I'm just so pooped. It was my last day of this year at nishisho and I was positively swamped in adoration. I recieved two big bags of messages and origami thanking me for teaching, pictures of me, various little things the kids put together for me. In the fifth grade class with the lady teacher, everyone thanked me at the end and said, "You are Super Teacher!". The fifth grade teacher told me in front of everyone that his least favorite subject was English, but this year was fun, and he likes English now. He just about shook my hand right off. The sixth grade class with my lady teacher had me come down at the lunch break and presented me with a "peach medal" and a bag of origami, each with a note written on it. I recieved a lot of Ganbaru's with my Japanese.
I was happy that in that class today, I was able to say something important. The lesson was "What do you want to be?" and dreams for the future. Before there were some boys who said they had no dream. I realized that what I really should say is this, and did so: No one knows the correct path, so even if your path is different than everyone else's, it's ok. It's alright to be different and it's alright to mess up. But it's absolutely not alright to give up. So never give up. My dream was different than all of my friends'. But having caught it is a great feeling. I hope the kids remember that. I'm going to miss the boys of that class alot- very clever and friendly creatures. One wanted to be a police officer and manga artist so he could protect people and make them laugh. I told him my dream was the same.
My Monster Hunter boys kept calling me captain. I must find an emulator and play the game so I can have something to talk with them about next time I go in May. It will only be two more times there. There is so little time.
During lunch I rapid fire drew requests, almost all of them dragons. I drew one girl in my very cute new style with the massive eyes. After classes, too, I sat in the shokuinshitsu and read all the notes, looked at all the pictures, overwhelmed. A crowd of kids whirled in and I mistakenly believed they might have more time to hang around before leaving. Unfortunately none of them had a great amount of time, so I ended up rapidly drawing two care bears, two bears, two pandas, a tiger, and my own face (the kids adore my big round nose). They drew pictures for me and gave me little letters, folded in the intricate manner I remember from my own elementary school days. The last girl to ask had politely waited while some of the other girls crowded around and she told me her family runs a sweet shop on Suenaga. I think it may be the store I stopped into the other day. She asked me to draw my character, a cute one, so I drew Luna. It happened so easily compared to the animals and care bears I did my best to draw. I wrote my email address on it so I hope she will contact me.
I wish I had been able to talk to the kids more one on one. The girl with really cute glasses in the same class as Ayumi got left out, I think. I was able to draw a beaver for beaver girl. She drew for me. It was just a whirlwind.
I'm dizzy at the moment actually. Earlier today I saw one of the cheerful 6th grade boys spinning and figure skating on the wood floor. I joined him and then we drunkenly climbed the stairs together to where the other kids were putting varnish on their wood craft projects. I was dizzy then, but I feel much dizzier now. It is just the overwhelming of my emotions and growing hunger. No breakfast, spaghetti lunch, unbelievable outpouring of love and anxiety and farewells. Tired.
Feel a bit weepy in my heart. How much more fun could this year have been if I had just been myself from the start. I knew this would happen. I must trust myself more. But I am really happy. I never expected I would have an experience like this. Having my hair petted and praised while coos of admiration for my drawings fill the air, recieving notes that say daisuki (even from some boys), it's all just too much for me. I think I will nap on the desk until I can figure out what to eat before going home.
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