When I tell people in Japan how the Honda family drove three hours one way to Narita airport to surprise us and say goodbye, they are shocked. “They must really love you!”
All I can think about is how much I love them…
I’ve written before how much love the teachers at the kindergarten showed us and all the students. The teachers Sophie had for only 2 months still always gave her hugs and tickles and spoke to us. The goodbye letters they wrote said that they will always be wishing the best for Sophie and Will and praying for their growth and health.
This little boy had a sister in Sophie’s class and a brother in Will’s and he and I always played peek-a-boo when our families were together. Here, I caught him on the train to the zoo in June.
Will’s teacher put together a book for him with notes and pictures from all his classmates and Ko-kun’s mother added a picture of him, noting that he loves me and would miss me. She sketched a tear on his cheek…
The love I feel for those three women at the back right of this picture cannot be expressed in words. I hugged them all together and tried to memorize their faces through my tears.
The last words we called out to each other were, “Mata ashita!” See you tomorrow…
I love loved waiting and watching for the train to come. It meant some adventure was imminent, even if it was a small one.
This is the north tracks out of Takanezawa, the night we left town.
Sophie’s 6th grade friends spent hours and hours at our house during the last few days we were in Takanezawa.
Haruka-chan, Nanami-chan and Mina-chan with Sophie.
