Tea Ceremony

I took part in a tea ceremony last week. All the kids were doing it. I just wanted to take pictures, but everyone was waving me to come in so I did. I watched for a little while, then several students tried to include me buy setting a cup of tea in front of me. I had watched for a little bit and understood part of it, so I thought, "okay, I can do this." I was wrong. 

Tea ceremonies are haaaard. You have to remember to say certain things at certain times--not that I understood all that I was supposed to say. My favorite was the one thing that was translated for me. When you have finished drinking your tea, you set it down and bow and say something to the equivalent of "goodbye, little cup." Everyone was very nice and patient with me, though. I'm glad I did it with all my students who were learning and running around and posing for pictures with the women dressed in kimono. I was, however, a little dismayed when the tea ceremony teacher was trying to tell me what to do in Japanese and turned to the student next to me to ask her to translate and she waved her head and hand frantically to show she couldn't. Aah, but that's a teacher's life sometimes.