They see me rollin'... Bike safety

In April, I noticed the entire student body congregated at the bike park at the end of recess. It was a little odd, so I went outside to check out the shenanigans. As usual, I sported my cool sunglasses. The kids often yell “Kakoi!!” (“Cool?!”) and enjoy trying them on.

So, the kids were all in their bright blue gym uniforms and were perched upon their bikes. They also wore their identical white bike helmets, and waited in orderly lines.

Apparently, we were going to spend the afternoon learning about bike safety. They were being tested on their ability to safely navigate their way around the surrounding roads and rice paddies. One by one, they set off on a course around the neighbourhood as the teachers kept a watchful eye.

After all 275 students finished the quick ride, we all retreated to the dusty soccer pitch at the back of our school. (The kids sat down on the pitch, in their straight lines, as per usual). Three safety officers gave us a little presentation on the importance of bike safety.

I think it’s interesting how all of this is unfamiliar territory to me. Growing up, all of my schools were at least a 10-minute drive from my place. Like most students, I took the yellow school bus. In high school and university, I took public transportation (ie. the city buses) or I drove.

Here in Japan, I am fortunate enough to live near my base school. It’s a 7-minute walk, or a one-minute drive. Now that I have a car, I always drive to school – those extra six minutes in the morning are really nice. But I do miss the walks to school, because I can meet and greet my students along the way.

When I used to walk to school, I'd hear a steady chorus of "Herro!" or "Good morning, Gemma-sensei" as the kids zoomed past me on their bikes. Maybe I'll start the walking trend again this summer. But probably not, because it's not fun sweating in the ridiculous humidity here.