“We are different, but we are also the same.”

This is what Judy-san, Sloane’s Grandma, taught us today when she came to visit Wee Friends. In the late 1960’s, Judy spent two years, in a town outside of Tokyo, teaching American kids whose parents were associated with the Vietnam conflict. Today, Judy shared her memories, her stories and a box filled with cultural materials, with Sloaners and her Wee Friends.

“We are different, but we are also the same” is how she began. In the US, friends take backpacks to school. In Japan, traditionally, kids used large scarves stuffed with their belongings.

Japan is so far away, she explained, that she had to bring two maps to show us!

In the US, we like to make a wish on a wishbone. In Japan, they make wishes on a Daruma Doll.

In the US, we (usually!) send manufactured cards. In Japan, cards are hand painted works of art.

Even Japanese wrapping paper is an artistic creation.

When Nate saw the argyle socks, he yelled out: “My dad has some of those!”

Judy-san taught us that traditional Japanese socks (tabis) have a split in them, unlike Nate’s dad’s socks, to accommodate commonly worn sandals.

In the US, we have Mother’s and Father’s Days. In Japan they celebrate Children’s Day, Boy’s Day and Girl’s day.

While kids in both countries read books, in Japan, kids read from the back of the book to the front of the book.

In the US, when you catch a fish….you might celebrate by taking a great photo….

In Japan, it is an opportunity to create another work of art: a painting of the fish.

Kai: “I heard Japan won volleyball in the Olympics!”

Japanese children wear robes, too! Japanese grownups call their robes “Happy Coats”.

First Judy-san compared Japanese chop sticks to a Dairy Queen spoon, then she shared some interesting Japanese snacks with us.

Poured in homemade origami bowls, friends sampled rice crackers, roasted green peas, rice candy (friends could eat the inside rice wrapper!) and cookies.

Sydney: “I love origami! It came from Japan!”

Judy-san bowed to us and we practiced bowing to Judy-san, thanking each other for a wonderful trip to Japan.

Thank you, Judy-san, for sharing your love of Japan with our Wee Friends!

Wee Sprouts: Pea pods. Breakfast: Chex and bananas. Lunch: Tuna fish on whole wheat tortillas, Cassie’s Garden tomatoes over romaine lettuce and apple slices.

Kai: “How do they say storm in Japanese?”

Have a great day.