Delegation Experiences in Naka - 2007

 

 

Emily McLean

 

My experiences from the Naka exchange program will be with me throughout my lifetime. I will cherish these memories forever. I had a blast!

My family was very kind and accepting of me, even though I didn't speak Japanese. When we got to my family's house, there was a big welcome sign right inside the door. I felt much less nervous. We played lots of card games and had a great time. My family took me to a pottery workshop where I was allowed to make four pieces of pottery that will be fired, glazed, and shipped to me. I was taken shopping with my family where they bought a beautiful Yukata for me. My host and host sister took me to the mall where we got our pictures taken in a Japanese photo booth! It was so much fun. My host father was a cooking instructor, so I got to try many different foods. I helped tend their small garden on the weekend, which was very rewarding. We ate some of what we picked for supper! I participated in a daily ceremony honoring my host's late grandfather. It was very interesting; a ceremony I had never seen before. While I was there, I was treated much like a member of the family. I helped my host, Akari, with her chores every day. They didn't treat me like a glass doll, and I was glad.

Going to Japan was the chance of a lifetime and the experience of a lifetime. Nothing has made this much of an impression on me in my entire life. This is a wonderful program and I hope it continues to offer this chance for many years to come.

 

Rachel Oliver

    My trip to Naka, Japan has been one of the most exciting and rewarding experiences in my life. I feel privileged to be able to go and I thank the two chaperones for guiding us through our trip. Besides it being and wonderful week, it was also a fast one.
    On Saturday, we woke up excruciatingly early. It was a relief to see everybody at the airport looking just as tried as I was. I tried to smile to the mayor and at the cameras as they took dozens of pictures of our sleepy faces. As we waved good bye the fact finally hit me, we were going to Japan.
    After a twelve hour plane ride we were all tried, but we had a bus from Narita airport to our hotel. It was one in the afternoon on Sunday, which was hard to believe. I had discussions about funny signs and the cars driving on the other side of the road with Parks, who was sitting next to me. Toyko's skyscrapers did not look any different then the ones in the United States, but in the middle of the city lay temples and a palace. Tonight we did not see the foreign culture. Instead many of us ate at McDonald's and saw the millions of bikes parked on the streets. At the hotel I went to sleep as soon as I sat down. Emily Ducko was talking to me then turned to realize my lack of response was because I was fast asleep.
    Monday was an exciting day. Everybody was anxious to meet their host families. Unfortunately we had to wait because we had an entire day of sight seeing before we headed to Naka for dinner. We took a Tokyo Bus Tour around the city and stopped at a temple to take pictures and shop. There was a giant bright red lantern that took up most the archway leading into the temple and two statues were on either side. Afterwards, our tour group headed to the imperial place. It was not open today, but we could take pictures of the gate and the guard buildings. Its white walls against the dark ceiling and the moat were extremely beautiful. On our way back to the bus we stopped by a pond and spotted three turtles. All three looked different, but they did not seem to notice. The final stop on our tour was a pearl factory. There they explained how pearls are created and harvested. None of us won the pearl given out at the end. The bus company then dropped us off at the Sony building  and we went for lunch. When we returned we met up with a member of the exchange program who led us through the subway maze and returned us to our hotel to pick up our luggage. We took two buses to Naka. One was for our luggage and the other was for us. Jason, our translator, was waiting for us at the hotel. He is from Australia and does a great job. He helped us with our speeches and told us stories of his practical jokes on all of our bus journeys.
    When we arrived, everybody streamed into the hallway to meet our hosts. I looked around for a girl named Emi, but was blocked by the other kids greeting their host. When I finally reached her it seemed awkward, because she came up to me and said, "Hello." I was expecting a konichiwa and replied "Doozo yoroshiku." After a second it seemed as if we both laughed and she lead me into a big hall filled with tables and families. Emi's table was in the far corner and she was only sitting with her mother. Her older sister, Yuri, was at school and her father was at work. Throughout the dinner her mother asked me questions and we both tried to figure out how to answer in Japanese. The dinner and ceremony ended early, so we went home early. At their home I found that taking my slippers on and off throughout the house was hard to get used to, but Emi showed me how. At home Emi showed me how to make a paper crane in origami. Then, Emi introduced me to her father, sister, and grandparents before I could go to sleep. All of them were kind and excited when I spoke a few words in Japanese. It seems that the most common question for me during the trip was, "You speak Japanese?" Of course my response, "sukoshi." Sukoshi means a little.
    Tuesday morning I was confused. I thought I had to go to school with Emi, and when she was leaving I worried if they were doing the right thing. Soon after, Emi's mom dropped me off at the town hall. Everybody had stories to tell about our first night. We were interrupted when we were called to a meeting with all the city and sister city organization officials. The mayor of Naka gave us an address and then gave us a quick tour of his office and meeting rooms. Afterwards we headed down stairs to meet the chairman. He was kind and we took pictures with him and in his chair. We journeyed across the street into a Japanese garden and an old house. We played with traditional toys and ate potatoes. The old house was very open to the elements and had dark brown wood which was very beautiful. At the pond we fed the fish. When we walked up the fish already were there in large numbers, but when we tossed in the pellets the fish became a mob rushing towards the food. It was almost scary enough to keep us out of the water if the netting was not there. Next, we went to an Italian restaurant. It was different then the Italian I was used to, because it had fish in it. I enjoyed the different taste, but the meal was huge! I do not think I was ever hungry again during the trip after that meal. When the meal was over we headed to the nuclear fusion facility. There we watched a movie about the studies going on throughout the complex and then were showed the machines through a viewing area. Then we played with liquid nitrogen to create a super conductor. Finally we went together to the Naka Museum and saw a parade float, masks, and some fossils. Afterwards we made a bamboo branch with our wishes on it. Emi's mom picked me up and even though I told her I was not hungry she still fed me anyway. When the father and sister returned from work and school we all went out shopping. My family bought me a lovely ukata, rice bowls for me and my sister, a soup bowl for me, and chopstick sets for my whole family. Finally when we got home Emi's family and I played with paper balls and cards.
