Well. My friends started their long flight across Russia today, seriously how big does one country have to be? It has been an intense past couple of weeks, in a good way but with a dose of sadness. It was great having two friends from home to spend some of my last weeks on the island with. Going out kayaking or exploring uninhabited islands would not be the same alone. Also as one would expect with my return to the UK drawing close there has been much in the way of goodbyes and such like. First up was the elementary school, two weeks ago. On my final day I had the 4,5,6th grade classes and in a similar vein to the previous week when I had the final 1,2,3rd grade classes I went all out for an action packed lesson. There was much running, screaming, sweating and a little crying – that is to say Craig’s lessons at their best. The classes went well and each class presented me with a card (as they had done last week) but it was all a little too much for Richard and Gav and they had to retire at lunch time. I had promised the 1,2,3rd grades that I would play with them during their lunch break should they desire. About 30 or so of them turned up so it was pretty intense, there also being no teacher there to help me. We played the Nemo game and then when it all broke down into chaos towards the end I threw and swung kids with all my might, several times I was brought down to my knees by the sheer weight of kids climbing on me. Seriously, who needs weights when you throw around kids for a living? By the end I could not have lifted the lightest child if my life had depended on it. A couple of kids brought me gifts they had made themselves which was quite touching, most were in the form of paper cranes, one girl gave me a whole bag stuffed with them! Happily I had another lesson with my kindergarten kids the next week so I didn’t have to say goodbye to them just yet. Now if I remember correctly the following weekend a typhoon hit, it was the first real typhoon I had experienced as none of the typhoons last year hit Okinawa directly. It was actually quite fun, I and my guests stocked up on food (and beer) and bunkered down for the storm. Just FWI typhoon plus cape plus snorkel plus video camera equals FUN! My final yochien lesson the following week went well too, it turned into a marathon one hour lesson when then kids started requesting games we had done ages ago, I wasn’t going to deny them on our final lesson! Then they had a little goodbye ‘party’ for me and gave me some cute gifts they had made and finally we had a group picture. The kids were terrible during the photo taking; prodding and pinching me and even biting my fingernails!! Where they mad I was leaving? Anyway I made my escape (it felt like escape at that point) and then I, Richard and Gav had a fisherman give us a ride to Gushikawa jima (an uninhabited island). I have been there before and knew what to expect, and what to expect is pretty awesome. In one patch between Gushiwaya and the neighbouring island of Iheya the sea is the most amazing colours (due to strangly stable, winding banks of brilliant white sand just below the surface). After snorkeling and the like I left the boys to attempt an exploration of the interior, it was pretty intense due to there being giant orb spiders (some at least 15cm across with their legs bent naturally – NO exaggeration) everywhere, there webs can me as big as 1.5 to 2 metres across. I found the best technique to be to wave two sticks in front of me as I pushed and ducked through the trees. Even so I had some close calls! There was a surprising amount of open space inside and for a tiny island a fair variety of environments; from dry conifer forest to stifling jungle to areas covered in bamboo or elephant grass. I came across piles of stones I assume are the remains of the houses of the now absent inhabitants and I also found some archeological sites. Last year I met some archeologists who told me they were going to gushikawa to poke around in some 3000 odd year old remains. I assume anyway that it was they who left the blue tarps covering random areas, mostly at the bottom of cliffs. I must admit after almost an hour inside I was getting a little claustrophobic and jumpy! It was a relief to make it out! That night we drank with Yoshiaki san and friends and introduced them to the delights of (quarter cask) lauphraugh (a rather potent Islay malt), the previous night be had introduced Kamiyama san to it. To our pleasant surprise they liked it, we found out that after the war for ten years or so whisky was the drink of choice in Okinawa, so many men today grew up drinking it, it was only in the late 50’s that awamori became prominent. The following day was my final day at school. My final lessons went well and I still didn’t feel emotional, so far so good I thought. I wrote my speech and had my JTE check it. Every night of the previous week I had meant to write it but I never had a moments rest to do it. We had the whole closing ceremony and then it was the say goodbye to Kureigu ceremony, OK feeling a flutter of emotion now. I sit on a chair on the stage while first the headmaster and then a pupil give a speech about me, then I am presented with flowers and cards by the kids. Next up is yours truly and my speech. I start off strongly, in fact I do the whole thing in a pretty good voice but a definate tremor appears towards the end. I then exit to the sounds of pinkity plonkity music while the students clap. There is some amusement, for which I am grateful, when I completely don’t get which way I am supposed to walk out. By the time I make it back to the teacher’s room tears are flowing, as is my noise quite embarrassingly. I would like you to note it was manly crying, that is to say no noise just liquid excretions. A favourite studens comes to talk to me in the staff room but I am not up to much conversation, I soldier through my last school lunch (the very Japanese meal of a … burger!) before gathering my things and making an exit.
Once on the road I immediately feel better as I was on my way to go kayaking with two of my oldest friends, Richard and Gavin! At that moment life was good! I must admit that picking up my final paycheck along the way helped too ;). It did definitely help having my buddies there, going home to an empty house would perhaps have been quite depressing.
I feel this post is quite long enough, there followed after that my teachers party and the finally big JET party on the main island both of which were splendid fun and of course bittersweet as it was the last time I would see many of the fantastic folks I have had the much appreciated opportunity to meet here. I also haven’t writing about the music festivals we went to either! Expect another blog shortly, this time with pictures!
OK back to trying to get my affairs in order before I leave this country!