The end is nigh

Today was the last day of term for the students. I still have two more days of sitting in the office trying to entertain myself for 8 hours a day when I have no lessons to plan and only the prospect of 30 minutes of desk-clearing to look forward to. I think they just do it so we don`t feel so sad about leaving, but just remember the boredom of having to come to school when we have nothing to do.

So of course we had to have the standard closing ceremony where we listen to the headmaster`s words of wisdom and extol the hockey team as if they hold the secret to eternal life. However, this ceremony had one distinct difference...I had to make a speech. Now I get up everyday and stand in front of theses kids and speak, and yet put my a couple of feet above them on a stage and suddenly it is rather scary. My hands were shaking and palms sweating and I was just generally praying that I wasn`t going to trip going up the stairs in my very cute Roppongi Hills kitten heels.

Anyway, the speech was good enough to evoke a few sniffles, although they may have been provoked by my slaughter of the Japanese language, but I would like to think they were brought on by the thought of me leaving. Then I got some flowers and managed to also descend the stairs without falling over, had a slight moment of confusion where I tried to sneak down the side, but then got escorted down the centre of rows of clapping students, then it was off to the headmaster`s study for tea, but sadly no biscuits.

I was also presented with lots of letters and drawings and little things made from thread. It was all very moving. At some point I shall put up a selection of the letters that made me laugh and one particularly good flattering drawing of me.