Apparently from my understanding of Jap culture and their school system, I know that they have an event called the 'chorus festival'. Basically its an event where each class sings a song as a chorus group. So for the past 2 months, my collegues (excluding me) have been busy practising at whatever timing, before school, during free time after lunch, even after class free time.
Today they booked an entire auditorium and each class performed their song. Its actually stunningly impressive that each class are of such high Choral standard. They sing loud, to their best, hit the notes, are harmonious and they really practice hard. My local collegues and I agree that their standard puts local choirs cca to shame. We strongly feel that even the class that didnt win the gold or silver award, can go into a choir competition and beat the local schools. Really they are that good.
So its a huge event but really though we were allocated duties, they were so marginal that we didnt even really get about to doing it. So we just stayed out of the Jap collegues way so that we dont have to keep asking them what can we do to help and they wouldnt know. So we sat at the cafe and had some cold drinks. Then later had an extended lunch. This is the part about, we dont bother them, they can work faster. Think they are relieved that we stayed around in the background and didnt bother them. So we really entertain ourselves.
After all the practice, lunch and stuff. The actual performance by each and every class. All are of very high standards. Some are outright fantastic, awe-inspiring even hair-raising in terms of the vocals, the techniques, the harmony. Its really an huge eye-opener.
I did find out that back in Japan itself, its not of such high standard. The intensive practice and the hard work of the collegues and students actually pays off in this aspect. They are very dilligent and very focused about this. Hope to get a copy of their DVD performance. Wouldnt mind listening again. Just that inbetween after listening to several classes, got a bit 'tired' cos of a series of slower songs but whenever there's a faster or more dynamic song, helps to perk up.
In the next term, it would turn to the next big event in their school calendar, which is the Sports Meet. Saw their schedule, intense training again during whatever time they could squeeze out in the next term's timetable. From the serious and dilligent manner they carry out the events, can really say it might just be another eye-opener.
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Then this evening, there's a school dinner at an Italian restaurant at Sixth Ave area to 'reward' and 'celebrate' the end and hard work for the chorus festival. I was "arrowed" to be the emcee in Jap! Just 2 days back, I asked if the collegues who were in charge had finalized their script, so I could take a look and make my own script. To my pleasant surprise, he actually handed me one with romanji, so I dont have to make my own, just read off after checking for mistakes. Another collegue and I helped to check the English script cos it was directly translated from the Jap script, so the Jap script is correct but the Eng one was very very strange and has no meaning. So I gave the Eng translation and asked collegue who was helping, if that conveys the meaning of the Jap script. Then we hammered the lines to familar lines that appears in formal dinners and function eg "Now, please enjoy your dinner", instead of "Please talk of not considering and eating." So 3 of us, one in Jap, one in Eng, one in Hokkaido dialect take turns to say the lines for the benefit and amusement of jap, foreign and local collegues.
So I just read off the script, not that smooth reader for jap but whenever I finish a sentence, they all clap very loudly. Later a jap collegue told me, she thinks that many collegues are impressed with my jap. Err... after studying almost 7 years, if cannot read Romanji... also very strange right. I am grateful, I dont have to make my own speech.
The dinner is good and its a set dinner. With appetizer, pizza, 2 types of pasta, tiramisu dessert with latte for me. The tiramisu is very light tasting. Its also the traditional style with lady's fingers but it has less cream and no alcohol. My local collegue who knew of my Tiramisu making asked me which version is nicer. I told her I like the one I made more. Cos it has the taste of alcohol and though its very moist and soft but though I find it heavy-tasting maybe due to the mascapone cheese or alcohol.
Hmm... I still havent made it enough times to be able to modify the recipe to suit my specific taste yet. That would still need some more sort of small scale experimenting. My local collegues know that I intend to bring my remaining ingredients to work and use them up for a tiramisu for collegues but its really such a coincidence. For them is maybe 2 tiramisu in a week. For me, if I eat the one I be making, it would be 3 times. I hope to refrain. The plan is to make it tomorrow. Then chill overnight and then serve on Fri.
All these dinner and event makes me think that its a Friday but its not! Its only mid-week. Tomorrow still have to go to work.
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