The third years are treated with photo albums, yearbooks, flowers, gifts and ceremonial messages to juice up their tear ducts before the actual ceremony.
Basically in a nutshell it was a few farewell speeches by the other grades and some VIP members. Then it was the 3rd year students turn, someone gave a tear jerking, frog-in-throat inducing speech before they sung one of the most beautiful songs I would have ever thought possible from teenagers. Lots of tears from students, teachers and parents alike. The whole hall was a cacophony of sniffles. Then a special guest duet from Okinawa to sing some beautiful music to farewell the principal as well as the students as he is retiring next year too. The 3rd years then did a 'walk of goodbye' through all the corridors of the school and all the students of the other grades, all the parents and all the teachers were lining the corridors to clap them and say goodbye as they departed. Lots of lingering afterwards to get things signed and pictures taken with teachers.
All in all it was a very sad but lovely ceremony. It puts everything in perspective, a day like this, of why teachers do what they do. The teachers in Japan are there for these kids through the good times and the bad. They discipline, they visit family homes and give help to families and students if needed. It's a role in society here that is so integral to the entire culture of Japan, it's not just teaching. They start at 7, and finish at 7 to 9 every day sometimes even later. Weekends too. They don't have more than about 2 weeks actual holiday a year (which is still encouraged to help out if they're available), and they are with the students the whole time. It's an amazing, social, culture to witness.
I have been doing the teaching thing in Japan for a year. It's not always fun and games, but the moments that are good really do make up for the rest. If I have gained anything from this experience, it is to not turn your nose up at doing an extra job here or there, because someone else out there is working harder than you already. Australia is a laidback culture and lifestyle and our working culture loves things like early hours and sick days. Suggest to the average Aussie to work on a weekend and you'd be treated like a crazy person. Whilst Japan has MANY MANY MANY quirks and curiosities and interesting cultural tidbits that will always surprise and confuse; the single most difficult one for me to grasp is their working culture. I just can not fathom or understand it. We must remember how good we have it when we have 'it', and work harder to get 'it' when we dont have it.
Good luck third years - may you all make the world a better place in your own little ways.
