Super Sad Times
This week has been all about the farewells, and it’s seriously starting to rub off on me! It struck me all at once at the Junior High farewell ceremony, when I noticed that some of the students, those who I’d become good friends with, were actually sad to see me leave. For the first time in my life, I’ve actually been able to make some sort of impact in someone’s life. I caught glimpse at that glorious and visceral place where you can begin to understand just why people become teachers. It’s in that moment you are able to realise that, no matter how trivial the ESL education might be, the simple presence of a non-Japanese foreigner is enough. It’s powerful stuff, and needless to say I am now super, super sad. Perhaps in the future, after Masters study, I might reapply for the JET programme and specifically Sarufutsu, so that I might be able to dive back into this wonderful dream world. It would be utterly selfish of me, as it would serve no other professional purpose in my life other than to feel special again, but at this point in time, if someone gave me those recontracting papers again, I’d sign on for another year in a heartbeat!
I can’t of course, and it’s for the better, as I have some very specific goals to pursue in my life that don’t include Japan their designs. I will miss this place for the rest of my life. Hell even if I did return, I think I would miss it all the more when next I left.
To add to this horrendously emotional post, I shall add what I feel is a symbolic last picture before I go back to SA. It’s the last beautiful sunset I saw in Hokkaido.
PS
Johnstupart.com shall not stop! Next up: John goes to South Africa! Posts might take longer to appear, but they won’t stop!
