Anna in Asia: Saying Good-bye to Japan

From the epic school festival to numerous last get-togethers with friends, my last month in Japan has been just incredible. The amount of affirmation and love I've received from my friends, my students, and fellow teachers is more than I could have dreamed of. I feel so, so blessed and fortunate because I know that so many times in our lives, we don't get to realize the full extend of our influence or if we made any type of a difference. At school, many classes of students have given me cards with special messages, gifts, thrown me parties, taken pictures with me, and expressed appreciation in many other ways. I think this might be one of the hardest goodbyes in my life, but that doesn't mean I'm unhappy. I'm sad to leave but I feel so happy from the love I'm receiving... it really lifts me up and encourages me for the next step.

My special elective class, where I got to plan any content I wanted and created a pen pal project with my students and my family and friends in the US, Canada, and South Africa.

Special messages from my elective class.

With a first-year class who, for my last class with them, made a lesson plan and organized a bunch of English games! They also gave me a special card gifts.

Special messages from 2-3

With 3-3, a class I taught my first year and a half. They surprised me with an incredible photo message book.. look at the pictures below!

My name is written, in Chinese characters, using a beautiful paper cutting art form.

2-3 also completely surprised me.. every week they write in writing journals, and when the topic was "free choice," almost all of them wrote about me in appreciation! I was deeply moved and, of course, had to photocopy all the journals to take their messages with me. They also created a message card from me and helped organize a party.

Yesterday was the last day of classes and the last day of school before summer vacation for students. We had the closing ceremony, where I gave a speech in Japanese to 960 students- all of whom I've either taught or read their weekly writing homework- and teachers. I put a lot of time and thought into my speech because I have always wanted my students to hear my sincere, thought-out words in their language. I was nervous and stumbled a little bit, but I loved being able to look out at all my students up on the stage and give them a final message from my heart.

I've also been able to have lots of meaningful last get-togethers with my friends this month, in addition to continuing to meet new people! My parents taught me that even if you are leaving a place soon, you shouldn't hesitate to form new relationships.