Tears of Joy?

Alarmingly fast, mid-March rolled around for the second time, which means it was time for the 9th (and 6th) graders to graduate. The ceremony was similar to last year's, so it included a copious amount of tears and sobbing, but I think (and most of the teacher's agreed with me) that the speeches were better, and this year's class would be sorely missed.

Following the ceremony, everyone gathers in the courtyard in the front of school for final goodbyes, yearbook signing and a marathon of picture taking. This year happened to be freezing, overcast, and windy with a small bit of stinging precipitation, but luckily this didn't seem to put a damper on the more festive part of graduation.

Below are some of the kids I miss already:

Without Kosei, who will inspire the soccer team to ask me all the inappropriate, yet grammatically correct questions?

Teeny Anna and taller Mako were not afraid to speak to me in English.

The class president, Yuki. His speech left all the girls and many of the boys sobbing into their hand towels. Most of the these kids have been together since 1st grade and are parting for the first time. Awwwwww.

Some of the "high tension" girls.

I thought that I might be among the crying masses this year, but the only thing that almost made me cry was when the 9th grade homeroom teachers said that I couldn't pass out the candy grams I made for all 150 students since they broke the "no candy at school" rule. I was not a happy camper, which I guess showed, since one of them did appologize and said it would be okay after the ceremony (I had no intention of giving them something to suck on/litter on the ground before the ceremony. I may be young and foreign, but I have common sense!!) but it hurt that they were so adamant about adhering to stupid rules on a once a year special occasion. I really wanted to pack up and leave Japan right then and there. Attending graduation for the second time definitely made it feel like I have been here a long time.

Before graduation, there was some uncertainty about whether I would be returning to one of my favorite elementary schools in the new school year. It turns out I will go back, but it won't be the same without the 6th graders. I really appreciated their enthusiasm for English class!

Thank you and good luck in junior high!