That's not why she was crying. Anjo cried because that was, as far as we know from flashbacks, the first time a teacher praised her efforts. She tried hard and he acknowledged her instead of dismissing her efforts like her previous teachers did
I believe it's more that geta are stiff wood so there's not the (now) common give when you walk and that makes the straps wear down faster than modern sandals. That and some traditional materials are just not as sturdy as their modern counterparts.
She forgot, accidentally kissing is a childhood friend staple as well. It usually occurs before they admit their feelings though, so she's a little late