Graduation

On wednesday it was Graduation Day at my high school (and every other high school in the area). Graduation Day in Japan means ;

* An hour (at least) of sitting in the freezing cold in the school gym
* An emotional speech from the graduating students' rep, complete with dramatic pauses, sharp gasps of breath, and a lot of tears!
* Speeches from the 'important' people of the town/city, who the students have no clue about, and they therefore start to doze off a little after the opening line.
* Lots of songs, sung with great feeling but little volume, and accompanied by the school brass band.
* A gym full of very smart people ; students' uniforms are immaculate, and teachers (even me!) are in their best suits...some women even wear kimonos!
* More farewells and speechs at the 'club meetings' after the ceremony, as we say goodbye to our third year members!

Although it was very cold, and I didn't really understand the speeches, I wasn't bored....I was fascinated! I took some movies and photos of different parts of the ceremony, and enjoyed having to dress up smartly for the day. I went to graduation last year, but don't really remember it, or I certainly don't remember being interested in it. Perhaps this year I feel more a part of the school...or maybe it wa slightly less cold this year, allowing me to concentrate on something other than my numb toes. Whatever the reason, I really quite enjoyed the whole day, and I really wished that we had a graduation day from high school back in Blighty. Going down the pub with friends was great, but a grander send-off would have been nice!

Graduation begins!

First and Second year students stand up to sing the graduation/farewell song to the Third years.

The English Club farewell meeting for Yuhta (centre, first row, glasses) who has now graduated!! Congrats!

Me with Fujita-sensei. She is the teacher who runs English club with me, and here she is wearing a beautiful kimono with hakama. She looked great, and got up at 5am to go to the beauty salon to have her hair done!!! She was a homeroom teacher to one of the third year classes, and so wanted to look her best!