My day at Oohira Elementary

So I spent to crazy days working with the kids of Oohira.  Here, we had just finished running the track for 8 minutes... yeah... I got invited to join them, and I guess they weren't getting my hints that I'd rather take pictures... :P  oh well!  It was good for me.. I hope... So I tried to get a shot of the school yard, but cameras draw children like rotting meat draws flies, so here's what I end up with instead:

(You can see they are all wearing the same thing--this is their 'gym uniform.')

So here you are... just a sampling of the horde of shots I was asked to take by the kids.  Of course... look at them; they're a bunch of cuties!  It was hard to resist the pleas of "shashin o totte!"  (Take my picture!) (:  And the "peace" virus seems to have affected every single Japanese person I've encountered.  It makes it physically impossible for you to stand there and get a picture taken without making the 'peace/victory' sign.

You can see, though, in this picture (down and to the left)... one boy who has overcome the illness.  Instead, he gives me "GETSU!" (no meaning as far as I know... it's some comedian's signature move)  He's pointing at me with his thumb up--that's how you do it.  'Shoot' your finger out at someone, and shout, "Getsu!" as you do, and you've got it!

These three girls came to talk to me during one of my breaks. (:  See the papers on the table?  They are like 'friend info sheets' that go in something like address books.  Y'know... they ask for addresses and phone numbers and which movie star I like best and stuff... it was fun, they had to try to explain a few of the words to me.  We talked for about 15 minutes, and it was really fun!  They were really sweet girls. (:

OOHIRA OOHIRA JHS

This weekend there is a community festival going on in Oohira.  These kids were helping to set up, and upon seeing my camera (of course) begged for pictures! They might be the 4th graders. (:

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