Japanorytag:typepad.com,2003:weblog-16846742013-05-23T09:00:00+02:00Tales from Tokyo.
Expats in Tokyo. A British family experiencing their new life in Japan.TypePadJust when you think it's safe to make plans...tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e553a42885883401910268dc75970c2013-05-23T09:00:00+02:002013-05-23T09:00:00+02:00We’re halfway through our four year posting in Berlin. Our basic plans at the beginning of our stay here were: Rhiannon would finish her primary and middle schooling here and...Carole Hallett MobbsAll change - an overdue update on life in Berlintag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e553a42885883401901c72b58c970b2013-05-22T13:31:11+02:002013-05-22T13:31:11+02:00Hi! I’m back for a bit of an update for anyone who still reads this blog! (If you’ve wondered where I’ve gone, please take a look here ExpatChild) Sadly, Rhiannon’s...Carole Hallett MobbsA Quick Update for Youtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e553a428858834017c321f9702970b2012-09-25T11:53:12+02:002012-09-25T11:53:12+02:00Hello again! Yes, I know I promised to fill in the missing years from this blog, but I really can't see it happening. Which is a massive shame. Maybe one...Carole Hallett MobbsFault Lines & Stressestag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e553a428858834014e604224a0970c2011-03-30T16:32:45+02:002011-03-30T16:32:45+02:00Wednesday 30th March 2011 It's...Carole Hallett MobbsAnother School Concerttag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e553a4288588340148c8684e07970c2011-02-14T10:00:00+01:002011-02-07T07:05:16+01:00Wednesday 25th June 2008 Rhiannon is performing in the end of term school concert. It's held in a theatre near the school. Taiko starts the show off with a rousing...Carole Hallett MobbsRhiannon’s First Residential Triptag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e553a4288588340147e25aca67970b2011-02-11T10:11:45+01:002011-02-11T10:11:45+01:00Thursday 29th May – Friday 30th May 2008 Prepared for a night away from home last year in Reception, Rhiannon now embarks on a 'real' residential trip to a place...Carole Hallett MobbsMini Harajuku Girl - Japanese Day 2008tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e553a4288588340148c854b9e4970c2011-02-08T10:52:57+01:002011-02-04T17:36:54+01:00Wednesday 21st May 2008 The school's annual Japanese Day is here again. Parents are invited to join in the big assembly at the start of the day, where we will...Carole Hallett MobbsSports Day - againtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e553a4288588340147e24b7b41970b2011-02-07T17:12:07+01:002011-02-07T17:12:34+01:00Thursday 8th May 2008 Year One's Sports Day is rather different to the Reception "Race Day" last year. For a start it's held at a real sports track. The school...Carole Hallett MobbsTime to Start 2008tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e553a4288588340148c7b432b6970c2011-01-19T09:10:00+01:002011-01-17T16:43:03+01:00With a couple of free weeks… On Monday 7th January we all went to take Mum to the airport to catch her plane for her Borneo adventure. It was a...Carole Hallett MobbsFirst Anniversarytag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e553a4288588340148c76f1f6f970c2011-01-16T01:53:41+01:002011-01-16T01:59:29+01:0022nd November 2007 (Hell's bells - this post got lost amongst a heap I did recently and I forgot to press the Publish button. DUH!) So, we've been here exactly...Carole Hallett MobbsChristmas Concert - mark 2tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e553a4288588340148c7702b5a970c2011-01-14T08:48:26+01:002011-01-09T11:36:11+01:00Friday 7th December 2007 I have been so looking forward to this after seeing the wonderful performance just after we arrived here! However, this year there is a change of...Carole Hallett MobbsChildren’s Hall and Children’s Castletag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e553a4288588340148c7690bd9970c2011-01-09T12:29:52+01:002011-01-09T12:29:52+01:00November 2007 Each ward in Tokyo has a place called the Children's Hall. Entrance is free and is an activity based centre where children of all ages can join in...Carole Hallett MobbsRhiannon’s