Saying "Goodbye"

Goodbye, everyone, I will dearly miss you! I miss you all already!! 

Here are pictures I took with my students. They were all such a joy to teach.

 Momoko-san, a JH School English teacher

 Saki-chan, former co-worker and student

 Chiko-san, soon-to-be Japanese teacher!

 Hideka-san, my flower arrangement student! She made me this beautiful bouquet!

 Nanako-chan, my how big she's gotten!

 Tetsuro-san, engineer saving people from mountain disasters

 Kids at the Kaizuka school

 "Thanks for 2 years" cake from Chiko!

 Fujiko-san, grocer and Ghibli-lover!

Yoshihiro and Yasuko, world travelers

 Hinomi-chan, my adopted daughter :P

 Mami-san, one of my first studens!

 Takae-san, friend and 2nd mother to me

 Ayumi-san, could-be model with a laugh that's unforgettable

 Mayu-san, bubbly and beautiful, loves to salsa dance!

 My Saturday evening junior high kids, smart and hard workers. 

 Farewell Party

Thanks for making my stay in Japan such a pleasure!

June visit from my former Junior High math teacher!

We went to Dazaifu Tenmangu, the famous shrine in my area.

 

We went to a ramen shop called Shin Shin, it was so tasty!

 They even attended my tea ceremony!

Hokao Kenji Exhibition

 One of my boss's brothers is an artist. I was able to see his exhibition and thought the work was beautiful. You can see it here. Unfortunately, he doesn't have pictures of what I saw. He had painted buildings that were perfect copies of those run down buildings in Kitakyushu (I think that's where it was). The idea was that the city is becoming empty as people move away from the city. It used to be popular for mining or some other industries, but is becoming a dead city, so he made the people in white, as if they are ghosts of the people that used to be. It has a very desolate feel. The buildings look much like those in the slums of any modern city in the U.S.,  but such places aren't common in Japan. Anyway, take a look and I hope you enjoy!

July update

Hello family, friends and everyone else!
Thought I'd give an update.
My company, Progress International, is still looking for someone to replace me starting Sept. 1st, so if you love kids, please apply!

Here's a little of what I've been doing in my spare time:

getting ready for Yamakasa!

Dinner at Yuka's...always a delight, and with presents! But this time it was a going away present... so sad... >.<


Party for our new teacher's arrival and for Shaun's mum who came to visit.

 This was last call. I ordered, then 2 other people ordered me drinks... Kirin Shibori, yuzu something and hot, sweet sake!

 Beautiful rice paper wall

 So wonderful, it had edamame beans inside of this soft tofu.

 Shaun being goofy, as always

 Our semi-new Japanese teacher, Miho, with my boss!

 Ms. Maeda, always cheerful (especially after drinking a little) and our new teacher, Jeff!

Ever since I ate this shrimp with the beautiful tempura, I have been craving it... literally every day...

 The green sauce was so amazing!

 Poor fish! I accidentally ate its eyeball when the leftovers appeared later in soup form. It was so good, I have to admit!! My first time eating fish eye.

 Shaun and his mum who came to visit.