saa, iyo iyo owari ni tsuita. iitai koto wo ienai kedo, ore ha ittemiteiru zo.

Reading over past poems helps capture my feelings again. Nearly every loose end is tied off - all that remains are my connections to the outside world: tomorrow I cancel my mobile phone and internet. Then I jump on a train the next day for Thailand (there’s an airplane involved, too). With only one night reserved in Bangkok so far, it’ll be an adventure.

Prolly something I need right now - a little uncertainty in the set meal that is Japanese life.

But, as I promised last time, I have the new video uploaded and ready for viewing. Yaizu Suisan: Portrait of a Fishing High School.

So long and thanks for all the fish!

Today I gave my goodbye speech, and it was bittersweet. Afterward, some students came by to give me a few mementos and touching parting words. And now that summer’s officially started, I won’t really be seeing them. Except for tomorrow, which is the school’s first baseball game in the national tournament. Everyone’s going to cheer on the team, so I’m glad to have such a lighthearted atmosphere to say final goodbyes.

Been having a few goodbye dinners and parites as well. One every day or so has been the average. Lots of eating, laughing, and drinking. It’s great to have such positive experiences on the way out - makes leaving a nice memory, rather than the life shattering one that coming out here was. There are a few more left before I take off to Thailand. :)

I’ve also finished the school video, just in time. I’ve been in front of the computer for so long recenlty that I’m staring to loathe writing email and even reading other blogs. I’ll post links next time. Speaking of, there will probably be only one more entry after this one, so if you want to stay in contact, be sure to email me. joe at meriwi dot net

Last lessons are finished, and now exams are on, and I find myself entering a bittersweet period of finality. It’s most likely this ‘blog’ will end with my contract, so if you’d like to stay in touch (or convince me to keep writing), then please send me email - joe at meriwi dot net. There are about two weeks left on contract, and then it’s a small holiday before finally coming home. Exciting turbulance ahead!

This is my last week of lessons - final exams begin on Thursday. Plus, the footage for the school video should be finished today as well, which means I can start editing. This should be a bit easier than the doco since the narration is ordered and set, I just have to add pictures to words.