I totally forgot to write about this. This is SUPA- SUGOI! (my new word= super great!)
Last Friday, the school was going to have a formal welcome party for me. This was also celebration for one teacher who was on his 25th anniversary of teaching, as well as an art teacher who won an award with his paintings. Throughout the night, I was amazed by the culture and traditions that these formal enkais have. With everyone's permission, I would like to share my experience.
So when I first got there, I was escorted to another room, separate from the other teachers. There I was with the Principal, Vice-Principals, and the the other two rewarded teachers. Later we were told to follow the MC teacher. As the door opened, music bursted throughout the room. We walked in, took our first steps into the room, bowed, and continued to our table. Everyone was cheering and clapping. I felt like I had just won a Grammy. Then there were speeches. Different teachers spoke for different teachers. Mine was in English. YAY! SUPA-SUGOI!
Then I had to come up and give my speech. I decided to give my speech in Japanese and it worked really well (Thanks Mayumi). I was given flowers and sat back down.
NOW... Once the food started coming out, it became really cool. Teachers from different tables would come up to us with a bottle of beer and continually fill our glasses as a sign of respect. I got some really good Japanese practice in because of these teachers coming to talk, many with whom I've never talked to before. So constantly I had to drink my beer so that they had something to fill. I would just like to say that the Japan is a drinking society and they drink very well. It really is how they socialize. After dinner, when I was about to fall over, we all stood up to sing our School Song. Usually, these songs are sung by the Male Cheerleading Squad (they are much more manlier than it sounds), but for this party one of the teachers took the flag and led the teachers with the song. After the night ended, I was so pumped up from the night. It was really a side of Japan that I never would have expected to see. SUPA-SUGOI!
5 comments:
seriously, male cheerleading squad?! OMG i heart japan forever!!!!!!!! please please tell me they wear the yatta briefs. sugoi!! :D the welcome party sounds so awesome. it's fantastic of the school to do that for you guys. i'm glad you had such a good time!
and i love how you changed your "comments" link. it's damn clever, and evil :)
"Once the food started coming out, it became really cool"... Naturally. Isn't that what life is all about?
I love Japan. Always. They should register the "Best Place on Earth" trademark symbol.
oh yeah, and what's with the "people loving us"???
so from now on, every time I make a comment here, I can tell you that I love you guys, without saying I love you guys! Haha, clever, Juni! Maybe I should do something like this on my blog too, hehe;)
oh, yeah, I like how the coment window pops out too. I'll figure out how to do this on my blog now. Yay!
Thanks for all the cool ideas, Juni.
and also, I never realize the ceremony thing you experienced was a Japanese thing...because we always have that kind of welcome/farewell ceremonies or parties all the time for teachers or even for new students and students who are moving to another school. Oh, now I know! Things that we do all the time = most likely Japanese things
Ahhh, okay okay. Anyway, I'm glad you enjoyed the party here. Yep, I think drinking is a popular&most efficient way to socialize in Japan. When I was in college, for example, I often had drinking parties with chorus club members, including the conductor and voice trainers, and with seminor members, which were exactly what you described: people give speaches that followed by lots of clapping, eating, and drinking. Fun stuff;-)
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