Graduation and Farewell Parties

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I'll let the photos do the explaining, but as you can see it was a VERY busy week!

Monday
Farewell pizza party at our house and drinking games

Tuesday
Public Holiday

Wednesday
Busy day at Kindy

Thursday
Graduation for 8 children graduating from Kindy. First was a 1 hour ceremony at the Kindy (MEK) and all the mums wore kimono. Then we went to lunch at a hotel in the city and celebrated their graduation. It was like a mini wedding - 5 course meal, lots of speeches etc. It was also a farewell party for Belinda and Alek who have just completed their 1 year contracts at MEK.

Friday
Last day of the Kindy year. Special bento. Another farewell party at a sushi restaurant

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Photos

Graduation and Farewell Party
Entree - Raw squid and (I think) tuna

Graduation and Farewell Party
Kids dancing to Shake Your Tail Feather

Graduation and Farewell Party
Speeches, everyone was crying, it was very emotional. I even had to make a small speech.

Graduation and Farewell Party
Flower Arch

Graduation and Farewell Party
View of Shizuoka city from the hotel function room

Graduation and Farewell Party
We even got to take home the flowers!

Last day Kindy
Yoshino's mum made special bentos for Belinda and Alek (I was lucky to get one too!) Sooo Yummy!

Another Farewell Party!
Mrs Nagata took all the MEK staff to a sushi restaurant

Another Farewell Party!
I can't say I have taken a huge liking to raw seafood, but I have managed to try pretty much everything so far. The raw prawn and scallop were not too bad.

Another Farewell Party!
Mrs Fujiwara (who is Filipino and speaks english) and Mr Toyonaga (one of the bus drivers).

Another Farewell Party!
Mr Shiokawa, Mr Toyonaga and Alek

Another Farewell Party!
I can use chopsticks well!

Another Farewell Party!
More sashimi!

Another Farewell Party!
Back at Mrs Nagata's Pub, drinking! It is an English pub that hasn't opened yet, but I may have to work here some nights.

Farewell Pizza Party
Hosted by us!