Perfect Friday

Well, this weekend was huge in reminding me of the reality: I’m leaving in less than three weeks. I have two weekends left in Japan and then I’m out! I had an incredible Friday. I didn’t have any classes and couldn’t force myself to focus at all. I think I was just thinking about everything and taking it all in. Though I didn’t have any classes, I do have to stay late on Fridays for English Club. This week was our last one, so we had a party as we usually do at the end of every semester, this time for me since I’m leaving. We got the usual obligatory soft drinks and junk food, and I made some guacamole for the students to try. Most liked it, some were too afraid to try!

Mt. Fuji has lost most of it's snow! Climbing season starts this week. I'm actually going to a festival
on Saturday that celebrates the beginning of the climbing season!

So much junk food!

I know that it’s a custom in Japan to give someone a going away present when they leave, but I was extremely surprised at how many gifts I received from the students! I got a traditional outfit called a jimbei (like the one I posted awhile back of baby Cohen), lots of hand towel/handkerchiefs with Japanese print, a Japanese print hand mirror, a wind chime, a picture frame, some Japanese sweets and candies, some earrings (because I have a lot of holes), and more that I can’t think of. This was one of those times when it hit me that I was leaving. It was sorta the first of the goodbyes as my first farewell party. I may or may not see most of those students again in the next few weeks as I’m almost done teaching. If I do see them it will probably just be passing them in the halls, so it was a little sad. After the party when I was leaving I had some 3rd year student (senior) run up to me and hug me and say “I will miss you! I wish I could have practiced English with you more!!” It was funny as it’s been over a year since I taught him and I don’t even know his name. But it was cool and sad all at once.

Second year students (juniors)

More second year students

Some third year students (seniors) came back even though
they don't have to come to club anymore.

My only 4 first year students (sophomores), the smallest group I have seen in my two years here.

After my English club party, I biked down to the station to meet Kelly. We went to do purikura at the newly remodeled mall in Fujinomiya. I wish it had been remodeled earlier so I could have reaped the benefits the whole time I was here, but it’s really nice and great for the city I think! Anyway, we ended up doing purikura for almost an hour! We also found some awesome Engrish shirts and bought matching ones. We wore them for some of our photo fun – it was incredible!! After we had a nice traditional Japanese dinner in the food court at a nice restaurant and then headed off to some night onsen. I had forgotten how much I loved it before I went last weekend on my trip. I will hopefully go one more time before I leave Japan, but I’m not sure it will happen or not!!



Overall it was a great evening filled with lots of “I’m really going to miss Japan” moments. So great I went as far as saying it was the “perfect” night. Speaking of gifts, a teacher just came to give me some MORE handkerchiefs as a going away present! Really cute with sakura (cherry blossoms) on them! Guess I'll never be without handkerchiefs again!