文化祭の写真

Pics from the cultural festival:


Kocho-sensei's commencement speech.


Takami Ryoma's (president of student council) commencement speech. This is also the same kid who exchanges letters with Amy.


The large poster of 1st year students (approx. 10ftx15ft)


Poster of 2nd year students.


Poster of 3rd year students. Best prize.


1B choir performance. They sucked, but it was the best picture I have of any class choirs.


Presentation of experimental results (on the water quality of shimoichi river in Nakayama) by the science club.


Dance performance by some boys.


Dance performance by some 3rd year girls, to "Oh Mickey you so fine..." This song is mad popular in Japan right now, and from what I've heard is performed at cultural festivals of every single school. Notice how their skirts are shorter? Rolled up at the waist for maximum exposure.


Oh this is good. This kid (whose name I forgot, which can't bode well for what I'm about to tell you) sung by himself in front of the whole school, as his way of expressing his feelings for Yuna the volleyball captain. This was the prime gossip topic during the staff trip to Hiroshima.

I knew there was something to this. As he stepped down from the stage after the song, Yuna immediately attached herself to some other boy in the same class and chatted frentically. To me, the boy being chatted seemed dismissive of Yuna, and the boy who sung seemed dismissed by Yuna. I knew that Yuna was a bitch.


3rd year play. Momoko and Satoshi played middle aged men and woman. I had no idea that these kids had the kind of emotional depth they displayed during the class plays.


The liberation play. Area/Caste discrimination is a big problem in Japan, and these liberation plays are meant to increase awareness for human rights issues. Rina (the girl in middle with white shirt) comes from a burakumin family and these issues probably hit pretty close to home for her. She cried for real during the play.

Other bunkasai notables:
* My calligraphy was displayed along with other 1st years. Kyoto-sensei, between compliments, called my writing "too skinny."
* No pics of the display area. There were drawings, sewings, food recipes, Jap/Eng writings, calligraphy, flower arrangements, etc.
* Got the email from Yuko the same morning and my mind just wasn't in it at any time.