Happy White Day!

Or well Happy White Day yesterday!  White Day was Monday (March 14th) but seeing as how most of you didn't even know there was such thing as a White Day I think I'm doing pretty good!  I also guess I need to wish everyone a Happy Pi Day, but I am not even getting into that one, as it makes no sense to me and the only reason I even know it exist is because of Facebook.
So what is White Day you ask? Well thanks to the help of some of my students and wikipedia I now feel fully informed enough to tell you all about it!

Apparently in Japan, and South Korea Valentine's Day is for women who want to give gifts of chocolate(most of my students gave me handmade chocolate) to a man to express their love. Apparently over here it is a courtesy and social obligation to give a gift. So in return the Japanese came up with White Day, and now the men who received gifts on Valentine's Day are expected to return the favor by giving gifts that are more expensive. Popular White Day gifts are cookies, jeweler, white chocolate, white lingerie, and marshmallows. The term sanbai gaeshi (or "triple the return") is used to describe the rule that the return gift should be two or three times the cost of the Valentine's gift the man received.
I had many students give me candy (they were really big on Chupa Chups, or something along that line that is a sucker) yesterday and Jasmine teacher even gave me chocolate. My students were also shocked when I told them that "No, Ryan teacher didn't give me candy today. Why would he?" So yes once it was explained to me I filled them in on the fact that Ryan teacher gave me candy last month on Valentine's Day. The world was right again for all my little students who keep trying to pick wedding dates for Ryan and I so they can come to our wedding. So cute, I know I just love them to death, some of them I may wish death on some days.......

I was told that White Day was started by the National Confectionery Industry as an "answer day" because I guess they see Valentine's Day as a day when women show their love and men need to "answer" it. Anyways I think it is just a way to sell candy, just like 11/11 Pepero Day, but hey I am not complaining I love candy!

I have also found out that I have Black Day coming up on 4/4. It is a Chinese holiday about death, and everyone eats black noodles Oh boy I cannot wait! Stay tuned and I will fill you in on that one once I figure out more about it and what goes on to celebrate it.

Hope everyone is having a great week, I am still in shock it is only Tuesday today! I should be posting my midweek Kindergarten update later today, full of photos from the art and science projects.

Chupa Chups:



I had no clue what a Chupa Chup was until a few weeks when two of my students did really well in class and I offered to bring them candy to the next class and they both wanted Lemon Chupa Chups....I was confused for hours until Ryan finally came home and filled me in on what they are.