Greeting practice

They went down the row: "OHIO GOZAIMASU!" "OHIO GOZAIMASU!" "OHIO GOZAIMASU!" "OHIO GOZAIMASU!" "OHIO GOZAIMASU!" (good morning)

I went to the window of the teacher's room and peered down. Seventeen students were lined up, backs straight as boards.

"You--Ms. Fugihara. Not loud enough. Sit down."
The shouting resumed: "KONNICHIWA!" "KONNICHIWA!" "KONNICHIWA!" (good afternoon)

The tall eighth grader, the one whose voice creaks like a squeaky door, cracked.
"Mr. Matsuda, from your chest next time. Sit down."

"HAI!" "HAI!" "HAI!" "HAI!" "HAI!" (yes)

"Okay, everyone up. Let's do it again."

"OHIO GOZAIMASU!" "OHIO GOZAIMASU!" "OHIO GOZAIMASU!"

Julie: "English Teacher Morimoto, what are those students doing??"

Ms. Morimoto: "They're doing 'greeting' practice."

Julie: "Greeting practice?"

Ms. Morimoto: "Mr. Kaneko thinks the badminton team needs to have a strong greeting, so he's training them."

Julie: "Oh yes, of course. Greeting practice. Thank you."