Time to start saying goodbye...

I began saying goodbye to my students this week.  Thursday and Friday are the days I teach my favourite grade: grade 5.  I knew for a while that next Friday, the 25th, I wouldn't be teaching. But I only found out yesterday that I also wouldn't be teaching Thursday the 24th. SO I had to say an impromptu goodbye to my Thursday classes. Luckily, I had my camera and was able to take class photos. It was super sad, but they were adorable as always and thanked me and said goodbye. Today however, the students and I knew it would be our last class.. and they prepared amaaaaaaazingly sweet letters and gifts! I couldn't help myself and I just photographed every letter.I will need to get a new scrapbook tomorrow... What an emotional bitter-sweet day!!

Piles of cards. The box gift was purchased
by two adorable twins who told me
they spent their own money on it.
I love them.

Let the cuteness begin...

This girl is super shy and quiet, I
was absolutely amazed and touched by
the translated version of this letter.

I don't know who translated this for her,
but I am so grateful. Such a moving letter!

This is a card from the twins!

\

And the adorable contents of their box:
origami cranes and hearts, delicious cookies,
a lollipop, a cow pen, a rose petal decoration,
and a green teddy bear they asked me to keep
on my phone to always remember them by.

Okay? Love that her English name is Luz.

I haven't said goodbye to grade 6 just yet (and the majority of them are pubescent and really won't care haha), but I still have a few letters from them. The girl who wrote to me earlier (under the post Emotions) has been writing me daily and asking for immediate responses ("A4 paper is okay!") at school, so her letters are currently nestled in my desk.

 EMOTIONS!!!! I am really truly going to miss these kids. Every single letter means so much to me, even though I don't know all their names I know their faces and their personalities and ACH so sad. But such is the life of a teacher!

Emotions

This is the same girl who wrote a letter and made bracelets for my parents, and the same girl who asked if she could come to Canada with me. She's graduating in one more semester, so I wouldn't have her for much longer anyways, but definitely got me choked up reading this! I hope she does well and one day makes it out of Korea for some adventuring!

My cousins are all younger than me

"To Anne Teacher
Hello? Anne teacher. I saw your letter. You asked me to special plan. My special plan is going to grandmother and grandfather's house. And play with my cousins. My cousins are all younger than me. Sometimes it's good because I teach them. But sometimes it's bad because I can't hit them when I'm very, very angry. And I can't yelling to them. They are so cute. But one cousins, Jim-in Hwang is very smart. Do you have cousins? Or nephews and nieces? And old are them?

PS This paper (out) is Korean paper. Isn't it beautiful?"

Tidbits

Amazing homemade yogurt and homemade
jam from my amazing co-teacher, MiYoung!

The koala freaks me out.

I went to a pottery festival and bought myself a little
momento of Korea. I bought the tiny tea set, light on dark.
These tea sets are beautiful, but I know I wouldn't use a full
sized one. A mini one will be beautiful on a mantle
if I ever get one!

I realized I've never shown a photo of kimchi.
This kimchi was particularly yummy.

Hiking on a "clear" day! Forgive me for being highly awkward
posing alone.

Amusing air freshener. I've seen this decorative leaf
on children's clothes so I really don't think they know
what it is.

And some cute letters. I've been getting ridiculously amazing letters recently. Look at those amazing origami ones too! They're really hard to photograph when I unfold them, but they pretty much are from this adorable girl who keeps asking me not to leave so that she can bake me cookies for my birthday.

TIdbits

Life is good.

Outdoor "exercise" machines are
super common and popular.
While I definitely didn't work up
a sweat, this machine is super fun. 

Graduated middle schoolers came to visit their
old school and decided to escort me home.
I miss these two a ton!!

The author of the following letter asked me where a reply was on Monday. I told her I had never received her letter. So she (And Elsa, author of the above two treasures) came into my class and searched for it. They found it all soiled in the trash can! I told them it was no problem, I would take the dirty letter. It's hard to read so I will type out what it says cause it's super cute.

"Hello ~ Hello ~ :) I think you and I letters are very~ very~ VERY~ funny!!! You thinks too? Your birthday is 12/2. My brithday is 10/13. My favorite thing to cook is very very many. I like cooking cookies sweet cookies!! What cookies do you like? I like chocolate cookies! Today's leter super amezing fantastic leter~~~

Bye bye"

I am so happy the students enjoy the letters! I've been getting a bunch of cute ones from the new grade 5s too!! How will I handle leaving these lovely little ladies?