Today was a fun day. We began by touring a noodle factory. No! Really!
It was pretty cool. Somen noodles are a wheat noodle made in Japan by hand & they are the thinnest noodle you can imagine. They are cooked by simply adding them to hot broth - they soften & cook instantly.
We saw how they are made by hand - a 2 day process - and then we got to go back into the factory & actually stretch some out to length. It was fun. Get ready parents - students bought lots of pasta :-)
After a lunch of somen noodles, we traveled to Osaka for a tour of Osaka Castle. It is an impressive place. Look forward to the photos. From there, we came onto the airport hotel. The Hotel Nikko is very nice & literally connected to the airport. Getting to check-in in the morning should be a snap :-)
I'm sitting here in the hotel lobby 'poaching' their WiFi. Our plan is to meet in the lobby @ 6:50 am for our departure home. We fly from Osaka to Tokyo. We leave Tokyo @ 11:30 am and land in Dallas (13 hours later) @ 9 am! After a short layover, we travel on to Cleveland.
So, our trip comes to an end. It has been a great experience: challenging, enriching, thought provoking. As we said goodbye to our host families today, there were tears and promises of staying in touch. This will be a trip that your children may be 'unpacking' for awhile :-)
We will see you on Thursday around 3:30 !
Sayonara
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Goodbye Party
Hi All,
Today was our Goodbye Party. It is one day early this year because we are going to Osaka in the morning. In Osaka, we will tour Osaka Castle and then spend the night in a hotel near the airport for our Thursday morning departure.
The Goodbye Party was quite fun. It was held at a small public hall. The host families brought food (including McDonald's Carryout - they worry that we are missing American food). After a brief welcome and introduction, students ate a lunch. Afterward, we cleared the floor & then Maddie hengst and I performed a duet - yes... a duet. She played a song on the Koto - a traditional Japanese instrument - and I sang the melody in Japanese. WOW!
Then, I gave a brief speech - in Japanese - thanking all of the host families for their hospitality and care. Then we played several rounds of Musical Chairs. I am proud to say that I won the game last time we were here & I came in second this year - losing to Erica Fearon (she'd tough).
After the games, our hosts gave each of us a photo from our Welcoming Party mounted onto a 10 inch X 10 inch board. We were all encouraged to exchange signatures with all of the students. It was fun but a little bittersweet to think that we are all soon headed home.
Don't mistake me parents :-) Your kids are eager to see you, but they are just beginning to truly feel settled, and now we are leaving. In the morning we head to Osaka. We will tour several very interesting sites there in Osaka & then we will check into our hotel. We leave early on Thursday for Home.
It has been a fabulous trip :-)
Today was our Goodbye Party. It is one day early this year because we are going to Osaka in the morning. In Osaka, we will tour Osaka Castle and then spend the night in a hotel near the airport for our Thursday morning departure.
The Goodbye Party was quite fun. It was held at a small public hall. The host families brought food (including McDonald's Carryout - they worry that we are missing American food). After a brief welcome and introduction, students ate a lunch. Afterward, we cleared the floor & then Maddie hengst and I performed a duet - yes... a duet. She played a song on the Koto - a traditional Japanese instrument - and I sang the melody in Japanese. WOW!
Then, I gave a brief speech - in Japanese - thanking all of the host families for their hospitality and care. Then we played several rounds of Musical Chairs. I am proud to say that I won the game last time we were here & I came in second this year - losing to Erica Fearon (she'd tough).
After the games, our hosts gave each of us a photo from our Welcoming Party mounted onto a 10 inch X 10 inch board. We were all encouraged to exchange signatures with all of the students. It was fun but a little bittersweet to think that we are all soon headed home.
Don't mistake me parents :-) Your kids are eager to see you, but they are just beginning to truly feel settled, and now we are leaving. In the morning we head to Osaka. We will tour several very interesting sites there in Osaka & then we will check into our hotel. We leave early on Thursday for Home.
It has been a fabulous trip :-)
Monday, March 29, 2010
Sunday, March 28, 2010
1300th Annivaersary of Nara
Yesterday we traveled together by train to Nara. After meeting at Haibara Station (which included a run into Mr. Donut for several kids), we boarded a train toward Osaka - 2 transfers & 90 minutes later - we debarked in the middle of Nara City. The trip involved moving through both urban and rural landscape & it was a good opportunity to 'see' Japan.
