Yesterday was the last day of school here in Kuki. Starting today I’ll be wittling away the hours at the city hall for the next two weeks, and then will be starting at a new junior high school on the other side of town. It’ll be a much bigger school than the one I’ve been teaching at, so we’ll see how it goes there.

It was sad leaving behind all the students and teachers I’ve gotten to know over the past seven odd months I’ve been teaching there. During the closing ceremonies of the school yesterday, I was asked to prepare a five minute speech, in both English and Japanese, to present in front of the school. I decided to go with simple and understandable yet meaningful. Here’s how it turned out.

Seven months.
Seven monthes is a very long time. In seven months I have seen three different seasons in Japan. In seven months I have taught roughly 200 classes here at Taito. In seven months I have been to a culture festival, school parties, clubs, ceremonies, and graduations. I have seen people start at this school, and graduate from this school. In seven months I have been able to meet and get to know many students and staff, and have been able to lean many things about your culture, as well as share things about mine. Seven months is a very long time.
But seven months is also a very short time. Though if feels as if I’ve barelly arrived in Japan, I’m already leaving this school behind to begin at a new one. Though it feels as if I’ve only just begun to get to know you, I already have to say goodbye.
But even if my time with you must come to an end, the memories that I’ve made here, and the friendships that I’ve formed, will never end. You’ve had a great impact on me, and in the same way I hope that I’ve had some small impact on you. In this coming year I wish you all the best, from the bottom of my heart.
God bless, and thank you.

七ヶ月。七ヶ月本当に長い間。七ヶ月に３つの四季も見ることができました。ななかげつにもうほとんど２００の授業も教えることができました。七ヶ月にいろ いろなイベントとかパッテイーとかクラブとか式とか参加することができました。太東中に初めて人を見ることができましたし、太東中に卒業した人も見ること ができました。七ヶ月にいっぱい生徒や先生と仲良くできました、しかも日本の文化いろいろ学んで、そして私の文化もシェアーすることができました。七ヶ月 本当に長い間ですね。
でも七ヶ月もものすごく短い間です。たとえどんな日本に来たばっかり感じがしても、もう次の学校へ行かなきゃいけないです。たとえどんなに君たちと仲良くなった感じがしても、もう「さようなら」と言わなきゃならないです。
しかし、たとえ皆さんとの時間がおわりに近ずこうと、ここでできに思い出や友情は決しておわりません。皆さんは私に大きなインパクトを及ぼし、わたしも皆 さんにいくつか小さいなインパクトを及ぼしにことを願います。次の年も、皆さんが幸せであるよう心からおいのりしてます。

I’ve got a bunch more updates coming for you over the next week or so, so please check back.

Hard to believe, but another year has past in the life of Calum. And what a difference a year makes! This time last year I was going out to dinner with my family, wondering where things were heading in my life, and how the coming year was going to unfold.

And now here I am, celebrating another ring on the old tree, and enjoying the onset of spring in this crazy place called Japan.

And what a celebration it was!! I figured since I had the means, why not celebrate in style! And what says style like bowling in Tokyo??? Nothing, that’s what!

So my fun filled day started off with meeting up with some close friends for lunch in Shibuya. I’ve known Alex & Aya since my uni days at Rikkyo, and it was great seeing them again. They’ll be tying the knot on the 1st of April, so they’ve been quite busy with preparations and the like (the ceremony will take place in Australia). The weather was amazing that day, mid 60’s I believe, so we got an outdoor table at a cool cafe and enjoyed sunshine on our faces. The time was made complete by receiving a great Rerakkuma stuffed bear, which I totted around with me for the rest of the day.

Following this was bowling!! Alex & Aya were out, but my other friends of the AET variety all made it out in style, and we had a great time throwing some balls and hitting some pins. The 2nd game I even managed to bowl a 127, which was pretty decent for me! Man, what a great game bowling is!! haha.

Next on the list was dinner, and we accomplished this by heading over to one of my favorite spots, this great Indian restaurant over in Shibuya. The food there is amazing, and unlike many places in Japan every time I’ve been there I’ve actually had MORE food than I can eat! Once again they lived up to their reputation, and we had an excellent meal with food to spare.

Last up was some good old karaoke, and we ended up getting suckered into this questionable dive due to close proximity, but we were still able to spend a nice hour belting out English classics by the like of Billy Joel, Boston, and others.

A great day spent, we headed back to our respective places of residence and said our farewells. A pretty fun birthday if I do say so myself, and one that will be remembered fondly of for many birthdays to come.

Cheers!