Nihongo Committee... Moving on and ready for a new beginning (^___^)

First of all, I would like to express my gratitude to CIO-AMAGE for the support they had given me and for all the efforts done in order to keep the Nihongo sessions going. Though I’m still a newbie in the field of teaching and knowing that I don’t even have enough credentials yet, but still they treated me with much respect and how much I really appreciated it. CIO-AMAGE is more like a family to me now. I’ve never felt so much appreciated before… they gave me more inspiration and developed my passion for teaching. I’m glad that CIO-AMAGE offered an opportunity for those who want to study the Japanese language by opening a class or a study group to cater their interest in the language. And I’m glad that they gave me this chance to offer my service to them especially to those who have the passion in learning the Japanese language. With all these, I’m hoping for more fruitful years of friendship and unity with the team.

It has been 8 weeks already since the lessons first started. It was on May 23, 2009, where we held the first session at Redvill’s home in Tisa, Labangon and it we started out just fine. But normal as we are, we also encountered some problems. May 30, 2009, we had to postpone the lessons because of the occurrence of an unpredictably heavy rain. To make everything smooth and convenient for the succeeding lessons, the officers decided to look for a fixed venue. And then it was on June 6, 2009, when we had our lessons temporarily at Mikare’s house in Banawa, the officers and some other participants decided to have the fixed venue at Club Ultima. On June, 13 2009, classes was held in the latest venue at Club Ultima’s meeting room and everything went well especially that the venue is already accommodating where there is enough space for everyone, and a white board available to work with, and it was fully air-conditioned. Organized by CIO-AMAGE and the expense for the venue was contributed by the participants.

When school began in the mid of June, gradually, it became difficult for some of the participants to attend the Nihongo sessions due to school activities and some have school on a Saturday because most of the participants are still students. They come whenever they’re free and excuse themselves whenever they can’t make it. Absences became frequent. And this is problematic to the part of the organizers and officers, to the teacher, and to the remaining participants as well.

This problem brought us to the effect such as; 1) Delay in the lessons. It was difficult for the teacher to adjust whether to give them a chance to catch up or not, because this can also be unfair to those who are consistent in class especially to those who are eager to go for the next lessons. 2) Deficit of funds for the venue. Since there are times that they are only a few attendees that the officers would sometimes shelter for the payment of the venue.

Naturally, we may get disappointed about what had happened in the matter of receiving withdrawals and frequency of absences, but there’s nothing that we can do about the decisions of others. We respect their decisions. And if ever they plan to join again, they will always be welcomed. They were an important part of the class. And what matters most is that the friendship we had will not only be limited inside the walls of the classroom but this friendship will always be as it is wherever we go… until we meet again.

In behalf of the Nihongo committee, sadly but there’s nothing we can do but to end Nihongo Lessons Batch 1. I asked for apologies, to CIO-AMAGE and especially to the remaining participants of Batch 1, for not being able to meet up with your expectations. Just as what life is, as human as we are, we sometimes fail and make mistakes. As what William Connor Magee quoted, “The man who makes no mistakes does not usually make anything.“ From the mistakes we made and with all the problems that we’ve encountered, was not really a problem at all. But instead, these brought us to new ideas for improvements. Everything happens for a reason. What had happened will serve as instruments for us to become better… and lead us to ways of becoming stronger.

Whatever happens ahead of us, never will it be a hindrance for us to grow. If we fall, then we should stand again as a whole new being. The lessons shall continue… with a whole new batch, especially with the coming of a new teacher. Cabs-sensei will also be teaching with me, he who came at the right time and that it gave me more hope in bringing back the class once more. There’s going to be a new system to comply and new adjustments to deal with. We are hoping that with the new improvements which we will soon be having would finally fill up the missing holes that once we forgot to mind at.

Once again, I humbly asked for everyone to support. Let’s help building each other up, keep our lessons going, keeping our friendship and unity stronger, making our community bigger, and let us become a great team.

Moving on… all set and ready for a new beginning.

“Don't dwell on what went wrong. Instead, focus on what to do next. Spend your energies on moving forward toward finding the answer.” Denis Waitley

by Gem-sensei