Nara was the first unified capitol of Japan and is celebrating it's 1300th anniversary all this year. There are 8 recognized "World Heritage Site' within the borders of Nara City. Upon arrival, we briefly toured a Museum to get a larger sense of the city. The main Temple in the city is home to Japan's largest Buddha statue. At the museum, they had a replica of the Buddha's hand that we all took turns sitting in & then took a group photo:-)
Afterward, we went downstairs to the street level where we were able to do a little shopping. One of the things Nara is know for is that it is home to many domesticated deer. They freely roam the city parks & you can walk right up and feed them. The marketing mascot - in celebration of this years anniversary - is a young Buddha with deer antlers. He is very cute (but it is hard to imagine a similar Christ figure). While shopping, this antlered Buddha was available on T-shirts, keychains, as a stuffed plush toy, etc. Get ready - you might get one as a gift :-)
After shopping for 45 minutes or so, we walked to the center of town to the Temple. We were able to snap a few group photos & then went inside. The main entry is a long walk up to the main gate which is about 700 years old and massive. Beyond the gate, is a walled internal compound that surrounds the main temple. It is hard to do justice to the majesty of this building - I'll let photos supply my 1000 words. But, it was hard to keep our group moving - as they wanted to stop and collect photos from the outside.
The temple building actually burned down in the 1600's and was rebuild. At it's current huge-ness, it is now only 2/3 it's original size! After cleansing our hands, visitors can light incense at the entrance and then go in. The Buddha sits calmly - but dominates in the middle of the Temple Space. His head almost touches the ceiling 4 or 5 stories above. Visitors enter and then travel to the right, around - behind - and then back out the same entrance area. There are also other statues inside.
In addition, one of the massive supporting timbers in the back of the temple has a hole cut into it at the base. Visitors form a long line - waiting for an opportunity to crawl through the narrow opening. Doing so brings good luck. Several students waited line :-)
We were able to tour a few other building and then need to return to the train station. Students then went home for evening meals. It was a fun day. Students enjoyed seeing Nara but also seeing each other. The seem to be having a good time :-)
Today is a family day. I am going out to lunch and then shopping with another family. Other students have other plans. Tomorrow is our last day here in Haibara with a Goodbye Party at the end of the day. Then we go for a tour of Osaka and an overnight before we return home.
I'll try to post photos later :-)
Nara was the first unified capitol of Japan and is celebrating it's 1300th anniversary all this year. There are 8 recognized "World Heritage Site' within the borders of Nara City. Upon arrival, we briefly toured a Museum to get a larger sense of the city. The main Temple in the city is home to Japan's largest Buddha statue. At the museum, they had a replica of the Buddha's hand that we all took turns sitting in & then took a group photo:-)
Afterward, we went downstairs to the street level where we were able to do a little shopping. One of the things Nara is know for is that it is home to many domesticated deer. They freely roam the city parks & you can walk right up and feed them. The marketing mascot - in celebration of this years anniversary - is a young Buddha with deer antlers. He is very cute (but it is hard to imagine a similar Christ figure). While shopping, this antlered Buddha was available on T-shirts, keychains, as a stuffed plush toy, etc. Get ready - you might get one as a gift :-)
After shopping for 45 minutes or so, we walked to the center of town to the Temple. We were able to snap a few group photos & then went inside. The main entry is a long walk up to the main gate which is about 700 years old and massive. Beyond the gate, is a walled internal compound that surrounds the main temple. It is hard to do justice to the majesty of this building - I'll let photos supply my 1000 words. But, it was hard to keep our group moving - as they wanted to stop and collect photos from the outside.
The temple building actually burned down in the 1600's and was rebuild. At it's current huge-ness, it is now only 2/3 it's original size! After cleansing our hands, visitors can light incense at the entrance and then go in. The Buddha sits calmly - but dominates in the middle of the Temple Space. His head almost touches the ceiling 4 or 5 stories above. Visitors enter and then travel to the right, around - behind - and then back out the same entrance area. There are also other statues inside.
In addition, one of the massive supporting timbers in the back of the temple has a hole cut into it at the base. Visitors form a long line - waiting for an opportunity to crawl through the narrow opening. Doing so brings good luck. Several students waited line :-)
We were able to tour a few other building and then need to return to the train station. Students then went home for evening meals. It was a fun day. Students enjoyed seeing Nara but also seeing each other. The seem to be having a good time :-)
Today is a family day. I am going out to lunch and then shopping with another family. Other students have other plans. Tomorrow is our last day here in Haibara with a Goodbye Party at the end of the day. Then we go for a tour of Osaka and an overnight before we return home.
