Speeches @ MindSay 
Casey from PA. and Warner from VA. gave speeches at the Democratic National Convention tonight. I think they both nailed it. I was surprised when I first saw Warner, because I thought he kind of looked geeky and didn't look like he would be a great speaker. Wow, was I wrong. Keepin my fingers crossed tightly! And I hope folks in the country listen to this...
OMG, as the night went on, Brian Schweitzer of Montana was terrific also...I had never heard of this guy. I sure hope he is going to stick around. Loved him.
And yay, Hillary: "Unite" "we are one party" "No way, No McCain"!!!!
Be sincere; be brief; be seated. ~Franklin D. Roosevelt, on speechmaking
The best way to sound like you know what you're talking about is to know what you're talking about. - Author Uknown
From: www.quotegarden.com
Yep, group presentation time. Plus I have a major learning contract final due on public speaking. I'm also giving a speech on Tuesday and unlike Mark Twain I just wrote my speech today, lol. We only found out our topic on Tuesday and I've had homework ever since. Ask me anything on public speaking and I've probably read some theory on 'how to' teach yourself guides lol.
Today was the second day of the new school year, and we had two more assemblies ("ceremonies").
Yesterday morning we had a kind of "meet the new teachers" ceremony. The principal gave a (long) speech and then introduced the 12 new teachers that are with us this year. There was a lot of bowing and standing and sitting back down going on! (not good for the students who have to sit on the floor... they are probably just managing to nod off to sleep when it's time to stand again).
Yesterday afternoon was the Entrance Ceremony for the students that are starting this year. I was meant to go to that but accidently took too long at lunch time and missed the start. I will go next year...
This morning in the staffroom, the 10 teachers that are leaving our school (or "have left") came in and gave a Sayonara speech. I was a little late for school, and arrived just in time to see a full-grown male holding back sobs as he made his farewells to a school he has worked at for a full 4 years out of his 26years teaching career (why?). The speeches went until 9.30am, when we all had to head to the main assembly hall so the teachers could give their "official" goodbye speeches to the school.
The principal gave a little spiel on each teacher. The principal at my school is famous for his heartfelt speeches. He does these motivation talks that really crack me up. Most of the time I can't understand what he is going on about but he yells and then speaks softly, swings his arms around and makes fists and blows out his chest... all very powerful for a 5 foot nothing 64 year old man. Anyway, the little pieces he did on the teachers that were leaving were all done with the same kind of zeal as his motivational speeches. He must have inspired those teachers into thinking they had some interesting knowledge to impart to the students, because one hour later we had only managed to get through 4 of the 10 teachers speeches. (I snuck out after that... was quite boring).
Then that ceremony finished and it became time to welcome the new first year students to their first school assembly (the first year students were not yet in attendance; they were off getting pictures taken and height and weight measured!) The Brass Band came out and there was marching music as the first year students all filed in one by one underneath the banners of their class. Then more speeches. Funny things about a Japanese assembly is that it has to be properly announced at the start, the master of ceremonies gets the vice principal to announce the day and time and school name, and then the vice intorduces the principal, and the master of ceremonies gets everyone to stand up and bow... it is all done with so much seriousness and with an air of the "official".
Japanese people LOVE official.
No I have to apologize for my slackness of the last week. I have to say I have had an amazing time at home and being completely honest have not wanted to sit down and take even the slightest amount of time away from it to write you all, I know I am going to hell for being selfish!! But I wanted it all to myself!! I knew I would share it all when I got back to school, promise!!
Between simply just being in a place you not just call home but mean home when you say it, is refreshing in itself. I felt refreshed the moment I could see land when my plane was descending into Auckland airspace, and I mean that’s something because we Wellingtonians really don’t like a thing about Auckland. Flying in was gorgeous, for those of you that know what I'm talking about, you could see the entire way down the south island, it was just that clear, almost every detail from the patchwork of the farms on the Canterbury plains to the furtherest peak on the Southern Alps, it was all in plain sight. I felt so lucky!!!
This was only the beginning, although I do have to remark, this was the best weather I was to get in my entire stay, but I mean not everything could be perfect right, there had to be some reality!!
I was so happy to see my dad at the airport, I have missed him so much this year, and the worst part about that is I have only been away nearly three months, for some unknown reason however I have found this year the hardest yet in terms of being away. I was lucky enough to be treated with an unexpected visitor at the airport on my arrival, my puppy Bruno!!
I went from there for a much needed shower, it’s gross how gross you get when you’ve been on a plane for, well I lost count of how many hours!! Next on the agenda was surprising my best friend that I was home for her 21st the following Saturday, she nearly fell over backwards and out of her chair when I walked through the door. I was happy to see how surprised and excited she was to see me. That night continued with many a beer, now that I was once again legal to drink (18 is such a better age). I then went to see my boyfriend, I have missed him too, I think this might be a large factor in what has made this year that much harder, long distance = no fun (until you get to see them again!!).
This is pretty much how the majority of my week went. However I did manage to get in some excellent timing with 2 of my good friends, who I went to high school with, 21sts on that first weekend. One was a lunchtime affair and so it made for an early start while the second continued well into the night!!1 Such a good way to catch up with so many people you haven’t seen in so long.
Just an insert here for all of you who are wondering why the hell we put so much on for a 21st. I guess at home it is a celebration of independence and life. Pretty much its the time your parents, if they haven’t already; say “here you go now you have to support yourself, no more leaning on us”. It’s a big thing in a young adults life if you’re a New Zealander, and I know Americans don’t do it that way because I am trying to plan mine to have here in January and no one knows what I'm talking about. There are speeches by those close to you and friends who just want to give you a good roasting and its all out on and it’s a big thing!!! (Big enough to warrant a trip half way round the world in a week) Just thought that might help some of you who are confused!!
Back to the time at home, the week flew by way too fast, and consisted of me taking my friends out for dinner or lunch, who’s 21sts I had missed, and spending more time with Popz and Manu (boyfriend) and loving every minute of it!!! Then a Friday roll around, this also, purely by good timing, was Manu’s birthday. I had brought tickets to the Foo Fighters in concert, in Wellington. And I must say one of the best concerts I have ever been too. They are amazing live, such a great show to watch and they played songs off old albums that hadn’t been played live in nearly nine years. Makes shows that much more worth it!!
And the Saturday night was the big night, Nicole’s 21st!! My speech went down, despite how nervous I was, I hope without a twitch and things went really well. Was so good to be able to share such a awesome night with her and certainly catch up with many of her family which I know really well as well. Now I'm getting a little nervous as she plans the big trip out to New York for mine. Ohh no I feel pay back for my speech coming on!!
Well I hope you all enjoyed my little recount but I'm sure not nearly as much as I did living it!!! Want to go back already!!!
Hopefully this makes up for my slackness last week!! Will write again soon, as I slowly get into the swing of things all over again. But only two weeks left and I am off to England and Scotland, hard life this one!!
How were all your thanksgivings???
Catch up
Kez
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