Meiwa Graduation

On Monday, I saw my first graduation ceremony here in Japan. It was at Meiwa, the biggest Jr. High School in Wakayama City, with about 230 kids from 7th-9th grades. In Japan, students are only required to complete through Jr. High, so they have the option to work after graduation – at age 15! Most, chose to go to high school and college. At one school, there was one student going to work for her family, and at this school I think about 5 are not going to high school.
The ceremony was similar to ones in the US with many speeches, parents (mostly mothers) there to watch and take pictures, and crying students who are leaving their friends. The whole ceremony itself was eerily quiet. No cheers and clapping when the students named were called. I think the whole auditorium looked at me when my camera beeped. At least I remembered to turn off the flash! We had to bow about a million times and there were many songs. The students singing and in the band were all very good, amazing in fact. I realized that we don’t sing much in Ca. Probably too much of a hassle to force the kids to do it. Many people here don’t realize that the kids in the US are required to go to high school, and they also think that right after graduation, we head straight to prom. I guess they see it in movies or something.
After all the 9th graders walk in, bow, and sit the homeroom teacher calls out their names, then one student goes up to the stage and the Principal hands them their diplomas/certificates. I took a short video, but I’m not sure if I can put it up on the blog.
After the ceremony, the last thing we did was make a walkway, and the students walked through as we clapped saying goodbye. Then they were free!
The 9th grade teachers each got a bouquet of flowers, and all the teachers (even me!) got a smaller bouquet of flowers too. They are beautiful! Then we were treated to a “special lunch” which was very beautifully presented and not quite the foods I would have chosen. I ate most of it, but luckily there were lots of leaves and garnishes to hide the things I didn’t want to eat under. I wasn’t brave enough to, but I saw another teacher twist out and eat the snail thing. My eyes were as big as saucers.
So today is pretty quiet with all the 9th graders gone. Most of my classes were cancelled, so next week I only will teach on Monday. I’d like to take vacation, but I guess I’ll just show up and practice sleeping with my eyes open.