By Stowell P. Watters
Staff Writer
    Audry Grumbling, an art teacher at Arundel’s Mildred L. Day School in Arundel, recently returned from Japan, where a Fullbright Memorial Fund Teacher Program allowed her to see Mt. Fuji, the “White Heron Castle” of Himeji, Tsukiji – the world’s largest fish market and a country-side dotted by watery rice paddies and brilliant pink square-lots of cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus).
    “While we have cultural differences, we all share this small planet. Through this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, I hope to expand our school’s connection with the world,” Grumbling said in a written statement released by the school.
    Grumbling’s trip began on Oct. 14 when she departed from Portland International Jetport and headed to San Francisco, Calif. From there Grumbling flew to Japan, later showing the students her flight path as it followed the curve of the earth.
    “The kids thought it was really neat, to actually see the way the earth curves,” Grumbling said.
    She and 20 other teachers from different states in the US stayed with a host family in the city of Himeji, located in the prefecture of Hyogo, Japan. Mr. Koji Kushimitsu and Mrs. Suchiko Kushimitsu, her host family, provided the group a look into real, modern Japanese culture. In preparation, Grumbling said she bought an audio-CD of American/Japanese translations.
    “They took us to so many cool places, and a Buddhist priest who lived with them was a Red Sox fan,” Grumbling said.
    Grumbling’s trip and the 2007 World Series unfolded simultaneously, and many of her pictures display her adorned in Red Sox gear. She also brought along a plush toy of Wally, the mascot for the Sox, and took pictures of him amidst elaborate sushi displays, in the middle of market places and at temples.
    “The kids got a real kick out of it,” Grumbling said.
    Her host family brought her to a toy factory where they manufacture party-blowers, the noisemakers that unravel a coiled section when blown into. Her group was the 1600th to visit the factory and in celecbration the workers held a large celebration for Grumbling and her cohorts. They allowed Grumbling to make her own party blowers, gave her a bag of gifts including traditional Japanese party blowers and presented the group with a plaque.
    “It was serious business at the party blower factory,” Grumbling said.
    Grumbling was selected as one of the 198 winners of this year’s Fulbright Memorial Fund Teacher Program (not to be confused with the Fulbright Scholarship) based on her proposition and plan to share new information with her school and incorporate the things she learned Japan in the school’s curriculum.
    A major part of her project is the creation of artist trading cards. In her art classes students made leaf prints on note cards. Grumbling also made a series of Mildred L. Day trading cards depicting everything in the school from students practicing guitar for music class to children using the gym’s climbing wall. She took these to Japan and traded them for cards made by the students at the Josai Elementary School in Himeji.
    Every teacher at the Arundel school has been given their own laptop through funds provided by a federal grant. In collaboration with the school’s technology teacher and integrator, Michael Richards, Grumbling was able to maintain a blog, complete with daily itinerary, photographs and a detailed account of her experience from her laptop in Japan. At 11:30 p.m in Japan Grumbling nightly used a program called “Skype” to send an audio/video transmission to students at the Mildred L. Day School where it was 10:30 a.m. Students in Richards’ class were likewise “Skype’d” back to Grumbling, allowing her to see their reactions.
    “Seeing all the kids waving to Mrs. Grumbling, it was so cool and they really loved it, they thought it was the neatest thing since sliced bread,” Richards said.
    Students also asked Grumbling questions about Japan.
    “They asked me things like ‘What are the cars like?’ or ‘How is the food?’ and even ‘what is your pillow like?” Grumbling said, adding that the pillow she used in her hotel was actually different than hers at home as it was stuffed with buckwheat hulls.
    The fourth and fifth grade students currently study Japan as part of their curriculum and some of the other grades incorporate Japanese history into their studies. Cathy Bansmer, a first grade teacher, compiled Grumbling’s blog into a book, re-writing some of it so more of the younger students could access the information.
    “Both first grade classes get together once a month as a part of a year long study we are doing on Japan, I simply printed Mrs. Grumbling’s blog and shared it with the class…the response has been just great,” Bansmer said.
  In addition to a formal school presentation, a presentation to her colleagues and parents and a presentation to the University of New England, Grumbling and the school are planning a Japanese Family Night for April 2008.
  While they aren’t sure on a date just yet, the staff at the school is certain every class will be giving a different presentation or workshop. Grumbling predicts they will offer traditional Japanese foods, wear traditional Japanese garb and have activities ranging from calligraphy to kite making and origami.
    “It will be a celebration of all we have learned, all I have seen, and all we have done throughout the year to bring the students closer to their global community,” Grumbling said.
    At the farewell ceremony, 240 students gathered and waved miniature Japanese flags, when Grumbling returned the flags they waved were American, to welcome her back home.
    “I brought back some Yen, they have a hole in them so the kids can make necklaces while learning a thing or two about money conversion,” Grumbling said. “We call this ensuing learning process scaffolding; we can now use this ‘hook’ to build on so many different subjects and by using something the children are interested in we can bring education to them easier, its just amazing.”
    The things she will miss the most about Japan, Grumbling said, are the people.
    “They are so very kind, everywhere you go, if you look lost, someone will ask you if they can help, it never failed,” Grumbling said.
    To view all of Grumbling’s experiences you can check out her blog on the link provided by the Mildred L. Day School’s Web site, www.arundelschool.net.