    Wednesday morning I went with Austin and Hannah to Naka 1st. When we arrived we were put into a small room and told to sit there. We talked about our speeches and what our families were like. The Principal greeted us and then we met Robert. He was an intern that rotated throughout the schools in Naka every two months. He was from the United States and was our translator. First he gave us our schedule. Austin and Hannah were in the same room, but I was by myself. Then he reminded us that the school had a ceremony during the first class for us. He answered any of our questions and then walked us to the gym. The ceremony included demonstrations of the clubs including judo, kendo, and the brass band club. We gave our speeches and received gifts from the school. Afterwards Emi took me to her class Social Studies. Today they were in the computer room, so I looked at pictures on the web site of our trip so far and last year's pictures. After that we went to Music class where the kids stood up on the chair and started to sing. The kids had the songs memorized and were in parts. I was embarrassed that I could not sing a single note with them, but still had to stand on the seats. After that we had lunch. I discovered what a Spork truly looked like and that eating fast was a priority at a Japanese school. After lunch we took pictures with the class then I headed to learn about Japanese culture. That afternoon we split into Robertsville and Jefferson groups. I tried calligraphy first. I enjoyed everybody trying to teach me. After I had written friendship they asked me to write Oak Ridge for the camera man. They gave me an outline and I wrote it. They were pleased with my first try and gave it to him. Next we tried the tea ceremony. The tea was too bitter and the candy before hand was too sweet. All the food had been pushed to the extreme. I still liked trying the kimono. Everybody looked beautiful, but it seemed to take almost too much work to put it on. I joined Emi after the culture lessons ended and we had another good round of paper ball in the afternoon.
    It was another day of school on Thursday, but we went for the entire day. Emi swam in her first class for gym. Then I left her to participate in a calligraphy class down the hall. I wrote my name in the two different alphabets and did the symbol for love. It is a very beautiful art and I enjoyed trying it. Emi had Japanese class next, so I visited with the girl I hosted last year, Mami. Her hair had grown out and she had grown even taller. She was excited to see me and we talked for the entire class. I also showed her my pictures on my camera. It is always wonderful to see an old friend. She escorted me back to Emi after the class was over, but I was about to leave Emi again. Hannah and I were going to put on ukatas while our host went to their elective. Austin wore a jimbae and the teacher insisted that it was for males, but he was not happy about it. Hannah and I laughed about it while we went to show the teachers in the main office. Afterwards we had lunch and I ate quicker than the day before. Then I cleaned with Emi by sweeping the floors. School ended after another class, but Emi still had to have tennis practice. I watched her for a while, but soon she led me inside. Hannah and I talked for an hour and a half enjoying the time for making friends. After practice I walked home with Emi. She had told me that Hannah was coming over and we were going to have fireworks. The fireworks were more like sparklers and Hannah and I were dressed in our ukatas. We had a lot of fun with the fireworks, eating, playing cards, and playing with the paper balls. The house seemed full with the amount of people.
    The aquarium and the sea were the main attractions on Friday, and they were both wonderful. We immediately saw the dolphin show, but my favorite were the mobol. A puffin was also fun to watch. Everybody played on the beach and enjoyed the large waves. Afterwards we went to the marine tower where we looked over a harbor and onto the ocean. I enjoyed the view, but it was cloudy from the Typhoon heading our way. We went to a shopping mall, but many of the stores were American, but still did enjoy walking around with my friends. For dinner Emi's family and I went to a Japanese sushi bar where the sushi passed by you on a conveyor belt and you would pick up the ones you wanted. We did not have a waiter, but ordered specially over an intercom system.
    Saturday was a extremely fun day. I did not experience too much modern Japanese culture, but I got to go to Nikko. Nikko is a national park in Japan that holds many temples. First, Emi's family took me to an old Japanese garden that Ulysses S. Grant had spent eight days in. It was very beautiful with stone bridges and a light green moss covering the ground. Then we walked to the carved monkeys on a shrine where the hear no evil, speak no evil, and see no evil started. Other monkeys encompassed the edge of the building. I also saw a five story pagoda that holds a statue and a Japanese wedding in progress in one of the temples. We left before lunch and ate a very American lunch. I had spaghetti with crab in it. I enjoyed it very much. We drove to Mito and went shopping in a giant mall, but then Emi, her mom, and I took the train back home. It was very fast and smooth. It was interesting to take a different type of transportation.
    Good byes are always hard. Especially if you have depended on the people for a week. The farewell party was on Sunday. We danced, ate, took pictures, and listened to addresses. I saw Mami again and had to put on my ukata. Everybody was dressed up and had a good time. I tried to help make rice pudding, and it was fun to help. We also got to celebrate the good news that the typhoon had gone south of us. At home Emi's cousins came over for a few more games of cards and to eat. I remember feeling awful when Emi's mom burst into tears before I went to bed. It made everyone cry because I was leaving the next day.
    Finally it was Monday. Emi's family took me to see a garden in Mito and an unusual twisted tower. I was tired and ready to get home, but I would miss my second family. We all cried before I got on the bus to leave, but my tears came when I was on the bus. I found a note from Emi in my camera case. It said she would want me to send a letter to the address I gave. I will, because she is now my best friend overseas. I had a wonderful experience and I hope to go back one day.
    Thank you Jason and any members of the sister city organization. You keep this program going and strengthening our relationship between our cities. Thank you again to our chaperones for helping us travel distances we never thought of before. Finally I want to thank my host family for being wonderful and providing me with a great experience. Sayanora!
 

