A year ago

Today marks the one year anniversary of the Greast East Japan Earthquake. Across the nation people observed a minute of silence at the exact time of the earthquake last year. In Kawasaki, the moment was heralded by the town siren.

I did not participate in any memorial services, as I felt doing so would be somewhat disingenuous; having not been here at the time nor known anyone directly affected. However, I did refrain from doing any particularly lively activities today. Didn't seem appropriate.

One of my friends who did experience the earthquake made an interesting comment last night. He said that for him, this day--more than the 1st of January--feels like the beginning of a new year. As if psychologically the calendar readjusted itself around the March 11 event. That though on this day we were overt in our reflection, it never really leaves people's minds. That the one year marker reminds both of how far the country has come in healing, and how far it has to go.

But this time of year doesn't only mark the tragic events of last year, but also the end of Junior High School for the third year students. For a parting gift, I wrote every students' name(each a unique written character) and accompanied it with a brief message of farewell and best wishes on a special stationary. And for their final English class, I tried a game in which I played brief snippets of songs for which the students had to write the lyrics. The successful students(five in each class) got custom CDs with a selection of some of my favourite music. Inspiring through piracy.

I attended Kawa Chu's graduation ceremony. As you might imagine, the occasion was a disciplined, immaculate affair. There were speeches from the Principal, the mayor, the head of the Board of Education(plus evento lady), another big-whig whose title I could not translate, and the head of the PTA. That's it. The sentimental commemoration was reserved for the third years' private party. The graduation ceremony itself was actually relatively brief. The PTA head is a friend of mine, and he even mentioned me in his speech, saying I had helped him in tailoring his inspiring (english) message to the students, "nothing is impossible". When in fact, he merely ran the pronunciation by me minutes before the ceremony.

I was also struck by the lavishness attended to attire for the event. The 3rd years' home room teachers (an important role bordering parental responsibility and affection) actually dressed in all-out traditional attire which must have taken them hours to arrange. Other teachers and guests were in nearly as elaborate kimonos. Our new principal was in a tail coat that frankly reminded me of 1920s Oxford. All of which made me feel lazily underdressed in my best suit. I had no idea.

Anyway, it was bittersweet and all that. Especially as I had been growing increasingly close to the third years since January.



Peace.