Call me Mrs. Robinson

So, some fun facts about the Japanese Public School System! First, the school year begins in April and ends in the following March, so I am currently coming upon graduation time. For me personally, graduation was that thing that happened at the end of high school and again at the end of college. But now in Japan, I must attend three graduations this week, Bisei Junior High, Elementary School and Pre-School. I was trying to explain to my fellow teacher that I didn't have these graduation ceremonies growing up, and the main was, no one really cares. For me, even the High School and College graduations I did attend were mostly going through the motions and a good excuse to eat elaborately iced cakes. High School Graduation I grabbed the diploma in one hand and twirled the lolly-pop I was enjoying in the other, and for college I walked through the line with headphones on listening to a soundtrack from a documentary about gypsies.

Graduations in Japan are a real flower fest, I've seen some wicked flower arrangements at these and graduating students also give their teachers single roses as a token of appreciation. The homeroom teachers got at least two dozen each. I got three roses, the highlight of which was Yuma's. Yuma is the tallest boy in school, with the deepest voice, and big dreams of being a break dancer/ DJ. The whole event must have brought out the adolescent in me because when this 15 year old boy gave me a rose I actually blushed.