A busy weekend...


High School Graduation was highly anticipated by all of the third year students. After an arduous few months of testing, this ceremony marked the end of their high school experience. The ceremony itself wasn't too unlike an American one. There were numerous speeches given, diplomas were handed to each of the students, and family came to watch. Underclassmen sang and played in the award-winning band.
The stage was overflowing with flowers, many of them arranged by an Ikebana-certified staff member.
Okisho students have created their own version of the cap-toss. At the end of all of the formalities, they throw up their blazers in what is called the "buleza nage".



These are a few of my former third year students post-graduation. Every student wears a corsage from his or her parent(s).


There was a huge student/faculty party the evening following the graduation ceremony. For the students, it is much like prom, without the dancing. Many go over the edge with fashionable self-expression as this is their first time to do so after years of uniforms and grooming guidelines. It's a rather expensive and formal affair. It was great to see the no-longer-students relax and have fun.


Some friends and I went up to the northern part of the island to see the Cherry Blossoms. Okinawa is the first place for the sakura trees to bloom...over the next few months, hundreds of buds will burst open further up the island chain and attract throngs of hanami (flower viewing) participants.


Aquarium Fun!!! This Whale Shark is a member of the largest living fish species.


More new photos from graduation, parties, and northernly adventures can be found here.


Changes for the students.
Changes for the trees.
Everything is fluid. Swimming, churning, rushing around the aquarium of life. Was that transition cheesy enough? Hold on to what you love and ride the rest of the waves. Complete the metaphor.
Happy Tell People You Care with Pink Cards and Chocolate Day.
Happy You are an Important Part of My So-called Life Every Day.

Keep on swimming. Swimming. Swimming.

School!

Winter in Okinawa is chilly, overcast, and drizzly. Sometimes we get a slice of sun. It simmers through the cool dampness, the concrete dries up and it feels like summer again.

It's transition time at Okisho. My teaching schedule has experienced a shake-up, but the changes will be a nice variation of the never-quite-routine routine. The third years (high school seniors) are graduating next weekend. The second years are taking hundreds of tests, as usual, and preparing to make the move to the third year schedule. The first years (10th graders) are still plugging away at English oral communication with me. And I get to work with some really interesting adults twice a week at an affiliated school through the month of February.

One of our third year classes.


Many of our students are pretty great cartoonists.


World Karate Championships back in Okinawa, the home of karate.


Our baseball team rocks. This is the field on campus.


Junior High students practicing karate in the gym.


It's already sakura time in Okinawa.


Rough translation: "Please be nice to me when I'm a third year!" alongside drawings of a couple of the teachers in the English department.