Hello everyone,
Signing in from Seattle airport! The flight home was smooth and now we board a bus to Portland. Most everyone slept on the plane ride home. Feels good to be in familiar territory. I will post more pictures in the next few days. Keep in mind that photos included in the blog depended on timing, location, cooperation and internet. The groups were often divided and most of the photos came from my camera. There are many more photos from other cameras and I will create a group flickr for others to load pictures. Hope this worked well for everyone.
It was a great trip!!! These are great kids!!!
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Kyoto
Hello,
The Kobe group stopped today at the big Buddha in Nara. As you can see in the pictures, the grounds were swarming with deer. There was food for a fee and the deer would be your best friend if you had some! It was fun. We also went to Kiyumizu Temple and the Golden Pavilion. We met up with the Numazu group at the temples. We have settled into our hotel in Kyoto and everyone is very tired. Bags are being reorganized and after some final shopping in the morning, we will head to the airport. Japan is great but Portland is home. See you soon!
Rebecca
The Kobe group stopped today at the big Buddha in Nara. As you can see in the pictures, the grounds were swarming with deer. There was food for a fee and the deer would be your best friend if you had some! It was fun. We also went to Kiyumizu Temple and the Golden Pavilion. We met up with the Numazu group at the temples. We have settled into our hotel in Kyoto and everyone is very tired. Bags are being reorganized and after some final shopping in the morning, we will head to the airport. Japan is great but Portland is home. See you soon!
Rebecca
Monday, June 28, 2010
Last day in Kobe
Today, many of the Richmond students were taken to Universal Studios Japan for their last day. The chaperones did sight seeing or shopping, with the exception of me. I hung out at Universal Studios, took a few pictures, and got a little sunburned. The day wrapped up with a Chinese dinner with Yamomoto Sensei, his family, a few chaperones and students, and........ Japanese baseball legend,Tomoaki Kanemoto!!!! It was a great evening and tomorrow we leave for Kyoto. We will meet up with the Numazu group and visit some temples. We have had a great time but I think everyone is ready to sleep in their own beds and be with family back home.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Sumaura Celebration
Greetings parents and friends,
Tonight we had the Sumaura Music Festival in Kobe. There were over 400 guests so the school rented an auditorium. Sumaura students did performances and Richmond students did Taiko and the two songs they learned with Ritsuko. They sounded great! For Taiko, their sticks were high in the air and their energy was strong. When singing, they really projected and the audience clapped along. The pictures were taken during rehearsal and the lighting wasn't good so they didn't come out great but you can get the idea of the size of the stage and the auditorium. I think the Richmond students were really proud of what they had to offer. Both Ritsuko and Kazuyo Ito really deserve many many thanks. They taught the students very well. The after party had wonderful food and games. Tomorrow many of the Richmond students will go to Universal Studios in Kobe. I will be accompanying them to take pictures. It is hard to believe we only have a few more days in Japan. It has been a very positive experience for everyone.
Rebecca
Tonight we had the Sumaura Music Festival in Kobe. There were over 400 guests so the school rented an auditorium. Sumaura students did performances and Richmond students did Taiko and the two songs they learned with Ritsuko. They sounded great! For Taiko, their sticks were high in the air and their energy was strong. When singing, they really projected and the audience clapped along. The pictures were taken during rehearsal and the lighting wasn't good so they didn't come out great but you can get the idea of the size of the stage and the auditorium. I think the Richmond students were really proud of what they had to offer. Both Ritsuko and Kazuyo Ito really deserve many many thanks. They taught the students very well. The after party had wonderful food and games. Tomorrow many of the Richmond students will go to Universal Studios in Kobe. I will be accompanying them to take pictures. It is hard to believe we only have a few more days in Japan. It has been a very positive experience for everyone.
Rebecca
Friday, June 25, 2010
Greeting From Numazu
We made it to Numazu after a great visit to the Toyota Museum. There were hundreds of cars of all makes and models ranging from the first auto prototypes from the 1900's to space age personal vehicles that Toyota is working on. They even had a car that US president Franklin Delano Roosevelt used to ride in during his presidency "subarashi!!". We arrived in Numazu a little late due to traffic issues but the host families were there to meet us and were very excited to see all the kids.
