A week of goodbyes

It has been sad to say goodbye to so many people this week. However, it is nice to know just how many friends we made during our short stay in Morioka. I do not know exactly what I expected this semester to be, but the actual experience was better than I hoped. I will really miss Morioka when we get home.

So many people gave us gifts unexpectedly. Catie got presents from several families at Kokko. She got all sorts of gifts from her classmates, including a yukata (hand-me-down, but still!!!). She is so set for Harumatsuri next spring! We also gave and received lots of special presents from our friends.

There were also parties. Lots of farewell parties! I already wrote about our mom & kids farewell lunch on Thursday, but we also were invited to a couple of other lunches, dinners, the Earlham Closing Reception, and I went to a ladies night nomikai. Lots of fun, but also sad know that after we leave none of these relationships will be the same.

Spending a semester abroad with a small child is much different than it would be without one. We travelled much less and saw fewer sites. We didn’t get to chat with artisans in kiln towns or visit onsen. We ate at CoCo’s Curry House and McDonalds far more often than I may have liked, and I never did get my favorite ‘eki’ soba. However, we had much more contact with local people. I do not think I would have made anywhere near as many or as close friends if we hadn’t had Catie with us. Parenthood appears to be the great equalizer. You can travel around the world, but the basic struggles of child rearing are pretty much the same. I am very thankful to have had this experience.

 
Here are a few photos of our last week in Morioka...

Catie handing out going away presents on the last day of school

a small selection of cards given to Catie from her classmates

The SICE students with many of their host sisters at the Closing Ceremony (Catie is wearing Andy's latest knit creation)

We brought origami paper and lots of coloring to keep the children entertained for the 5 hours

Hillary's host brother was a great help keeping Catie and Haruto busy!

lots of gifts were exchanged at the ceremony. Catie was ready to help out!

Catie & Angela counting for hide & seek during our last day at Kokko

they also played "Nutcracker" since Angela is really into ballet

Farewell Lunch

Today my mom friends invited us to a farewell party lunch. Being the first Thursday of the month, FIK had a half day. We went to a fancy restaurant downtown. This place was fancy enough to have tatami everyway and all waitresses in kimono. We had our own banquet room, which was a good thing, because the kids were absolutely wild! They took one look at the room and promptly turned it into a gym- they were doing cartwheels & tumbles, climbing on chairs, and chasing each other around like hooligans!

Lunch was fancy, but delicious. Catie only ate the fried chicken and fruit off her kids meal, but I wasn’t about to complain.

Catie's kid meal

My lunch, complete with individual mushroom nabe pot (cooking on the upper left)

After lunch things calmed down a little bit...

 

 

 

The only damper on the whole afternoon was my own cultural faux pax. An unfortunate miscommunication caused me to think that more people would be there than I’d originally expected. In reality only our closest friends were there, as I’d originally believed. Unfortunately, because I thought there were going to be others present, I have been handing out farewell gifts quietly all week! I should have just brought them all to the party, given a speech, and then handed them out. I was sad to have made such a mistake with these friends, but I hope that the notes I wrote and the gifts speak for themselves. I’m going to miss these ladies so much!