Today on my shrine to myself

This morning was the farewell ceremony for the teachers who are retiring or being tranferred from my school. Fourteen teachers are leaving, so I got to hear two sets of fourteen speeches (one for the teachers, and one for the students) between 8:30 and 11:30 this morning. Also, I will be treated to one more set this evening at the sobetsukai (farewell party.) Lucky for me (perhaps) both of my schools enkais are taking place in the same hotel, so I can pop in at both of them.

Today I helped Morishita-sensei, a seventy year-old part-time teacher at Reimei compose a letter for his friend Amber (a former ALT.) She had asked about "the new ALT", and about me he had written "Reimei ALT is Mrs. Kite from Canada. She is beautiful and fantastic." As if that wasn't enough flattering for the day, he returned a few minutes after I'd helped him edit the letter with a gigantic bag full of fruit. It feels good to have made a few friends.