Owakarekai

During a farewell party with sixth-graders.

Hydrangea

I remember learning that hydrangea bushes are blue or pink depending on the acidity of the soil. So how is this possible?

Eggs

They were cheaper than the eggs not urging me to support the local baseball team.

Staffroom Whiteboard

Iris

cherry

blanket

Shodo

A good-bye gift from the kocho-sensei of one of my elementary schools.

Kemussho

I found him on my shirt during class. The kids named him.

chalk rail

pinky-purple

This was my favorite color when I was little.

Lost Bird

Packed and ready

The photos that have hung on my walls for the past two years.

Arsenal

Strewn.

The entire contents of my kitchen, transported into the living room so that I could scrub out the kitchen.

Falafel!

I was so proud of myself.

Clover Crown

On my walk to school.

Chusotai Day 3

The teams call in their results, and they are written down and hung on the staffroom walls.

Chusotai Day 2

Chusotai Day 1

New Horizon

This is a very typical page from the junior-high-school English textbooks. This page is from the third-year book, and presents a grammar point that most teachers use two or three fifty-minute classes to teach.

A Very Special Mango

I have no idea why this mango costs $16. It's been clearanced to $10... which suggests no else knows either.

Notebooks.

The beanbags on top were a gift from a student.

Flown the coop.

Kyushoku

My desk neighbour's school lunch. Salmon, sauteed vegetables and chicken, miso soup, rice, and milk. Calorie count: 804.

Music Breaks Barriers

A two-day festival in Sendai to benefit special needs people. The serangi player on the right also played for our pre-India benefit concert.

Layers

How I spent my Friday night.

She looked that suspicious all night. Two-month-olds don't think much of being baby-sat.

The 1st Sayonara

Ashinokuchi Elementary School, site of the first of six sets of goodbyes.

Address, part 2

On the building wall.

Address

Just outside the building.