Here Come the Goodbyes

As you know, we are moving back to the U.S in a few weeks, which means the end of my job as an ALT and many goodbyes. I think it can be said that you can’t really appreciate how much people and experiences mean to you until you have to say goodbye to them. At least that is what I am feeling now, after saying my first set of goodbyes last Friday on my last visit to Namiyou Yougo Gakkou, or Namioka School for Special Needs.

The students and teachers at Namiyou stole my heart from my first day last September – which seems like forever ago. I have visited every other Wednesday since then and have grown quite close to the people there. While I also love my students at Nishiko, I teach about 275 of them and saw a whole new group of them with the start of the new school year in April. So, with some exceptions, I haven’t gotten quite as close with the students there.

The students at Namiyou, of all ages and with a vast variety of challenges – from special health needs to physical and cognitive disabilities – have welcomed me into their lives with smiles and gratitude. Many of the high school students speak English quite well, which allowed me to connect to them. The students who had more limited English abilities still tried to speak to me, and we often ended up playing a funny game of gestures that was almost as effective.

The teachers are some of the kindest people I have ever met. They would go out of their way to make me feel comfortable, offering me hot tea upon my arrival, trying to communicate with me in English, and treating me as one of them. The way I was received at this school is hard to put into words, but I just felt genuinely welcomed into the community of the school and like everyone wanted me to share myself – my culture, experiences, and skills.

Even though I was well aware of how much I was going to miss everyone, my emotions hadn’t really caught up to my thoughts until I was giving my goodbye speech to the students and teachers. I honestly didn’t even consider that I would shed tears, but suddenly and unexpectedly I began to about halfway through my speech (the English version). After the students and teachers presented me with lots of notes and gifts, I left for the last time with both my hands and my heart full. My time at Namiyou was a very special time that will remain close to my heart, and I am so glad that out of all the schools JETs visit in Japan, I was chosen to go to this particular school.

~Melissa