I don’t really like summer, but I love summer vacation!  Do you have a summer vacation?  I have a “half” summer vacation.  I’m free most mornings, but work in the afternoon and evening.

When I’m teaching at schools here, I like to compare summer vacation in Japan and America.  Japan has vacation for about one month in July and August.  but many schools in the USA have nearly 3 months of summer vacation. for example my old school, Mapleton Elementary finished school on May 26th, and will begin on August 22nd.

Another big difference is homework.  While Japanese students have a big load of homework and projects to finish, American students usually don’t have any.  Summer vacation comes at the end of the school year, so students are between grades.

At this point most Japanese students say ”いいなー” But then I continue to tell them about all the work that kids often do in America.  As a child I was busy every vacation, picking cherries, mowing lawns, weeding gardens, etc.  It was a very good eduction in economics, and taught me a lot about how to handle money.

As an adult, I always have a list of things I need to get finished during my summer vacation, and this year is no different.  I’ve been working on painting and rebuilding a snow fence, I have to do some brick and mortar work in my yard, and the list goes on and on.

I did have time to enjoy myself a little.  Friday night, I took my grandson to his first Kanto Festival.

Then Saturday, I went to Oga.  It was beautiful as usual.

I hope you’re enjoying your vacation.  By the way, this “Mark’s Phrase will be on summer vacation also.  See you in September.