I'm staying for my fourth year, having just finished up my third, but the two other ALTs at my Board of Education are heading back stateside, including my "sempai" Kathy, who's cheerfulness, optimism and thoughtfulness never failed to help make my time here in Japan a little better.
Along with these two vanishing back into the gaijin wilderness, it tends to make me take stock of where I am and what I'm doing. Starting my fourth year, which is 90% certain to be my last year, barring unforeseen circumstances... and despite the occasional desire to choke a random disrespectful yanki student or two, I'm still really enjoying my job. And as I've pontificated before, enjoying the job and the kids a lot more than I ever anticipated. And thinking about leaving next does pull at the heartstrings and tighten the chest up a little bit. So I'll bury that down deep via my powerful denial abilities...
But, with the passing of the year and the departure of personnel, that means farewell enkai parties. On Friday eve the Board of Education held the farewell enkai for our two returning ALTs, Kathy and Teresa... and this is the photographic tale.
Catching our last enkai bus together, me and Kathy.
Catching their names in lights, if you can read Japanese, that is.
Former Board of Education members returning for a final farewell.
Our supervisor, Terashima san, kicks things off.
Farewell speeches, an obligatory Japanese enkai requirement. I dread having to work mine out next year, as sad as my Japanese is...
Kampai!
Appreciatory-ness [it's a word.]
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