Nyuugakushiki

I woke up late for my new high school's Nyuugakushiki (entrance ceremony) today. My hair was a wild mess, and I didn't even have time to eat breakfast before heading out the door. Nonetheless, I was really excited, and happy to finally wear the necktie with my seifuku (uniform), as it is only worn at ceremonies. Since I'm not actually going to graduate from this school, I wasn't allowed to participate, but I expressed my desire to see the nyuugakushiki and got permission to sit in the upper part with the band. Before the new first year students came in, there was a stretch of probably about 10~15 minutes of pure silence that I have never before experienced. You could have dropped a pencil and the entire five-hundred-and-something people would probably be able to hear it. The entire ceremony was very serious and I could feel the new responsibility as a student settle on me. The principal's speech was very inspiring and, to my surprise, she even announced the arrival of a foreign exchange student (that's me!). From tomorrow on, I'll be a part of the first year's class six, and eventually the chorus club as well. Although the dialect of the prefecture I'm in is especially strong in the younger generation, so I may have some difficulty understanding my classmates. Still, I can't wait to see what class is like and finally make some more friends.

Note: The day I write these entries and the day I actually post them may differ quite a bit.