Well, this week I started to tell my students I am leaving in a
few weeks and that they will only have two more lessons with me, one of them
being with the new teacher. Doing so has made me realize two very important
things:
1) The new teacher
will be here soon and I have yet to pack anything AND
2) How much I may
actually like my job.
I cried. I cried a
lot. I cried after my first class on Tuesday. I could barely get the words out.
The moms cried too, and their kids didn't really understand what was happening.
They are only two or three. The moms tried to explain, but we all just sat
there for a moment and cried and then out of nowhere, the little boy just burst
into tears. I don't know if he really gets it, but he knows mom was upset and I
was upset, so he should be too.
I was so excited
before to tell my students I am peacin' out of that joint, but it's turning out
to be harder than I thought. I feel especially bad because many parents wrote
super nice comments after parent observations the last couple weeks.
I expected my students not to care since they are used to teachers
coming and going, but many of them have expressed sadness in one way or
another. Many kids gave me a pouty face and a few of them just seemed shocked.
One kid called his mom in class after I told him. The most touching response I
got was from one of my junior high students. I thought he hated me, but I guess
not. Whenever he says he’s had a bad day at school I always open my arms to
offer him a hug, but that always results in a swat in my direction followed
quickly by , “No, Teacher!” But this time, he leaned in and hugged me. In front
of his mom!
Everyone, including myself, cannot believe that it’s already been
a year. Some weeks were unbearably long, but for the most part it’s gone by
very fast. And for that, I am mostly thankful. Working 12 hours a day,
non-stop, five days a week, makes the work days disappear rather quickly, which
is good. But my two day weekends always seem so short by the time I catch up on
some sleep, do some chores, and run some errands; leaving me little time to
explore and hang out with friends. I’m slowly saying goodbye to the friends I
have made in Japan, but it’s hard to fit everyone and everything into my last
couple weekends left when I’m supposed to be packing and preparing for the new
teacher (neither of which I’ve done).
This weekend I am saying goodbye to The Lump in Numazu and to Heather
in Hon-Atsugi, whom I met at follow-up training last November. She is leaving
next Tuesday and wants to celebrate by going to a summer festival. Should be
fun!
I had reminded Mr. Liar last weekend that I would be leaving soon
and that my next visit would be my last, but he refused to believe me. I hope
our goodbye isn’t as messy as Valerie’s was.
I have two more days to tell the rest of
my students of my return to America. I expect more tears (from me), but it’s
getting easier to say. More reflections and more posts to come. Perhaps after I finish cleaning and packing. I have one week left in my apartment!! Until next
time! またね！
*********************************
New Vocabulary:
~新しい先生が来ます ah-tah-rah-she-sen-say-gah-key-mah-sue a new teacher will come.
~泣きすぎてごめんなさい nah-key-sue-gui-teh-go-men-nah-sigh Sorry for crying so much