Parks Fillauer

Traveling to Japan has given me an unforgettable experience, and it has given me insight into a completely new and different culture. I was very apprehensive before I left not knowing what to expect; however I was also quite excited at the prospect of meeting foreign people, learning new things, and experiencing a new world. When we arrived in Tokyo I was taken by surprise at the sheer size of the place. Once we were at our host families house, the real apprehension set in, I was surprised by many of the things that were going on around me. The tours and and  trips we took only added to the experience. Getting to see the student I had hosted last year was, perhaps, the highlight of my trip. When it came time to leave I was ready to go home and see things that were familiar to me and do things the way I was used to doing them. I knew also that I had just had the trip of a life time and was thankful for that. I could look back, I knew, at the good things that I had gotten out of this trip, and the not so good times (i.e.: typhoon, earthquake, etc). Thank You to everyone who helped me and gave me this opportunity.
 

Addie Williams

My trip to Japan was one of the most exciting experiences I’ve ever had.  I was one of the few chosen to travel to this wonderfully different place.  I am so thankful that I was able to experience this once in a lifetime chance.

My tour of Tokyo was very pleasurable.    Everyone was very anxious on the day of arrival.  After we experimented with the toilet and the low beds, we were off to explore Tokyo.  Of course, we ran into many humorous situations along the way, but that made it all the more fun. The next day, we had a guided tour of Tokyo, and although we were all tired, we were very attentive.  The tour was interesting and of course shopping was fun. After the tour and a long bus ride, we went and met our host family.  As anxiety bubbled inside, we went inside and enjoyed Ms. Haun give a Japanese welcome speech and our first taste of Japanese food. Then of course back to our host family’s home.  When I got home, I experienced tea time with a jelly dessert.  After a tour of the house and through explanation of the bath tub, I slept very well.

