今回は英語バージョンからスタートしてみます。
(ページ下部に日本語バージョンもあります)
Surprising Spring Hi everyone! The Cherry Blossoms in my neighbourhood are in full bloom.
I find Spring flowers in Japan to be really calming but I feel that the season itself for some reason or another feels very short.
From mid May my family are already feeling Summer and get the paddling pool out as it’s too hot! Even though I feel the Spring season is a short one I love the beauty of it! In Auckland in Spring, Cherry Blossoms also bloom!
It’s true that it’s not just Japan that loves it’s Cherry Blossoms. When I first came to Japan I was surprised to no end about the different activities and sights that I saw especially in April.
Let’s have a closer look at what I’m talking about! **April is the start for school, work, everything! Kindy entrance ceremonies, school entrance ceremonies, starting a first job, starting a hobby…I was so surprised at how busy everyone is in April!
But wait..didn’t you just finish kindergarten?! And you are going straight into primary school?! Wow..That’s right. I was so surprised about the academic year starting in April!
In New Zealand the school year goes until the end of the year (December) and then starts again in the the new year in mid January or early February depending on the academic level.
As the year draws to a close, and we celebrate Christmas, New Years, Happy New Year etc there is a natural end to one year and a start to another which the academic year also follows.
For me the new year means a new academic level! But in Japan even though the end of the year and the beginning of the new year are celebrated it has nothing to do with the academic year which starts in April.
**The Spring**Entrance Ceremony Another thing which threw me for a loop was the abundance of entrance ceremonies! Starting something is a celebration in itself in Japan.
Take for example the Kindergarten entrance ceremony. Three year olds dressed in the kindy uniform (yes! They wear uniforms often over here!) or dresses or suits together with their parents also dressed in suits, all go to the kindy on the entrance ceremony day.
Sitting together, they are introduced to staff, they revisit the kindergartens educational philosophy, the activities that will be happening for the next year, everyone takes a photo together they are congratulated!
Even though the idea of the ceremony is fairly straightforward, its a chance for parents and children to make memories for that day one when they started kindergarten.
Then there’s primary school, intermediate school, high school..as the academic level rises the size of the entrance ceremony and amount of emotion that is displayed seems to increase!
In my own experience as a kindy kid in NZ, I understand it was a good bye and see you later sort of deal on my first day! Even in Primary school I remember we had a morning assembly talking about what a great year it would be, however parents weren’t present! Intermediate, High School… and actually The University of Auckland too, as far as I can remember did not have an entrance ceremony.
Maybe people living in New Zealand now can comment on that. Has it changed at all? Does New Zealand have entrance ceremonies? To get to the point, I think it’s kind of cool that Japan starts its academic year with a bang and a high emotional note setting the scene for the academic year!
In Japan April is not only the start of the academic year, it’s also when graduates join the workforce officially to start their first jobs. These new recruits suddenly spill on to the scene in Tokyo all dressed in black trouser and skirt suits with crisp white shirts!
The first time I saw this black and white wave of people I got visions of a group of penguins! I had no idea what they were or what they were doing! At first I thought perhaps it was a uniform of some sort? I asked my friend who filled me in! The suits, she said are worn on purpose during the first periods of joining workforce and during one first job.
The idea is to blend in not stand out! Actually, she continued, the suits are purchased the year before by soon to be graduating students for the express purpose of attending job interviews at prospective companies.
Large suit shows sell sets of these ‘recruit suits’ that have shoes, socks, belt, trousers shirt jacket and neckties! I hear from friends that business attire in New Zealand has been changing over time but it used to be relegated to Hallensteins or Barkers with a limited range of suits and daggy shirts.
I wonder if recruit suits are sold in New Zealand? Or if anyone would buy them..? On first arrival in Japan April and Spring brought many strange and surprising things.
After living here a while though, and becoming used everything April is now a beautiful season that I enjoy, it brings change in every direction. I see entrance ceremonies happening and new graduates entering the workforce ready to bring positive changes to Japan.
