THE JAPANESE STUDENT

Today I said goodbye to a beloved student of mine, Takeshi (Japan). He has been with me the longest so far: since September 20th! He is of the "old generation," maintaining the memory of classic students like Mario (dated a Costa Rican bikini model while he was here and was voted "Mr. EF" by his classmates and peers), Enthony (the growing Swiss boy who once ate 12 hotdogs in one sitting), Filippo (tasted pancakes for the first time in my house, and was exuberant about everything in Santa Barbara), and Dong Soo (lost over 1000 dollars at the Chumash Casino during his time here). Not too many of my current students know those guys.

Not only is Takeshi old school, but he was a favorite of a lot of my friends. Anyone who had the good fortune to meet him always had great things to say about Takeshi :)

I think what makes Takeshi so special is his gentle spirit. He always seems to care about the people around him, whether he is offering the first plate of food to another person or noticing Katie's haircut when she stops by a month later. He doesn't demand anything. I like that.

We'll miss you Takeshi! Have a great trip home and I'm sure I'll see you again :)