routine

As I experience things a 2nd time over this year, I notice patterns of things that I thought may just have been random at first.
Take the leaving assembly/ closing ceremony to say a formal kind of good-bye & give flowers to teachers who were leaving on Thurs. At that assembly, lots of the recently graduated 3 nen sei arrived back in school, in their own clothes, turning up late & twittering at the back of the hall. They were randomly assigned to give flowers to each of the departing teachers, by the calligraphy man.

And then that evening was the enkai for all the teachers. The leaving teachers were given bumps at the end. (Sadly there were no bumps at the end of assembly this year, unlike last year. A much more muted affair this time!) Then the next day at school, I was expecting peace and quiet. Despite intending to come to school, most of the teachers took nenkyu - annual leave, to nurse their hangovers. But in the afternoon - just like last year, some of the recently departed teachers returned in casual clothes, bearing parting gifts for certain people - mostly leaving them on their desks in their absence. And some old students returned and graced the staffroom with their presence. These students are from a year ago.

I'm sure there are many more small things I miss, that are part and parcel of the school yearly cycle. Sometimes I like experiencing things again. It's nice being that bit more familiar & not being so new to everything. But other things don't seem so exciting the 2nd time, or you realise that what you thought was special last year, is just how things are done- year in, year out.

4 months left! I'm started to look forward to the summer (despite not knowing what route I'll come back home in... if anyone fancies travelling around Asia for a bit in Aug, you know where to comment!). ...