Here are couple of pictures of my the other English teachers I work with at Chiba Jyoshi High School. At the beginning of every year, it's typical for groups of teachers to have a formal meeting at a restaurant and have a "drinking party." It's literally called that. You eat a lot of food and drink a lot of sake and then go home. It's strange and cool and fun. It was a really good experience for me. It really helped me feel comfortable with the group of teachers I work with.