Busy Lifetag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e553a4288588340148c725dc7a970c2010-12-31T10:46:25+01:002010-12-31T10:46:25+01:00As well as me being extremely busy with work, Rhiannon's school and social life requires a diary of its own! The school is very well set up with extra-curricular activities,...Carole Hallett MobbsQuick Round up to Finish September 2007tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e553a4288588340147e11527d6970b2010-12-28T16:59:15+01:002010-12-28T16:59:15+01:00Oh lord, I am NEVER going to get this blog finished am I? Ah well, I can but try my best. Tim and I start making decorations for Rhiannon's party....Carole Hallett MobbsParty Planningtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e553a42885883401348903fe45970c2010-11-17T14:16:05+01:002010-11-16T07:51:50+01:00Late September 2007 Rhiannon's birthday always catches me by surprise, which is ridiculous really. The date of her birth is obviously etched into my psyche - 12th October. But planning...Carole Hallett MobbsAnother one of those quick round ups…tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e553a42885883401348820d398970c2010-10-13T12:12:41+02:002010-10-13T12:12:41+02:00First three of weeks of September 2007. After surviving the Typhoon, it was time to get on with the minutiae of everyday life. I registered for some classes again at...Carole Hallett MobbsBack to School!tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e553a42885883401348819ac44970c2010-10-11T06:50:30+02:002010-10-11T06:50:30+02:00Tuesday 28th August 2007 Oh yeah! At last, the long summer holidays are over and Rhiannon goes back to school. Now she's in Year 1 and is thrilled to have...Carole Hallett Mobbs“Illuminous” Fishtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e553a428858834013486ff9bf2970c2010-09-06T15:02:50+02:002010-09-06T15:03:43+02:00Thursday 28th June 2007 The End of Year Show (I'd love to include photos here, but I only took a video, so can't, sorry) Today is the last full day...Carole Hallett MobbsThe Child’s First Sleepovertag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e553a42885883401348671f747970c2010-08-25T08:13:48+02:002010-09-06T15:58:10+02:00Thursday 14th June 2007 - Friday 15th June 2007 She's only five years old and has never had a sleepover anywhere. She's not a great sleeper in her own bed:...Carole Hallett Mobbs“So Many Animals”tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e553a4288588340133f2b065c1970b2010-07-29T16:07:46+02:002010-09-06T15:58:40+02:001st June 2007 No, this is not a post about Japanese wildlife (I'll do one of those another day!). This is the title of a song the Reception children presented...Carole Hallett MobbsHow to Wear a Kimono…tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e553a4288588340134859aed49970c2010-07-22T07:09:07+02:002010-09-06T15:59:13+02:00Wednesday 23rd May 2007 Today, school is having its annual Japanese Day. The kids dress up as something typically Japanese and participate in various cultural activities such as Ikebana, Sho-do...Carole Hallett MobbsSea Cucumbers, TV & a Sushi Walk...tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e553a4288588340133f247c5bf970b2010-07-14T16:41:44+02:002010-09-06T15:59:48+02:00Monday 7th -Wednesday 9th May 2007 A non-photo-prompted post! Tim's flown to Seoul (South Korea) on business. Rhiannon always plays up when he's away, so I'm not looking forward to...Carole Hallett MobbsSports Day for Reception Childrentag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e553a4288588340134852e3a81970c2010-07-03T18:16:28+02:002010-09-06T16:00:57+02:00Friday 4th May 2007 Ok, so it's not called Sports day - it's known as "Race Day". No idea why. But today I discover to my distress, that my daughter...Carole Hallett MobbsThe School's Spring Fairtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e553a4288588340133f20846db970b2010-07-03T16:07:51+02:002010-09-06T16:01:52+02:00Saturday 28th April 2007 This will be a short post as my memory of the day is buried under 3 years worth of other, more interesting, memories. The School's annual...Carole Hallett MobbsBaking and Playingtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e553a4288588340133f076c559970b2010-06-09T06:06:33+02:002010-09-06T16:02:41+02:00Thursday 26th April 2007 The school's annual Spring fair is on Saturday and because I'm still trying to find my feet with the PTA/Fair Organisers et al, I agree to...Carole Hallett MobbsEnd of Term and Start of the Sakura Seasontag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e553a428858834011571f841b5970b2009-07-12T09:21:24+02:002010-09-06T16:45:52+02:00Friday 30th March 2007 Today school finishes at midday for the Easter Holidays. Quite a relief for both of us, I think. Parking was atrocious, so I had to leave...Carole Hallett MobbsThe School Ball... for Children Onlytag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e553a428858834011571f8305c970b2009-07-12T08:30:06+02:002010-09-06T16:46:25+02:0029th March 2007 What a fabulous idea! All the Reception year children are having a proper Ball this afternoon as an end of term treat. Parents are not allowed, except...Carole Hallett MobbsA School Meetingtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e553a428858834011570feee63970c2009-07-11T10:33:56+02:002010-09-06T16:47:01+02:00Wednesday, 21st March 2007 Today is a school holiday because the teachers are running a "how your child is doing" session with the class teacher. I don't remember the proper...Carole Hallett MobbsArrrr, ‘ere be Pirates!tag:typepad.com,2003:post-662796692009-05-03T01:01:00+02:002010-09-06T16:49:12+02:00Friday 16th March 2007 Today is Pirate Day in Rhiannon's reception year. No, I have no idea why either, but there you go. It's a chance for her to get...Carole Hallett MobbsParty Girltag:typepad.com,2003:post-637965652009-03-08T17:10:25+01:002010-09-06T16:57:56+02:00[Random date – before the last few posts anyway!] Rhiannon has been invited to a birthday party. The birthday girl is the daughter of one of Tim's colleagues and a...Carole Hallett MobbsBus Blisstag:typepad.com,2003:post-625213432009-02-07T16:38:42+01:002009-02-07T16:38:42+01:00Oh, what a difference finding the bus has made to my life! We can leave for school almost an hour later, meaning a lot less shouting (from Mum) and a...Carole Hallett MobbsIn Praise of Buses!tag:typepad.com,2003:post-620823522009-01-29T06:52:14+01:002011-01-30T15:15:34+01:00Rhiannon and I are at the end of our tether with this awful school run. Going in isn't too bad. Well, it is, but at least Rhiannon is fresh at...Carole Hallett MobbsUps and Downs of the School Runtag:typepad.com,2003:post-600349082008-12-15T16:17:43+01:002011-01-30T15:20:43+01:00On the way to school I noticed one of the large film screens around Shibuya station showing videos of one of my favourite bands – the Red Hot Chili Peppers....Carole Hallett MobbsFirst Day of Schooltag:typepad.com,2003:post-599978342008-12-14T16:57:47+01:002011-01-30T15:23:18+01:009th January 2007 Finally! I thought this day would never come, but here we are, getting ready for Rhiannon's first day at her new school. Considering that she left her...Carole Hallett MobbsChristmas Concerttag:typepad.com,2003:post-558475142008-09-19T16:57:45+02:002011-01-30T15:35:18+01:00Once again, we braved the trip to school. This involves a 15 minute walk to our nearest Metro station, two stops in the wrong direction, then change lines to head...Carole Hallett Mobbs17 Days into our New Lifetag:typepad.com,2003:post-558466902008-09-19T16:43:00+02:002011-01-30T15:36:13+01:0010th December 2006 and a few days after that... We've had to borrow someone's laptop as all our urgent stuff still hasn't arrived. Hopefully it shouldn't be much longer before...Carole Hallett MobbsHow a Child Copes with Becoming an Expattag:typepad.com,2003:post-526400542008-07-13T18:01:28+02:002011-01-30T15:38:07+01:00It’s all a big change for a small child - moving to a completely different country - yet Rhiannon is coping brilliantly on the whole. Apart from a few moments...Carole Hallett MobbsLife goes ontag:typepad.com,2003:post-526367302008-07-13T16:46:31+02:002011-01-30T15:39:07+01:00To keep ourselves occupied, Rhiannon and I visit the school she’ll be attending from January. This involves a walk to the Metro, two trains and then the impossible task of...Carole Hallett Mobbs