Today was our school graduation day. In the morning all the graduating students came into school with their skirts at knee length and their hair black. It was quite a surprise. They didn't look at all like our students. In the gym all the first year students were waiting and they also looked like different people. I haven't seen them wear their ties since we took the class photos on the first day of school! Of course the gym was absolutely freezing and the big industrial heaters that look like jet engines were making enough noise to drown out the microphone, but sadly not creating any noticeable heat. The third years all traipsed into the hall and we clapped away until they all sat down. First the headmaster made a speech congratulating them all, then they went up one by one to collect their certificates. They are supposed to say "hai" when their name is called and the teacher next to me tutted constantly if they were too loud or too quiet or too quick....which was everyone. He sounded like a woodpecker.
Our headmaster's suit was interesting. For some reason the head always wears tails which looks very professional, but somehow just reminds me of an undertaker. Maybe because he has to stand next to a bunch of flowers bigger than him? Half way through the ceremony one girl started sobbing uncontrollably, but whether it was due to emotion or pneumonia who knows. After all the speeches and the national anthem and the school song (which I still don't know), we clapped all the students out and then had our photo taken in the staffroom with lots of very excited girls.
Now it is all over it is interesting to see the teachers that don't have anything to do this afternoon. Normally they are so busy they don't have a second to themselves, but now they actually have time to breath, they look a bit lost. One guy opposite me is just staring into space and has been for about 10 minutes now. Yours truly on the other hand has become a master (or maybe mistress?) at filling time. I can quite easily spend a whole day at my desk. In fact after the holidays when I have lessons again it is always a bit of a shock when I don't have time to read the whole of bbc news and post secret before lunch.