Koko ni iru yo

So, I heard someone rave about Koko ni iru yo by Soulja (and Aoyama Thelma), but I didn’t really think anything of it until yesterday, when I fell in love with the song. I like it a little big better than Soba ni iru, but they are both pretty nice I think.

So check them out if it floats your boat.

Graduation

Today was high school graduation. All the high schools in the area have it on the same day. There are still three or four weeks of school left for the other grades, but the seniors are free. The school year is truly coming to a close.

So, Japanese graduation. Well, there are students and speeches and tears. There are some things you would expect to see at a graduation. Then there are different things. For example, no robes. Students just wear their normal uniforms. No pomp and circumstance, no giant basketball stadium (usually one one or two parents come for the students, not the entire family and friends) All the other students (sophomores and juniors) attend as well. No valedictorian or salutatorian, no hats and tassels.

There is a lot of bowing of course, as you might expect. I bowed about seventeen times in the hour and a half ceremony and I wasn’t even involved. So those involved obviously bowed more.

When it came time to recognize the students, the homeroom teacher called out all the names of the students in the class and then a representative of the class went up to the stage to receive the class’ diplomas. No individual call outs, walking across the stage, or personal moments of glory (I guess it fits with the Japanese theme of community).

All in Japanese, so I basically understood none of what was said, but I am proud of the students and glad for them. And I was also surprised who cried. People I wouldn’t have expected to were really trying to hold it back. Lots of guys crying too.

And this evening, there is a graduation enkai for the teachers. So off I go.