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JAN 2005
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NEW YEAR GREETING FROM PRINCIPAL:
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Happy New Year! I hope you all enjoyed a wonderful holiday season with family and friends. As we embark into the New Year, I am reminded of New Year’s traditions in Japan where I grew up. Unlike the States where religious celebrations occur in December, Japanese reserve New Years for theirs. To prepare, we would clean our house in the last days of December to signify spiritual cleansing and renewal. Then on New Year’s Day, we would dress up and visit shrines to pray for health and happiness. I remember I enjoyed wearing my kimono for the occasion. Children don’t go to school during this first week, so they relax and play card games, fly kites, spin tops, and play Japanese badminton. Since in the U.S. we have to go back to work or school from the second day of the New Year, I always feel a little rushed. However, after thirty-five years of living in the States, I feel very fortunate that I can teach Japanese language and culture to a younger generation. In the New Year, I am looking forward to our students continuing to explore and understand both cultures.
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[January, 2005]
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