Goodbye Niihama!

The last two weeks of my time in Niihama were spent teaching. The last of July and beginning of August is Summer School for PKC. It’s an intense period of working and teaching and having fun.

Prior to the start of Summer School there was a few days at Kamogawa, where I got to enjoy the cool water and stay out of the heat.

With Summer School started I realized that I would be saying goodbye to the kids that I worked with for over a year. I was especially sad to leave one school. This school had all my favourite students and the ones that I know really want to learn and enjoy learning English. A few of the Junior students I had said goodbye to earlier because they were leaving for a homestay in Vancouver.

Saying goodbye at this school as Summer School finished was a great way to end my time in Niihama.

When Mom and Dad arrived on the 3^rd of August it was a whirlwind of packing and saying goodbye to the people that I spent the most time with and am really going to miss now that I will be back in Toronto.

On the Saturday after getting to Niihama I planned a dinner with Bret and Angelina at Wakamusha in Saijo. Before heading to dinner Angelina took us to the last night market of the summer. I was able to show Mom and Dad a little of Saijo and a great summer tradition. We also got to sample some delicious Nihon-shu (sake). For dinner I took them to the bar where I had spent many nights out. It was a great dinner and Dad really enjoyed himself.

Sunday morning was an early start to get everything packed. I bought a lot of clothing and shoes while here and it all had to be vacuumed sealed. By noon though we were getting antsy and hungry and it was decided that we would meet Bret and Angelina at Love Crepe, a delicious creperie in Saijo.

With lunch finished we were taken on adventure by Bret and Angelina. Dad wanted to see a little of Niihama so they lead us to Choshi-no-Taki Falls in Niihama. It was a heart pounding  drive up the mountain along a narrow road that at points had no railing protecting you from dropping into the river valley.

A Two Way Road

The falls were a 20 minute walk up the mountain from where we parked the cars and then we reached the 30m waterfall. The view was spectacular. The water was frigid. Dad and Bret were the only two that actually climbed the rocks and took a swim in the swimming hole beneath the falls.

After their swim it was saying goodbye to Bret and Angelina. I am so thankful that I got to know them and spend time with them. It made me year in Japan very fun and they were a great help to me. I’ll miss them, but with their return to the USA I hope that we can meet up.

With our adventure finished it was time to meet with my JTs Yuko and Aki for dinner. We had a delicious meal of yaki niku that was filled with great conversation. It was nice for Mom to meet two of my fellow teachers and two of the people who have been invaluable in terms of helping me in Japan. I was sad to leave them, but I will keep in contact with them when I get home.

It wasn’t sad to leave Niihama, but I will miss that city. And now for the next twelve days it will taking Mom and Dad around Japan and getting to say goodbye to this wonderful country.