It’s hard to say goodbye

By -

In 2 weeks, Erik and I will be leaving Owase, our home for the past year.

It’s not easy, because there are a number of people whom I have grown to love during our time here and whom I know I may never get to meet again for a very long time.

It gets even harder when the kids I teach start getting emotional about my leaving. Every time a school holds a farewell ceremony for me and the kids and teachers are singing at the top of their voices, I find myself trying very hard to fight back the tears.

I was most touched during the farewell ceremony at Kata Elementary School, when the kids did a public recital on what they have learnt to-date in my English classes. Particularly memorable was what the 5th graders did - an imitation of what I had previously taught them for self-introductions (basically spoofs of Ponyo, Obama and myself). How I wish I could video the entire event. It was the best farewell gift they could ever give me, by remembering what I had taught them.

During the last 11 months, Erik and I have experienced the purest of hearts, the kindest of souls and the most innocent of smiles. We’ve met many people who have gone out of their way for us not because they want anything in return but because they genuinely care and want to be our friends. We’ve led a back-to-basics life, deriving pleasures from simple hobbies, dinner parties and stunning sceneries, which is in stark contrast to our fast-paced, often materialistic culture in Singapore. These are my favourite memories of Owase.

13 more days, and we shall continue to cherish every moment, before it’s time to say goodbye.

Popular posts from this blog

Modified Mee Pok dry in Owase?

By -
Image
In a country like Japan where there are basically only 3 types of noodles – Ramen, Udon and Soba and of cos some variations that arise from it. But there is definitely no mee pok, you mee and others. So, what can one do when certain craving hits? Create your own! Just this morning, Mr Tan Tan created Mushroom Bak Chor Mee, Mee Pok dry using some instant pasta from a half-priced tonkotsu italian ramen that we found in the supermarket! Yes, its half-price and the Tan Tans always buy stuff when it is price-down to save money.   In order to replicate the taste of Singapore’s famous mee pok noodle, Mr Tan Tan simmered japanese mushroom with oyster sauce, soy sauce and dry scallops for 2 days before this meal. A pity he cannot find the dry fragrant fish that is commonly used with the mushroom in Singapore. The fish cake that the Tan Tans bought caught them by surprise when they found gobo (japanese roots of some sort) within the fish cake. With a dash of the mushroom sauce, soy
Read more

Kyushu & Shikoku Travels – 熊本市 (Kumamoto) & 阿蘇山 (Mount Aso or Asosan)

By -
Image
Our second part of the journey covers Kumanoto which is famous for horse meat and well, lots of other things too. As our stay in Kumamoto was very short.. we reached there in the evening and departing for Aso-san the next morning at 1100hrs, the exploration around Kumamoto was fast direct. What is most important in the discovery of a new place is definitely FOOD and Kumamoto is famous for their Ramen. For those who may not know, Ajisen Ramen that is so popular in Singapore comes from this part of Japan. Ajisen Ramen as well as a “pub” for blood donors. You drink water, they draw your blood.   Our hunt for Kumamoto Ramen landed us in this restaurant that was one of the top 100 recommended store in Japan. Look for the sign (red in background) and the quality of the food will not go wrong.    alright i admit, the budge from my tummy was caused by the wonderful ramen we just had. Oh! Horse Katsu for sale. . . hmmm… how could I ever resist it? And it was enjoyable eating hors
Read more

Ueno Tenjin Matsuri!

By -
Image
Iga's main festival is the Ueno Tenjin Matsuri held from October 23rd-25th and featuring a parade of locals dressed as oni (ogre or demons), mikoshi (portable shrines) and another procession of decorated, wheeled floats known as danjiri. The festival has a 500 year history. It was definitely an interesting experience watching the oni parading and frightening the wits out of babies, toddlers and young children, who responded by madly wailing their lungs out. Apparently it's good for children to cry on this occasion because the oni are scaring the evil spirits away from them. We also went on a treasure hunt of sorts and kind of won the top prize in a lucky draw - a box of really exotic grapes! The parade of the oni. An 'ogre' struggling to drink through a straw. The samurai (top) and the priest (bottom) warding away evil. Look at how horrified the kids were. The Danjiri (large wooden carts in the shape of a shrine/temple)! Mikoshi (Portable shrines). Lion dance
Read more