After 5 classes I feel like a real English teacher

I've taught five whole classes! I feel like my three year-old when she says, "Look Mom! I did it all by myself." I actually feel like a real live English teacher! My adult classes are so entertaining; and I find I'm learning just as much as I'm teaching. For example; I learned from one of my older male students today, Yoshi, that Yoshi means "good man," in Japanese. I learned that one of my students considers her cat to be more of her best friend than her husband. Ha! I learned that retired folks here are actively concerned about losing their minds, so that is why they are studying English, so as to avoid dementia. Ok then. I learned that the divorce rate is on the rise in Japan and that widowers would prefer to have girlfriends rather than get remarried. Entertaining facts, right? I thought so too.

My class today had ten adults. They range in age from 30 to 70. There were both male and female students. Some were married , some were single. They want to learn English because so they can travel, communicate with American family members, and to stay sane. They each have a sense of humor, which was a great relief to me because I like to joke around. We were talking about adventures in class today. We discussed adventures in the sea, forest, outer space, and in the mountains. I told them all the story of my adventures coming to Japan and a story about my first driving in Japan adventure. When I got to the part where I almost drove into a rice paddy they died laughing, it was great! I asked each member of the class what adventure they would like to go on? One 60-ish year old female class member replied, "I would like to go swimming in Hawaii in a bikini!" We all smiled and laughed and the men in the class made sexy comebacks in Japanese. The class was 90 minutes long and we were laughing our heads off at least 10 times. I can't remember the last time I had so much fun with a group of strangers.

As I was bidding my new students farewell I got two comments I will never forget. One was from Yoshiachiagu, "I can't wait to hear more stories next week." The other was from Hisao, he said, "You are the best English teacher in the whole world," then he bowed very low. Wow. I want to cry about it just sitting here typing. I have no delusions that I am the best English teacher in the whole world, but apparently for Hisao I am, and that makes me feel like I'm exactly where I need to be for now. These students have endeared themselves to me in only 90 minutes, I can hardly wait to see what we talk about next week.