Yuuki-chan

I started teaching Yuuki-chan privately when I first arrived, when she was in 4th grade. She had already been studying English one-one for 2-3 years. Now she is in the 1st grade of JHS and was one of my students at school for one semester. Her family has taken very very good care of me over the last three years. They have feed me, paid me well, and even invited me to Christmas dinner the year I didn't go home. Yuuki and I have studied about 130 hours of English together in the last three years. I used to go to her house every Thursday after school for an hour. And once a month she would come to Colare and we would eat dinner together. We went swimming together once after she completed a writing practice book. And we had a Halloween party at my apartment in my 2nd year with the other two elementary school students I privately tutored. For our last lesson, she came over to my apartment and we made cookies. We exchanged presents and ate a lot of cookie dough.

Tonight her family took me out to dinner at Nyuzen's French restaurant--a very nice place! It was a little strange cause I've never sat with her entire family before--grandparents, parents and us. They threw a lot of questions at me in Japanese and I struggled through. And then Yuuki and I would take a break and I would try to talk to her in English about school or summer vacation. And she got to show off a little in front of her family. Next year she will finally be old enough for the Forest Grove Sister City exchange trip, but this year they just drew names out of a hat...so who knows what her chances are. I suggested she come and homestay with me next August. And so during dessert we talked about her getting a passport, getting to Narita and flying on her own. I asked her if she would be ok doing it on her own and she said, "YES, it's a challenge." Her mom and I were both shocked!!! This is coming from a girl who ducked and hid behind the car as three boys from her grade cycled by as we walked into the restaurant. It was exciting to see her get excited about it! So, we will see if it happens, but it would be great! She reminds me of me--kinda quiet, shy, self-conscious, but there is so much potential there. And with the right experiences, I think she will really blossom!

They drove me home and I hadn't really thought about the good-bye moment. I hugged her and we both started crying! I told her I would see her next year and she said "yes" through her tears! Let's hope so! At dinner her grandpa said that this dinner was my 'sayonara party.' And I corrected him, it is my 'mata ne party.' It's always see you next time...and I hope we can see each other again!

Making cookies!

Taste-testing cookies!

Kimoto-sensei, her grandmother, and I!

Her family and I at dinner!