History of Chocolate

How was I to know that a KitKat bar can carry so much weight?

Last week, with the 3-3 class, I did an activity where I needed two volunteers. At the end of the activity, each of the volunteers were given a KitKat bar each.

News spread quickly and soon enough, the students from the other classes were expecting candy bars. By the second time, I was kindly warned that other teachers at school might not appreciate me passing out candy to the students. Of course, I stopped after that.

All that meant certain students did not get any chocolate from me after helping out. I think one in particular was slightly disappointed.

When I saw him during passing period, he said, "Give me chocolate." What I thought was a cry for sweets turned out to be something much more loaded.

My JTE started cracking up before she explained the reason. She told me that after WWII, a lot of American soldiers were in Japan and many of them passed out chocolate to kids. Therefore, "Give me chocolate." was one of the first English phrases that the kids in Japan learned.

I felt horrible after that mostly because that one action of giving out chocolate broke certain school rules and it reminded certain others of the fragile relationship and complicated history between Japan and America.

It's pretty crazy. I don't think I'll look at a KitKat bar the same way again.