I’m going to start off this brief update with a bright point: the welcome wagon is rolling out guys! We’ve got a freshly accepted early departure ALT headed for Kamiamakusa, to arrive in April. Though I can’t speak for everyone, I know I’m pretty excited to meet the newest member of our local family. Here’s to new awesome developments! *air toast* I’ll be waiting for the rest of you all too, when July rolls around!

On quite another note however, the departure van is, well departing for us all in a different way. That’s right — early next week the much anticipated teacher exchange takes place. We’re losing some great teachers and, though I’m sure they don’t know it, some warm ALT support at our school. Some teachers who aren’t even involved with us two ALTs talk to us daily as we sit near them, and in doing so, help us to not feel like completely displaced aliens. It’s great. I want to do something nice for them, so I’m going to whip up some gifts by Friday, their last day and the 送別会 (soubetsukai or send-off party).

And though it is a time for endings (though not many of them are going very far!), it also is the beginning for many other things. New students for one. Or not so new students, for those we’ve taught in elementary school. And the new teachers who will take the places of our much beloved departees. Today they announced the incoming teachers and although I only knew one by name (English of course), I’ve got some optimistic hopes. One of my teachers who’s a younger guy joked that there wouldn’t be any ikemen (super fine guys) once he left! I’ll definitely miss his humor. We definitely shared a certain fondness for laughing. But I do hope he’s incorrect! Hahaha. Anyway, that’s all for now folks!