Gradiatin

Aaah, graduation. A time when students stop being students or rather, they become those lovely "students of life". Life changes, there are a lot of difficult challenges ahead, but if you stay focused and work hard, you will succeed. Yep, graduation speeches are the same in Japanese as in English.

Now, some actual differences:

*Japanese graduation are a bit more solemn; no school band or cheering

*Graduation takes place during school hours, so all students and teachers attend

*Everyone wears their school uniform. Girls get to wear pink flowers, while the boys wear yellow flowers

*Most non-students wore black. The men wore white ties [white ties are for celebratory occasions, like weddings and graduations]. While I knew that most teachers were wearing black, it still stunned me a bit. Walking into a room of people who are dressed like they're heading to a funeral, but who were all clearly happy, kinda threw me for a loop.

*The mayor attended the graduation

*There was a lot of bowing [hey, this is Japan, remember!]

But in general, it appears that ceremonies are all kinda similar- lots of speeches, most people are bored [sleeping students and some sleeping parents]. Afterword there's a mad dash to get pictures taken with the students' teachers. I gotta admit, you do feel pretty special when your students want to take a picture with you. Even though it kinda felt like a scavenger hunt "Picture with 5 teachers? Check. On to Mushi King card!"