Momo-gumi
1 (3-4 yrs old)
Back, left to right: Fumika, Kaichi, Saki, Mitsuki, Eri, Mai, Ikumi, Tomoya, Sae, Shou
Front: Ryuuichi, Hideya, Ai, Shogo, Taiga, Aoto, Mio, Rina(?)
Momo-gumi 2
Back: Yuuki, Momoko, ..., Kazuki, Rina, ..., Nozomi, ..., Mai, Ryuu
Front: Kanna, ..., ..., ...., Ryou, Eriko, Saya, Itsuki, Sho
Yuri-gumi (4-5 yrs)
Back: Chisaki, Nobuhiko, Ryota, Haruna, Yuuki, Yusuke, Takashi, ..., Kaori
Front: Yuka, Sayoko, Keiichi, Tomoaki, ..., Saki, Mine, Eri
Sumire-gumi (4-5)
Back: Natsumi, Chiyori, Mizuki, Sayaka, Mari, Hinako Miku, Ami, Eriko(?)
Front: Yusei, Nobuhiko, Yuuji, Tomoki, Haruya, Takaaki, ..., Shota, Takuya, Yuuta
Himawari-gumi (5-6
yrs)
Back: Ayumi, Ikumi, Miki, Shugo(?), Tessei, Mamoru, Natsumi, Ayumi, Chisaki, Chinami, Kouki
Front: Mizuho, Narie, Hiroki, Shougo, Yuichiro, Satoru, Takahiro, Yoshiki, Yukiko
First there were
three...
Then eight...
Then everybody...
Tomoaki and Yusuke
English Clubs:
Yuuta, Nobuhiko
and Haruya
Haruya
Yuuta, with Nobuhiko
behind. Yuuta was just visiting the club that day.
Miyu
Atsuhiro, Risa,
Nozomi, and Hikari
A week after the pictures were taken...
Graduation. The kids all dressed in new dark blue clothes. It was a long ceremony, very formal; each child had to walk up to the principal, bow, and accept a certificate, then bow deeply and go back to the chair. After that there were speeches, the kids performed a song, and then all the teachers were called up to the front of the room. We were each given flowers and a darling manga-style colored pencil sketch of the kids. (That's something I'll keep forever) The kids then performed another song, called "Arigatou, Sayonara". The first verse was "Arigatou, sayonara, tomodachi" (Thank you, goodbye, friends), the second was "Arigatou, sayonara, kyoushitsu" (class). I was okay until they reached the third verse. Arigatou, sayonara, sensei.
At first I was embarrassed, until I realized only the soccer teacher wasn't crying.
After the ceremony, we all had lunch together and I played with the kids for awhile.
