沖縄に帰りました。

皆さん、明けましたおめでとうございます！今年もよろしくお願いします。ちょっと遅いですね、ごめんない。じゃ、今月13日日本に帰りました。一週間ボケ残っていたので、”英語の弁当”にブログアップデイトを書きませんでした。でも今週、とても元気になりました。じゃあ、今年は始めましょうね！

Hello everyone!  I returned to Japan on the 13th, but I haven't updated yet because I was recovering last week from jet lag.  I'm finally feeling much better and less muddled and wanted to update quickly.  I promised something new and I plan to fulfill my promise very soon.  Next week is the Nago 桜祭り and since I've yet to go (even though I've lived in Okinawa 3.5 years), I planned to make the beautiful Okinawan cherry  blossoms and their festival part of the debut of a new element to this blog.  So please check in with me sometime next week.  Hopefully I'll have a few awesome things up here for you to view.  

ORD --->NRT

In the meantime, I've been contemplating where I'll be after the end of July.  You see, I decided not to recontract this year.  It wasn't an easy decision to make, but it feels like it's time to say goodbye to the JET Program.  I'm not certain if it's time to say goodbye to Japan though.  I am thoroughly in love with my life here.  I really do love this country and the people I've met.  It's not a utopia.  There are a ton of things that bother me here and there is plenty wrong with what's happening politically in Japan, so I'm not romanticizing it, but despite its flaws I adore Japan.  There is so much to cherish, especially here in Okinawa, though I am sure if I were living elsewhere in Japan, I would feel the same way about wherever I was.  I'm going to try to make the best of the next 6.5 months and I hope you enjoy the various experiences I write about in the remainder of the time I have here.  

See you soon!

アキ  

Apparently, my students love my class.
I will miss them.

Some of the things I am grateful for
and will be sad to say goodbye to.

Happiness is everywhere here!

A beautiful day on Akajima, in the Kerama islands.

Okinawa's ocean (the real deal)

Make a wish. (^з^)-☆