Final Days

I’m really into the death throes here. Sorry. I’m feeling a little morbid at the moment. I’m not sure if it’s because I’m coming to the end of my time at the school or what but whatever it is I’m feeling a little darker. My mood was not improved when I discovered today that I have to deliver a farewell speech in front of the entire school. And this just after I was telling some of the other JETs on Friday how sorry I was they had to do it. O, cruel fate. It was bad enough doing it when I arrived. I’m not sure what my excuse is going to be for my terrible pronunciation this time around.

The good news is that I have almost all of tomorrow to practise (read: write and practise) my speech. I’m thinking of getting one of the teachers to help me write something and then practise it through a few (dozen) times until it hopefully sounds moderately acceptable. I’m not sure what I’m going to say. I could say I had a great time, and I suppose in some ways I did, but I’d feel like that wasn’t being honest. The worst part is knowing that no matter what I say there’s probably going to be at least 20% who aren’t paying any attention whatsoever. But oh well, what can you do? That’s Ichiko for you. (That’s secondary education anywhere for you, I’m sure some are thinking.)

The job situation has become a bit more concrete in the past few days. It now looks like a part-time job which suits me fine since that was my original plan anyway. I still haven’t signed the contract so I don’t want to jinx it by saying I definitely have it but there’s an orientation on Monday where I’ll go down and sign everything. What could go wrong between now and Monday?