In which I am appreciated

Last year due to some unfortunate scheduling I happened to be at one of my elementary schools for their graduation rehearsal and later at one of my junior highs for the actual ceremony. It was the kind of cultural experience I hoped I wouldn't have to ever repeat again because of the cold, uncomfortable chairs, and mind-numbing boredom. Somehow, this year I've managed to get out of all of them. I go to five schools and I'm not going to one graduation ceremony!

Instead this week, I managed to hit the "goodbye and thank you for being wonderful teachers" parties that the sixth graders in elementary school give before they graduate. On Tuesday they brought me cake in the teacher's room since I couldn't make it to the actual party and today during sixth period all the teachers were called down to the home economics room (very politely I might add) and then escorted there where we were fed crepes with tea and played games. They presented us with these plaques they had written messages on and a bookmark and then we had two very short speeches before we finished and the music teacher drove me home. Much much better than the graduation ceremony I must say.

I was especially happy to get a plaque since I didn't get one last year. You can see it below - that's my name in the middle in purple. It took me quite awhile to read all of it, but most of them say "Thanks for teaching us for two years. Your games and classes were fun. Please be nice to me in junior high." It's not really goodbye yet for these students and me since they will move up to one of the two junior highs I teach at. I made sure they knew that starting in April, however, that I was no longer Jennifer-sensei but Ms. Jennifer, which means no more stilted Japanese from me. It's all English from here on out!