The next couple of days, we took a tour of Naka and experienced Japanese culture.  It was so much fun.  We were able to see their lab, a folk museum, rice fields, and eat at a wonderful restaurant.  We also made origami, calligraphy, and experienced a tea ceremony.  The ladies who helped us were so patient and informative.  Of course, I was very nervous to stay with my host family these few days.  I still had not gotten to know them.  But, they made me feel very at home and helped with whatever they could. They were great. At home, we watched television, made origami, and enjoyed “tea time.” During tea time, we got to know each other better. I loved tea time because I got was able to taste all of their different desserts. 

The next couple of days we went to an aquarium, a beach, and spent the days with our host families. The beach was fun because of the huge waves!  We were running from them and having a blast. Of course, people got wet. Really wet. We then got to overlook the beach and see what a sight it was.  Over the weekend, my host family took me to a theme park, the lab, a sushi bar, a pottery place, and shopping.  I really bonded with my host family and we became very close friends.

By the end of the trip, I did not want to leave, and my host family the same.  I loved staying with my family because they made me feel so relaxed and comfortable in a place I had never been before. I am so happy I got to experience going to Naka.  Thank you to my host family and Sister City Organization. I will never forget this experience.

Austin Tatum

I want to start off by saying thank you to everyone who helped make this trip possible for me and everyone else that went- Ms. Cain and Ms. Haun (our chaperones) for putting up with us, all of the people in the SCSO, Ms. Shigeko Uppuluri (our teacher of anything and everything Japanese), Mr. Luckmann, Ms. Scruggs at Polaris Travel, Jason (our translator), the women who helped us in our traditional Japanese culture sampling, the Namba family (my hosts), and everyone else involved.

This trip was probably the best experience I have ever had in my life. A year ago at this time, I would have been terrified of the idea of going to a place as foreign as Japan. Then, I decided to host a student. After Kota Umino’s visit last August, I was positive that I wanted to go to Japan. I had my mind set, and I stuck with it. When I was selected to go to Japan, I was absolutely ecstatic!  But it wasn’t until we actually flew in over the Japanese islands on Sunday that it really sunk in for me. I was in Japan! It was the most different, but also most amazing feeling. I couldn’t believe it. At that time, the nerves also set in. Along with the “I can’t wait to get out and about in Japan!” thoughts, came the “What am I doing here?!” thoughts. I looked at Parks next to me, and I could tell he had the same kind of feelings running through his head. Here we were, in Japan, and there was no turning back.

Over the next seven days, I experienced things so new to me that I was nearly overwhelmed with it all! The day we met our families, I thought I was going to die from nervousness! We got right off the bus from Tokyo and went straight into the welcome ceremony. There was almost no time to be nervous; it happened so fast! I remember my first look at all the families and host students. I was so scared! I found my student, Kazuki, and we said hello. He seemed oddly surprised at my “konnichiwa!” greeting. I thought, “Oh, great, I’ve already made an idiot of myself.” We went into the reception room to meet the rest of our families. I found the Nambas to be the nicest, warmest, most accepting family. I could not have stayed with a better one. I am sure they were just as nervous as I was, and it was awkward for the first little while. But it didn’t take long for me to feel more comfortable, and over the next few days, I became one of the family.

I got to do so many things in just that one week, everything from shopping in a traditional Japanese store, to participating in a traditional tea ceremony, visiting a Japanese temple and market, going to the Naka Nuclear Fusion Center, practicing calligraphy, going to a Japanese school, making new Japanese friends, going to a real sushi bar, visiting the aquarium, the beach in Japan, the marine tower, meeting the Naka town mayor, finding my way through the streets of Tokyo, and visiting the student I hosted last summer. And that’s just a few of the things I experienced! All of these events plus the jet lag from being awake for 24+ hours made me (and the rest of the group) quite tired. We managed to pull through it and had a fantastic time the whole week.

This experience with my family and everyone else in Japan has been the unforgettable opportunity of a lifetime. I still cannot believe I had the privilege of being a part of it. I came home with so many wonderful, fond memories (and 468 pictures). The Nambas have become my second family, and as happy as I am to be home, I will dearly miss them and all of my new friends in Japan. I cannot wait for the delegation to come to Oak Ridge in August. I hope they will be able to have as good of a time here as I did in Naka. Once again, thank you to everyone involved for giving me the opportunity to take part in this experience that I will never forget.

Zach Pickett

My name is Zach Pickett and I want to thank the Sister City cultural exchange program for providing me the opportunity to visit Japan this summer.  It truly was an opportunity of a lifetime! 

In Japan, we did many things.  The first thing we did after we got our luggage at the airport was to head to the Crown Plaza hotel. After we checked in and got our rooms, we were given a short tour of Tokyo. In Tokyo, we saw many interesting things, but eventually a lot of us got really hungry and wanted to find a place to eat. We went to McDonalds.  Why, because it was familiar to us and it had a sign we could read!

On our second day in Japan, we took a tour of Tokyo Tower. I believe it was built for a World’s Fair. We also went to one of the oldest shrines in Tokyo. It had a very long Japanese name and is very large and colorful inside and out.  In addition to the shrine, we went to a pearl store where you could win a free pearl by drawing numbers. We each tried our luck, but none of us won. After that, we boarded our bus that took us to Naka to stay with our host families. It was about a two-hour ride to Naka. At Naka, we went our welcome party and had a lot of fun. Then we met our host families.  My host family name is Yamashita and their son is named Diasuke.

The next day we were given a tour of Naka. One of the first things I saw was a very old Japanese house. At the house, we were shown how people lived many years ago in Naka. Next, we visited the nuclear energy center. They did neat experiments with liquid nitrogen. Then we went to lunch. The last thing we did on our first day in Naka was visit a museum on Naka history. There we learned more about Japanese traditions.              

On our second day in Naka, we went to school for half the day. When we arrived at the school, we were given a tour and then we joined our host student in some of his classes.  Then we went to a Japanese tea ceremony, where we learned how to prepare tea and that it is customary to eat something sweet before you drink the tea.  We also got a chance to practice calligraphy and origami (the art of Japanese paper folding).                                                                          

The following day, we went to school in Naka (there are five Middle Schools in Naka) for a full day. At the school, I played basketball and had my picture taken with the class. I also made a tissue box and went to all Diasuke’s classes at the school.   Later that night at my host family’s house, we shot off some fireworks that were very colorful.

The next day we went to the beach. At the beach, we visited an aquarium and did some shopping. We saw a neat dolphin show at the aquarium and saw a lot of sharks and many different types of fish. My favorite part was when we got to walk down to the beach and play running at and away from the waves.

On day seven of my visit, my host family took me for to Disneyland. It was just like Disneyland in California that I visited with my family when I was seven. My favorite ride was the haunted mansion ride. They also provided us with headsets that allowed us to understand what people were saying. We had a lot of fun and it was a great day!

On our last day, we went to a special farewell party. It was a lot of fun. I helped prepare some rice cakes. Then we went to my host family’s home and played many games that lasted until midnight.

Finally, on the last day we spent the morning with our host families and then traveled too city hall and said good-bye to our host families, the mayor and his staff. We then took a bus to the airport and boarded our plane for the long trip home. That was my trip to Japan!  It definitely is an experience I will never forget.

Emily Ducko

Through this year and through the rest of my life, I don’t think that I will ever forget this opportunity that I was given. I had the time of my life. I had fun laughing at the others’ families and what they did to try to help them get comfortable in Japan.

I really enjoyed Tokyo. Every one was going to buy their first meal so we went to McDonald’s to get something to eat. Every one got basically what they wanted but one boy wanted the #4 with fries and a drink. The man gave him four fries and drinks. At least it was close.  It is so funny that our communication was pretty good for our first time.

 I stayed at the Nemoto family’s house with Sachiho. She had two younger brothers and a younger sister. It surprised me the games that they have that we do and the games that we have and they don’t. I took the family Connect Four to play and they never knew how to play. I also taught them how to play monkey-in-the-middle. I was going to teach them how to play Marco-Polo but there wasn’t enough time to really teach them. The mother in the family also taught me how to do some origami and we made over a hundred things!

 I am so glad that I got the chance to go on the trip and make a difference in some one’s life. I really didn’t want to leave at the end of the trip. “If the typhoon had come later, I wish that our flight was canceled until a month later. Then, I could go back to the Nemoto’s house and have more fun and get to know them better!” I told my parents. I do wish I could go back but it is good to be home.

