Sayonara Higashi Chu!

First off, I'd like to moan about how it was sunny yesterday. The first day in 8 days straight. And today it's raining again. Depressing.

Ohhh, so today was my most dreaded farewell. Higashi Chu is where my most favorite students are. I have had a really close bond with the class who are now 3 nensei straight from my arrival two years ago. I can't believe how much they've grown in the last two years and it broke my heart to say goodbye to them today.

I had been asked by Kuwabara Sensei to give a speech after lunch, so I used my tried and true farewell speech. Then I was surprised and delighted when Rie, one of my most lovely and brilliant 3rd years gave me a speech in English. This is a pretty big deal. Japanese people are so reluctant to stand out, so when they are good at something they usually cover it up. There's no way I expected Rie to speak to me IN ENGLISH in front of 400 of her classmates. But she did. And I definitely cried. Yup. Rie seemed to be on the verge of tears as well, but she was concentrating so hard on the English that she managed to hold it in. Then they gave me flowers at let me leave the stage. Phew.

After lunch I spent the break time wandering around the halls, saying hello and goodbye and trying to give away all the pictures I'd taken for Melissa's Corner in the last two years. It was a huge hit and eventually I ended up signing all of the pictures and putting them up on the English board for the kids to take. I think they'll really appreciate that.

I was expecting to have the afternoon free until after school when I was going to help Fumika (the most amazing girl in the world) prepare for a speech contest. But during 5th period Ms Ogawa rushed in and asked me to come to her 3-1 class because the kids were all whining that it was my last day and they wanted to see me.

The 3-1 class has been by far my favorite. Of both of my schools. For the entire 2 years. Both Fumika and Rie are in this class and all the other kids are fantastic as well. Our classes together have always always been awesome. We spent the period doing a really relaxed Q&A. The students were allowed to ask me anything they wanted, and because they respect me, no one asked me the rude questions we ALTs have come to expect. Their questions were genuine and cute and their English was great. We did have a hilarious moment though, when one boy came to the front of the class and said what I thought was "How long have you talked English?" And I was like, ok crappy grammar, funny question, what should I say? So I go "Ummm, FOREVERRRRR" and he gave me a very funny look, so I said "23 years." And he said, "Oh ok.... thank you." Then Ms Ogawa told me that he said "How long have you taught English?" We all cracked up at the fact that it was totally my mistake and that his question was, in fact, perfect English. Ha.

After the Q&A portion, we did a group picture (see below) and with the last two minutes, Ms Ogawa asked me to say a few things to them. Yeahhhhhh, this is where it got sloppy. I literally managed to spit out a grand total of 10 words (Oh, god.... This is really sad.......... I really enjoyed this.) before the sobbing overtook me. I literally could not say anything else. This prompted a chain reaction of girls crying and when I made eye contact with Ms Ogawa, who was also teary-eyed, I had to turn away from the kids, hand over my face and look at the blackboard. Rie managed to shout "Melissa! Fight-o!" But it could not be helped.

So that was how I ended my final lesson ever with my most favorite class. Oh, man.

As dramatic as it all was, I walked away with about 100 letters from kids, a few good pictures, a bouquet of flowers and some seriously amazing memories. God, it's been an interesting two years.

First year girls. They are so lovely

First year boys. These boys are notorious pains-in-the-arse. But I've managed to befriend them. They give me high fives in the morning. They stalk me during lunch and after school. They've definitely grown on me.

Genki 3rd year girls. Yuki, Tsugumi, I forgot, Tomoko and I forgot 2.

And this is my Fumika. The reason I've survived this long, through canceled classes and dull days where 8 hours seem to stretch to eternity. The one student who gave me faith that there was a point to my being in Japan. She is amazing. She and I have been writing letters and comics to each other twice a week for the past year. We talk for hours after school. She's become what I'd consider a friend and I will never, ever, forget this girl.

3nen 1kumi.

Shoko and Akie. Captains of the tennis team. I'm pretty sure Akie has participated in National Tournaments. See how proud I am??

Goodbye kids!




And the question remains, how can I simultaneously be so sad and so happy to leave this place??