helmets and schoolchildren

Did I mention that my advisor's "lab" or "research office" is on the grounds of an elementary/middle school? When I come here around noon, I can see them running around the grounds, playing and making noise. Sometimes I see them in the classroom eating and serving lunch. They are so cute! The students serving lunch for the day are standing at the front of the room, in front of the chalkboard and behind a long podium thingie. They are wearing disposable masks and haircaps, and ladling food from large pots. That doesn't sound that cute, but keep in mind that these are first graders. First graders, serving lunch to their fellow students! That's just amazing to me. I've always been warned that the school system here is so incredibly harsh, and it overworks kids, drives them to suicide, etc. etc. Well, but these first graders look pretty happy, running around. Outside the classrooms there's even evidence of fun: planters that look like a vegetable garden, and those nets on top of poles--you know, like firefly or butterfly nets, lined up outside the classroom doors.

Oh, yes, and it is sort of weird that my office is on the schoolgrounds. But the school is actually run by Ehime University, and counts as a separate campus. It's a sort of training or testing ground for the school of education. Since my advisor technically belongs to the faculty of education, his research facility is here. It's a bit inconvenient as it is further from my apartment, but oh well. I'm learning to manage on the bike.

Speaking of which, helmets. As Cat has pointed out numerous times, I should really get a helmet to protect my precious brains. Only, I can't figure out where! I went to some fitness-type places yesterday (including the one official Nike store here!) but all I ended up getting was a yoga mat. It is a very pretty yoga mat, btw, being pepto-bismol pink on one side and grey on the other. It matches my futon blanket (okay, the original pink was not my choice. But the matchiness is attractive.) But, some of the bikes lined up in the bike parking structure have helmets in the basket! Where oh where can they have gotten them!? Particularly since they are butt ugly.

Then, coming into the office today, I discover my answer. The only people who wear helmets around here are elementary school children. Moreover, they all wear the same helmet, so I can only assume it's school issue. No wonder it's so ugly, and no wonder nobody else wears them.