Hannah Bailey

Visiting Naka-Shi, Japan was the best experience of my life and will remain the best experience of my life for many years to come. Everyday was a memory I will never forget. Everyone involved in the program was extremely helpful and friendly, making it even better. All the activities planned for us were great examples of Japanese culture and were all enjoyable. Our home stays  with the families made the trip exceptionally wonderful. I’ve made lifelong friends with my host and her family. Being chosen to go on this trip and experience what I have is a huge honor and I am extremely thankful for this opportunity.

            Our first day in Tokyo was interesting to say the least. After we had put our suitcases in our rooms we headed downstairs so that we could walk around Tokyo and find something to eat. Walking around Tokyo was nerve-racking, but very enjoyable and humorous. The next day we were taken on a tour of the city. My favorite part of the tour was seeing Tokyo Tower. Even with my fear of heights, the view was amazing. After our tour came the best part of the day, it was time to meet our host families. We got onto a bus we would come to know very well and headed for Naka. The opening ceremony went perfectly. Our chaperones made wonderful speeches and we had time to get to know our host families. I had the pleasure of staying with the Itueue family. It was quite large compared to an American family. There were seven people in the family, and Rowena, my host mother, was housing her two sisters on their visit to Japan. I don’t believe I could have had a family better than the one I had. After this, we went back to our host families homes. I was in awe over the beautiful roofs over many of the houses. I spent the night talking to my host in scattered Japanese. My host family made the experience wonderful. My host’s mother spoke English and my host spoke English fairly well too. I never went anywhere without my translator and dictionary. Being in a home with citizens of Naka is what made this trip so great. I learned Japanese culture and the language from being around the people. I will never forget that day.

            Tuesday was a great day as well. We went to city hall and met all the officials. My camera was low on batteries and I was very disappointed that  I didn’t get to indulge in all the picture opportunities that day. After our tour of city hall, we went to a house that was around one hundred years old. The house was absolutely beautiful. We played with hand carved toys and ate potatoes. We also went to the nuclear fusion center that day. We watched a movie and were given a demonstration of the power of liquid nitrogen. The demonstration was very fun. The delegation also visited the Naka museum. There was an old parade float in the museum which was absolutely beautiful. We saw many masks, helmets, and models of the city. We ate at an Italian restaurant that day which was like none I had ever seen. Their pizzas were topped with corn, broccoli and mayonnaise, but they were very good. Upon returning home I made this dish for my family and we enjoyed it very much. After our outings we went home. The Japanese people are such kind and accommodating people and they showed this in so many ways that I could never recount them all. That night when my host father found out that my camera batteries were not working properly he went out and 11:00 to get some for me. I was very anxious for the next day. Going to Haruna‘s, my host‘s, school was something I had been looking forward to for months.

            Wednesday was my favorite day of the trip. I picked out my clothes carefully trying to incorporate as much blue as possible to blend in with their uniforms and so I wouldn’t stick out too much. Rowena drove Haruna and I to school that morning, and then Haruna walked me to the teacher’s lounge. I was the first one there, and I was very nervous and excited. Soon, Rachel and Austin entered the room. Before school started, we met the principal, vice principal, and several teachers. We also met Robert, our translator. I was very glad we had him at our school. He was friendly and helpful with our speeches. Then, we met our teachers and were given schedules. I was very happy to have Austin in my classes, having someone you know who speaks English when you are around a lot of people who don’t is very comforting. My host’s teacher, Mr. Hiromatsu, even though he spoke little English, was extremely kind.  After getting acquainted with the staff, we headed to the gym for the opening ceremony. The ceremony was wonderful and made us feel very welcome. They showed us an example of many of their clubs such as kendo, judo, choir, and the brass band club. Then, we gave our speeches. At first I was nervous, but then I realized it didn’t matter if I made a mistake. Every student seemed amazed if we knew how to say one word in Japanese. The school then presented us with gifts, and we gave a gift from our school to their principal. After the ceremony, our hosts walked us to their classes. Kids were hanging out of windows yelling and waving at us, I felt like a celebrity. Haruna’s first class was Ethics. I never really understood what the class was doing. My host told me they were deciding who was running and how many meters. The majority of the class was spent doing nothing, and all the kids flocked to Austin and me. We talked with them for the entire period. Next was calligraphy. I am not very good at calligraphy, but I had fun. Shingo, another student, taught me how to write four different characters. After that, Robert took us on a tour of the school. We went into each class and the students asked us questions. Then, we had lunch. The lunch system in Japan is great. After eating, Rachel, Austin, and I sadly left the school. That afternoon we experienced more Japanese culture. We split into two groups according to schools. The Jefferson group went to the tea ceremony first. I didn’t enjoy the tea, but the way it was served and drank was a beautiful form of art. Then, we tried on traditional Japanese clothing. The women helping us were so kind the entire trip. They helped to dress me in a kimono and put flowers in my hair. After this, our group went to calligraphy. We all practiced writing friendship. I am very thankful for all the help we were given. Then, we tried our hand at origami. Addie and I tried our best to make a paper flower, but they weren’t very good. After the demonstrations of Japanese culture, I went to the grocery store with my family. It was very different from our stores here. Then I spent a quiet night with my host family.

