Miyakojima High School

Today was our last school visit, we went to Miyakojima High School, and it was an amazing day! It started with, yet another, welcome ceremony.

Then we visited classes. It was amazing to see how much English was learned between grade 9 and grade 10! It was interesting how many students in the 12th grade class would talk throughout the teachers’ lectures, but I am getting used to this as a cultural difference.

For lunch, we were treated to box lunches from a local restaurant (much better than the school lunches that we ate on our previous school visits). Although we ate in the library, about 40 students joined us. I had a chance to sit and eat with a fellow JFMFer, Christian, and three 11th grade students from the school. They had a lot of questions about American life and we shared information back and forth.

After that, we had the chance to dance with some of the senior citizens from the island (which was incredible).

Then, we had a meeting with the teachers to talk about the differences and similarities between our two educational systems and cultures.

We concluded the day with a reception with the staff of the school. There was more incredible food and more incredible dancing. A few of the teachers danced a traditional dance to a Miyakojima specific instrument called a, actually, I can’t remember what it is called-but it looks like a three stringed ukulele. After they were finished dancing they taught us how to do part of the dance. Then, we decided to teach them a traditional American dance….. the Chicken Dance! It was so funny, we were all laughing like crazy. I offered to lead the instruction of the dance to the group. We did not have the music so we all hummed the tune. When we were done the principal told me that I am a very good teacher. What a blast!