東京ディズニーランドの写真

Last weekend, my daughters went to 東京ディズニーランド (Tokyo Disneyland) together. They took their young six-year-old cousin with them.

While the four of them were at the amusement park, my wife and I went to IKEA (I wrote about that last week. Click here to read it.)

Here are some of the photos that my daughters took (I’m not posting any of the photographs that have my kids or niece in them):

The Tokyo Disney Resort bus

"Daisy Duck"

"Pooh-san"

A statue of Walt Disney and Mickey with Cinderella's Castle in the background.

"Buzz Lightyear"

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I’m sure you’ve heard in the news about the recent outbreak of a new epidemic in Mexico that has spread to America.
It’s a 豚インフルエンザ (Swine (Pig) Flu)!

First, there was “Mad Cow“, then the “Bird Flu“…and now it’s pigs. Will fish be next?

Japan did a pretty good job of keeping the mad cow and bird flu out of this country. Hoping this new swine flu won’t spread here either!

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Anyways, “Golden Week” has officially started today. Students still have school and most people still have to work until Thursday…but some people get to begin their holidays today.
As with most people though, my family all have our Golden Week holidays from next Saturday (May 2) until Wednesday (April 6)…plus this Wednesday (April 29) is off too (But, Thursday (April 30) and Friday (May 1) are work days).

Wednesday, April 29 is 昭和の日 (Showa Day). (It used to be 緑の日 (Greenery Day)).
Sunday, May 3 is 憲法記念日 (Constitution Day).
Monday, May 4 is now 緑の日 (Greenery Day). (It used to be 国民記念日 (Residents Day).
And Tuesday, May 5 is 子供の日 (Children’s Day).

Because 憲法記念日 (Constitution Day) is on a Sunday this year, it’s observed on Tuesday, May 6.
So most people’s Golden Week is from Saturday May 2 – Tuesday May 6.

Click here to read my FAQ about the Golden Week holidays.

Also, this year (2009) in Japan, there will be a second Golden Week in September!
This is because 敬老の日 (Respect For The Aged Day) is on the third Monday of September…and 秋分の日 (Autumn Equinox) is on September 23.

This year, the third Monday of September will be on September 21. So since September 21 and 23 will be off…the government made September 22 between them a day-off too.
So, many people will have Saturday, September 19 until Wednesday, September 23 off…a second Golden Week.

School clubs

In Japan, most kids join an after-school activity…a 部活動 (school club). Such as the baseball team, band, or science club.

How about in your country? Do most kids join a school club?

The school year begins in April in Japan…so a new school-year has just begun this month.
So this year, my youngest daughter just began junior high school and she joined the girls’ basketball team. Tomorrow we’re taking her shopping to buy her basketball sneakers.

My second daughter is in her final year of junior high school. She’s joined the English club. And yesterday she applied for a twelve-day overseas home-stay.
Do you know about the student home-stay program?
It allows kids to experience what life is like in other countries by staying in the home of an average family in another country.
If my daughter is accepted, she will stay for twelve days with a family in either Australia, Canada, England or America this summer.
If she goes, she’ll enjoy it, I’m sure…but I will worry until she’s back home!

My oldest daughter has begun high-school this year. She played trumpet in the brass band for the past two years…but she decided not to join a club this year.
She wants to get her first after school part-time job instead!
I can’t believe my daughter’s old enough to have a job!

Did you work part-time when you were a high-school student?
When I was in high school, I worked at a variety of part-time jobs. My first job was at the fast-food chain “Wendy’s“. I chose to work there because it was near where I lived and they were hiring.