宴会

You've seen this photo before...it seems like ages ago, but these people have become even more important to me as time has passed.

On this blog I've tried my best to describe new adventures to you, in a way that I think you may understand how special these experiences are to me, but sometimes, I think they are beyond description.
As an example, the nottorious enkai.

Tonight the English department had an enkai to say goodbye to the two teachers who are leaving us. It may not have been such an intense event if the two teachers weren't so important to the sanity and cohesiveness of the English Course, however, they were.

Sato sensei (tall guy in the photo, in the back in the middle), from the beginning has been a constant reminder of Mr. Lavigne, my junior year US History teacher at Lamoille Union High School (Bethany and I used to talk about his cargo pants). He's the kind of teacher that keeps your attention no matter how unattentive or disillusioned you are about public school. He keeps your enthusiasm on the side of learning, no matter the subject. He excites, jokes and provides an instant positive perspective on whatever is being struggled with at the time. He has always impressed me, and if I wasn't 20 years younger, and neither of us were involved with another person we were madly in love with, I'd ask this man out for a drink. He's just that charming.

The other teacher we're saying goodbye to is Yoshimi (young pretty girl right of me in the photo). Man, I don't know where to start. It pains me to write about her leaving because it makes the separation so real. Yoshimi Tanaka has been the closest friend I've had in Japan, and the idea of not seeing her everyday is a very strange thought indeed. She's moving on to a job with Japan Airlines, as another uniformed ground receptionist, dealing with international and intercontinental travelers, meaning they'll be frustrated and short, unavailable and missing the fact that they are speaking to such an intelligent, bright and hilarious young woman. They'll be touched by her beauty immediately, but that doesn't effect the suckiness of the airport experience, even if the young woman is wearing a cute little uniform with a colorful scarf, one still wants to get on the plane and get the hell out of there. I feel that her individuality and passion and influence will be lost to her position, and the world won't know what it's missing. But that's just me, a good friend who understands how she has bridged two cultures and can change the parameters of any social situation. She's not only been a teacher of English at Gotsu High School, but a teacher of life for me. It will be really hard to see her go, but so exhilarating to learn about her new life. Keep in mind, I selfishly hope she decides to study abroad (in America), and spend numerous moments at school trying to convince her to do so.

So the enkai last night was full of grilled meat (at a Korean yaki niku place, otherwise known as Korean BBQ in the states), beer and conversation. We each said something about Yoshimi and Sato sensei, so there was a lot of crying. I brought along a handkerchief (really, I did. I felt like a debutante sticking it in my bag. It was like anticipating a swoon).

If you want to read a funny explanation of the Japanese work party or enkai, go here.
Our enkais are not so formal, and involve pretty loose etiquette, but read the little bit anyway, it's got some great Engrish.

What I can't seem to describe correctly is the atmosphere of an enkai, how comfortable I am with being able to understand very little, but still comprehending the sentiment of most of what is being said. I'm constantly laughing with others to a joke I didn't understand but still enjoying it.

Sitting in observation is quite the gift, especially when it's difficult or almost impossible to understand what's going on around you. There's a great lesson in human nature that can be found during an enkai, it's that no matter the situation or cultural background, we can find equality and unity. Groups of people separated by age and ethnicity may not find common ground on a superficial level, but are on equal footing at the work party (of course I'm aware how important BEER is to this phenomenon). It's the communitas talked about among anthropologists who study ritual. When a ritual takes place, we all change a little, accommodating the whole rather than remaining fixated on ourselves.

In any event, I look around me and am really content to know poeple who work at Gotsu High School, they make me want to grow up. I drink and eat and talk to them like it's no odd thing to be among them, alien and awkward, grinning ear to ear.