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-J.D.Sparks, 3rd year ALT, Sakado-shi
Orphans – sometimes the heart just needs a good jump start. This weekend I decided to organize a trip, involving 32 ALTs, to our local orphanage. Actually, we had been trying to do it since December. We went to the “Children’s Home” in Kawagoe. This place is for children of abusive or sick parents, children who have been abandoned by their parents, children with family problems and orphans. We went and had a big Valentine’s party for them. Yuko (my wife) had been working with the lady at the home (who has been there 49 years) for three months and was beginning to think she was like the house mother in ‘Annie’. You know, the Carol Burnett version. The lady had cancelled and warned us several times about restrictions and on this day she called early in the morning babbling about some crazy rules and concerns. I was so worried she was going to cancel at 8 am on the morning of the event. I guess I don’t blame her. A bunch of foreigners call up and say, “Hey, we are coming to your place to have a party. Get all the kids ready.” I might be a bit worried too.
Well, all turned out well. It rained but almost everyone showed up. We started by making cards for them with the big bags of supplies we brought. The kids slowly peaked around the corner of the lunch room and slowly slithered into the room full of VERY BIG foreigners. |
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Most of the kids were elementary age. Some were as young as 3 years old. After a while they became fully aware of how cool this was going to be when the bags of candy started popping out of backpacks. Not just regular candy but candy the ALTs had brought from their home countries. Stuff they had never seen or heard of before. Some ALTs even brought Japanese candy to make them feel at home.
When the sugar buzz began to take effect of their senses they started darting around like crazy. Now the games began. We had magic tricks (or what I tried to pass off as my floating card trick), balancing pole juggling, classic Japanese singing (by an award winning classic singer/ALT), games (like pin the heart on cupid and pass the parcel) and dancing. I especially enjoyed the dancing. We taught them some samba and danced a conga line. We did the classic ALT songs of “Head, shoulders, knees and toes” and the world-famous “Hokey Pokey” (Which was a big hit, if I do say so myself). You know we even got the house mother in on some of the games.
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By the time we were ready to leave, the kids were in full party mode. I am sure they didn’t wind down for hours. I hope they are still dancing today. We ended it in the traditional way, with us signing our names like movie stars. I will never understand it, but these kids L.O.V.E. having our signatures. I am lucky to teach in an elementary school and a kindergarten during the year, but some of the ALTs were high school teachers and had never had the chance to play with kids this young. I am glad they could attend.
I really think everyone had a great time and they plan to make this a recurring event. I would love to see some of these kids grow up to be worldly, outgoing, fun-loving, good kids. I think the ALTs helped them down that path this weekend. I know a few ALTs who feel they are better people for the experience. I salute all that attended (and thank them for all their help and efforts)… and encourage all those that can, to attend in the future!
I hope you had as great a Valentine’s Day as we did, (the kids as well as the ALTs.) |
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The Saitama Mama |
