Japan Journal: High School Graduation

Hi!

So I had my first graduation ceremony experience in Japan last week. It was highschool graduation for my senior students. I didn't get to really teach them that much...I probably went like 5 time total to the senior classes. So I didnt know them, and felt kinda bad, but I want to go and show my support.

See they have me work instead with the 1st and 2nd years -- the need the most help and they are the least busy when it comes to tests and things for college, so they can afford to have "fun with English time!" with Jesse-Sensei.

...That's my theory anyways.

After the ceremony, people kept asking me what I thought:

"how was it?"
"it was really nice, very formal"
"really? What about compared to America?"
"well, yeah...It was a bit boring. No Cheering. And why was it on a Wednesday?"
"....yeah, Wednesday. Ummm, yeah"

They have gradumacation on a Wednesday morning. Classes get cancelled much to the jubilation of all parties involved. Parents* show up and sit in the back. Behind the 1st and 2nd years. By themselves.

*since it's a Wednesday the ratio of female to male parents was about 99 to 1. All the men that work during the day couldn't very well take work off, so it was mostly old women**

**some were wearing some really beautiful kimono. That was awesome.

Oddly missing in the family section was the the brothers and sisters and the friends of the people graduating. All the rest of the family had to work or be in school. I think that the point of the graduation ceremony then is for the students of the highscool it self, the 1st and 2nd years. They get to see their elders "moving on", as it were.

So yeah they take their seats. Teachers are also surounding the students on all sides. Red and White banners are up around the gym. Red and White is a symbol of good luck and "auspicious beginnings", Like Ginna's dog Ganesh ;)

Everyone sat down except for the graduating seniors who lined up at the door. The small brass ensemble started playing a very rousing "Hardy-'Ol-Chap-British-Type-Of -What-blitzterkreig?!?!?" music. This was the highlight of the "fun". Everyone started clapping in time to the music and the students marched rank-and-file to their seat, which were foremost and facing the stage. I must say the presentation was top-notch. The homeroom teachers were decked out -- black suits, white ties, carsages(sp?), ribbons...yeah. The stage was nice with a huge flower arrangement and a Bonsai tree. I don't think I got a picture. Gomen.

The ceremony began which much Pomp and/or Circumstance (minus the actual music). A student on the piano played three chords with four beats of rest between them. I am not sure what the chords were but I know the interval was a "5th" So we will say that the progression went "C-G-C". On the first "C" everyone stood up. On the "G" everyone bowed. The bow was held until the last "C". Everyone stood and then sat down at the behest of the MC. This was probably my favorite part of the ceremony. It was really cool and very "Japanese"

Next we sung the school song, whose lyrics are forever posted in the school gym up on the wall. I am not really sure what I was singing. Something about blugeoning winds and ridiculous amounts of birds or something. The name for "highschool" in Japan is "koukou" which sounds like "coco" and so in the chorus when you sing "Haboro Koukou" not only does it rhyme but it makes you think of chocolate which is nice.

The ceremonies preceded from there much like all the other state-side ones that I've been too (minus the cheering and general good time). No one talked and everyone sat very still. Most people slept. I'm totally serious. It seemed like at one point or another everyone around me was sleeping or nodding off. I thus ask the question:

"Why not change it up a bit if everyone is passing out in boredom?"

the answer?

who knows.

The roll-call of names began with the dispensing of diplomas. Now I think that music is usually played softly in America too when this happens. So it wasn't the presence of music that was questionable but rather the preference. They decided to play Bach's "Air on the G string" (which is funny for other reasons too). I've never really liked this song to begin with so I am a bit biased. However the version they chose was extremely slow and very melancholy. So these slow, melancholy strings began to rise out of the PA system. I was right next to the heater too so I was all warm and tired. This had the effect of smuging my mind into a dull blurry hum. I was fighting to stay awake for a good 30 minutes.

All the students went up and got their diplomas. It felt more like a solemn funeral march than a "yay no more highschool" celebration. No one cheered or clapped. Most slept.

Next came the speeches. I cant remember how many their were, five or six at least. The speaker who was speaking would go up to the podium and produce a folded envelope of papers from some fold of clothing (kimonos are great for hiding things). Unwrapping it, the speech was read. Not delivered or spoken, but read. Head down, reading the words. At the end the speech was refolded and places on the podium. Bows, sit down. Repeat.

If I understood Japanese it might have been a bit more rousing. Thats what I thought. Then i looked around and was like "Oh hes drooling on himself while sleeping. Hmmm. Must not be a very good speech." ;)

It all seemed very "fill the square" to me. I can remember the amazing speech at my Pepperdine Graduation where the speakers voice was echoing off the distant mountains behind us (literaly!).

Last was the presentation of honors. As the students filled up to receive their Honors, "Air" was played again but started over and over from the beginning everytime a new group went up. Yeah, I wanted to die.

At the end was some more songs, clapping march tunes as the 3rds filled out and then it was over. The whole thing was about 2.5 or 3 hours. After it was done I helped break everything down and then I had nothing left to do. I went home for a two-hour lunch, took a nap and then went to the BOE to fufill my 7 hour workday.

When i walked in to the office everyone was like:

"Oh, did you go to the graduation ceremony for highschool?"
"yeah, it was a really nice event but very serious"
"Did you fall asleep!" (laughter)
"Yes, of course" (laughter)
"yeah, EVERYONE falls asleep in graduation. Did you cry?" (laughter)
"Oh yeah, I just rained down the tears" (laughter)

The teachers and pretty much everyone I talked to all had the same reactions. So its like "hmmm everyone knows its a boring ceremony so what doesn't anyone do anything about it?"

again the answer:

who knows.

Here are some horrible pictures. I didn't want to use a flash so its all shaky like I had drank 4 cups of coffee....in hindsight I probably should have ;)

Ok, its Saturday, 2pm. I guess I should take a shower or something.

Oh tomorrow is the international snowball fight in the town south of me. Olie and I are gonna enter. Apparently its really tough and you have to wear a helmet. I cant wait.

Peace!