Farewell Speech
By: Katie Vines, Brandon Little, Teresa Blevins, Laura Beaulac, and Kara Connor
Fukui Ken JET Programme Closing Ceremony Banquet
Fukui City
July 16, 2004
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Katie:
Good afternoon everyone. In this speech we will succinctly reflect on and celebrate everyone’s experience here in Japan, in five minutes, with translation, and a “thank you”…. Ok, maybe not, but we do want to try and find something that is common to all our time in Japan. (and don’t say the internet because that’s not funny) and the easiest way to do this seemed to be by using Japan’s unique status as a country that has four seasons[1]. So here goes:

Brandon:
Summer. Think back to those first few days. Fresh off the plane. Exhausted. Excited. Confused. and Hopeful. Perhaps you secretly hoped all those spray options on the Toto Warmlets[2] were standard nation-wide. Perhaps you looked around and tried to guess who your friends would turn out to be. In any case, summer in Fukui is a time of discovery. It's all new, it's all exciting, and more than anything - it's HOT!

For the first time:

- You carry a sweat rag with nonsensical English

- You realize that janken[3] could bring about world peace

- And you learn that your red hair really can make someone fall off their bike.

Summer is fireworks and festivals and young girls shuffling by in yukatta

- It's seeing the sun rise from atop Fuji

- And counting the days till you get your keitai[4]

- It's replying to those first "How's Japan?" emails and knowing you'll never be able to do them justice

- It's hours lost in Katamachi

- It's seeing half your friends off and mustering the energy for one more year

- It's drizzling rain and green rice paddies and the cry of cicadas

It's discovering that - yes - you're going to make it in Japan!

Kara:

And somehow, before we even realize it, summer has melted into fall. With sweat rags set aside, air cons flipped off, and car windows open, fall is that special time to chance your skills behind the wheel and explore Fukui and beyond. Grabbing new friends and trusted companions, it is the time to enjoy the changing of the maple leaves, the quieting of the cicadas, and the shouts of red, green, yellow, and blue sports day teams. Fall:

- It’s stumbling through those first self-introductions and stumbling away from your first enkais[5]

- It’s the smell of burning rice fields

- It’s meeting host families and settling into that adoption

- It’s uniform change day and the ‘swhooshing’ noise of students as they stand and sit in unison at assemblies.

- It’s keeping your balance - and your drink - at a Halloween party on a train with 4 inch heels and a mask that blocks all peripheral vision

- It’s the maple leaves bleeding from green to yellow to orange to red and dropping into the waiting dustpan of considerate local resident.

Teresa:

And, then – oh gosh - it’s winter! For months I had lived in fear--a girl who needs to bring a sweater along in 40-degree Arizona temperatures "just in case it gets chilly"… Yeah, I was going to have to face an actual winter in Fukui. 

Some days were tough, but I learned how to layer, I learned how to wear shoes and socks instead of sandals, and I quickly got over my fear of kerosene...and I found out that winter in Fukui isn't necessarily something to fear...

- It's watching flakes fall on a clear Family Mart umbrella

- It's students rushing to warm their hands by the heater

- It's the smell of kerosene

- It's eating nabe[6]

- It's thinking, "today I can ride my bike," and clinging for your life as the tires slip and slide

- It's being shown up on the slopes by a 3 year old in a Hello Kitty snowsuit

- It's defrosting in an onsen[7]

- It's seeing and hearing "Christmas," but feeling a little out of place

It's not so bad, actually.

Laura:

And, then there’s spring. This year I spent the first day of spring throwing beans and dodging devils. In Japan Setsubun is officially the first day of spring…But – well - my beans landed in the snow! For me, Spring really started with the first sight of the beautiful sakura[8]. Spring:

- It’s wide-eyed ichinenseis[9] in uniforms that swallow them whole

- It’s strawberry mochi[10]

- It’s everything and everyone bursting into life

- It’s dressing up, taking pictures, and terrorizing the south[11]

- It’s sun on your shoulders

- It’s the chaos and excitement of Golden Week

- It’s hanami[12] parties and the laughter of children at play

It’s all the signs of hope and fresh beginnings.

Katie:

There you are! Ok Ok - Obviously we couldn’t capture all that Japan has meant to each of us in this short time. Every situation was different, as were the experiences that have left their mark upon us. And, just as we've struggled here before you to capture your experiences in a 5 min. speech, so we are all struggling to find the right words as our time quickly runs out. Sabishi. Genki de. Cheerio even. They all seem a bit inadequate. And, in the end, maybe the beauty of a farewell is realizing that in the loss we feel there is proof of all the changes we’ve made…the connections we’ve forged. So, just as we delight in the changing of the seasons in Japan, may we also delight in the ways we've changed and - indeed – will continue to change. So, let me end by stating the obvious - Japan and her people have made a huge impact on us all. We can only hope that our contribution was half as positive. Thank you to everyone at the Fukui Board of Education and the Jet Programme for the opportunities you’ve given us. To every one here, we wish you the best of luck with whatever you pursue in the future. Thank you and “see you!”

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[1] Read in sarcasm here. Whenever you ask a Japanese person what they like about Japan, they proudly tell you that Japan has four seasons, as if no other country in the world has the same phenomenon, and that’s why Japan is the best. My students were totally shocked when I told them that in the States we too have four seasons – as do Australia, Canada, Britain, New Zealand, and South Africa for that matter.

[2] Toto Warmlets are these incredible toilets they have in Tokyo that automatically warm when you sit on them, they automatically play a tune to mask whatever tune your body might be making, and they have millions of buttons that produce all sorts of fun water action.

[3] Janken is paper, rock, scissors. They use it to solve EVERY disagreement here.

[4] A keitai is a mobile phone.

[5] An enkai is an office party.

[6] Nabe is a winter stew.

[7] An onsen is a public bath.

[8] Sakura is the Japanese word for cheery trees.

[9] Ichinenseis is Japanese for 1^st year students. The Japanese school year begins in March so spring is when all the new students arrive.

[10] Mochi is a traditional Japanese sweet made of rice.

[11] This is in reference to the JET car rally.

[12] Hanami parties are flower-watching parties.