Izumi North Bazaar
So Last Saturday one of the schools I worked at last year, Izumi North Elementary, had it's annual bazaar.(sp?) Susan, the teacher who took over for me, e-mailed me to let me know the day before. I decided to go as I really loved that school and I miss those kids a lot. Just as I was getting off the train at Izumi station I got another e-mail from Susan telling me to stay at the station. She had decided to come to and was going to pick me up at the station and drive me the rest of the way to the school.
The parking lot was full so we ended up parking in the park behind my old apartment. There were ALOT of cars. We got to the school and the place was packed! Kids and adults everywhere! So I decided I wanted to stop in at the special ed. class (hanatate) to see my special guys first. When we got there, some of the parents (who knew me) were there and told me that the boys (Kaname and Shion) had gone "shopping". So Susan and I decided to go around all the stalls and buy some stuff too. EVERYTHING was 100 yen ($1). There was caramel popcorn, cotton candy, chicken skewers, hotdogs, chicken curry, chocolate banana parfaits (no ice cream), and more. I bought quite a bit of popcorn and cotton candy and I had chicken curry for lunch :) It was so good!
We also stopped in at the teachers room and said hello to the teachers who were there. I got quite a few hugs and some handshakes and everyone wanted to know how I liked teaching at the Junior High level. I told them that I preferred the little kids but the JH was ok. Aside from one student who doesn't want my help because I'm "not a real teacher", I've had no problems. (I am certified to teach ESL, I completed a 2 year program at my Uni).
Now some background info is needed here. Kaname, one of the special kids, (My favourite little guy) has a hard time remembering new information. He's 6 years old and can't remember the hiragana to write his name and is terrible with names and new words and so on. His favourite teacher is Mio-Sensei and so whenever a new person comes that he likes, he calls them Mio-Sensei. I was Mio-Sensei for the first month. The day he finally remembered my name I was so happy. This little guy is super hyper, he litterally vibrates out of his chair sometimes lol.
Anyway, I figured that after not having seen me in over 3 months that he would have forgotten my name. However, the second I stepped into the classroom he stood up and yelled (in Japanese ) Lisa-Sensei is here!!! and he started jumping up and down and repeating it over and over. lol I wnt over and gave him hug and a high five and poked him into finishing his chicken curry. When I asked him if it was good, he calmly told me that it was "yummy". We played games for about 40 minutes and then before i left I found Mio-Sensei in the teacher's room and told her how happy and surprised I was that Kaname actually still remembers my name and she told me that he talks about me all the time and is always asking "Why doesn't Lisa-Sensei ever come anymore?" He doesn't understand that since I moved I don't teach there anymore. He's been told lots of times and he just doesn't understand or remember why I'm not there. I almost cried. Kinda put a dampner on the day. But I told him I would see him again but that I didn't know when. He didn't seem upset when I left, so that's good too.
Anyway, I had a wonderful time and lots of kids came up to me to say hi. Lots of kids also called my Kasey-Sensei too. LOL I just can't get out of her shadow! lol They all laughed when they realized what they done and then corrected themselves. But I still find it hilarious that after a year I am still being called Kasey lol.
That being said, Poor Susan is constantly being compared to me since she is also Canadian. My kids have asked her if she does things because I did them. Also, on my birthday, most of my students took care to tell her it was my birthday and ask her if she knew that and if she had wished my happy birthday! lol Some of them even e-mailed me! LOL Awesome :)