School Farewell

The inevitable farewell speech awaited me at school this morning. This 'aisatsu' business should becoming a familiar event after visiting so many schools now, but they are few and far between and I always get nervous.

I'd prepared a very short speech in Japanese and wrote it out in case I might blank out. When I arrived at the teachers' room there was a strange feeling in the air, or was it just me? The chime rang and the teachers just sat waiting, nobody saying anything. Normally the head teacher next to the vice-principal moves proceedings along to the year group morning meetings if there is no big news.

Of course, I was expecting somebody to call my name for me to say my little speech. But it didn't happen. After a few seconds of silence the 3rd year next to me said, 'What is this strange atmosphere?' before deciding to start the 3rd year meeting. Had I escaped?

Later in the morning one of the English teachers finally realised that it was my last day and I was asked if I could say my speech at the afternoon teachers' meeting - it is held once a week but just so happened to be today because of the public holiday on Monday. So I had to wait. When the meeting was about to begin I searched for the English teacher who said that he'd accompany me. He was missing... well he had gone on alone.

During an afternoon class the sky took on a very strange dark yellow colour. It looked almost as if the windows were tinted. That kind of sky is very rare. The teacher mentioned the weather in English and several students commented on the 'maji yabai' sky outside. I proposed it might be the end of the world (I recently saw The Day After Tomorrow). Or was it just the speech?

At the meeting the principal decided to say a few words on my behalf and he decided to praise me on my Japanese ability after passing the level 2 Japanese proficiency test. Everyone clapped. Then he claimed that I could have a normal conversation in Japanese, even though we have never really spoken in Japanese because of his great English. Just great - there was me holding my crappy little 3 line speech on a piece of paper. Talk about setting somebody up for a fall.

In the end I did my few lines without the paper but with a distinctly nervous voice. As usual I got embarrassed and couldn't do the Japanese bow - I hate it but I do the old 'head nod' which is probably worse than not moving at all. To my surprise one of the English teachers presented me with a bouquet of flowers - if no one had remembered it was my last day I wonder where they came from. Still, it was a nice touch.

Another small era in Darren's Japanese experience ends battling the rain holding armfulls of stuff.

Comments

[TC]

I don't know why I always feel sad when I read your blog... Let's not be affected by the weather here in Japan.

[Darren]

Sorry TC, I guess my posts are a little bleak at times, huh?

[TC]

Actually you are not the only one (if you read my blog - which is not up for sharing). I am here in Japan for business this week and I was quite excited about it originally. But upon arrival, even I feel the strange emptiness (like in the movie "Lost In Translation" ) at times. Now that the business part of my trip is completed, hopefully I can learn to enjoy the city a bit more. This is my 3rd time here and I think the city has lost some of its charms for me....or maybe because I am a bit older now?

[Darren]

Strange emptiness? Is that part of Japan? I hope your trip has been good. Have you been anywhere interesting?

[TC]

The strange emptiness probably comes from walking around alone in the big city with no intelligent conversation or connection with anyone. I went to all the most crowded areas in Tokyo to feel the excitement of the city and to shop and people-watch but in the end it was still a far from gratifying experience. But you know, I am just an outsider, visiting for a few days...so I hope the same does not apply to any of you who live in Japan for a reason. Hang in there.

[Dialin]

Post your 'japanese' speech here.See if we '2mths-resident of nihon' can understand it.
-D