Saying Goodbye

Well, it's official.

Come 2nd Semester, I'll be taking Thomas' position at Kitako, the academic school. That means I'll be going there every day of the week and getting all of his 1st grade classes. There have been whispers about this happening ever since February, when we learned that Thomas wouldn't be staying on another year. Each time someone brought it up, I put in an "I would prefer not to," in good old Bartleby style, but it didn't seem to change the mind of the guys in charge.

However, it still came as a bit of a shock. It wasn't that I didn't expect it, but I thought they would at least have some kind of meeting with me about it and formally discuss the matter. Instead, I came in one day and the vice principal called me over. "Next semester, you're coming to Kitako every day. Will you tell your supervisor at Kagiko, or should I?" It felt like a real blow, but what could I do? Throw a gaijin fit and demand my individual right to choose? That's totally out of my character.

Their decision does make sense. The main ALT there should be familiar with the school and procedures, because they must head up the planning of big events like English Day and English Camp. The fact that they think well enough of me to want me 5 days a week instead of 3 is a mark in my favor, but I wish it weren't so.

This means I'll have to give up Kagiko, my tech school. I have to say goodbye to my many sweet, lovely English teachers here. I won't get to see the happy, energetic faces of the many boys here, or the quiet, clever glances of the girls in their midst. No more military style politeness in the hallways. No more Aikido practice, or beautiful rides across the river as the sun rises. I won't walk in in the mornings to be impressed by whatever new creation the students cooked up in their classes, like playjims, benches, and plants that grow without sunlight. I'm really going to miss it here.

Street view. Reminds me a bit of Moos Tower at the U.

It's so temping to be bitter toward the guys in charge at Kitako for taking my school away and not even bothering to consult me about it. What good will that do, though? It can't change the situation, and will only make me unhappy as a result. Instead I guess I can just be happy that I had this one year here at this fun school.

Something hit me when I was giving the end of term speaking tests to the students last week. I realized that, as long as I take the right spirit with me, everywhere I go can be as precious as this.

The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it."               
-Charles R. Swindoll

Rather than mourn Kagiko for the next year, I'm determined to take my love for it and double that toward Kitako. I'll have new students, see teachers more often, and get to play a bigger role in the school, and maybe even not lose my voice from yelling over people.

That being said, I'm still sad. It's bittersweet to see the students swarming through the hallways, make smalltalk in the kitchen, or buy snacks at the school store. Next Friday I'll make a farewell speech at the closing ceremony. That will end my time here at Kagiko.

Kagimaru-kun, the school mascot