Playing cards with the baseball kiddos

* Photo not an exact replica of my deck! :)

A few months ago, I realized that playing cards would be an easy way to bond with the boys at school. Back in high school, we'd spend our spare periods playing euchre! I knew it'd be risky to bring authentic playing cards into my little school in the Japanese school in the countryside, seeing as how everything is controlled. But kocho-sensei (the principal) saw me playing cards with the kiddos, and shot me a smile filled with approval. Or, so I'd like to think. He hasn't told me to change my ways!

Armed with my pack of light-green playing cards, I slipped into Homeroom 3-2 during recess. The boys were breaking out their tin box filled scraps of paper. I don't think the kids are allowed to bring in their own cards, so their lovely homeroom teacher has let them fashion "playing cards" out of white paper. How darling! The boys and girls also enjoy admiring my playing cards, which I bought from Dollarama back home. On the back, the cards look like fake Canadian dollar bills. I think there's a picture of Laurier. I've tried explaining he was once the prime minister. But the kids only know of America's Obama.

Today, the boys were excited to see me since they knew I had cards. We ended up playing "Daifugo," which they have translated for me as "Rich Man, Poor Man." We often scream "BIG MONEY!!!!" to the winner. It's nothing short of hilarious! I don't really get all of the rules, but it's similar to games we play back home. Bottom line: It's an interesting way to get them to speak English with me. (I also enjoy playing card games with my first-year boys. We have one game where we slap each others hands after turning over certain cards - jokes!)

When I lost round after round today, they said I was demoted to "monster." (I can't remember the Japanese word they used). But then they spinned it as "You are pretty monster." Ah, such young charmers! I've noticed that the baseball boys are probably the spunkiest of the bunch, and always willing to use their limited English skills with me. I'm going to miss these ones when they graduate come April.

Speaking of using English, S-kun said something hilarious at lunch. One of his classmates, S-chan, was sent home early. Swine flu is apparently circulating around my town now, and many kids are complaining of high fevers. S-chan looked pretty stoked to be leaving for the day, but I hope she feels better soon! Anyways, S-kun yells in English: "Please go home! Please go home!" OK, it was one of those "you-had-to-be-there" moments.

Well, I'm off to bed. Maybe I'll dream about being a daifugo (correction: rich woman).