Mortal In Ubuyama

The days here have increasingly reminded me of my own mortality and the evanescence of the world around me. The teachers in my office are dear friends that will all be moving around schools eventually as it is custom to switch every three years or so and I will be leaving come August. The winter lingers in the form of a day long snow storm, but even that melted away almost completely by evening. Then there are the third graders that have seemingly become adults as they have crossed the line between student and peer in the office. Even though they came back the day after still wearing their school uniforms, there was a different energy they now held. They had worked very hard for three years and now they will move on, some of them to schools that are two hours away from their homes and families and they will stay there during the week.

These pictures I took on the day of graduation really get to me. I think in many years tears will come to my eyes as I look at them. I have spent so many hours in a small office with these people. No matter how annoying it sometimes has been, how oxygen-less because of the kerosene heater in the room, I cannot help but feel endlessly attached to these individuals. The principal and vice-principal with their desks together set up so they can always see their inferiors. Every person's face is within me now.

Being here for only one year has made everything that much more intense. No longer have I the emotional luxury of just feeling like I am tired of my job. As much as it has not been perfect for me here I have become irrevocably attached to the people here and I think I always will be, as long as I have my memory. And it's not like this happens to me every year, no no. No, I think this one's special so I will have to be sure to tell them this in my farewell speeches. Maybe I will even be on the local tv.