highlight of 2006 -part 1

some very wonderful (and not so wonderful) things happened to me this past year. think i'll share a few of the highlights with you over the next week.

july 22nd

it is saturday and i'm at rubeshibe high school where i have been an assistant english teacher for the past three years. it is the last day of the school festival and also my last day. i'm feeling sad but ready to go. ready for change. ready to speak and hear english every bloody day.

all 400 students and 40plus teachers are in the gym watching a video that was made showing the month's worth of prepartion, rehersal and practice for the festival. the lights are out and the curtains drawn across the windows. the video ends. a spotlight suddenly appears on me. "whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa..........ttttttttttttt" i think to myself. i don't remember this in rehersal. one of my favourite students runs over to me "kt sensei. we sing for you. we sing. front come" i'm already crying.

i get to the front of the gym and face everyone. the students all stand up, some on their chairs and are yelling "i love you....we love kt....good-bye...ganbatte". the music teacher starts playing "sukiyaki" on the piano and the gym is filled with 400 voices singing for me. TO ME! it was the most beautiful moment.

at a party later that night a teacher comments how the students never sing their school song although they are supposed to.