So, unfortunately, with the end of the school year, there is a big shuffle. Obviously the graduating students leave and the new ones arrive, but also the teachers. People retire or get moved to new schools. Like a lot of them. Presumably to introduce new ideas or something. But sometimes there are more sinister goals at play like moving problem teachers to remote parts of the prefecture.
Unfortunately, it's also a big secret. Why? I asked - and the answer was: "Huh... yeah, huh, why do we? ...huh... I don't know." Which is the closest thing to an answer you will ever get in Japan for anything. I had already long know that the Vice Principal and Principal were retiring, which made me really sad because the Vice Principal was super awesome and the Principal was pretty cool too, but I wasn't sure who else would disappear. I checked the list, and sure enough, I was losing one teacher. The one that talked to me second most, so it was a bit sad, but she wasn't going far at least, so there's that. No one else I knew or cared too much about was leaving, so all in all, it was a pretty good time.
However.
We were getting a new English teacher. They said she was young. And when she showed up, I realized she was pretty cute. One of the teachers even said I should ask if she was single. (She is!)
I'm getting ahead of myself though, I guess I should mention graduation. I asked and found out that the first and second years also have to attend graduation. When I said that it must be boring for them, my supervisor responded that it was actually funny because everyone cries. She then paused and asked jokingly if she was a bad person. She also told me that it is strange because most of them come back the next day anyway. Yes, the graduates come back on Saturday for extra school.
I was given the glorious task of leading people to their seats. Surprisingly most of them did actually follow, but there were some rebels. Later I was commended on my seat directing as if it took any level of skill. I used the opportunity as I passed the students to issue high fives and encourage doing the wave. The wave was never successful. It never is...
Ceremony started and it was predictably boring. One of the students gave a speech. It was so long, that the band began playing a song, then ran out of song while she spoke. She cried a little which made it even slower.
Eventually it did finally end and we all went home or whatever.
Then Spring break. Obviously most JETs go somewhere for break, but not me. I came in and sat. Fortunately I realized I could be using the time to learn Korean and PHP and stuff, and even began making the English club a website only I appreciated.
So towards the end of that, was some big desk shuffle. The new teachers had arrived and everyone got their new roles, and that meant that we had to move our desks. Not the stuff on it, the desk.
Despite the fact that I tried to talk them into letting me keep my spot and even contributing to the seating chart, I did have to move my desk to the other side of the aisle. So I was no longer next to the popular door, so bothering the students that visited the teachers' room was a bit harder. But I didn't move toooo far. And the new teacher sat next to me.
The other good news was that my over-busy supervisor was replaced with the more talkative Favorite Teacher. The two teachers I would be working with for the year turned out to be awesome and very willing to try my way.
So naturally I got rid of the bowing, allowed students to choose their own seats, and even let them pick a nickname (though most just used their own names). We also wore fun hats to the first class. The new teacher tried to object, but Favorite Teacher told her we have to try things my way or something to that affect.
The new teacher is awesome and is very talkative like me. So sitting next to her is fantastic.
So the new year started. Which I knew meant an opening ceremony.
But apparently it also included a welcoming ceremony the next day. (Which was hilarious)
AND a farewell ceremony. But not like right away like the first two, it was like a week into classes.
The opening ceremony was just a regular one, but the welcoming ceremony had the first years to the left and everyone else on the right, then they ceremoniously faced each other, and gave speeches in the middle.
The farewell ceremony was a surprise. The teachers that left came back during the school day and gave the longest and most boring speeches I have ever endured in Japan. And that is saying a lot. Every one of them gave a super long speech.
Then we had a farewell party that night where they all gave MORE SPEECHES! of the same insane length.
So there's like 20 new people running around now, including everyone in the high up positions, but all-in-all (yes, this time I used hyphens), I think this year will be awesome.
What's left of it.
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