Day 20: Just another enkai

Sorry for the delay in posting, I had a rather busy weekend and beginning to the week. I also appear to have a response to stress of profusely napping.  "What were you busy doing?"I imagine hearing you cry. I was busy with goodbye enkais. In fact I had 3 in 4 days. Woe is me.

I left you on Friday just after telling you 5 of the Japanese words I will miss. After I posted that I headed out to my first Enkai. This was my Enkai with the teachers of my English department. There are currently 6 English teachers in my department and one teacher who assists the foreign students who aren't very good at Japanese. I also have taught with 2 other teachers who got transferred to other schools since I came to Japan. All of them, bar 1, came and the absent teacher was only away for health reasons (Like being advised by your doctor not to exert yourself is a real excuse!).

The enkai consisted of much food and of course a 2 hour nomihoudai. It was really enjoyable, the food was great and it was really nice chatting with my teachers. As with my enkai with my evening class I gave a speech all in Japanese. Unfortunately, despite practicing it a fair few times the nomihoudai got to me and I didn't do the best job but I got my feelings across and they all said that it was well done. They were either just being very nice or it was well done, I'll take it either way.

I don't know if you can tell but as the nomihoudai hit my photo skills declined.

Of course as I was leaving I received a lovely card from my teachers. Each of the teachers wrote a goodbye note on one of the seals. It was really touching. They also gave me the very traditional Japanese goodbye gift of money in an envelope (No I won't be telling you how much, cheeky!) 

I have to say I appreciate that they didn't draw the scar on my nose

The Japanese tradition of giving money is really interesting. Giving cash isn't considered rude it is exactly what everyone does and there are some social rules about how much, usually based on how close you are to the individual. In Japanese tradition you give money to people in special envelopes for weddings, deaths, when people are in hospital or when they are moving/ leaving jobs. You have different styles and designs for the specific events and the wedding ones are the most ornate. 

Receiving money in this way isn't without its rules however, you must return small gifts bought with the money that you have received. As I haven't gotten married or suffered a loss (Luckily to both of those), I don't know what the rules are exactly on buying gifts. In fact, that reminds me I should check the rules with leaving money. 

Next update very soon!