Enaki

Last night was an enkai (drinking party) for the Board of Education to welcome the new people and give thanks to those who are leaving.
Before:


During:


It is customary to never pour your own drink. So everyone goes around to chat and pour drinks for each other. Even if your glass is full, they will top it off, or wait for you to drink some so they can refill it. I had a small glass of wine, probably a big bottle of beer, and 1.5 bottles worth of sake in total. Usually sake isn’t that great, but this was warm and very smooth. I was talking with some people in my department and my supervisor came over and someone says "Hello" in English to him. He shakes his head and says "I don't know, I don't know. uh, This is a pen." Which is THE standard learning English sentence, so even people who don't know any English know that (even if they don't know the meaning). That was the funniest thing ever that night.

Here is a picture of my supervisor and I, drunk.



The Japanese turn red when they drink, and I was surprised to see bright red faces appearing so fast. The former Jr High principal was getting pretty red (and even worse later) so I made sure to get my picture with him. At first he refused, saying “No. No. I am tako. My face …tako.” Tako means octopus, which is often portrayed as a comical small red cartoon.



The girls:

Terumi poked a crab eyeball on her plate and I literally screamed because it was so disgusting.

Here are pictures of me and Chris's specially prepared meals:


At the end of the night the organizer was trying to calm everyone down to say thanks and to yell “bonzai” three times and then leave. But the former principal asked me what tako was in English.
Whispering
Me: “Octopus.”
Former Principal: “Oc-to-poose.”
Guy beside him: “Octopus. Ah! 8. Like October. Hatchi-gatsu (eighth month).”
Me: “Octo is eight, but October is ten.” (I hold up all my fingers to mean "10th month")
Guy: “Oooh!”
Organizer: “JENIFAA!”
Everyone: laughter.

Felt like I was in Kindergarten! Everyone is waiting and I kept on talking.

We were done at 8:30 and I was in bed at 9:15 and up at 6:40. Mysteriously, I can’t move my right index finger without pain this morning.

We also saw an old man peeing with the door open. Oh Japan!
Oh, and I get to do this Friday too.