Update Much?

Gah! I've got so much going on around me. Such conflicting feelings about leaving, saying goodbye, starting anew, celebrating the 4th in Japan (again), etc etc. It's like sometimes I'm dying to leave and other days I'm wondering how I'm going to adjust to being back in my home country. I was thinking about it today and I think this goodbye is by far the hardest I've had yet for two main reasons.
1. I'm the only one who's leaving. When I left Canandaigua for college and when I left Florida after college, every one of my friends were going through the same transition. We were all leaving this place that we might or might not have loved but nonetheless considered 'home'. But we were all leaving together. In this case, my students and teachers will continue here without me. They will have a new ALT to get to know and to grow to love. While my life will take a major turn into the unknown.
2. Compared to my High School and College graduations, this time I'm leaving a place that I'm not (yet) bitter about. I didn't cry at either of my graduation ceremonies because, frankly, I was ready to move on. While I feel I'm definitely ready to move on, I have so many happy memories, and overall have had such an awesome time with my students. In two years time, we've grown comfortable with each other and learned to communicate and play and laugh and joke together despite the language and cultural barriers. I've watched them grow - in inches, in maturity and even in English ability. It's experiences like this that I'll treasure so much but it's also what makes it so hard to say goodbye to this place.

But tears and tissues and cheesiness aside, I know I made the right decision to leave. Another year very well might have left me raw and bitter. And that's the truth.

It's all a little too much for me right now. So, in bullet form, a few things that have happened in the last 24 hours:

- Today I broke my streak of not crying in front of my co-workers while saying goodbye. I had two farewells today. One at Matsuno Sho, a tiny school on the outskirts of town. I've only visited it a couple times this year, but I felt really close with the now-4th graders. I ate lunch with them today and they all asked me their final questions. After lunch I signed their notebooks and they delivered cards and origami to me. Some of them even made an effort to write English on their cards. My lips were trembling but I didn't spill any tears... yet.

Me and the 1st and 2nd graders at Matsunoo

And the 3rd and 4th graders

After lunch I had to rush over to Kita Sho where the teachers all gathered in the staff room to wish me farewell. The Principal even gave a speech in English and Ikuyo-sensei presented me with a huge, beautiful bouquet of flowers. Here's where the tears finally made their debut.

Pretty sure I freaked everyone out.

After that I had to teach the entire 1st grade class in one period. So, all 100 kids, 4 teachers and I gathered in the gym with a microphone and played what has to be the biggest game of "Color Basket" in the world. I had to hold back tears again because I've known some of the 1st graders since they were mere 4 year olds at Takenomachi Kindergarten. Very sad to say goodbye, though it was nice to watch them in their early transition to Elementary School.

4 classes, one game of Color Basket. Good lord.




- Last night Kate gathered up all of the Americans she could think of (and Kayvohn, our pseudo-American) and we had a mock-4th of July dinner featuring American flag plates and tablecloths, Budweiser, wannabe-hamburgers, corn, "Sprirt of America" Little Debbie brownies, apple caramel pie with vanilla icre cream, watermelon, sparklers, the Star Bangled [sic] Banner, and Bruce Freakin Springsteen. It was awesome. We even opened the windows and sang the National Anthem for all of her neighbors to enjoy. The highlight was probably our trip to the Shinto shrine nextdoor to light sparklers.
What's that? You wanna see photos? Well, OK, if you insist....
アメリカ人だよ

Thank you Little Debbie for contributing to the obesity problem of our nation's youth

Notice the Freedom Fries on the America table

We were totally listening to "Born in the USA". And I'm having wayyy too much fun.

Sparklers at the Shrine?! Sure!





I hope all of you in America who properly celebrated the 4th by going out on boats, barbecue-ing and drinking Sam Adams Summer Ale had a good one... and thought of me here in Nihon.

Phew, I'm tired.