Koriyama BOE farewell party

Last Friday night, the 13th July was the annual leaving party for teachers leaving and those who have to leave. As usual the most casual of meetings here in Japan with work collegues is often accompanied by rigid structure and ritual before festivities begin. This is one thing that makes Japan so different and so interesting at the same time in comparison with western culture. Those who were leaving were all required to make a speech, preferably in Japanese. Thanks to great help and translation from Kyoko I made a two page Japanese speech thanking all of my work collegues, and talked about the great and unforgettable experiences I've had while teaching at Japanese elementary schools.