Impending graduation...:-(

Being back in Japan and seeing my students again is a great joy. I left at a point where I was just starting to get really comfortable and settled with my working situation and my students, and I've returned not missing a beat. Students are more comfortable interacting with me, I'm continuing to get to know them (though I must confess, there are still far too many for me to remember all their names) and I feel like we're both getting more out of class--them, more English, and me, more job satisfaction (directly related to the former).

Sadly, the Japanese school year changes at the end of March, which means that all of my san-nensei (3rd year students, or 9th grade in America) will be graduating and moving on to high school (hopefully). As my oldest and most English-competent students, I've perhaps connected with them the most, and will really miss them after they leave (even though Japan's year changes, I am under contract through the summer). On the upside, though, I get to have a fresh start with all of my other students, and I'm especially excited for my elementary school 6th graders, who become middle school 7th graders at one of my schools in the spring (and move from "fun" English games to actual English class).