Saturday, 6 February 2010

5Y1M 3Y4M 年長組 Older children group

アラタの通う幼稚園の英語クラスはマレーシアの教育制度に準じているので、この1月より2004年生まれは全員年長組。とは言っても、普段は3歳から6歳までがひとつのクラス。

ただ、年長さんは読み書きの時間があって、アラタもようやくアルファベットや数字、その上マレー語や中国語も習い始めた。そして、この間幼稚園であったチャイニーズニューイヤーの会では、年長の男の子だけが、鉢巻巻いてカンフーダンスを披露。

日本語クラスの年長男児も一緒だが、日本語クラスの方は、日本の教育制度に準じているので、年長というのは、日本で言えばアラタより一学年上の子供達で、8月生まれのタイラくんですらまだ年中。という訳で、2004年12月生まれのアラタは、カンフーダンスで一番チビ。上手にできていたけどね!

At Taska Nania, Arata is already one of the oldest children as they follow Malaysian education system and since January this year, those who were born in 2004 are all in the oldest class at kindergarten. Still, at Taska Nania, all the children from 3 to 6 years old are usually in the same class.

There are some exceptions. Older group starts to learn writing and reading. Arata has finally started to learn alphabets, together with Malay and even Chinese writing! And at the Chinese New Year festival last week, only older boys performed Kung Fu dancing.

The older boys at Japanese class were doing together. But older boys in Japanese class means a year older boys than Arata in Japanese education system. So even Taira, who was born in August 2004, is still not in the older children's group. (Those who were born between April 2003 and March 2004 are considered the older children by Japanese system.)

Arata was surely the youngest boy among the Kung Fu dancing group. But he was doing well.

Wednesday, 3 February 2010

5Y1M 3Y4M チャイナ服 Chinese clothes


アラタの幼稚園である、チャイニーズニューイヤーフェスティバルのために、洋服を買った。ついでにタカラの分も買って着せると、二人でいきなり北京雑技団。と、思ったら、ウルトラマン&ゴーオンジャーの戦いのポーズ。

I bought Chinese clothes for Arata as he needs it for Chinese new year festival at his kindergarten. Takara got one too.

I dressed them up and they started to pose as if they are performing for the Chinese state circus. Where did they learn it?? Next moment, they transformed themselves into Ultramans or Goongers!

Saturday, 23 January 2010

5Y0M 3Y3M 海を見下ろすフラット Overlooking sea

1週間前に海に面した33階に引っ越してきた。

前のフラットは1階だったので、プールに行くには便利だったが(バルコニーから出られた)、風の通りが悪く、窓を開けたとしても蚊が多いので、結局は閉め切りでエアコンをつけっぱなし状態。

今度のところは、高層なので基本的に蚊はいない上、海風が吹き込んできて、明け方は寒いほど。なかなか快適。

フラットがかなり広くなったので、家の中を移動するだけで疲れる・・・。

(写真は居間からの景色&前に住んでいたフラットからの眺め)

We moved to a new flat last Saturday. It's on the 33 floor and looking over the sea.

Our previous flat was on the ground floor and it was convenient to go to the swimming pool as we could just get out of the balcony. But we didn't have any breeze because of the design of the buildings, in any case, we never thought about keeping the windows open as there are lots of mosquitoes and we were always turning on the air-conditioning.

In our new flat, on such a high floor, we have nice breeze from the sea and it's rather cold in the early morning. Very good.

The flat itself is much bigger here and I seriously get tired by walking around the flat.

Photos: The view from our new flat, the view from our previous flat(the last photo)

Thursday, 14 January 2010

5Y0M 3Y3M スイミングレッスン Swimming lesson

アラタは相変わらずスイミングレッスンが嫌で、直前になると、トイレ行きたいとか、眠いとか言う。もちろんそれでも容赦なく私は行かすのだけれども、将来トラウマになるとかあるのかなあ。

始めて2ヶ月ちょっと。今日は数えてみたら、16回息継ぎできました。プールの端から端まで13Mぐらいを浮き輪なしで泳げるようになったわけだ。足が付かない深いところだし、今までは、溺れる~できない~って先生に泣き叫びながらやってたけど、今日は一度も弱音を吐かなかった。頑張ったね!

戻ってくる時は、背泳ぎ。これは息継ぎしなくていいから怖くない。アラタは得意で、止まっていいよって先生に言われても止まらないですいすい泳いでいます。(写真手前がアラタ)

Arata still doesn't like the swimming lessons. Before the class, he always complaines it's scary and I don't want to go, or he insists to go to toilet, or he complains he is too tired. I don't care whatever he says, I just send him. I hope it won't be his traumatic experience....?

Anyway, he's been taking the lesson for over 2 months. I counted how many times he can take breathes now today. He could do it for 16 times. Literally he can now swim from the one end to the other, some part is very deep, about 13M, without floats.

He usually screams at Mr Lee, during the lesson, "I will be drown! I can't!!" but he didn't say anything today for the first time. Well done, Arata!

When they swim back from the far end, they all do the back stroke. It seems to be easier for Arata since he doesn't have to worry about breathing, and he is very good at it. Even when Mr Lee tells them they can stop now, Arata usually keeps swimming comfortably. (The one at very front in this photo is Arata.)

Friday, 1 January 2010

5Y0M 3Y2M あけましておめでとう! Happy new year!

Thursday, 31 December 2009

5Y0M 3Y2M 大晦日 New Year's eve

真夏の大晦日も普段の木曜日として過ごしました。Jasonの会社もカレンダー通りなので、明日の元旦のみが休日。大掃除もなく、ホリデーもなし。いつものメンバーで、いつものように近所のホーカーでランチして、リー先生の水泳レッスン。

アラタはできない!できない!って言いながらも頑張っています。

This is my first new year's eve I don't feel anything spacial. No big cleaning, no holiday, no party, Jason goes to work as usual. Arata had a swimming lesson by Mr Lee as well. He always doesn't want to attend the lessones and it's difficult to take him out but he did very well today although he keeps shouting "I can't!" to Mr Lee.

Sunday, 27 December 2009

5Y0M 3Y2M アラタ5才! Arata's turned 5!

アラ5才の誕生日。

今月初めから2回も誕生会をしたので、あまり新鮮味がないが今日で本当に5才。アラタのリクエストにより、家族でラササヤンのブッフェランチへ行った。アラタはお目当てのクラウンに風船のバイクを作ってもらい大満足。その後アドベンチャーゾーン(ビュッフェ食べると無料で利用可)で3時間遊びまくった。

帰宅後、お風呂に入って寝かせようとした時に、「ケーキ~」とアラタ。忘れてた~。全然用意していなかったので、ティーライト5つを平皿にのせてキャンドルとして、食べかけのラウンドケーキをケーキカット。アラタカラ二人でハッピバースデーを英語&中国語で歌っていました。

Arata's 5th birthday! We've done 2 parties in December and we didn't feel much excited today but he's really turned 5 today.

We celebrated his birthday at Rasa Sayang Hotel with lunch buffet. It's Arata's request. The clown made him a balloon bike and Arata looked so happy. After lunch, we went to the Adventure Zone, the entrance fee is waived if you have buffet lunch, and Aratakara spent nearly 3 hours running around.

After getting home and they had a bath to get ready to go to bed, Arata said, "I haven't had a birthday cake!" I totally overlooked the cake and candles. I put 5 tea lights on a big plate as a makeshift birthday candles. Aratakara sang birthday song in both English and Chinese and Arata blew the candles. Then he cut the left-over round cake from yesterday. It worked anyway. Arata looked satisfied and so happy.