Seiryo's 20th Anniversary

There was a special ceremony today at school to celebrate Seiryo's 20th anniversary. All the teachers received an ‘anniversary yearbook’. There are only about 8 pictures selected to capture the highlights for each year, and for the year 2005….there’s a picture of mom, dad and I at the opening ceremony!

Today's ceremony began with the brass band playing a couple of songs, followed by speeches by the past and current principals. It was your typical stuffy Japanese style school event, with all the standing, bowing etc.

The keynote speaker was a graduate from the most prestigious arts university in Japan (somewhere in Tokyo). The program ended with all 823 students singing the school song, in four part harmony, accompanied by the brass band. They sounded great!


I’m looking forward to the end of work today, because I’ll be heading straight to Matusyama (Shikoku)! Friday’s a national holiday, so we have a long weekend.. I’ll be meeting up with where Erica and Kazuki from Kumamoto in Kokura where we’re taking the overnight ferry to Matsuyama. We should arrive there tomorrow at 5am. Chyotto hayai ne..but oh well. We’ll be spending the weekend with Sheila and Miho…I’m so looking forward to it!!

On Monday and Tuesday, there’s a mandatory ALT conference which Shimasaki sensei and I will be attending. I can’t say that I’m too keen about attending it though..it’s always the same thing repeated over and over.. When everyone gets together, it often turns into a complaining marathon.

Shikoku is quite some ways from here, so in order to make the most of our weekend we’ll be taking the overnight bus back on Sunday night, arriving at 7:20am on Monday morning in Fukuoka. From there, will have to take another 2-hour bus to get to Isayaha, where my car will be…change clothes and speed to the conference location in downtown Nagasaki. I hope I make it on time….. Even if I’m a little late, I don’t think I’ll be missing much.

Well, that's it for now. I will write about the weekend when I get back!