Last weekend was my school’s triennial school festival. These things happen in junior high and high schools here, and it’s basically a showcase of class projects, music, art and food all put together and run by students. Really, it’s just an excuse for them to come up with something creative as a class project that they can show off to their parents or whomever it is they’re trying to get approval from. It’s completely up to the students to decide what they want to do. This year all of the classrooms were gutted of desks and chairs and were transformed into student-run cafés, art displays, reading rooms, and haunted houses. There were also some more civilized/educational ventures set up, such as a land mine information and contribution station, tea ceremony rooms, and various social awareness exhibits. The sophisticated minds in class 1-4 pooled all their collective wisdom and decided that the best thing to do would be to fill their classroom with an ungodly number of balloons for no reason:
There’s no question as to their genius.
The festival lasts for two days, and the second day is open to the public, so I invited Adam along to check it out. We spent some time checking out the classes and eating at the cafes, though Adam spent the majority of the day among a constant mob of giggly high school girls. They descended on him like spider monkeys.
I, in turn, was bombarded with demands to define my relationship to him. In case you’re unaware of the kind of relentless inquisition Japanese high school girls are capable of, it went something like this:
Student: Chelseeeey!
Chelsey: Hi!
Student: *pointing to Adam* Your boyfriend?
Chelsey: Maybe…
Student: *incredulous finger stabby action* Chelsey!
Chelsey: Yes?
Student: *making a heart shape with her hands* LOVE LOVE?
Chelsey: ….
Student: OH YES. IT IS VERY LOVE. WHAT THE FEELING.
It was at this point that we devised a sort of vaudeville “Who’s on first” routine to confuse them while we made our escape.
I drew these handsome caricatures of us. The hearts and whatnot were added later by someone else.
Witness the evolution of origami cranes!
Some random pictures from the festival:
