Speech

I didn’t have to worry about the fact that I didn’t have nice shoes to wear for the ceremony, because I had to take them off anyway. I spoke slowly and clearly, so I think all the students understood. I thought one student was crying, but she was only wiping away sweat from her face. As I looked at the crowd of 900 staring faces, I felt a jilt in the pit of my stomach, knowing it was much too soon to be leaving. I gave half the speech in Japanese. What if I stayed another year? The whole speech would be in Japanese.

みな　さん おはよう　ございます！私　は　さみしい　です。なぜ　なら　今日　は　この　こうこう　が　さいご　の　ひ　だから　です。　でも　この　いち　年間　とても　たのしかった　です。

I have had a great year at Chuo Koko. It has been very interesting to do this cultural exchange. My high school was very different.

Living in another country is very challenging. Going alone is difficult but great because you are open to new experiences and meeting new people. I believe learning a language and meeting people from different cultures is the best thing. I have learned many things and I’ve really grown as a person. I feel prepared to face my future.

In the UK, I will go to university. In the future I want to help poor people in the world. There are many changes we can make to our world.

I have really enjoyed teaching this year. I want to thank all my ESS members. We have had a lot of fun this year. Please continue ESS with your new ALT.

ESS の　members ありがとう　ございました。　あなた　たち　は　英語　が　じょうず　に　なりました。クリスマス パーティー やEaster egg hunto や monopoly の　ゲーム　が　たのしかった　です。つぎ　に　くる　ALT が　えいご　を　おしえて　くれます。

みな　さん. I have really enjoyed team teaching and talking to you in the school and in cleaning time. I will remember your cultural festival. The ikebana was beautiful and the Ghost House last year was excellent! I was also so impressed by your ouendan at sports day and I enjoyed watching the baseball.

I’m so glad that I came to Kagoshima, where it is so beautiful. You are lucky to live by sakurajima volcano, forests and the sea. I also love the small islands. This year I was lucky to visit Okinawa, Yoron, Tokunoshima, Amami, Yakushima and Ioujima.

At first, I didn't understand many things about Japan, but now I am very happy and comfortable here.Kagoshima feels like my home from home. I will miss Japanese food. I love unagi and sashimi. I won’t forget you. Good luck in your futures. がんばて　ください。

You can do an exchange in England in the future. If you need my help you can email me.
もし　いぎりす　に　きたら　私　に　イーメール　を　して　ください。

Please, please enjoy learning English. Watch English movies with Japanese subtitles and try karaoke in English.
えいご　の　べんきょう　を　たのしんで　ください。そして 英語のえいが　を　日本語　の　subtitle で　みて　べんきょうして　ください。また　英語　で　カラオケ　を　して　ください。

さようなら (Sayounara!)！

When I finished, I was presented with an enormous bunch of flowers and a summer yukata with the school name printed in Kanji.

One student from my English club painted an anime picture of me on a painting board and the other members wrote messages around it. Aiko, who often comes to chat, wrote, ‘I was happy everything!! I enjoyed talking funny storyes with you. I will go to Britain someday and I want to see you there. I will marry a foreign guy’. Throughout my last day, students brought me message boards with little notes, which I'll read over when I'm 60 more or less.

I feel terrible because I have it all. I’m happy. Tomorrow it will all disappear, and once again I will have to adjust my mind, which will still be trailing far behind me. I’ve learnt patience is a virtue only too late. Give stuff a chance. There are so many things I still want to do here. Last night I went swimming in the sea at midnight, watching the plankton glistening in the moonlight against the black sea water. A terrible rumbling caused me to think a thunder storm was coming, but it was sakurajima exploding into the midnight blue and purple night air. In the distance the lava glowed red like the cherry on a cigarette. I looked up at the sky and breathed in the surroundings. Stars lit the leafy green hills around. A shooting star rocketed in and out of sight. Life makes the best moments the most transient.