Joys of teaching

I don't mean that sarcastically at all. Today was one of those when, as I pedaled my black & silver Bridgestone bicycle out of the school parking lot, I asked myself, "Why am I leaving in 3.5 months?"
Two writing classes, an oral communication class, and a informal chat session filled my Monday. In the first writing class I heard a couple girls commenting in Japanese about how I smelled today. I couldn't catch all the words, but it definitely got me a bit paranoid as I walked around the room, helping students as they wrote 10 sentences about any friend of theirs. Here is a sample from one of the best students (and I did blush when I read it) ;) He's well on his way to fulfilling his dream of becoming an English teacher.
At the end of class, the scent-noticing girls finally concluded out loud that I smell "American." I asked, "Is that good or bad?" "Sweet," they assured me. Well, thank goodness, 'cause I was a bit nervous the cloves of grilled garlic I ate Saturday (with the cow tongue) were seeping through my pores ;)
After school, Takehiro, a lanky, former baseball player, with a quick grin and dancing eyes, brought me his assignment with 10 sentences that started with "He is funny. He is friendly. He is long legs."
I said, "Uh-uh, try again." I loaned him a pencil & a place by the window to re-do it. After awhile he went to the library to work on it. An hour and a half later (I'm not exaggerating) he brought me this:
Ten complete, beautiful, detailed sentences about his best friend, and soccer star, Nagomi. I felt so happy & satisfied and very proud of him!! While washing my mug in the kitchenette before leaving, I saw his homeroom teacher & shared the great news how Takehiro had transformed his "He is--" sentences into ten impressive perfect sentences. She said he'd visited her in the library & that she'd helped him edit the assignment. Oh. My joy was a bit dampened, but I didn't let it stay down--Takehiro took the time to ask for help and persevere to improve his writing so I'm still thrilled with his work.
While Takehiro sat in the library writing about his friend, I sat at my desk chatting with Ai, a girl who really wants to become perapera (fluent) in English. She loves asking personal and cultural questions. Today, she asked if I say, "I love you" to my family members. I told her that yes, usually I say it anytime I say good-bye...in the morning before leaving the house, and before going to bed at night. She sat in disbelief that I'd be so open to say those words to my family. Then she asked if I hug my family. Yes, I told her, usually at least once a day.
Again, completely shocked. She said she saw a movie scene where family members said I love you & gave each other a hug. "Does everyone do it?!" she asked flabbergasted. When I explained that's how my family did it growing up, she shook her head and stared at me. I asked if she ever tells her family or friends that she loves them, and she quickly said, "NO NO NEVER!" I asked about last December when her class went to Europe, "Did you hug your parents before you left? or when you returned?" "No! just waved and said, 'I'm going''. and "I'm home" Then she vocalized the exact thing my shocked brain was thinking, "Culture."