Scrabble

I enjoy playing board games. I like them more than vids 'cause they're a great way to get people together and indulge in a little harmless competition. For the last month or so the students and instructors at the school have been engaging in a weekly game of Scrabble. One tough aspect of my work is to get students to engage with others in something other than their native tongue.
This game gets everyone out of their shell and on to the board.
The Japanese use four different writing systems or forms to express themselves depending on what they are trying to say or who they are writing for. I'm not going to go into what they are or how they look. (you can do that here) What I will tell you is that when you play this game with students of English, you get the most amazing variations in spelling that I have ever seen. To be honest some of the instructors are fairly creative with their tiles and I have been called on a Sniglet or two. My wife has learned that there is a certain amount of 'poetic license' that goes along with the game and is quick to challenge any word she thinks dubious.
Overall I think people ought to spend more time with each other. Staying at home with Nintendo just doesn't seem as much fun as an hour or two of interactive games and conversation.
I think I'm going to have a pot luck party or a BBQ soon. Just to get a lot of folks bumping into each other.