As you may already know, our beloved JETAA Japanese Language teacher Yoko Sugimoto is leaving us after 13 years of teaching JET Alumni. As she will be greatly missed, it was only fitting that we said our goodbye and gratitude with a warm-hearted Soubetsukai Party.
This was held Monday, June 17th on a gorgeous summer evening with a spectacular view of the CN tower in the West End. Much thanks are in order for Carey Heeney, who so graciously housed the party at her place and for also having an amazing track record when it comes to Japanese class, as she is Sugimoto-sensei’s oldest pupil having started the class in it’s 2nd year of running.
The farewell was a great success with many JETAA members coming out and bringing delicious foods for the potluck style goodbye. Sugimoto-sensei is a huge fan of Okashi and other savoury treats and was more excited than anyone there to dig in to the wide selection of gourmet fare, from curry goat roti to Danish strudel.
Sugimoto-sensei will sure miss the variety of cuisine here in Toronto, but will be returning back to Tokyo to discover a new array of technology, especially in the form of vending machines. It is hard to believe but she has lived in Canada for quite some time, that she has never seen the amazing mechanical devices in action. She furthermore has also never been to an onsen. As seemingly ironic as this may seem, us JET Alumni have recommended to her these fabulous Japanese traditions, at which she has agreed to try.
All humour aside, she will be greatly missed by the JETAA community, not to mention the Japanese community in Toronto. We wish her farewell and good luck in her future endeavours. We also hope to see her return to Toronto someday, even if only for a short visit.
Likewise, Sugimoto-sensei would like to send out a huge thank you to all those who have attended her classes. She also extends an invitation to any of us who happen to find their selves in Tokyo to come visit her.
The evening of the Soubetsukai concluded with Sugimoto-sensei’s final words of advise, “To continue studying Japanese” at to which she hopes that we will not forget what she’s taught us and will go on to study without her.
先生、日本語を教えってくれてどうもありがとうございました！！