Will Miss #23 - relationship with my students

My students are all nice people who come to my apartment and share their lives. English teachers don't just teach English. They also act as counselors and confidantes. You aren't exactly friends with your students, but you are often privy to the same level of information intimacy as a friend might be. For Japanese people, their English teachers are an information dead end and they can tell you things they can't tell other Japanese.

There's also a huge element of learning about Japanese culture through my interactions with my students that goes beyond the superficial things like holidays, rituals, and routines. The thought processes of Japanese people on a daily basis take shape and become clear.

I'll miss the meaningful communication with Japanese people that comes to me via my relationship with my students.