IrishOboe

This week was a sad week because I saw the last of my sanensei and taught my ichinensei for the last time. Graduation was March 1^st and it wasn’t very interesting. It was held in the cold gym, as usual and all the ninensei were there and a number of well wishers as well as about 20 important guests (other principals and such, though I couldn’t figure it out). This time I managed to remember to ask for the words to the school song so I could sing along. We sang three songs. One was Auld Lang Sang (different words, of course), a Japanese fold song, and all three verses to the school song. I read the hiragana, but I have no idea what I said! As a friend said in describing her graduation, “It’s just an hour of bowing.” That pretty much sums it up. They made the parents practice before the ceremony started. By the way, I biked to school in the rain with my suit in my backpack. I really don’t like wearing suits! Anyway, they read all the student names (each homeroom teacher read for his class – and some did it for memory – all 40 kids!), then one person went up and got the diplomas for them all. It sure was faster that way. Each time a kid went up on the stage for something he went up the center stairs and back down backwards! I assume it’s some sort of etiquette, but it’s opposite to US culture where we want to see people’s faces. It’s also dangerous! I said goodbye to sanensei and took pictures with them. Oh, they don’t have silly gowns like we do, but wear a red carnation in their school uniform. They also gave all the teacher obento (boxed lunch) – it was fancy! (More)