The end in sight- oh wait, it's already here...

I'm celebrating the first week of the 'spring break' 春休み　in style, by sitting at my desk, reading a rubbish book & checking e-mail and updating this thing. It dawned on me this morning, that there is no evident celebration of the end of the school year, as there is in England. I remember for days and weeks, looking forward to and counting down 'til the end of term at school. In fact, when I was about 6, we had to sing a song including the lines, "End of the term, end of the year. It's time to say 'Goodbye, goodbye goodbye'." [Anyone else remember that - Helen?!] I guess finishing school just before the summer is different to drawing things to a close in the spring time. We had a 6 week holiday to look forward to. (Not to mention the 3 month+ affair at uni.) Summer holidays are exciting because the sun is shining, possibilities are endless, you know you'll be going away etc. And, at primary school at least, you'll be in new classes when you go back, and it'll be all change. I remember going home from St Nick's (primary school) with my report, desperate to find out what class I'd be in the next year. In a school where there were only 5 classes for 7 year groups, you could either go up to the next class, or stay where you were for a year. It made a big difference. I remember one year, having to wait for Dad to read the whole report -every word it seemed, before he turned the page over, so I could scan to the bottom of the page & read the 'Next year: Class __ ' line. It was only after knowing that vital piece of information, that the elation would sink in & the summer holiday begin (whilst eating/ drinking ice cream floats in the back garden).
Maybe students do celebrate over here, but I just don't see it. Yet there hasn't been any noticeable atmosphere of elation or joy at the end of a year being over. Maybe it's because most of the students come to school anyway for club activities so it's not a big break from school, or something. But it does feel a bit strange. It's not anti-climatic because there was no anticipation of a climax in the first place (if that makes sense). It's just as if life ticks on as normal. Maybe also added to this, is the lack of (national) exams here. At secondary school, we had End of Year exams every summer except for Years 11 and 13 (GCSEs and A Levels). So when you work towards them, it's a relief for them to be over and makes the time after it even more special to look forward to.