16 + teaching days

yes, that's right - i have 16 days of teaching left. i am starting to really be ready to be done here in the classroom. i wish i was doing more with the students but unfortunately i don't plan or lead many activities so my time in the classroom has become fairly boring. i will not be sad to say good bye to that but i will be sad to say good bye to my fellow teachers and the students. even though i don't know many of the staff or kids very well i have grown fond of them. i have started to receive little good bye letters from the kids. some of them are really cute and one even said "i hope that you teach us english next year." awwww, right? that did touch me but i don't actually know who wrote it cause i know the kids by face and not by name (feel kinda bad about that but hey - i see about 700 kids so i think it's understandable). even if i did stay on a second year i have heard that (and if my company did get the same contracts) they switch the AETs. why would that make sense? don't ask me so i wouldn't be seeing the same students anyways so i don't feel so guilty for leaving the kiddos hanging. i am in the process now of making certificates to give all the students. i designed them and across the top the say "Excellence in English" so they're a little corny but i think the kids will like them. i hand print in each students name in english, sign them and add some stickers too. i think some of the students will really love them. i think students that achieve here are recognized (i have sat cluelessly through a few assemblies where kids were getting plaques and awards) but i think it might be quite rare that all the students get something so i am really making them for the kid that doesn't think they'll get one. i hope they all like them though as it is a bit of an undertaking (700 students, remember!). that is keeping me busy.

i have found out more about the official move out of japan process. i think i will be flying home march 27 or 28th. the countdown is on - 68 days to go.