Come Away with Me

Graduation ceremony

On Wednesday it was the graduation ceremony at Narao Junior High school. Though i had only physically attended one myself, from what i saw on the news and heard from people around, graduation ceremonies in Japan seem to be a rather solemn event, at least judging from the amount of tears that was shed in the school gym 2 days ago.

It seems like the Japanese tend to focus more on the aspect of parting in situations like these, what they called 'owakare or 別れ' meaning '分離' in Chinese. Perhaps the sense of parting is very real for some of them as Japan though not that huge is still relatively a big country. Compared to the 15 year old back home, these kids here learnt from an earlier age to go one's own ways from high school education onwards. And most of them will probably not meet again unless they return to their hometown and attend annual class gathering. Coming from a small country where we meet up with friends easily for meals and over the weekends even after graduating from university , this is really quite a stark contrast.

While i can understand the wailing 15 years old as they gave their thank you and parting speech cos afterall, this must be the most emotional moment of their lives to date, the scene of the sobbing parents and tearing teachers was really quite a sight to behold! I was touched when the whole school stood and sang the farewell song cos this is one of my best class and i know i will definitely miss lessons with them but i couldnt help but felt a little overwhelmed by the emotional overflow.
For a split second i felt like a hearless creature as i looked around in amazement the tear jerking scene without a handkerchief in hand!


After a morning chokeful of emotions in the gym, this is a picture of a happier scene at the school corridor where everyone lined up in 2 rows to welcome the third graders as they walked down the hallway of their alma mater for the one last time.



I know i am not teacher material cos i am not good at being impartial. Of course i don't show it outwardly but i do have my favourites in class and these are the girls and boys that i really enjoyed chatting with and who brightened up some of my days in school even if it was only a simple hello :) They are all really good kids. Am gonna miss their company so much.

The scene outside the school ground where parents and students milled around, grabbing one another for parting shots, pretty much the same as the ones we witnessed in our own graduations. It's a lovely little countryside community isn't it?

A tradtion in this school to send off their graduating students till the very moment they get on the school bus. Students peered out from the bus windows while the remaining school population and students waved goodbye from the school. Notice the tree in the picture? Soon in 2 weeks time, it will be filled with pretty pink cherry blossoms :)

posted by テレサ @ 12:48 PM