I just returned from spending 20 hours on an overnight trip with thirty 4 and 5 year olds (with no compensation or day off to make up for the time...) on two 90 - 94 degree days. It took place near a small mountain not far from the school called Kojinyama. It's quite a big complex with a children's center, a big playground and well used soccer, baseball fields and a field golf (?) course. If you walk towards the mountain there's a big building that houses the offices, a community room, and various sleeping rooms (hostel like). There are rooms with multiple bunk beds and rooms with tatami mats. We had the tatami and very thin futons (all the adults were sore in the morning) and 10 kids + 2 teachers in each room. There are also two big baths (1 male, 1 female) and a cafeteria with a basic meal served at breakfast and at lunch. Luckily there was air conditioning in the bedrooms (although they encouraged us to turn it off during the night - we didn't). The evening we arrived we had our orientation, took a little walk, had dinner, had to prepare all the futons and sheets, lit a campfire, ate s'mores, had a bath and bed. This morning we had to fold and clean up all our bedding, sweep the rooms, clean the bath rooms, etc. , breakfast, went out and the kids made a little charm and then we took a walk while looking for things to complete their 'field bingo' cards. The playground, a snack and home. They all had fun and we did too, but really the same thing could have been accomplished without the overnight part. The idea is for the children to become more independent, blah blah blah,. But they're 4 and 5. They really don't need independence. And it was the teachers who ended up doing most everything anyway. On top of that they had to pack so many changes of clothes, towels, etc. it had to be a total pain for their parents. They really couldn't make or fold their own bedding, they didn't get enough sleep,etc. etc. I think a trip from 2pm - 9pm could have accorded them all the key activities with a LOT less hassle on everyone's part, and afforded the teacher's much more sleep on their precious 2 day weekend! After a quick bite at McDonald's, since we were too unkempt, hot and tired for anything more, we all went our separate ways for showers and to spend the afternoon in our air conditioned rooms. I fell asleep for a little while and could have kept sleeping but then I wouldn't tonight, so I'm groggy and hot and without much for dinner, but I'm too tired and it's too hot to go out, so I'll have to make do with what I have on hand.... hmmm. Not the best weekend ever.
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