Fridays was always a busy one for me. The day started with an early morning trip to Nishiki, about 15 minutes down Route 176 after Sasayama. Or, if you like, about an hours drive from home in Sanda. Nishiki is country Japan, where pretty much everyone is or knows a farmer, where local crafts and traditions flourish and where things are a little slower. I really enjoyed my classes in Nishiki, which comprised people from all walks of life( I had a rice farmer and a shinto priests wife in one class)and I was terribly sad to leave them. The picture directly above shows us on our last Friday at the community centre, with three ladies from the advanced class in the background.
In the afternoon, I started more regular English classes with local kids from Yakami (just west of Sasayama) in the local church building. The church was at the end of a street of houses that literally sat in the middle of rice paddies, like a tiny suburban island. These were real country kids, still very Japanese in their courtesy and application, but a little rougher around the edges. They were also more relaxed. Nadia and I had shared these classes on our first trips to Japan. On the final occasion, Tom's presence meant I had to fly the mission solo, so to speak. It was a long day to be away from the family. A long day for Nadia too. Leaving Tom in the early morning with his little face pressed against the lounge room glass was heartbreaking.
The top shot shows some of the kids we taught outside the church in Yakami. The girls in the foreground (Fuka, Mayana and Eri) are three of the originals from back in 2001. Yes, we miss them. Truly.
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