Graduation, Computer Problems

So graduation has come and passed.  I'm sad.  I really liked the 3rd years at Jonan this year, it's sad to see them go.  Each class was great, I can't say the same for the 1st and 2nd years.  In fact, I don't like the 1st year classes so much.  Well that might be a bit much.  The truth is that there are a few kids (read: boys) in each 1st year class that are attention whores.  It's ridiculously obvious and super annoying.  I hope they put them all in one class next year so I can at least enjoy 2 out of the 3 classes and then just have 1 class where it's hell for 50 minutes.

I went to Niitsuki's graduation this year.  It was good.  The graduation representative, Kana, gave a good speech to the principal.  I didn't get it on tape though.  Here's what I did get on tape (sorry if people actually read this blog.  I'm under the impression there's no one reading it, so you can't view the videos.  If you want to see them for whatever reason let me know).

Niitsuki Graduation 2013- Gunji Atsuya Goodbye Speech

Niitsuki Graduation 2013- 3rd years singing

Niitsuki Graduation 2013- School Song

Niitsuki Graduation 2013- 3rd years leaving

Niitsuki Graduation 2013- 3rd Years Send-Off

Here's stuff from Jonan

Jonan 2nd years singing goodbye song

Jonan 3rd years entrance

Jonan 3rd years exit

Jonan 3rd years memories pictures

Jonan send off Kouhai 1

Jonan send off Kouhai 2

Jonan 3rd years Last Class 3-2

Jonan 3-3 Last Class 

Jonan 3rd years Last Class 3-1 

Jonan Grad prep (National Anthem) 2013

Jonan Grad prep- Receiving Diplomas 2013 

Jonan Grad prep- Singing songs 2013 

Jonan Grad prep- School Song 2013 

Jonan Grad prep- 3rd years singing 2013 

Jonan Grad Prep- 3rd years leaving 2013

Jonan Grad prep- 3rd years leaving again 2013

I felt a little awkward with the Niitsuki 3rd years but I still love them all the same.  Hope they all do well in high school!  My favorite English teacher, Abe Shizuko sensei, is retiring this year.  I'll miss her.  I feel honored to be her last ALT!  There were goodbye speeches by all the teachers and of course some of the teachers cried.  I wonder if I'll get any crying teachers when I leave.  I don't think I've left that big of an impression for that.  That's kind of the type of person I am though, not so impressionable.

My elementary school kids graduated too as 6th years.  At the banquet at Plaza Hotel, the mothers of one of the classes dressed up and danced to AKB 48's Heavy Rotation.  The kids kept yelling "stop it!"  It was cute.

So really bad timing!  My computer decided to go bust on me.  Luckily, the guy I'm having "fix" it was able to recover the data on the D drive, but not the C drive.  There's a lot of stuff on the C drive too, but whatever.  Can't be helped.  I decided to fix it with really low specs and use it as a back-up of sorts.  I bought a new one, a Sony Vaio, for around $1,100.  I bought it off Amazon and am having it shipped here by my parents since they won't ship to Japan.  I also had to buy a new external hard drive because the one I have now is making clicking noises.  I hope I can transfer everything over to the new hard drive before it too goes kaput.  My computer breaking is the reason I haven't updated in a bit.  Right now I'm borrowing Tara's laptop.  Going to get the fixed one tomorrow in the afternoon, and hopefully the new one maybe a week later.  I'm actually kind of excited to get my new one.  It has Windows 8, which I could do without, but whatever.

On spring break now!  No real plans.  My spring break budget was completely broken by all the electronics going belly up on me.

卒業 [そつぎょう] sotsu/gyou: Graduation

End of the School Year

The school year is coming to an end.  I've seen the last of my 3rd years for my base school.  If they even have a class tomorrow, I'll see the last of my 3rd years for my other middle school tomorrow.  I saw the last of my 6th graders in my elementary school yesterday.  Well not really, they all move up to my base middle school so I'll see them again.  I really liked the 3rd years at my base school.  They were all very nice and had a perfect energetic energy.  Quite the contrast to my 1st years, which I largely don't like going to class to teach.  For the last class I had them tape a piece of paper on their back and walk around writing messages to each other.  Then I had them write a letter to themselves about their memories now that they could read 10 years down the road.  I hope at least one of them will keep it and read it years later.  I only need one student to read it years later to feel like the project was a success, but since I'll have no way of ever knowing, I'll just assume that out of the roughly 90 kids, at least one did read it.

Rachel is coming back this Friday for about a week.  I gotta clean!

思いで【おもいで】 (omoide) memories