Sign Shite Kudasai--Can I have your autograph

The other day we asked Tachikawa San, our amazing GSE Chairman here in Niigata, if we couldn't visit some schools, and hospitals, and old-folks homes--places where we could interact with Japanese people. We've toured several factories that have been very interesting, but we wanted more interaction with people and less with machines. Sure enough, the very next day our factory tour was cut short and we were taken to the Tagame Elementary School. It was amazing. The children conducted an entire program for us in English that was fantastic. The drum club played for us and tried to teach us how to play. It was funny to see 3rd graders sound so good, and us sound so bad. The children study English, so were asked to introduce ourselve in English. I opened my mouth to speak and got about three words out. I was so overcome with emotion at how beautiful their reception was that I couldn't talk. It was embarrasing. I had to take a moment to compose myself before I could go on. Later during a little free time the kids lined up to ask for our autographs. They also filled our arms with the Japanese and American flags that they had made and signed with their names for us to take with us as souveniers.