My first real kimono

Today was the graduation ceremony for the 6th graders. It was quite a boring ceremony, but I was still so sad to say goodbye to some of my students.
My teachers dressed me in kimono & hakama (special skirt worn w/ kimono on graduation). The kimono belt (obi) is tied SOOOOOOO tight, you can barely breath or walk or eat or do anything. And it makes you sit up really straight. There are 2 robes you wear, one underneath the actual kimono and then the kimono. They fasten it all together with these elastic belts that clip all the robes in place. Its quite a difficult process and it took a while to dress me but I had an expert! One of my teachers does tea ceremonies and so she wears kimonos all the time. She strapped me all together. I joked with the other teachers that I felt that at any moment all those elastic belts would come unclasped and POING POING POING!! My kimono would be on the floor at my feet and I would be running out of there butt naked!! HAHAHA!! But it looked awesome and I felt all pretty pretty princess! Then when they undressed me and undid the obi, I felt like i had just given birth or something! It was such a relief to take it off!! I got some full body shots on my camera, but I thought I would just post this one on my phone for now. I got to wear the little socks and sandals and everything! It was fun.

Why?

Why do Japanese people sit through all the credits at the movies!!??? It is so annoying! The movie is over...get up! Every time I go to the movies I am amazed that no one gets up at the end of the film, literally EVERYONE sits in the dark theater staring at the credits until the very last name graces the screen, and then and only then, does everyone get up!! Whats with that? Every time I go to the movies and I get up to leave at the end of the film everyone looks at me as if I am walking out in the middle of the movie or something. Like I am disturbing their credit watching AND the credits are all in ENGLISH anyway (or they always are for the films I go see) so its not like anyone is really reading them or anyway!!

Its all very silly.

A sad day and happy day

I just had a good cry.
The 6th graders threw a farewell party for all the teachers this afternoon. I have never fully appreciated the Japanese fondness for sentimentality until now. The children, about 50 6th graders, who are going off to Junior High school in a little under a month, threw us the best farewell party ever! They gave us each invitations to the party yesterday. A student I am very fond of, Keita, delivered mine. Then this afternoon after all the other students had left school, a group of 6th graders filed into the staffroom. They each called out the name of the teacher they would be escorting into the party. We all marched out of the staffroom and into the gym. Waiting for us there, applauding were the rest of the 6th graders sitting around a cluster of tables. I was taken to sit at a table with the principal and a 4th grade teacher and about 5 students. At our seats were little bags or treats. The party began and we chatted briefly with the kids and ate our sweets. Then the children got up onto the stage in groups and presented a PowerPoint of their classes threw the years accompanied by a little skit corresponding to each school year. It was like a self roast about their time in elementary school. Trips they took, things that happened, their visit to the zoo in third grade, their trip to Mt. Tsukuba in 4th grade and so on. The first picture put up on the screen was one of the students in first grade at the opening ceremony. There they all were as little first graders in their best dresses and suits. I began to cry then and didn't stop until it was all over. But the real tears came when the students all gathered at the front of the auditorium to sing to us, the words were simply, "Good bye teachers, thank you" Then as the pianist continued to play the melody of the song, various students from the chorus shouted out each teachers name and then thanked them for something. This really made me and everyone cry. A very shy sixth grade boy called my name, I had to do my best not to break down! HAHAHA. Then when all the teachers had been thanked the students left the front of the stage and we teachers took the stage and sang a song for them. Thank goodness I have been practicing this song with the other teachers for the past 2 months, so I got a chance to really participate. Unfortunately I left my song book in the staff room so I didn't have my English translation of the song and clung to Aida sensei for help and he shared his and I had to make do with the hiragana version. Unfortunately Aida sensei was not the person to rely on and I should have know it. He sang all the wrong words and lead me totally in the wrong direction! Then we both started to laugh which made it worse.
After singing for the kids we all sat back down and where given gifts by the students. We all got flowers and a hand made picture frame. Mine is really cute. Inside all the packages was a card or letter thanking us.

Anyway I am just really happy and sad and emotionally exhausted right now. I keep thinking about all those kids moving on and growing up. It has reminded me how special my job is. I need to take care of these kids and do my best for them. Its really important.