The End of Another School Year

Graduation took place at the beginning of this month and we held the ceremony in the gym--just like most high schools in Japan. It was another tear-jerking ceremony. They like to turn on the nostalgic ballad music right when the student speeches are given or when the students stand up as their names are called (diplomas/certificates aren't presented to each individual on stage, but rather distributed in their homeroom classroom after the ceremony). It's as if they try to create their own soundtrack!

But despite the overdramatic nature of the whole process, I really did enjoy attending the ceremony. It was much better this year when I actually knew some of the students' names. Coming in much past the half-year mark last winter, I could only recognize a few faces.

The week before the graduation ceremony the school held the final exams for the 1st year and 2nd year students. The 3rd years, who would graduate, had finished their classes/exams early February. We have about three weeks left in this school year, but the English department thought it would be difficult to pack one more team-teaching class, the classes I do jointly with the Japanese Teachers of English (JTEs), within that short period.

Subsequently, I am left with a lot of free time at school. I can't even plan classes until they tell me which books they will be using in the start of the school year this coming April. I suppose I could plan a general introductory lesson...

Well, instead I am planning my spring break trips, doing some writing and studying Japanese. Oh! And I am finishing up The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. If you haven't heard of it already, go check it out. ;)

Now, it's time to go book some hotels in Japanese. I'm killing two birds with one stone...I never really liked that expression...it's disturbing with my overactive imagination.

一石二鳥
isseki nichou
One stone, two birds