(no subject)
Dec. 23rd, 2011 12:34 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
arantiaSo I had my first real enkai yesterday. My ones with other ALTs don't count - this one was all-Japanese. I had no idea of the etiquette but it was still pretty awesome. It was also the first time I got to chat to a lot of my teachers, so that was nice.
I had no idea what time to arrive, so I arrived early as I've always been told to. Only the organisers were there (um, um, Yasu-sensei and... shaved-head-with-glasses-sensei who I still don't know. In fact, there are FAR too many sensei whose names I don't know.) so I got first pick on the seating lottery. Lucky number seven, which was not so lucky because I wound up on the top table. Right opporsite the principal and vice principal (who hold the titles Koucho-sensei and Kyoto-sensei), who speak very little English. But luckily for me, Yama-sensei got in on time and was seated two along from me. The seat between us was filled last (Mura-sensei was INCREDIBLY late...) so he was able to help me out a lot; and he's always very good at telling me what the etiquette is and why it's done. Usually to imply that I've done something wrong, but that helps me fix it ;)
The tables were already filled with food when we got there... I wish I'd taken a photo of the place, it was amazing. We had a plate of sashimi, a bowl of squid and some salad, and we each had a sukiyaki burner - Koucho-sensei explained it to me. I already knew it was meat and some vegetables cooked in a little soy and mirin, but I didn't know that you dip it in raw egg before you eat it. You can eat it without, but she recommended it with the egg. I took her advice and it was awesome XD
Mura-sensei got in just in time for the bingo game, and then we had a run-down of "news" which required various teachers to account for themselves, but mostly relentlessly mocked poor Yama-sensei (and Yasu-sensei who came in at number 10 with something about a stalker. I understood that he said he'd change his locks, so I'm guessing he's the one that got "stalked"). Highlights included The Unstoppable Judo Club which ranked number five (they won a local and a regional tournament, and also placed first in a tournament in Osaka) and (at number two) Operation: Find Yama-sensei a wife. We're sending him to Bali next year ;)
Afterwards, people started making rounds to pour people drinks and chat, but there were no bottles at our end of the table. So everyone came to us. After a brief chat on the meaning of my claddagh ring with Mura-sensei (and how pretty my nails were, which was pretty weird coming from a guy, but I always suspected he was in the closet anyway). I wound up talking with Kyoto-sensei and Koto-sensei (the vice-vice principle) and Shino-sensei who's the head of our PTA. They're all older men so the conversations got interesting.
On Onsen:
(the question on everyone's lips) "Did you go in naked?"
On Kimono:
Koto-sensei: "You've never worn a kimono? *pointing at Shinohara-sensei* You should ask danna (pimp)-sama over there! He'll buy one for you!"
Shino-sensei (in English): "Yes! I am rich man!"
On Royalty:
Kyoto-sensei: "What do you think of Prince Churchill?"
On Going Bald:
Shino-sensei: *pointing at Koto-sensei* "He has wig-hair!" *pointing at Kyoto-sensei* "And his hair is sprayed-on!"
On Family:
Shino-sensei: "How old is your father?
"The day after tomorrow, he'll be 53."
Shino-sensei: *pointing at Koto-sensei* "The same, the same!"
Koto-sensei: "I am your father! You must call me father from now on!"
Shino-sensei: "And your mother?"
"Almost 52"
Kyoto-sensei: "The same! The same!"
Shino-sensei: "...Mummy! You're Mummy!" (after a few minutes to get over the fact) "So... do you have any sisters? :3"
"Only a brother."
Shino-sensei: *briefly disappointed* "...oh." *pause* "...How old is he?
"24."
Shino-sensei: The same! The same! I'm brother!
...but my favourite moment of the evening was when I mentioned to Mura-sensei that my ring was cheap. He pounded himself on the chest and proclaimed, "Heart!"
I had no idea what time to arrive, so I arrived early as I've always been told to. Only the organisers were there (um, um, Yasu-sensei and... shaved-head-with-glasses-sensei who I still don't know. In fact, there are FAR too many sensei whose names I don't know.) so I got first pick on the seating lottery. Lucky number seven, which was not so lucky because I wound up on the top table. Right opporsite the principal and vice principal (who hold the titles Koucho-sensei and Kyoto-sensei), who speak very little English. But luckily for me, Yama-sensei got in on time and was seated two along from me. The seat between us was filled last (Mura-sensei was INCREDIBLY late...) so he was able to help me out a lot; and he's always very good at telling me what the etiquette is and why it's done. Usually to imply that I've done something wrong, but that helps me fix it ;)
The tables were already filled with food when we got there... I wish I'd taken a photo of the place, it was amazing. We had a plate of sashimi, a bowl of squid and some salad, and we each had a sukiyaki burner - Koucho-sensei explained it to me. I already knew it was meat and some vegetables cooked in a little soy and mirin, but I didn't know that you dip it in raw egg before you eat it. You can eat it without, but she recommended it with the egg. I took her advice and it was awesome XD
Mura-sensei got in just in time for the bingo game, and then we had a run-down of "news" which required various teachers to account for themselves, but mostly relentlessly mocked poor Yama-sensei (and Yasu-sensei who came in at number 10 with something about a stalker. I understood that he said he'd change his locks, so I'm guessing he's the one that got "stalked"). Highlights included The Unstoppable Judo Club which ranked number five (they won a local and a regional tournament, and also placed first in a tournament in Osaka) and (at number two) Operation: Find Yama-sensei a wife. We're sending him to Bali next year ;)
Afterwards, people started making rounds to pour people drinks and chat, but there were no bottles at our end of the table. So everyone came to us. After a brief chat on the meaning of my claddagh ring with Mura-sensei (and how pretty my nails were, which was pretty weird coming from a guy, but I always suspected he was in the closet anyway). I wound up talking with Kyoto-sensei and Koto-sensei (the vice-vice principle) and Shino-sensei who's the head of our PTA. They're all older men so the conversations got interesting.
On Onsen:
(the question on everyone's lips) "Did you go in naked?"
On Kimono:
Koto-sensei: "You've never worn a kimono? *pointing at Shinohara-sensei* You should ask danna (pimp)-sama over there! He'll buy one for you!"
Shino-sensei (in English): "Yes! I am rich man!"
On Royalty:
Kyoto-sensei: "What do you think of Prince Churchill?"
On Going Bald:
Shino-sensei: *pointing at Koto-sensei* "He has wig-hair!" *pointing at Kyoto-sensei* "And his hair is sprayed-on!"
On Family:
Shino-sensei: "How old is your father?
"The day after tomorrow, he'll be 53."
Shino-sensei: *pointing at Koto-sensei* "The same, the same!"
Koto-sensei: "I am your father! You must call me father from now on!"
Shino-sensei: "And your mother?"
"Almost 52"
Kyoto-sensei: "The same! The same!"
Shino-sensei: "...Mummy! You're Mummy!" (after a few minutes to get over the fact) "So... do you have any sisters? :3"
"Only a brother."
Shino-sensei: *briefly disappointed* "...oh." *pause* "...How old is he?
"24."
Shino-sensei: The same! The same! I'm brother!
...but my favourite moment of the evening was when I mentioned to Mura-sensei that my ring was cheap. He pounded himself on the chest and proclaimed, "Heart!"