            When I woke up Thursday morning I couldn’t wait to go to back to school. Haruna’s first class was social studies which was in the computer lab. I spent the period looking at our pictures on the exchange website. Next, we went to science. Mr. Hiromatsu taught us how to make slime. Making slime with all the students was hilarious and fun. After that we took some group photos. I visited Haruna’s math class that day too. We also went to another class where they were once again deciding who was running. Then, Haruna went to P.E., and Rachel, Austin, and I went to another class to get dressed up in traditional Japanese formal wear. Rachel and I got to wear beautiful ukatas and Austin wore a jimbae. After this we changed back into our normal clothes and helped clean the school which is something the students do every day after lunch. Haruna and I cleaned the hallway by running up at down the hall in front of her class on our hands and knees holding rags. Then Haruna and Rachel’s host, Emi showed me a few of the clubs. We then split up and Haruna introduced me to everyone in the brass band. After this Rachel and I waited together for around an hour while Haruna and Emi went to their clubs and group study. After school that day Haruna and I went to Rachel’s house. Rachel and I wore ukatas while Haruna and Emi wore jimbaes. We had dinner together and then we went outside and played with sparklers. After we played with the sparklers we all played with paper balls and played a game of cards.

            On Friday we went to Aqua World and the beach. I was very happy that our hosts got to come too. I was in a group with Addie and Emily Mclean along with our hosts. The six of us had a great time watching the dolphin show and seeing all the fish. After we explored the aquarium we went outside to the beach. After that, we went to the marine tower. Then, we went shopping. Some of the stores were American, but a lot were Japanese. That night my family had a barbecue and we invited the neighbors over. Once again, we had a great time playing with sparklers.

            Saturday was the day that we spent with our host families. Even though it was pouring down rain, my family decided to take me to Tokyo Disney World. We had a great time. Haruna and I spent a lot of time shopping too. After our day at Disney World, we went to a restaurant and then headed home. I struggled to stay awake in the car. I would have slept, but I wanted to see Tokyo at night. Our drive out of Tokyo was on a bridge. I could see the city on both sides of me from across the water. It was absolutely beautiful. I have never seen a more spectacular city.

            Sunday was the farewell party, and the fact that we were going home soon was starting to set in. That morning, Yoko, Haruna’s grandmother, helped me get dressed in my ukata they gave me. Then Rowena’s sisters put my hair up and put a huge feather and flower in it. We finally headed down to the party. We listened to many speeches and ate lunch. Our skit was the electric slide. Then, everyone was taught how to do a traditional folk dance. After that, we went outside and made rice cakes by slamming a hammer in a huge container filled with rice. We then went home. Haruna’s uncle and cousin came over that day and we all watched TV together. The day went by too fast. My host and family and I were very sad that I was leaving the next day.

            Monday was filled with tears. We arrived at city hall and everyone immediately began crying. My host mother was so sad to see our group go. She spent the morning making sure she had hugged and said goodbye to everyone. I took a lot of pictures and gave a lot of hugs. I was so sad to leave Haruna and her family. Finally, we all got on the bus.

            This was by far the best experience of my life, and I would do anything to do it again. I would like to thank our chaperones and everyone who helped, such as Vicky from Polaris, Sheigeko Uppuluri of SCSO, for all of her time and kindness with the Japanese lessons, Ken Luckmann with SCSO for all of his help and time and with hosting the food  tasting party and posting pictures for our families to see. I would also like to thank our translator, Jason, all the host families, the city officials, and the wonderful women who taught us Japanese. So many people made this trip worthwhile and simple to prepare for. I am very thankful that the Sister City Organization takes the time and money to plan these trips and that I was included. I will never forget this trip of a lifetime.

