Today was a really nice day at school. I had classes that were fun, I got the English materials sorted and arranged and ready to go for next year, even made some new ones... The best part was after lunch all the kids cleaned and decorated for graduation... I helped decorate the classrooms for the 6th graders... It was fun drawing on the boards and the kids were excited to have English "congratulations" and rainbows... After that we all hung paper chains and flowers all over the rooms. Then the kids left and the female teachers made flower arrangements. It was really fun! I even got to bring a few flowers home... I was really sad to leave that school for the last time this year... I don't know if I will see all of the teachers again. In this area teachers don't choose where they work. The system is mysterious, but some group of people makes decisions about who will have what job. I noticed a lot of changes each year in April, and I missed the chance to say goodbye to some favorite teachers. It is really sad! The worst part is that the teachers themselves don't have any say in it, and they don't know until the last week of school! So as I imagined the possibility that I would not meet some of these teachers again I got really sad and tears came to my eyes. As I got onto my bike one made it to my cheek. I really will miss so many things when I leave Tahara...

Today was a nice day. I went to a favorite school and had some fun classes. It was cloudy and rained off and on all day. Just as I was leaving school it was not raining so I was happy. :) I stopped at a grocery store on the way home as a few drops of rain started to fall again... Several kids were there buying candy and snacks after school. They called out to me/ ran up and talked... It was really fun! We compared our shopping items and laughed and talked a bit. I kept running in to kids throuhout the store and even when I went outside. As I put my bags in my bike basket two little boys yelled "Keely Sensei!" and then "ping pong, ping pong!" Apparently they really enjoyed our sports lesson the other day... :) I love these kids! I will miss these random encounters when I leave.

Long time no post. Time has been flying past, and there is so much to be done! I am really getting into an online course I'm taking. I've been working hard on an evening adult class as well. Most of all I'm putting out lots of applications and feelers etc. trying to line up the perfect plan for next year... The next few months will be a time of so much decision making, test-taking and interviewing, combined with lotsof wrapping and saying goodbye... It will be sad to leave Tahara and especially all my wonderful friends! I will miss the kids especially! I hope to start documenting my day-to-day life a bit more in preparation for leaving. Today seems like a good day to start.
I was at Takamatsu Elementary. One of my favorite schools! At one point the principal came up to me and asked a question. He asked me how many syllables "spring" has in English. The answer blew his mind. He was reading about this concept in a book and thought if he heard a native pronounce it then he could understand. In Japanese each "letter" is a syllable and they don't blend sounds like we do in English, so the Japanese pronunciation would be "su-pu-ri-n-gu"- 5 syllables. Other highlights of the day include playing catch w/ some boys at recess, and playing Simon Says with the second . Lots of fun! Japan is a very interesting place to live!