This week in february school reopens again for graduation week. Last year I had classes mon-wed with graduation ceremonies on thursday. This year I was told I had no classes which suited me fine as I just came back from my SE Asia trip saturday and needed to rest and start my blog. As not everyone can fit in the gymnasium only graduating student and invited students from other grades were allowed along with the student parents in the back. Events are filmed and broadcast on the classroom tvs for remaining students. Last years they were selling flowers by the entrance of the school and there was a flower decoration at the gym entrance. This year I'm told they didnt have the money. Events opened with two sets of girls doing a K-Pop dance. By this point in korea its becoming a bit annoying. Arent these kids having a balanced upbringing and being exposed to things other than k-pop and video games? Then we all rose for the national anthem which was played instrumentally then a second time when a choir recording played but everyone just listened and nobody joined in. After that the principal made an address as did the vice principal. Groups of students then came to get awards. It wasnt stage managed as they all had their backs to the audience while the principal awarded them. Parents must have been dissapointed as they couldnt film their kids, unless this is just normal practice in korea. Then there was a long procession for all graduating students to come and get their diploma. They were were in normal school gear, with winter coats, no caps and gowns, or formal dress. We then all stood for the playing of a korean version of "Auld Lang Syne", the song normally played on new years eve in the UK and british speaking countries. It was strange to hear a new years eve song played at a graduation ceremony and I dont know what the korean lyrics were. Like a wedding party the hall then parted into two for the graduating students to march down the middle out the rear centre doors. It was all over in an hour. Friday students went home at lunch after cleaning their classrooms and we all had a staff dinner for the teachers leaving as this is the end of the school year. Again I wasnt told so I didnt have my camera. We went to a seafood restaurant. First we had many forms of shredded and pickled vegetables for starters. Then a plate of tempura fish chunks came. I loved it and wanted to eat the whole bowl as its hard to find fish and normally just squid and octopus. They told me the name was 복아 (bokka) I think. Then a bowl of what appeared to be spaghetti came. Actually its bean sprouts in red chilli sauce mixed in with chopped octopus, shrimp and crab. Finally the main dish arrived and was placed on the central table stove. This was a large pot of water mixed with vegetables and seafood. There were whole octopus, many large clams, large shrimp, and other marine foods. The large octopus was moving. At first I thought this was because of the water bubbling and the heat but then noticed it was alive as the movements were more controlled. As the water reached boiling point the octopus died. Then the lady came, took a large pair of scissors, and started chopping the octopus and declamming the shells. A teacher then filled a bowl full for each person of soup and chopped seafood. There was a small stone shaped item I thought was from the smaller shells. When I tried to bite it was hard as a stone. There were many in my bowl so I had to take them all aside. Later I was told you just squeeze them for the juice but dont eat it. Would have been nice to have been told that as I could have been eating them. The graduation ceremony and staff dinner were very festive and strangely ignoring the fact that a teacher had just died. I wasnt sure how this was going to be handled and how the students would react to it. It seems like the solution has been to just ignore the entire episode. It seemed quite serious to me as he was young, in his 20s, quite popular, and died tragically being trapped under a sheet of ice at night while fishing. There should have been an acknowledgement on the first day back at school on monday, during the graduation ceremony, or the private staff dinner. Instead it seems like 'that was in the past', and 'everyone already knows about it', hardly a fitting tribute. Visit My Page on Facebook Departures1