If you're teaching English in Japan, you are usually thrown a Welcome Party by your Board of Education or company.  I remember reading about all of the rules for attending official parties in Japan but I didn't believe them.  They turned out to be true!  The hardest for me was sitting and waiting for people to finish making speeches before we could eat.  They really take a long time and several people have to speak.  In some places, the teacher that you are replacing is there and gives a farewell speech and then they make you give a welcome speech.  Luckily, I didn't have to make a speech!  Just say hello and thank you.  The employees at the Board of Education did put in money to help me buy a cell phone though and when we all said, KAMPAI (Cheers), I was ready to eat and drink!  

Yes, I did my fair share of beer drinking.  The other people at the party really do fill up your little glass when it's empty.  Sometimes, I didn't even see the person refill it.  Ninja style!  It's easy to get carried away and drink too much.  I'm a light weight when it comes to drinking and I don't over do it, so what you see in this comic is pretty much the way it happened.  So sad, I know.  I really learned to pace myself after that experience and to just stop drinking from the little glass!  That way, they can't give me any Ninja refills.