Welcome party (four months late!)

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Tonight the Board of Education in Innoshima had a "welcome party" for Dana and I. This party was originally planned for the end of August, but it was cancelled the first time because people were too busy getting ready for the beginning of school, and then secondly because of the pending typhoon. So four months later, we were welcomed! The party actually ended up being a "Welcome Heather and Dana / End of the Year" enkai. Enkai translates to drinking party....which are very frequent among Japanese co-workers. It's an event where you get rip-roaring drunk, make a fool of yourself, and then completely ignore anything that was said or done that night when you return to work the next day!

They took us to a Japanese restaurant in Fukuyama. Fukuyama is on the main island, and is the second largest city in Hiroshima prefecture. It was quite a surprise for us that we would be leaving our island! The restaurant was really swank....I was very impressed! We had two tables, and two private chefs. The centre of the table was a grill, where the chef made our dinner. We had about 6 courses of delicious soup and seafood...mmmmmm. (I've acquired a taste for sashimi in my four months here. Sashimi is raw fish. Surprisingly it's quite yum!) All of this was all of course accompanied by copious amounts of beer and wine!

I don't actually speak to most of these people very often, because I primarily work at the schools, and only visit the Board of Education to make a report once a week. It was nice to actually talk to them....or at least try to. The key to getting Japanese people to overcome their fear of speaking English is to get them liquored up! (and the same goes for English speakers struggling with Japanese!)

Here are the pics of the Innoshima BOE peeps....

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Photos

Welcome enkai!
Left to right:
Back - the secretary, Dana, Heather, Mr. Koyanagi, Mr. Kashihara
Front - Mr. Matsuura and "the chief" (I don't know his name...that's the only way I've heard people refer to him as!)

finally, we're "welcomed"!!
Dana and I

cheeeeese
The superintendant and his assistant

"we need to have a chat...."
Mr Kashihara said shortly after this photo: "I'm afraid of hangover tomorrow!"

the drunk guys!
he man in the centre was especially drunk....he was quite the chatter box, and in English!! He was one of the highlights of the night!

Comments

[Roothie]

Party's Good Any Time!
Sounds very cool! Just think what they'll throw for you guys as a good-bye! (Of course, if it's 4 months late, you might have to fly back for it! HA! Love Roothie