I'll try to post photos later :-)
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Our First Family Day
Hi All,
Today was our first family day.
Each host family choose something fun in the area to show their guests (our kids :-)
I will see everyone in the morning and I am looking forward to hearing about everyone's day :-)
In the meanwhile, I will share my Family Day experience.
Today - after sleeping in a little and a wonderful breakfast - we left in the late morning by car. We took a route through the mountains along a gorgeous mountain lake, stopping once to view an image of The Buddha carved into a 75 foot tall rock face. It was carved 800 years ago and was pretty amazing. The setting was inspiring.
Then - before the days main activity - we stopped for lunch at a sushi restaurant that was just the coolest:-) When we came in, we put our name into a computer and were issued a ticket number. When our number was called, we were seated at a counter. In front of us, a continuous conveyor belt passed with a constant steam of food. You just reached out to take what you wanted. Items were placed on color coded plates & when we were finished, a waitress came by and tallied our lunch based upon the small plates we had accumulated. If you wanted a special order, each seat had an intercom to the kitchen where you could place an order. I tried ordering twice - with Mr. Ogawara's help :-) You then needed to watch the conveyor for you food which was labeled by your seat. If you missed it, it traveled through the whole restaurant before it came back to you. The food was very good - and novel. We had fun.
After lunch - we went to a castle in Iga City. It was very impressive and had the highest walls of any castle in Japan. I will try to post some photos in the morning before we leave for Nara. This castle and the area is known for it being the home of a Ninja "Academy" in the 1500's or so... We got to watch a fun demonstration of ninja skill - real ninja, not TV ninja! - and then Maddie Hengst and I got to try our hand at hitting a target with throwing stars. I was close, but Maddie was closer.
In the late afternoon, we made our way back home - stopping first at a grocery. Mrs. Ogawara made a meal of Gyoza & Yakisoba. It was delicious. Afterward, Maddie and I surprised the Ogawara's with a snack of freshmade popcorn (although we burned the bottom of her pan a little - ooops! The loved the snack and had not had it before. In Japan they have a similar snack made of puffed rice.
Anyway - it was a fun day. In the morning, we travel to Nara where I will get to hear about the other experiences that our kids had & I will share then later. I will also post photos.
Have a great day :-)
Sayonara,
Todd
Today was our first family day.
Each host family choose something fun in the area to show their guests (our kids :-)
I will see everyone in the morning and I am looking forward to hearing about everyone's day :-)
In the meanwhile, I will share my Family Day experience.
Today - after sleeping in a little and a wonderful breakfast - we left in the late morning by car. We took a route through the mountains along a gorgeous mountain lake, stopping once to view an image of The Buddha carved into a 75 foot tall rock face. It was carved 800 years ago and was pretty amazing. The setting was inspiring.
Then - before the days main activity - we stopped for lunch at a sushi restaurant that was just the coolest:-) When we came in, we put our name into a computer and were issued a ticket number. When our number was called, we were seated at a counter. In front of us, a continuous conveyor belt passed with a constant steam of food. You just reached out to take what you wanted. Items were placed on color coded plates & when we were finished, a waitress came by and tallied our lunch based upon the small plates we had accumulated. If you wanted a special order, each seat had an intercom to the kitchen where you could place an order. I tried ordering twice - with Mr. Ogawara's help :-) You then needed to watch the conveyor for you food which was labeled by your seat. If you missed it, it traveled through the whole restaurant before it came back to you. The food was very good - and novel. We had fun.
After lunch - we went to a castle in Iga City. It was very impressive and had the highest walls of any castle in Japan. I will try to post some photos in the morning before we leave for Nara. This castle and the area is known for it being the home of a Ninja "Academy" in the 1500's or so... We got to watch a fun demonstration of ninja skill - real ninja, not TV ninja! - and then Maddie Hengst and I got to try our hand at hitting a target with throwing stars. I was close, but Maddie was closer.
In the late afternoon, we made our way back home - stopping first at a grocery. Mrs. Ogawara made a meal of Gyoza & Yakisoba. It was delicious. Afterward, Maddie and I surprised the Ogawara's with a snack of freshmade popcorn (although we burned the bottom of her pan a little - ooops! The loved the snack and had not had it before. In Japan they have a similar snack made of puffed rice.
Anyway - it was a fun day. In the morning, we travel to Nara where I will get to hear about the other experiences that our kids had & I will share then later. I will also post photos.
Have a great day :-)
Sayonara,
Todd
Friday, March 26, 2010
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