Saying good-by to Tajimi City

To close our stay in Tajimi City we had a final meeting at City Hall. We met with P.T.A. members to have a heart-to-heart about the schools from the parent's perspective. This experience was a little more enlightening than talking to school administrators who naturally want to do their best to make their schools look good. Parents are more willing to tell it like it is. As I have come to find, we share common problems and concerns. Like parents everywhere they want their children to have the best opportunities in life. Major concerns in the schools are large class sizes, a population of children who are left unserved by the schools, and parents who are uninterested in getting involved. This could have been a P.T.A. meeting anywhere in the United States. We were very appreciative of their candor and we reassured them that they were not alone in their struggles.
We spent the afternoon touring a local industry. Since Tajimi is world famous for its pottery we were invited to the Ichimkura Sakazuki Art Museum and Kobei Pottery site. Here, "Living National Treasures of Japan", (people who carry on the tradition of pottery techniques going back hundreds of years), hone their craft. We toured the museum filled with exquisite pieces of art. Even if you don't know much about pottery you cannot but help to appreciate the beauty created by the hands of these artists.
We had to say good-bye to our most gracious host city of Tajimi. They have welcomed us into their schools and into their homes. We are sad to leave all of our new friends who have taught us about the generousity of the people of Japan. We have formed a bond that cannot be outdistanced by the miles that separate us. Ultimately we know that the human spirit is stronger than any language barrier. Human beings everywhere want the same basic things: to live a decent life, to contribute to the good of society and to be able to give their children a safe and happy environment in which to grow up in. Today we leave feeling like the world really isn't such a big place afterall.
We boarded our bus. As has been the tradition everywhere we go, our hosts lined up and waved us good-bye, always waving with two hands. We have been made to feel like celebraties.