Friday we toured the school and the school was awesome. The immersion program there is very similar to the one the at Richmond. The teachers were really dynamic and seemed positive and inspiring to all the students. The Numazu performance by the Richmond students was really top notch.
This weekend the kids spend with there host families and I have heard rumblings of outings to Tokyo for shopping and sporting events. It sounds like everyones having a great time.
Friday we toured the school and the school was awesome. The immersion program there is very similar to the one the at Richmond. The teachers were really dynamic and seemed positive and inspiring to all the students. The Numazu performance by the Richmond students was really top notch.
This weekend the kids spend with there host families and I have heard rumblings of outings to Tokyo for shopping and sporting events. It sounds like everyones having a great time.
The split
New pictures have been added doing traditional crafts / activities. The group was split for these activities so I apologize if all students are not included. Hopefully, Brad got pictures of the groups he was with and will post them soon. We made sasaras, then soba noodles and paper fans. We finished the long day with an onsen. This was the first onsen for many students. Overall, it was a positive experience for everyone. After spending the night in Gokoyama, Twenty-seven Richmond students and seven chaperones went to Sumaura Elementary school in Kobe, and the rest went on a separate bus to Numazu.
I am now reporting from Kobe. We arrived yesterday afternoon a little late because of a fire that caused congestion along our route. Today we spent the day at Sumaura. We were presented with handmade gifts from the primary grade students at a welcoming ceremony and, Richmond students gave speeches. We all spent time doing various activities in classrooms and played on the playground. The second half of the day we were taken by bus to the earthquake memorial museum and Kawasaki museum. It was interesting to learn that our relationship with Sumaura school began when Richmond students decided to collect relief money for Kobe after the 1995 earthquake that killed 6,434 people. The impact of this natural disaster on the city of Kobe was artfully reconstructed. The exhibit was very informative and fascinating. Tomorrow we have a tea ceremony and rehearsal in the morning at Sumaura school. The weather has been mild and cloudy. I hear we are missing Portland sun. Hopefully it will still be there when we return in FIVE days!
I am now reporting from Kobe. We arrived yesterday afternoon a little late because of a fire that caused congestion along our route. Today we spent the day at Sumaura. We were presented with handmade gifts from the primary grade students at a welcoming ceremony and, Richmond students gave speeches. We all spent time doing various activities in classrooms and played on the playground. The second half of the day we were taken by bus to the earthquake memorial museum and Kawasaki museum. It was interesting to learn that our relationship with Sumaura school began when Richmond students decided to collect relief money for Kobe after the 1995 earthquake that killed 6,434 people. The impact of this natural disaster on the city of Kobe was artfully reconstructed. The exhibit was very informative and fascinating. Tomorrow we have a tea ceremony and rehearsal in the morning at Sumaura school. The weather has been mild and cloudy. I hear we are missing Portland sun. Hopefully it will still be there when we return in FIVE days!
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Leaving Fukuno
Hello Richmond families and friends,
Today is Wednesday in Japan and we are leaving Fukuno. We are headed for a day of adventure making Sassaras, Japanese fans, and soba noodles. We will go to our first onsen tonight before heading to Shirakawa Village in Gokoyama. Tomorrow the group will split up and almost half the group will be traveling to Numazu. I will be traveling with the group that goes to Kobe. I have arranged for Brad to post pictures and updates on the blog from Numazu. He will write in a different color/font to distinguish Numazu from Kobe posts. Remember that you don’t have to have a flicker account to click on pictures and save them to your desktop to print. We will be in touch in the next couple of days.
Arigato
Rebecca
Today is Wednesday in Japan and we are leaving Fukuno. We are headed for a day of adventure making Sassaras, Japanese fans, and soba noodles. We will go to our first onsen tonight before heading to Shirakawa Village in Gokoyama. Tomorrow the group will split up and almost half the group will be traveling to Numazu. I will be traveling with the group that goes to Kobe. I have arranged for Brad to post pictures and updates on the blog from Numazu. He will write in a different color/font to distinguish Numazu from Kobe posts. Remember that you don’t have to have a flicker account to click on pictures and save them to your desktop to print. We will be in touch in the next couple of days.
Arigato
Rebecca
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