And we’ve reached March. I do have to admit that for how much I wrote about long days in my last entry I find it remarkable to think that so much time is now behind me and only four more stand between me and my return flight. I am honestly not sure of what emotions this provokes in me, be they shock, sadness, encouragement, regret, excitement, pride, exhaustion, determination, dread or exuberance. Judging by the fact that I just wrote that sentence all in one go, not even pausing to think as I spilled out my not so subtle heart, I’m guessing it’s a mixture of all of the above. Yet be that as it may, I still have four months left and I’m determined to make them memorable ones.
This morning was the graduation ceremony for the high school third years at my school (high school only lasts three years here in Japan, elementary school being six, and middle school three). The procession was FAR different from mine at Northfield High School back home. I was commenting to my friend Samantha Weaver who is studying this year in Spain, (http://samantharomaweaver.blogspot.com) about how it seems like only yesterday that we were filed out on Memorial Field, receiving our diplomas, making speeches, tossing our caps, and laughing and hugging with family and friends. The ceremony this morning was a distant cry from such festivities. For starters, we arrived at class in the morning just like any other day, seniors included. The entire student body, not just the graduates, were on folding chairs in the gym, clad in our normal school uniforms, accompanied by a crowd of merely thirty or forty parents and teachers. The senior class entered and took their seats at the front, managing a tricky order of bowing to the flag, then the principal on one side of the gym, followed by the vice-principal on the other, then the PTA committee, then the teachers, then their parents, all before being able to take their seats. As nice as it is to pay people respect, it sure can be confusing!
The principal was introduced: everyone stood, bowed, and sat back down. The PTA was introduced: everyone stood, bowed, and sat down. We sang the national anthem: everyone stood, sang, and sat back down. All in all I think we stood, bowed, and sat somewhere around a dozen or more times. As for the diplomas, the seniors’ names were read off, but instead of each student receiving their award, each section was read, then the group leader went to the front stage where that single person was handed a paper in place of the whole class. This went on until each of the four classrooms were officially graduated. There were more speakers, more standing, bowing, and sitting. During the two student speakers (each nearly 10 minutes long) the entire student body remained standing. Everyone sang two more songs, and finally the recessional song came on and the seniors filed out, followed by the PTA, then the teachers, then the parents, then the second years, and finally the poor first years who had to stay back and stack chairs! Oh the hierarchy games Japan plays.
There were no gowns, no caps, certainly no catcalls or whistles as names were read off, no cheering, little clapping, nearly everyone had dry eyes and to my surprise not many of the seniors even had smiles on their faces when they left the gym. It was a far call from the enthusiasm (and relief) that us Northfield high schoolers so happily enjoyed last May. It seems strange to think just like I have not seen many of my fellow graduates since last May, I will almost certainly never see most of this year’s Bato Koukou High School graduates again either. The experience of graduation to an exchange student has double the feeling of finality that others may feel. For us, we will soon be heading back to our home countries, far from the jobs, colleges, tech schools, or universities to which these people will now go.
If nothing else, today’s ceremony served to make me more and more (if that’s even possible) excited about attending the University of Denver next fall. I simply can’t wait to begin what I know will be some of the most active, intensive, exhilarating, and enjoyable years of my life. But for now I’m in Japan, learning about new cultures and systems, so that once I reach college I’ll have even more in my pocket to share with others! I think you’ll all agree that it’s few and far between the students in American universities who can describe a Japanese high school graduation ceremony. Now why such knowledge would ever serve a useful purpose back in the States is beyond me, but hey, maybe I’ll get lucky and be asked to plan an international academic ceremony specifically designed around the Japanese model…if I’m lucky.
PS finished A Study in Scarlet by Sir Conan Doyle. Lots of fun!! Mystery may be my new favorite genre =)
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