What are your plans for April and for Spring? Our family plan to relax and enjoy the Spring vacation and maybe go check out the Cherry Blossoms too!
春の不思議(日本語バージョン)
皆さん、こんにちは!
近所の桜が満開です。日本の春はとっても癒されますね(笑) 春はなんとか短く感じもう5月中から我が家が初夏モードで暑くて、水遊び用のプール出してます!
日本の春が短く感じますが、青空とピンクの桜がキレイで大好きです。
オークランドの春もチェリーブロッサムもちゃんと咲きますけどね!
日本に来たばっかりの頃、春っという季節とついてくる行事ですが、びっくりたくさんありました!
そのびっくりや、不思議~をちょっと見てみましょう。
●4月が学校も会社も全部が新たなスタート!
入園式、入学式、入社、入室・・・皆さん大忙しでびっくりした!あれ?幼稚園卒業したばっかりなのにもうピカピカ一年生?!
そうです。私は4月が学校が始まることにびっくりした!
ニュージーランドでは学校が年末までで、翌年の1月後半や2月から新しい一年が始まる。年末という、回りも1年間終わりになる、クリスマスお正月、明けましておめでとうっと新しい一年で新しく学校が始まる事は自分の中では自然の流れでした(笑)
日本では年末年始は確かに終わりと始まりがあるけど、4月がまた新たなスタート。
「春の入○○」
もう一つびっくり事ありました。入○○式、その新しいスタートをお祝う事が不思議けど素敵だと思います。
幼稚園の入園式、小さな3歳児が園の制服やドレス、スーツを着て、スーツ着てる親と一緒園で集まる。ご挨拶、先生方のご紹介、園の行事説明、教育方針、皆さんおめでとうございます!記念写真。。シンプルなアイデアだが、親子にとって大切な思い出作り機会である。
小学校、中学校、高校、大学。。式が徐々にスケールや感動が大きくなるのでは。。
自分の幼稚の経験ですが、ニュージーランドで入園時期なんか親からいってらっしゃいされて終わり(笑)。
また、小学校入るときは親なし、学校みんなで朝の会、よい1年間しましょうっと終了。中学校、高校も。。そういえば、オークランド大学も入学式なかった気がします。。ニュージーランドにすんでる方から聞きたいのですが、変わってないでしょうか? ニュージーランドの学校入学式ありますか?
つまり日本は幼稚園の年少さんでも、始まりにテンションをあげ、おめでとうっというの事はよいと思います!
日本では4月は学校以外に社会人になったばかりの方も、入社しますね。一気に真っ黒なスーツと髪、真っ白なシャツ姿の人が増えてびっくりした! あれ?!ペンギンたちの集まり?とっても不思議な光景でした!
最初は、なにかのユニフォームかな?!と思いましたが、お友達が教えてくれました! 皆さんなんと、わざとその黒いリクルートスーツを着て入社!
もっと調べてみたところ, 大学生卒業前から、就活のため、いろんな会社の面接行くようで、そのためのスーツ購入するっと。
大型スーツ屋がリクルートスーツセットで売ってますし、着ないといけない決まりなんだって。。驚きでした!
ニュージーランドはビジネスウェアが大分変化してると友達から聞きましたが、昔HallenstinesやBarkersのスーツやビジネスウェアの種類が少なくて。。実家のお父さんなんか友人の結婚式のとき以外スーツ着てない(笑)一年間クールビズとか?
リクルートスーツセットはニュージーランドで売ってないかしら? 売れたら買う人はいるかしら? 気になりますね!
初め、日本の4月、不思議やびっくりする事が多かったが、長くすんで少しずつなれました。4月は桜がキレイだけじゃなくて、変わる時期であり、素敵な式があっちこっちこっち行ったり、新社会人がモノクロで張り切って頑張ってる姿も。
皆さんの4月は同意った感じで過ごす予定ですか?
我が家は今年入○式ないので、ゆっくり桜をみて、春休み過ごす予定です。