My Last Days at Nova

OSAKA - With only two working days left and only five days left before Canada, Ryan is preparing for his long journey home. As his last week at Nova has progressed, Ryan has openly announced the fact that he has quit to every class he has taught. The conversation generally goes as so:

"Hello, my name, of course, is Ryan. I come from Canada! I am going back to Canada next Tuesday!"
[students stare blankly - one of them possibly claps in confusion]
"I quit Nova. Friday is my last day here!"
[Students start to catch on, some gasp and others whisper amongst themselves. I draw a sad face on the scrap paper in front of me and point to it. The students laugh but then affirm that they feel the same way.]

"You... you have quit?!" one asks, "But you will come back?"
"I'm coming back to Japan on July 20th," I reply. "But I am not coming back to Nova."
[blank stares]
"Osaka - yes. Nova - no." I say as I cross my hands to indicate an x.
[They give an "ahh so" expression of comprehension.]
"Another school??!" one asks inquisitively.
"No" I reply. "I want to start a business!"
"A business??" Their hats fly up in the air.
"Yes, a man-to-man (one-on-one) teaching agency."
"You???" they ask and point to me.
"Yes." I reply and point to myself as well (it's how things work here).
"I want to join and be your student!!" one exclaims. The others in the group quickly follow suit as I write out my e-mail address so they can contact me later.

I'm really going to miss these students. I work at a medium-sized school with only about 500 active students (students who have come within the past three months). Although that sounds like a lot, I only teach weekday evenings, which narrows it down to a small pool. This delightful bunch of mismatched characters have made my longest-running job ever (SEVEN MONTHS!) into the best job I've ever had.

Day after day I've had the opportunity to sit back and listen to them talk about their daily lives: their problems at home, their overly stressful jobs, their experiences abroad, the hopes for the future, trips to their hometowns, their opinions on pets and the delight they take in eating delicious cakes. I've been inspired by their determination and the fact that actual adults are taking time out of their busy lives (some of these people are getting only three hours sleep per night) to study English. They each have their own individual goals, but seem to be able to stick by them and watching them progress has been exceptionally rewarding.

Anyway, hopefully I can take a few of the most pleasant ones with me...

On the brighter side of things, this past weekend I was informed that I have been selected as a possible candidate for the scholarship for which I applied last month. This means that I'll have an interview and some Japanese testing in Toronto once I'm back. I can't wait... I've started trying to put my case together as to why I'm worthy. It's tough.

If you were wondering whatever happened to my poker legacy over the past couple of months, well, I was trying to hide the fact that I had become a failure. I lost four or five times straight to a brainiac pre-law guy from Illinois and his intense Australian roommate. Anyway, I'm back on top as I made my final clean sweep last night.

With World Cup Soccer in full-swing, Japan has been crushed with the loss of what was most likely the only game they had a chance at winning. My students have now started agreeing when I tell them how much I hate Australians.

Between soccer games, my newest roommate Jack and I have started our own training. Every night we've been going for long, exhausting jogs and it feels great... Actually, I just realized I'm late for tonight's jog. I'm going to leave you with an assortment of pictures from the past week since I probably won't have a chance to update before Canada.


Tuckered out on the train after a long day at work


My last days with the Nova Usagi


My last days with my Nova students' files


Supa Tomode - My neighbourhood discount grocery store (allegedly owned by the yakuza)


The Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry Building apparently has people rowing up it. I visited their Museum of Entrepreneurship and Innovation yesterday, it was great.


Would you pay $210 for a melon? What if it were the Best of Melon?


Clutter upon Dotonbori


This one is for Sean (who clearly has the fashion sense of a Japanese woman)


Yes, the Japanese have WANTED people too. And one of them has been to this station, it appears (bottom-right).

Have a great week, I'll update from Canada.