Republic etc. They told me those stores are for older women. (I was stunned a bit and realized I was considered OLD, but I am and will always be a kid at heart.)
-------------------------------------------------------
Checking email's tonight I received some encouragement and morale support from Eric and family. - Thanks guys :)

The day before "The Day"

After waking, commuting, working, commuting and eating, I discussed the days events with the family.

Aya (the exchange student), was brought to the High School for her Guidance Councilor meeting and course selection for Senior year, then our oldest daughter (Allie) went to the High School for her Freshman orientation about 2 hours later.

Aya choose her course selection with some assistance - as she choose:
Algebra I, Spanish I / II, Food (Cooking and health), US History, American Literature, Parenting (Life skills)

We discussed it later that evening and my wife and I thought that aside from all the reading that will be required in American Lit and US History, Spanish would be cumbersome. It didn't make sense to us, that she was trying to learn our language attend our school yet take on another foreign language taught by a foreign teacher (at least foreign to her).

That would be like someone shooting a target with a crossbow held by the guy across the street learning for the first time, but being instructed by a different person on a cell phone giving the instructions in broken English.

Awash all that senselessness, I am focused now on tomorrow. We have to bring Aya to the school and meet up with 2 other foreign exchange students and meet the Principal (whom I have gotten the impression has a low tolerance towards foreign exchange students and their abilities to keep the pace, since the school really can't afford to provide any additional support) for the new kid orientation.

She is very nervous and when she gets like that it is even harder for her to communicate, the words don't roll off the tongue and sentences are cut mid-stream. I wanted to give her fair warning that the principal may interview her just to see what his teachers may be in for.

Going to say a little prayer and hope that the other 2 students are just as fluent or less to defuse the focus of attention.

The saga will continue.

Work is a four letter word!

Up early and on the road - work day. (I'd rather beat on a drum all day)

Some relieving news at work today: A safety violation that occurred a few weeks back will not result in someone being terminated. Just the fear or threatening discussion of whom to single out for this non-conforming and unsafe act is nerve racking.

Basically the company wanted to make an example and utilize this firing to show what lengths the company is willing to go in order to maintain a strict safety policy.

I guess the second grey - good news is that the pandemic phobia of the company closing its doors within the next year has been pushed off for maybe 2-3 years; if not further based on new ideas and products that will use older technology.

Glad to be home again regardless.

I discussed with my oldest daughter about what activities were performed today, because I feel like I am going to miss something. It felt oddly like when a parent has to return to work and their baby takes its first step as witnessed by the new Baby sitter.

You want to see the language barrier start to break down, the communication throughout the day improve and the student leave her shell and feel more free to explore.


TODAY'S ACTIVITIES:
- Visit another American Student's home
- Walks with American teenagers
- Playing Volleyball
- Reviewing Mathematics, due to an upcoming Math Placement test
- More English reading and TV viewing
- Doing the dishes (sharing responsibility with my oldest)

I noticed our youngest daughter is starting to increase her attitude and reluctance to perform normal chores or requests: Like being told she's seen enough TV, set the table, feed the pets and brush your teeth.

I suspect the fact that the attention is now drawn away from her and to the new exchange student in the house, thus acting out a little more for attention.

Spent the later part of the evening reading other peoples Blogs. (OPB)

- Signing out: Good Night All

Come bearing gifts.

I worked today and returned home to find the family waiting for me.
Not really to see me, but so I could finish my re-warmed meal and clear the table, in order for Aya to present us with gifts she brought as a "Thank You" for hosting me.

We were quite pleased and surprised with the variety.
(We really weren't expecting anything - seemed to break the ice a little more)

- Men / Woman's Yukata's


- T-Shirts
- Okinawan cookies (CHINSUKOU)

- A poster of Hiragana (alphabet as it were) but with a twist
It had this normal everyday words, plus the Okinawan word for the same thing.
- Origami
- O-Hashi's (many types)
- Maps and site-seeing pamphlets
- Other items

The children were quite tired, as my eldest daughter spent the past 2 days at a campground with her friends (which means being up all night girl-talk) and today they rode bikes around the neighborhood.

Anticipation is growing for the Orientation this Wednesday at the High School. I gave our student, Aya some math books to look over (older books from our High School/College years) just to refresh since next week she has to take a Math Placement test.

It seems reading the Math instructions and word problems will be challenging. It seems they are familiar with the Math and may even be taking some at higher levels - but its hard to say.

Personally I think it would be best, if we could or the school could get examples of homework and lessons from her High School and we could bridge the gap and compare what she will be getting here.