Taylor Kress

The Japan trip was the most amazing trip I have ever experienced in my life. The Japanese people, places, and culture was extremely interesting. My family was very nice and awesome. I felt a lot more comfortable when my host family and I started communicating and spending time together. My host family and I played baseball, watched TV, and hung out like we were family.

The school experience was a little overwhelming at first but after a couple hours I was really having fun. I felt a little lost in the classes that the teachers didn’t speak English, but that makes since. I really enjoyed English class because it was fun to be able to speak English and the Japanese students being so amazed at how well we could speak English. In my P.E. class we swam. It was really fun to swim rather than run. Over all school was very fun, and interesting.

On the days with my host-student and the rest of my friends me and my host-student and had a lot of fun. He and I both enjoyed the Dolphin show at the Oarai aquarium. My host-family and I went Nikko, a shogun burial palace. It was so amazing. The building’s ruffs were coated with gold and below the ruffs was beautifully carved dragon heads, monkeys, and cranes. We threw money into alters for the dead shogun. After throwing the money you had to clap twice, bowed once, and then clapped once again. 

Over all this trip was amazing, incredible, fun, teaching, and the best trip I’ve ever experienced. I would like to thank everyone who helped prepare, pay, and supply us for the trip.

Matthew Reat


First of all, before I share my experiences of going to Japan, I would like to thank all the people who made this trip possible. Their efforts have given me an experience I will never forget.
The first day of my trip, Saturday, was spent in the states. Thanks to the time change it was Sunday before we got into Japan.
Sunday was different. It started in a plane 500 miles from North Korea at 36,000 feet. It took about five hours to get to Narita airport. When we landed we went into an older terminal and could immediately tell we were in Japan. The trash cans were even different than ours. We then went outside to wait for the bus that was going to take us to the hotel. Looking out the window in the bus, I could tell a difference in all of the cars. There were practically no SUV’s. When we got to the hotel, we had a little time to go around Tokyo. First we went to MacDonald’s. I ordered a number four with a drink and fries. Instead I got four drinks and four fries. We were very tired, so we went back to the hotel and went to bed.
Monday we went on a tour of Tokyo. We went to Tokyo Tower, were we could see all of Tokyo, to a very crowded shrine, and a pearl gallery. We also went to the Imperial palace. Then we took the subway back to the hotel, got our luggage, and loaded up on the bus to depart for Naka. The bus ride was about 2 hours, but went by quickly because of the scenery and our translator Jason. When we arrived in Naka, I was a little anxious about meeting my host family but this was not needed, because my host family was great.
On Tuesday we went to the Naka city hall to meet the mayor, and the chairman. It was more interesting than it looks on the program. We then went to a traditional Japanese style house. It was interesting to see how much everything has evolved in the past hundred years. The coy pond was also fun. The most interesting on Tuesday was the Japanese energy fusion institute. There we learned about what they did with fusion and plasma. We also did some experiments the most interesting being a magnet floating on top of a superconductor chilled with liquid nitrogen. The history and folklore museum was also interesting.
On Wednesday I went to Hideaki’s school, Naka Middle 4. I could not understand much of what was going on, so I was intent on copying Hideaki’s work. Then we were pulled out of school to experience Japanese culture. I was very excited that I could make an origami swan. I am not very good at calligraphy. We also had a green tea ceremony. The tea was not my favorite, but the ceremony was interesting.
Thursday I was supposed to go to school the whole day, but when I ate lunch early with hidea (Hideaki), I was confused. The next thing I knew I was at a building that I hadn’t seen before. When I got inside we sat in the lobby, and Ms. Cain came in. She told me it was an English competition, and we watched. Hidea did not win, but I thought he did well.
On Friday we went to Oarai. We went in to the aquarium, which is much like our aquariums, and then onto the beach, were Zach and I chase waves. We then went to the tower to see the ocean and the city. We also went to a shopping mall, again much like ours.
Saturday and Sunday were my favorite of all the days, because I spent it with my host family. We departed from the apartment about seven in the morning, and drove three hours to a city north of Naka were there was a very large castle. Japanese castles are more ornate than European castles. We then went to a resort like hotel, were I had five plates of stakes; talk about all you can eat. We slept on the floor in the hotel. The next morning we drove home, and then went to the farewell party.
I was sad to leave Japan, and I hope I can come back some day and meet my host family again. I am really glad they have this program, and I encourage any seventh graders behind me to do it.