Today we had our welcome party for our new teachers, and at the same time a farewell party for the ones who were transferred. I had arranged early to go to the party in Himeji with Watanabe sensei, so we met up at the end of the day and got ready to head out. The history teacher saw that we were going together and was really concerned – she is one of his targets lately, and he wanted to know what I was doing going with her. He wanted me to do some research and to get some answers from her, but I told him that we were just going to Himeji, no big deal.
As we walked together out of the gates and towards the station, students riding by on bikes called out “cute couple” in English and various other things in Japanese. Watanabe sensei just laughed it off. When we got to the station we bumped into some other teachers going the same way, and so we all went to the hotel together.
The Himeji Castle Hotel is the same place we had the party last year, and they did another good job. This year I decided not to drink, since I’m going to be up early tomorrow and I wanted to be clear-headed. Surprisingly not many people gave me grief about not drinking, especially when I told them why. The peer pressure isn’t as bad here as it can be in America.
They had lots of long speeches, but when they were over we did the “kanpai!” (cheers!) and then started drinking. Everyone takes the speeches very seriously, but it’s perfectly acceptable to close your eyes and doze while the speeches are going. Then they presented each person that was leaving with a bundle of envelopes full of cash, and that was kind of a quiet ceremony as well. Once the drinks were poured, things spring to life pretty quick!
I sat next to Tsutsumi sensei, and we talked mostly about my upcoming wedding, about Kuniko and our future together. It was really interesting to hear about Tsutsumi sensei’s daily life – she sounds a little unhappy with it. Her husband works all day until 10 or 11 p.m., so her kids rarely have a chance to talk to him, and they rarely have a chance to be together. Actually, it was kind of depressing, but from what I hear, it can be a typical situation in Japan.
Lots of teachers came by to pour beer into my already full glass – the protocol is to sip a little and let them top it off for you. I poured some for some of my favorite teachers, and you could tell who was really getting toasted and who was just there for the ceremony.
After a few hours the party ended, and people filed out the door. The party next door to us had three people wearing different animal costumes that looked a little kinky. I wish I was at that party. Down in front of the hotel, people gathered in a big group, and talk of the second party began. I checked with Watanabe sensei and she was in the second party group, but I wanted to get to bed early tonight, so I took Mr. Kimura and Ms. Okamoto (the P.E. teacher) and we walked back to the station.
A couple of people were staggering around in front of the hotel when we left, and the principal was walking around drunk and shaking hands (Western style!) with everyone he bumped into. Even if they weren’t part of our group.
On the train ride home Mr. Kimura, who had a good part of a bottle of wine all by himself, talked about office politics in his halting but coherent English. I was so tired that I was barely able to hold up my end of the conversation, but it was nice to have someone to ride home with.
Tomorrow I’m heading to Kyoto early in the morning to try to meet up with Britta. She gave me a cellphone number for a phone she rented in Japan, but I’ve been unable to make contact with her. I have the name of her hotel in Kyoto, so I’m going to take a chance and try to meet her there tomorrow. If I somehow miss her, then at least I’ll be in Kyoto to do my own bit of sightseeing. Should be fun!
