|
We think the "genki" is a wonderful Japanese word. It means something like "energetic" or "healthy" or "in good form" in English, but there's something to it that just can't be fully translated. It's so indispensable that it soon enters the vocabulary of almost everybody who comes to Japan, and you'll often hear foreigners asking each other, "Genki today?" For such a simple word, its meaning is surprisingly complex, which to us symbolizes some of the uniqueness of Japan. It's an attitude as much as a feeling, and at our school, we're proud to strive to be Genki both inside and outside of the classroom.
On weekends, we run outings to local festivals, shows, and famous places, depending on the interest of our students. For example, recently we have visited Mt. Aso (the largest active volcano in Japan), a pottery workshop for hands-on practice, and a soba noodle workshop.
As part of our quest to spread Japanese culture around the world, we teach Japanese games such as hanafuda to our students in the evenings. These events can go on until late at night, as no-one wants to lose the last game!
Whenever we can, we run special "one-off" additional classes, taught by visiting lecturers on Japanese cultural topics, that any students can attend. Recently, we have offered special classes on Japanese flower arranging, tea ceremony, and calligraphy.
|
