School Festival!

Yesterday, I spent the majority of my day at one of my high school's festivals.

School festivals are major events in Japanese school life. Students work really hard beforehand to prepare everything. Tons of stuff goes on. Yesterday, which was actually the second day of the festival, started out with all students singing as a chorus, followed by the school band performing a few songs. After that, the students scattered to various stations. Each class had a shop where you could buy food or play games. You could even have a mini tea ceremony.

I totally got adopted by the cutest baby! He was about 1, and the son of one of the teachers. First, he wanted to hold my hand. Then, he decided he wanted to be picked up and refused to go to anyone else! It was really nice, because every once in a while, life feels a bit like the opposite. I have a theory that he liked hanging out with me either because he got to be super high or because we have about the same level of Japanese.

In the afternoon, the student bands played. After that, the parents put on a barbecue outside. I was going to leave before the barbecue, but the parents wanted me to stay (so I was quite happy to stay).

Even though I was sooooooooo tired coming home on the train, I was so happy that I went to the festival. It was so much fun to see my students in a non-class context. And the students and people in that town are so friendly. It's really fun to be around them.