The girls
The boys
I and Kaho, goodluck getting into Nago highscool! Watch out for her Big Ben!

Good day.

I shall now BLOG about the Junior High school graduation just past before I forget what happened! The same disclaimer counts for this blog, it may only be interesting if you are not a teaching in Japan too.
The thing about the junior high graduation on Izena is that these kids will have to go to the main-island for senior high school. The poor mites have to leave home at 15! All the ones I have spoken to will stay with Older siblings or other relatives on the main-island. However due to the logistics it will not be practical for them to even come home on weekends and they will only come back to Izena during holidays. So perhaps the students are a little excited about it but it is very sad for the parents I am sure! Island life huh!
So the official graduation in the morning was fairly standard fair. The headmaster and deputy head made speeches as did various importants from around the village and some of the students. The 2nd year boy who gave the fairwell speach on behalf of he fellow kohai (junoirs) to the departing senpais (senoirs) surprised me by struggling to hold back his tears and having to leave the hall after his speech was done. The senpai, kohai relationship is quite important in Japan, actually probably hugely important, yes thinking about it, it permeates all of Japanese society, especially if viewed generally in terms on ones status relative to others. Anyway he cried, how touching. There were also a few songs, those I enjoy although the rest was fairly tedious. After wards the graduating students walked down a flower lined avenue out of the school while being showered by confetti. At the school gate there was a veritable frenzy of photo taking and I have included a couple of them to sate your voracious curiously. I attempted to try and have students do something other than the peace sign in photos, pretty much hit a brick wall there. If you ain't making the peace sign its not a photo! Apparently....
After that the students helped plant a couple of trees but the excitement was fading and people wondered off to do...things. The graduating students and parents went to the games hall to plan the afternoons activities. I had been told it was going to be a volleyball match but I was pleasantly surprised. When the teachers were summoned to the hall we found tables set out with food and drinks. Whoopiee I thought as my stomach had been slowly digesting me from the inside. There was even chira sushi which is my favourite (more rice). Then....bear with me while I gather my addled wits about me. Ah yes, the parents performed a dance, a dance with fans none the less. Okinawn dances (and this applys to most of what I have seen of Japanese dances too) are rather slow, yet graceful and precise. As beautiful as they may be with the best of will they would not be described as exciting. Although this is only from my limited experience. I am probably wrong but at least a substantial proportion are slow moving. I hope I am not insulting anyone, taiko involves dancing and taiko certainly isn't boring! I wish I could have done more of that....
Alright back to my tale. After that there were some speeches. Then each parent(s) presented each child with a card (just like the one I got from the yochien). As I mentioned before it can't be easy for parents to say goodbye to their children at 15! Although they probably have 3 or 4 younger ones at home. Unlike mainland Japan Izena people procreate. A combination of island life bereft of entertainment (cinemas etc) and neither shop on the island selling condoms. I wonder if declining birth rates in developed countries are more to do with the many distractions provided by modern life than anything else. Too many people watching movies, playing computer games, indulging in various pastimes etc. to get on with that important task of procreation. Sometimes we are so busy we pay other people to have our baby's and then pay someone to look after it! So if you are a developed country here is how to increase your birthrate; increase tax 1000% on all entertainment; reduce working hours and ban condoms. That last one is a bit risky I admit, perhaps the boredom induced copulation alone will be sufficient.
Back to the graduation. Next the pupils all came and sat in a long line and one by one read out a small thank you to their parents before presenting their parents with a rose each, it was very touching. Thennnn the students sang some songs including the school song for the last time. Now comes the best bit, 4 of the girl students had been secretly practising in a band! So secretly that for the past few months I hadn't known that they have been using MY keyboard. I though the keyboard they were using looked familiar and after they had performed I went and checked and sure enough it was mine! They weren't quite on par with Queen or some-other great band they couldn't possible be as good as but it was entertaining none the less.
So that was my Saturday, after graduation was over I escaped to study and that is what I did for the rest of the weekend and Monday (which was a school hol). Exciting I know, but know I can confidently calculate cashflows (as opposed to accountants and their profits which don't mean much), NPV and even calculate an equivalent annual annuity. You have permission to slap me when you see me next for being such a nerd. There were two notable breaks from study. The first one came on Saturday. I essentially got kidnapped by yoshiakisan and taken to an otskaresama (well done) party for the kids in the band. I got a free feed and was treated to another performance however my inner nerd was threatening to kick me in the goodies if I didn't go study some more so I left. Just as I was leaving they were starting to do some karaoke and I admit I was sorely tempted. On Monday I took a break for a run, just 10k but it felt good to get moving again. This is my first run since the marathon and I had definitely started to feel 'unhealthy', its kind of a gross feeling. Unfortunately it is evident my foot is not yet healed. No problem I just just ride my bicycle instead! I want to ride my Bicycle.
The only other note able thing I have been doing is worrying about the future. I am certain I don't want to do anything (especially a job) because it is convenient (in terms of location or money) or I am obligated to and I am certain I should do the things I want to do! You only get ONE shot at life so make it a good one! However I am hamstrung by not knowing what I want to do. Bit of a pickle really. So here I am studying something that doesn't hugely apply to what I want to do any more. Shutup. Yes you! Sniggering there in the back, quiet! I am pretty sure what I am learning will be generally useful as well (someday I will have money to invest) and besides it won't hurt my CV (resume for Americans). The current idea is do a masters in environmental science/management and then work for an environmental consultancy or maybe government. You know save the world just a little bit (or in the eventuality I need to order a Mafia hit on someone take huge bribes from Shell to OK their dodgy oil drilling plans). I have probably written enough. Goodbye.