Farewell Funami JHS

This is my smallest school, with less than 60 students in three grades. It is close the mountains and in a small little village that has been integrated into Nyuzen. In the end it worked out okay and I felt like left on a somewhat positive note. But I had my ups and downs at this school. There were a few classes I REALLY connected with and we had a great time together! But in the last year or two, that hasn't been the case. The students don't like English and since I only come twice a month, it is really hard to develop a routine with them or even get to know them much.

The week before my last day was the big Tanabata Festival in Funami. My schedule was rearranged so I could attend the marathon and festival with the students. I was an alternate runner this year and they didn't end up needing me which while a bit disappointing was a blessing!

My last day was long and overwhelming like all the others. I only taught two classes and then gave a speech in the gym. The school let me go home after my speech, but I came back at 6pm for a BBQ in the cooking classroom. Originally it was supposed to be at a park nearby, but the weather prevented that. It was a lot of fun and great food! And I was super impressed and honored that the teachers would go to tall that work for me considering I'm only a visiting teacher twice a month. It was a fun send off. At the end of the party, the VP gave a little speech and thanked me. And then everyone had to shake my hand...brutal!! I hate those little rituals. They kill me. I was crying through it all partly because I was so surprised that this school would do something for me. And partly because they are all great people and I will miss them!

A photo with the basketball girls!

Cooking the yakisoba!!

Funami JHS staff after eating and eating and eating!!

さくら さくら

The sakura, or cherry blossoms, have come and gone already. I visited a few of my favorites spots for viewing and took a few photos cause that's what I do. But not many turned out very well, but I like the contrast of the bright orange train against the pale pink of the blooms and buds.

Winter Camping

Saturday morning 6 of us packed up the cars and headed for the mountains, but not to snowboard...we wanted to camp in the snow! We brought more gear than necessary, but we realized we wouldn't be hiking in, it would be a car camping trip. Our first few ideas were shot down, almost literally. We put snowshoes on to check out a road in the hopes of making it up to a trailhead and camping there. After our initial reconnaissance mission we drove our car up the road, but the snow got deeper, the road stepper and more slippery. Just as we were decided to bail and turn back, a bigger 4WD SUV came down the mountain. At first I thought it was mountain patrol and they got out and were making gestures and motions that we shouldn't be there. But in actuality it was a hunter also doing a reconnaissance mission. And he warned us that camping in these mountains might be a bad idea because rabbit and wild boar hunting opened in the morning. Eek, how would we have EVER known that??

So we headed back down the mountain and decided to drive around a little pond in the hopes of finding a place for our tuna sandwhich and soup lunch. As luck had it, we found a shelter unlocked with a platform perfect for 7 sleeping bags (chica joined us later) and a fire pit in the middle of the building! We got lunch going, set up our stuff, and before dark set in we headed back to the main road and into the onsen, 5 minutes away!! It was PERFECT!!

It was a fun-filled night. And even thought we didn't get our snow camping in, it was probably a blessing in disguise, plus it did snow in the morning.

My camera battery was dead, but I stole Shinji's pics. For more pics, please visit San Tache It's worth a visit!!