Sayonara Party

April 1st brings in a new year in Japan’s school system which means that many goodbyes are said to both students and teachers. The hiring of faculty and staff in a Japanese school system is completely different from the states in the way that teachers are not employed by the individual school. They are employed by the government and state system and therefore use a rotation system for employment. Teachers are not usually allowed to be placed in one school for more than seven years. So after about 3-4 years, the teacher is transferred to another school in the prefecture (state). The teachers have limited preference on where they are placed next so it might be up to two hours away from their home. Every school year teachers come and go which provides for a continuous changing staff. I see positive and negative in this system and it certainly is a different operation of process that I am use to.

Leaving Teachers At Enkai

This year eight of my teachers are leaving from the junior high school and many more from my elementary schools. There is one teacher that I am specifically sad to say goodbye to because he has been a wonderful influence in my life at Nakanoshima Junior High School. We would have a random conversation daily about his love for Apple computers and ipods. He would also claim that he just wanted to be an ‘Ipod’ owner and not a user…it was our little jokes that were always delightful. He was a history teacher therefore I occasionally received my personal history lessons which was fantastic when I was headed to Kyoto. Needless to say that he has taught me a great deal of Japanese culture and of course my own by challenging me to the newest English word or phrase. It will be strange not having our daily conversations but at least I had one and half years to get to know him. The rotation of teachers is a huge secret until the very end of the school year to prevent from making a fiasco out of the big news. So on Monday a ceremony was held to inform the student body about the transfer of teachers. Speeches were given and tears were shed. But then it was time to party! That night was the Sayonara Enkai for all the leaving teachers. These events include the entire staff in a large tamami room with a beautiful arrangement of food and all you can drink beer and sake. The party began with speeches to and from the leaving teachers during which I space off into my own world. The ‘Kampai’ then began the party and Japanese politeness of pouring drink after drink for others. I had numerous great conversations with teachers; please remember there is still limited vocabulary on both ends so we didn’t get to the discussion of world affairs yet. About half way through the night the party was direct back because it as time for each leaving teacher to be presented with flowers and a speech from one of their fellow coworkers. Later this week I was asked to make a speech for my favorite teacher that is leaving. So, one of my English teachers and I presented him with flowers and said some kind words to him. It was definitely sentimental and even I found a few tears in my eyes. I was honored to be asked to speak on behave of a respected teacher of the school and truly felt like apart of the Japanese work environment. The party continued but didn’t end without a slight accident! During the closing speech one of the leaving teachers did a face plant right onto her meal and then onto the tatami. Where else but in Japan can everyone get completely inebriated in front of their coworkers, fall over and have it be completely acceptable! Despite the party foul, most everyone moved to the second party where more drinking and conversations continued. The fun part of the evening was that two of elementary schools were also having their Sayonara Parties at the same restaurant. I did a bit of party hopping and mingling which was wonderful. All in all it was a nice evening filled with a mixture of emotions and real Japanese ways!