Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Opening Ceremony

So yesterday’s blog was dedicated to Mt. Fuji, but I also had another big event yesterday. The opening ceremony for second semester at school. The students here have summer break after first semester for the months of July and August. During this time most of them are at school anyway doing club activities like baseball, tennis, English club, calligraphy, archery, etc. + they go to study camp for a week where they have class and study for like 10 hours a day. But in true Japanese fashion, there needs to be an opening ceremony anyway. The principal got up and talked and introduced new teachers (me and one other Japanese teacher). I got to go first of course, which means I had absolutely no clue what was going on. One Japanese teacher herded me in the right direction toward the stage. Wasn’t sure if I was supposed to bow/when I was supposed to bow and then I got to sit in a chair while the principal introduced me. I got up to give my speech in Japanese (rote memorization!) to 800 students + the faculty. The speech went pretty well, albeit slightly shorter than the Japanese teachers speech :)

Then again I wasn’t sure what to do because no one had told me so I fumbled around on stage pointing to the stairs and the principal started leading me that way…then changed his mind and I walked back across stage to my chair haha…then the English club president welcomed me in English and the band played the national anthem. It was pretty sweet, although slightly awkward since I was standing in front of a group of 800 high schoolers…thought about grabbing the microphone and singing karaoke style, but instead just stood awkwardly and smiled? oh wow. Finally I was escorted back down off the stage. The Japanese teacher didn’t know exactly what she was supposed to be doing either, which made me feel a lot better about all the fumbling haha. So, I’m now officially a part of Fujinomiya Nishi High School. Glad the initiation is over.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Karaoke! That would have been hilarious. Either that or the students would be afraid of you and your American Idol skillz.

The Mt. Fuji adventure sounds like...well...quite the adventure! Oxygen while teaching...hmmm

Anonymous said...

looked through all your new pictures the scenery was beautiful and the fireworks were too, fun to see you at the beach mom