End of the year...

The school year in Japan ends in March and begins in April, and as the school draws to a close, I can't help but to marvel in how fast the time has flown. I have already been in Japan for 7 months now. Yesterday I watched a program on TV and I could actually understand what they were saying---not 100% all the time, but way more than before. Also, I can finally understand more of the Kurume accent and slang. Winter is passing and the plum blossoms have already begun to bloom. It's amazing that at this time last year I had just found out that I'd been selected for a JET interview, and it's amazing how much has happened between then and now. This week is my last week at Ryozan. I am teaching the 3rd years for the last time before they graduate and leave for various high schools in the area. I have to admit, it makes me sad to think of the school without them. So many of them are such wonderful kids whose smiling faces and enthusiasm for English make each day worth it for me. I have also already had my last day at my other JHS and 3 of my elementary schools. The last day at Mada elementary was so touching. Since the 6th graders are graduating, they wanted to do something special to say goodbye to me. So they made me an adorable card and they learned a song to sing me in English! Their homeroom teacher told me they had been practicing since around November to get the English words right! How sweet is that. So as our last lesson was finishing up, the teacher told me to sit down as the students all rushed to the front of the room. I was curious as to what song they would choose to sing, not knowing that they had practicing a song in English. And guess what song they sang me?? Country Road. Of course, OF COURSE they would pick a song that reminds me so much of home (and particularly of a certain soon-to-be-60 year old whose nose I inherited). I was so touched, so homesick, so sad to see them graduate and leave, yet so happy all at the same time that I almost teared up! It was so sweet of them, and I'll never forget it. So here is the video I took on my iPhone. The first part is done by recorder (apparently the junior high school musical instrument of choice in this country too!), and the second half is sung. Please watch all the way through! Also note: their English is JAPANESE English. So maybe it's a little hard to understand, but I didn't mind one bit. Enjoy ^_^