Sunday 30 March 2008
Bye-byes and a big Buddha
It's been a hard week. We had to say goodbye on Wednesday to two of our first students, sisters Esther and Sophia (pictured below, left and right of Katherine at Kamakura beach at New Year). They were the second and third students to enroll at our school. Yoshie, K-chan and Emma-chan and I had been walking to the bus station (we still haven't got round to buying a car) to go to Unidy - a badly spelt DIY store - to buy some magnolia paint for the hallway (how British is that?) when a Japanese lady intercepted us on her shopping bike, desperate to know if I was in fact the English teacher who had just moved into the area. It turned out that her husband was American, from West Virginia, and their two primary-school daughters needed a teacher to boost their English reading abilities. I fitted the bill, and their lessons have become a weekly fixture here since we opened in October. They have been great students, and their parents have become good friends, so it's with a heavy heart that we had to say goodbye. The silver lining? They are moving to Kamakura - the Kyoto of the North (it's got a big Buddha statue and loads of temples - see below, and the, er, calming effect it all had on Emma-chan) and have bought a house within walking distance of the beach. Now, there's a reason to stay in touch.
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2 comments:
Well Paddy-san this is only my second ever post on a blog. This is, however, the first that is not entirely mischievious.
Delighted to hear that you, Yoshie and the girls are settling back into Japanese life. I always had every confidence that you would succeed, you have always been the "universal adaptor".
I have not taken the time to read all of your blog but I am disappointed that there is not more news of your mother-in-law's pussy. Chammy-chan is a fine figure of a cat and we miss him. We went to dinner with Kev and Angie this evening and we did talk about old times and Chammy-chan did get a mention. He always had an outsized character - we miss that special something that he brought to eveinings.
As you know, Clare and I have been having an interesting times recently and it makes me yearn for old friends. I think I might write it all down someday. If ever I do I can think of no-one better to be my sub.
The old ones are the best, though it is getting a little too Are you being served for the modern blogging audience, me thinks. But seriousIy folks, I am thinking about you all, and good luck to the twins.
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