Ouchi Graduation

On Saturday 7th March the 3rd grade students graduated from Ouchi junior high school. We all had to go to school as normal. The students and teachers had final preparations to make that morning, I had time to check my emails. Each student was presented with a picture book of all the teachers, students and various different events that happened throughout their time at the school. Some of the students came to me to get me to write a message in it. The ceremony started at 10am sharp and was held in the school gym. All students and most parents attended. The students had been rehearsing for this event for the past week or two.


The ceremony started with the brass band playing music as the 40 graduating students entered the room. Everyone applauded constantly as all the students entered the room. Once seated, everyone (bar me) sung the national anthem, the school song and one other song. The students had all trained to stand and sit down at exactly the same time, and it was quite impressive to see how in sync they all were.

A few speeches from a few random people I had never seen before were given. Then each student took turns going up onto the stage to get presented with their graduation certificate/book from the principal. Then the principal gave a speech at which point a few of the students were getting emotional. The class president then went up to make a speech. The sad music was turned on in the background as she delivered a 5 minute long speech. As she gave her speech I looked around at the students and saw many of them trying to contain the tears. Then I looked at the students who were not graduating, they were also crying. Then I looked at the parents of the graduating students and they seemed to be shedding as many tears as the rest!

The students here have a love for their school that can't be compared with the schools in Ireland, at very least not the school I attended. When I graduated everyone was delighted to be leaving the school. These students were deeply disappointed. Although their age is somewhat different, junior high school is the same as junior certificate level at home. They will go to another school for senior certificate level. We didn't have a graduation after junior certificate as we were not changing school.


After we applauded the last student back out of the gym, we had time to go to the staff room for a hot cup of green tea. The weather on Saturday was particularly bad; very windy, bitterly cold and it was starting to snow again.


Next up the students were departing the school for the last time. We put on our jackets and headed outside to see a short outdoor ceremony. The children were all taking photos of each other and giving each other gifts. I took some photos with my favourite students.


Later we went to a party for the parents in Hotel Iris. That kicked off at 5pm and there was a dinner and an all-you-can-drink for two and a half hours. It started off slow but as people started to get drunk I had many people coming to talk with me. Last year I had a parent get insulted with me because I didn't know her child by name, so this year I came prepared with a sheet with all the students faces and names so that I'd know who was who!

After that part finished we moved on to the second party at Blue Shuttle, a karaoke bar with another 2 hour all-you-can-drink. I was speaking with the parents of the class president and my other favourite student for a long time. One of them wanted me to sing a traditional Irish song on the karaoke. I told him if there was one there I would, as long as he did too. Of course I knew here wasn't going to be a traditional Irish song, but he sang the national anthem anyway! After that party ended they tried to get me to go to a third party, yet another all-you-can-drink bar, but it was close to midnight and I knew I had to be up bright and early the next day for the graduation at Dewa junior high school, my other school.