ÿþ<HTML><TITLE>Kôyô Elementary Scool Visit - 10/28/05</title> <BODY><CENTER> Here are the photographs from my trip to <a href="http://www.city.hirakata.osaka.jp/freepage/KOUYOU-E/homepage/">™™}–\f[!h</a> (<I>Kôyô</i> Elementary School) this morning. We had a lot of fun making noodles and playing games.<BR>Click any picture for a larger version.<P> <a href="http://www.feitclub.com/images/school02_s.jpg"><img src="http://www.feitclub.com/images/school02_s.jpg" width=648 height=486 border=0></a><P> <a href="http://www.feitclub.com/images/school04_s.jpg"><img src="http://www.feitclub.com/images/school04_s.jpg" width=648 height=486 border=0></a><BR> As you can see, lots of kids were excited to see us.<P> <a href="http://www.feitclub.com/images/school03_s.jpg"><img src="http://www.feitclub.com/images/school03_s.jpg" width=648 height=486 border=0></a><BR> In Japan, kids have to help clean the school. Do they take turns at different tasks, I wonder? Or do these kids always do landscaping?<P> <a href="http://www.feitclub.com/images/school05_s.jpg"><img src="http://www.feitclub.com/images/school05_s.jpg" width=648 height=486 border=0></a><BR> These girls were part of our udon making team. For a video clip of one of the crucial phases in preparing udon, <a href="http://www.feitclub.com/images/school.avi">watch this video</a> (right-click). I mistakenly say "soba" but those are a different kind of noodles altogether. By the way, am I the only one creeped out a little by an eleven year old girl wearing a "Playboy" T-shirt?<P> <a href="http://www.feitclub.com/images/school08_s.jpg"><img src="http://www.feitclub.com/images/school08_s.jpg" width=648 height=486 border=0></a><P> <a href="http://www.feitclub.com/images/school09_s.jpg"><img src="http://www.feitclub.com/images/school09_s.jpg" width=648 height=486 border=0></a><BR> This is the school's multi-purpose dirt field. I feel like they should really have some grass but I guess they'd have to cut it themselves. Hey, at least they have a pool!<P> <a href="http://www.feitclub.com/images/school10_s.jpg"><img src="http://www.feitclub.com/images/school10_s.jpg" width=648 height=486 border=0></a><BR> A girl on a unicycle? You are hereby declared the winner of recess!<P> <a href="http://www.feitclub.com/images/school06_s.jpg"><img src="http://www.feitclub.com/images/school06_s.jpg" width=648 height=486 border=0></a><BR> Here's our lunch for the day, pretty nice actually. That's a peach next to the bread, by the way. I'm not sure what was in that bowl; it seemed like a mix of vegetables with quail's eggs thrown in. I never had a school lunch growing up and I can't figure out why not. It's not like our town didn't have enough money.<P> <a href="http://www.feitclub.com/images/school07_s.jpg"><img src="http://www.feitclub.com/images/school07_s.jpg" width=648 height=486 border=0></a><BR> So long kids! With any luck I'll return in two years and teach you all a thing or two. Here's hoping you don't turn into rotten teenagers by then!<P> <font size=2><a href="http://www.feitclub.com/2005/10/still-exhausted.html">Return the original post</a><BR> <a href="http://www.feitclub.com">Return to the main page</a><P> Page Last Updated 10/28/05</font> </body></html>