So far...

Already half my stay here has zoomed by. Unlike most my visits, I didn't have a busy work schedule, so Tesla and I got to lounge around the house but this seemed to extend jet-lag as both T and I crashed early in the evening only to continue to wake up super early in the morning. Even after I was somewhat normal, T fell sleep before dinner several times (I kept a banana by the bed that she woke up and ate around 4am).

During the day, T and I walked around the neighborhood and went to local parks. I was trying to find kids for her to play with but everyone was in school. After some hunting around, my mom and I got T into a local kindergarten for just 2 weeks which is exactly what I wanted - T to play and have fun with Japanese kids, and be immersed in Japanese. The school kindly provided a uniform to borrow.

The day is 9am until 2pm only, so isn't too long. So far, everyday I've picked her up, she is extremely tired, barely making it home before crashing into a deep nap. Her brain must be on overdrive all day with new language.

The first day I stayed until noon, the 2nd day just for an hour. T adjusted so quickly; she was the one to tell me I could leave. The teachers are very attentive so this helps, but I think at this age, kids don't really need 100% to "get" each other. They just look at each other and smile. I was told T cried once because they were all doing an art activity that she didn't understand so felt left out, but once others started, she was able to copy them. So far, she hasn't cried for me, and is eager to get to school everyday.

I was put into a Japanese elementary school in the same way, but at 9 years old. Very interesting to watch Tesla as she adjusts to this new rhythm. She gets that she has to take her shoes off and put on indoor shoes (wabaki). She gets that she has to bring her own hand towel everyday. She gets that she has an attendance booklet she must put stickers in everyday. Even within a few days, we could see a difference in her Japanese.

Below is the kindergarten head teacher introducing Tesla. I was worried that 2 weeks would be disruptive to the other kids, but so far the other parents seem really happy T's there since T is apparently "teaching" English to them. 2nd pic is T's teacher - very kind and supportive.

Anyway, the whole kindergarten business is keeping me busy. Getting her uniform cleaned and ready everyday, making her cute bentos like everyone else, and picking her up at 2pm doesn't leave much time. It would be hard to be a working mama here.

Below are snippets before kinergarten started. T practicing hiragana (now that she sees it everywhere, she's motivated), and a photo-op with our neighbor's giant chrysanthemums
that he saved for our arrival (and trimmed the next day).

For the first few days being here, coincidentally, my cousin Scott from Indiana was visiting. He's a professor in Chinese politics and was lecturing in Tokyo. We took a long walk and boat ride around Yokohama - something I haven't done in years since I'm always busy working in Tokyo. Right pic is of Intercontinental Hotel where I used to work - one of my very first bilingual jobs in the "cost control" department. Wow, so much has happened since, but what I learned there set me on my path ; )

I feel I'm getting into the rhythm here vs. feeling like a foreigner in a country I call home. More on that later...for now, I'm about to head out to meet a few friends from my Tokyo high school. My first "night out" although I plan to come home on the early side. My parents will babysit : )