I was back at Bunko today in order to help with their final listening test. Today was the last day of a 5-day long test period. In order to celebrate the end of the students' last test of their high school career, the teachers organized a lunch for all the students, teachers and kyoto sensei (the vice-principal) to have together.

After everyone was seated, but before everyone said itadakimasu (literally means 'thank you for letting me eat you' but is better translated as 'bonne appetit'), Okubo sensei called me up to the front. As I was making my way to the front, I was thinking that I wish she had told me I was supposed to say something so that I could have prepared something. But instead, she said the students had prepared something they wanted to give me.

A representative from each class come up to hand me a beautifully decorated class picture with notes from all the students. I was so touched!!

Everyone was free to go home after lunch, but some hung around at school and played cards etc. Here are some pictures with some of the kids.

It was a nice day at Bunko..I will see them next on March 2nd at their graduation.

The status on whether to stay another year or not: still undecided....but leaning towards staying an extra year.

I got the following 'Graduate Student's Anthem song' from Roxy today, and thought it was entertaining enough to post here, enjoy!

The Graduate Student's Anthem song
(sung to the tune of Hotel California)

In a dark deserted room,
Brylcreem in my hair.
Warm smell of unwashed socks,
Rising up through the air.
Up ahead on my PC...
I saw a shimmering light
My head grew heavy and my sight grew dim,
I had to work through the night.

As he stood in the doorway,
I heard the Rush Rhees bells.
And I was thinking to myself,
'two years of researching - this could be hell'
Then he picked up my paper,
And he gave me an 'F'.
there were voices down the corridor,
Thought I heard them say,

'Welcome to the world of academia
Such a lovely place, such a lovely place, such a lovely phase.
Plenty of room at the world of academia,
Any time of year, any time of year,
you can get screwedout here.

'My mind was stiff and a-twisted,
The coursework never seemed to end.
Got a lot of glassy genius boys,
That we call friends.
How they crammed in the libr'ry,
Sweet summer sweat.
Some mugged to remember,
Some mugged to forget.

So I called my advisor,
'Please make me a T.A.'
He said ' We've never had such spirit here
Boy, you really make my day'
And now those students keep calling from .. far away,
Waking up in the middle of the night,
Just to hear them say

'Welcome to the world of academia,
Such a lovely place, such a lovely place, such a lovely phase
Livin' it up at the world of academia
We don't mean to cheat,
we don't mean to cheat,
where's your answers sheet?

Four years was my ceiling,
Then came some advice.
He said 'We are all just prisoners here
Failed my defense thrice'
In the dissertation chambers,
The doctoral committee,
They quiz him with their steely glares
And he can't get his Ph.D.

Last thing I remember,
I was running for the door.
I had to find a passage back
To the place I was before.
'Relax', said the chairman,
'Til some results we receive.
You can check out any course you like
But you can never leave.'