Ethan-chan's new school

I've finally gotten off my butt and found a fully Japanese preschool for Ethan. It's called Kodomo Gakuen; click here to check out their website, it's got lots of great info and pictures.

For those who don't know, Ethan has been attending Kunitachi Kids International School. KK is a Japanese preschool off base, but it's an Enlish immersion school for Japanese kids, which means only English is spoken. We really like it and Ethan was happy there, but I'm determined that he (and the rest of us as well) will become fluent in Japanese while we're here! One of my biggest regrets is that I grew up in Japan, but never learned to speak Japanese!

The Japanese school year runs April - March, with about a 2 week break in between, so school got out this week, including Kunitachi. Ethan will start at Kodomo at the beginning of the new school year, April 7. Like KK, Kodomo has a bus that picks up from our gate at 8:30am, they get home around 3:00p. I think there are 4 other American kids enrolled. One awesome thing that I couldn't believe is that Kodomo offers an extended day program, with bus service! If I need Ethan to stay later, they'll keep him until 5:30, then bring him home on the bus!

There are 3 English speaking teachers on staff, so they'll help with his transition, but both of his teachers are Japanese, and with only 4 American kids out of 240, he'll get plenty of Japanese practice! I'm so excited!! I can't wait to hear him sprechen some Nihongo!!