Labor Day Weekend and School Dazed

We are the Champions.

Friday was May 1st, the international Labor Day (worker's of the world unite!). My Canadian boss in solidarity gave the kindergarten staff the day off (now do a fist pump.) I basically ran errands, so not quite the relaxing start of a weekend.

Saturday was my daughter's school, " Sports Day", an epic event in their school calender. Her class has been making posters and practicing dances for weeks. I had no idea it was going to be test of endurance for the parents. Our previous sports day experience in Tainan was just a harmless couple of hours on a Saturday, but this one was a full 5 hours. Traveling by train and buses through Burma, India and Sudan seemed less excruciating. If we are here next year I will sell T-shirts to the parents and teachers that say, "We Survived Another Sports Day."

My daughter told me she had to be there at 7:50, when really she had to be there at 8:50. I kept wondering when it would start. Then in the gymnasium it was speech after speech of local dignitaries, the mayor, principals, school superintendent, nearby school principals... The irony being no one was listening or even trying to pretend to be respectful listeners.  After almost 7 years living here, its one thing that still ruffles my feathers. When I first moved here, I thought it was just local culture. I wonder if I went home if it would be similar, a modern phenomena of rude listeners.

I find it strange that local culture loves having microphones (KTV in buses, homes, neighborhood get-togethers), but as soon as someone is speaking everyone just tunes out. Anyways, the mic was super LOUD, the audience was super LOUD and it was really hot, the first hot day of the year (it since has cooled) and it was just uncomfortable, over stimulating, jarring.  Someone would of made a small fortune selling iced teas.

She was pumped for her dance.

There was a lot of waiting and down time. Grades 1-6, each class had to rotate games and dances, one by one, and then we all went out to the blazing track for races. My daughter got first in the 100 m dash, which she was proud. Their class relay wasn't as successful, but it was all in good fun. I was pretty much wiped out after coming home. My kid enjoyed herself, so that's all that really mattered.

Wilting in the shade.