Congratulations Class of 2018! You made it! There is no doubt in my mind that each and every one of you will become successful individuals in whatever you choose to do. One thing that makes your class special is that in all my years of teaching in Japan, you are the first class that I have ever taught from beginning to end (HS 1st year to 3rd + the last half of your JHS 3rd year), but at the same time it is also the last. It has been a privilege to teach you for these past 3 1/2 years, and in a way I am sort of graduating with you — a rather poetic way of ending my teaching career. And if there’s one thing I regret not doing, it’s probably not spending more time getting to know each and every one you more deeply.

I hope that you were able to learn and discover new ideas throughout our time together, and that you might have even become more open-minded individuals along the way. If you are reading this, then I assume you know where to find me 🙂

Thank you for being the brightest and most intelligent students I have ever met. I truly wish you the best and for a successful future.

There will certainly be challenges, roadblocks, and difficult decisions you will face along your path, but that’s all part of life. And if you find yourself during a time when life gets you down, remember this:

The human heart beats approximately 4,000 times per hour

And each pulse,

each throb

each palpitation is a trophy

engraved with the words

“You are still alive”

– Rudy Francisco

So Live. Love. Learn. And Grow.

Mr. Paulo