Today is my last day at South Elementary and so begins the series of farewell speeches I have to give to every school before I leave. I just delivered this to the school:
みなさん、おはようございます。
一年間 みなさんありがとうございました。
今日は僕のさいごのひだから、とてもさびしいです。
去年、日本に行った時、 日本語はすごくむずかしかった。板倉がしらなかった。も日本で友だちがなかった。でも今みなさんは僕のともだちになったから、このさよならは難しいです。
みなこどもたちは英語を上手に勉強しましたから僕はうれしいです。 僕は八月から、ほうりつのべんきょうがはじめますからあと二週間アメリカにかえります。九月に大きいなしけんがあるから、今も一回学生になるそうです。
今年はとても楽しかったから、今日本と板倉町は大好きです。 みなさんのかがやかしいみらいをおいのりいたします。
Translation:
Good morning, everyone.
Thank you for this past year.
I am sad that today is my last day.
Last year, when I came to Japan, Japanese was very difficult for me. I didn't know Itakura. And I didn't have any friends in Japan. But because you have all become my friends this is a sad goodbye.
I am happy because all the students studied English well.
My study for law school begins in August so I am leaving for America in two weeks. I have a big test in September, so it looks as though I will become a student one more time.
This past year was so much fun and now I love Japan and Itakura.
I wish you all the best in the future. Thank you very much.
Then Ayanoちゃん presented me with this....
....and I walked through two rows of students all the way out of the gym.
Update
on 2009-07-14 04:50 by John Kester
Bunches of kids keep coming by my desk asking me to sign their folders, and notebooks, and manga books and stuff. Must be 'cuz I look like Lupin III.