It’s true: kids can be cute. Stories about kids are always the same, they’re cute they’re so cute, they say the dum… er, darndest things! Sometimes the most involuntarily clever things, too. Of course, it’s the smart asses who make the most of a limited vocabulary that I like best.

Asked to write some poetry using some god awful textbook examples that I refuse to type out, a couple sannensei (3rd grader=9th graders US) decided on the topic of their mothers. How sweet. One of the boys was quick to point to another boy saying “He loves… his mother,” switching his finger direction to a third boy midsentence. The third boy retaliated “He loves his mother!” pointing back at the other two. Ah, boys, your mom does maybe.

One sannensei has gotten to bellowing “Hyoon! Oh, Hyoon!” everytime he sees me in the hall. At least they’re learning my name. Sort of.

In one ichinensei (1st graders=7th graders US) class today, students delighted in saying “Social Studies!” in the most exaggerated accent possible. You have to hear to appreciate it. “I don’t like SOCIAL STUDIES!” followed by riotous laughter.

Other class highlights:

“I LIKE JAPANESE!” Damn straight you guys seem to. That one apparently is an easy one.

“HAMBAHGAH!” to which I correct, “hamBURGER” and my overdoing of the “UR-ER” sounds sends a couple students into hysterics. I now get requests for “two hamBURGERs, please” anytime I see them.

Or when asked to write what he did for summer break, one student wrote:

I went to the river in August.
I jumped there.
My friend Ikeda drowned.
The view was ugly.

Perhaps only after seeing so many “I went to training camp. It was interesting” in succession can you appreciate that one. Invention always gets an A+ in my book.