Jamboree

In October, MeySen Friends Club celebrates Halloween with a party/carnival called "Jamboree".  Kids and teachers dress in costumes, kids play games with their class at different "booths" and receive candy and toys, everyone eats cake, and the principal shares the gospel.  


I absolutely LOVED Jamboree.  I had so much fun playing games with my students and seeing them (and their younger siblings) all dressed up.  The school has tons of costumes for teachers to wear.  My friends and I had fun decided what to wear.  While we were looking through the racks of costumes and boxes of accessories, I commented to my coworker (who is also a former youth pastor) that it reminded me of working in youth min -- piecing together a crazy costume to promote a game or upcoming event).


Since most of the girls were going to wear dresses, I decided to dress up like a male pirate (complete with a mustache and goatee).  I thought my kids would get a kick out of it -- and they did.

Me as a pirate

Like the facial hair?

Kris as Batman

Greg as ... Chinese Black Spiderman?????  (Greg had a little too much fun accessorizing his costume, as he would pick a different prop to use every 5 minutes)

While students arrived, several of the teachers stood in front of the school.  We waved to cars and people that passed by.  It was hilarious how some of the people reacted to us: in typical Japanese fashion, they looked straight ahead, pretending not to see us and keeping a straight face -- despite the fact that a transvestite American pirate was yelling "Arrrrr Matey!" or a black Spiderman was crouched on the large rocks.  Even the business man who walked THROUGH us on the sidewalk kept his head down and didn't even glance at us or say a word.  Sometimes this culture is just so different!

Greg posed as Spiderman; Many parents and kids didn't see him until they got close, so he startled many  of them, which made them (and us) all laugh.

One of the best parts of the party was seeing all the students arrive in their elaborate costumes (because the Japanese take costumes quite seriously!).  Being used to the culture of American schools, I was so surprised to see students bringing toy guns, knives, and swords to the party; in America, a kid could be suspended for that!  When families came to drop off their children, if there was a younger child in the family, they would also be dressed up to wave goodbye to their older sibling.  There were some ridiculously adorable toddlers!  My favorite was a little boy dressed as a skeleton.  I'm telling you what, there is NOTHING cuter in this world than a Japanese toddler.

Look how cute!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

かわいい

(Kawaii -- Cute!!!)

Parents went crazy taking pictures of the kids with their friends and classes -- and it was impossible getting the kids to all look in one direction and to stop moving for the one second that it takes to snap a photo.  But those moms were trying their darndest!

My class!

2 of my kiddos -- dressed as a vampire and a pirate (with a gun)

In preparation for Jamboree, students decorate large plastic bags with colored electrical tape.  Just like in trick-or-treating (which is not done in Japan), their bags are filled with candy, sweets, and toys by the end of the night. My 3rd graders made some pretty elaborate bags!

The kid who made this Mario bag was also dressed as Mario

Another highlight of the evening was the costume showcase.  When a particular costume type was called (such as "witch" or "Disney characters"), kids wearing that costume would come to the front of the gym for a photo.  When Jonathan called for students dressed as "cowboys and Indians", a 3rd grade boy dressed in a bright orange sari (like someone from India) went to the front of the hall; the kid was right -- he was dressed like an Indian (just not the kind of Indian westerners usually think of).  I thought it was pretty funny.


   Later in the evening, when we were eating our snack of cake and potato chips, one of my 3rd grade boys turned to me and said, "Mrs. Lauren, I know what potato chips are made out of."
   "What?" I asked him.
   In full seriousness, he replied, "French fries!"  Close, kiddo. Haha!

This night was just another reason why I love working at MeySen.  I have so much fun with my students.  They are all such good, fun-loving, bright kids.  This job is just fan-freaking-tastic -- I get to build relationships with kids and teach and I get paid to do fun things like dress up as a pirate and play games.   It's great!