Here's the other half...

Here is the other half of my "favorite" class (they're 9th graders, btw).

There are 21 classes total at my Junior High School. 7 per each grade (7th, 8th, and 9th grade). 

The kid in the first row, left, with the white shirt, is my favorite kid in the school, and probably has the best English in the school, or at least a close 2nd best, to a 7th grader. He lived in Australia for one year in the 7th grade cuz his dad is super rich or something, and moves a lot for work -- works for BMW or something.

Anyhow,....he's a lot of fun to talk to cuz he's totally my gateway to understanding japanese junior high school culture. i'd ask him questions about things like why do teachers do this, their uniforms, their weird rules, or, how do you decide who cleans the toilets (cuz that's the thing here, they don't have custodians in japan! the students do EVERYTHING! they clean the toilets, they clean the chalkboards, they sweep every day in class, they clean the communal sinks and drinking fountains...they freakin' do every hard labor that no kid in america would EVER do. it's amazing! the japanese are pretty smart about this kind of thing. teaching discipline and patience and everyone's "place in society", you could say.) so yea. he's great. but then, one day, he just started ignoring me. wouldn't find me in the hallways anymore, wouldn't talk to me during recess after class...i was HEARTBROKEN!!! =P

I thought it was because i didn't give him a lot of attention in class, cuz we spoke so much out of class, but then my friends were saying, its probably cuz he gets picked on a lot by the other kids - apparently bullying is a big problem in japan, but i've never really seen it. how sad! kids can't practice their english with me cuz other kids will bully them about it! grrr. but, i guess, where in the world, does bullying NOT happen among kids!?

(haha, i'm a geek, i know...)

so yea...

but anyhoo, got a good sign today cuz he brought me a CD to class, to listen to this weekend. very sweet. and then we had our usual chat after school again, so after a couple of weeks of nothing, hopefully things are back to the way they were. =) 

Anyhow, so that's the story behind my favorite kid in the school.

The kid behind him, both actually, the one to the left, and the one who's face is covered, are also favorites of mine. the one to the left, his English is quite amazing....even though he's never lived abroad. so I'm always impressed by his capabilities. and, he's just super cute. he's got that...i'm a genius, but i know how to play it REAL cool too...in a geek sort of way. love it.

haha

and...

yea. =)

O, the reason the boys are on the chair is because they are practicing for a chorus competition that happened last Friday. We were gathered in a huge hall, famous hall, where famous composers and concertos and fancy plays are at, and apparently my JHS was able to book the place, privately for a day. So all 21 classes, each had a song to sing, in front of the school, teachers, and parents, and they were all judged against each other. And then they got a HUGE trophy at the end. The winning third grade class (9th grade)....the leader/composer dude fell to his knees CRYING on stage, in front of 1000 people...no joke...cuz he was so overwhelmed about winning.

very cute.

=)

o and might i add, the boy who looks like adrian brody's japanese twin younger brother, wearing the cardigan...i have no idea who he is. i dont recognize him at all. but lemme say, haha, its VERY strange that he's wearing a cardigan in class. that is DEFINITELY NOT ALLOWED!...so....out of 745 students, he's actually the only kid, not wearing the proper uniform. and actually the kids shouldn't even be showing their white shirts....but cuz it was after school, and practicing for the chorus competition, there was a little lee-way. its strange, all 745 students...have to wear the same uniform, the same shoes, can't wear earrings. can't dye their hair. if they waver from the masses at all, they get DISCIPLINED and ridiculed like no other. it is definitely against the rules to look even slightly different from the person next to you. again, my friend says its to teach discipline and about your "place in society".

but it isn't a communist country!

soooooooooooooo intriguing!!!!!! =)