Tag Archives: Session 1 2017

Bamboo cutting and mosquitoes in Omuta

Bamboo crafting in Omuta
Bamboo crafting in Omuta

“Another day another dollar” is an American phrase with the meaning of “everything is as usual”. Well why am I telling you this? Because it is NOT and ordinary day, AND neither am I an American!

World famous World Campus Japan had its day at a bamboo forest! Bamboo forests also known as “mosquitoes’ heaven” are quite fun. First, we cleaned out path through the forest reaching the bamboo tree. After that we got equipment to cut down the bamboo tree. Several minutes later we then made cups, chop sticks, and a flute which is barely tuned in C#. We had lunch inside a shrine and had a great time. Then he had to make stamps for a rally, we had a great ol’ jolly time!

When it came time to say goodbye it was very difficult but luckily everyone survived besides Yana who cut her leg off during the chopsticks craft sessions. To finish off such a spectacular day of course we had to go to a shopping mall. World Campus was generous enough to supply all its participants with 1 hour of walking around the mall! If it seems like a short time you can look at it as 60 minutes or 1/24 of a day (you see, it’s all a matter of perspective…) Being provided with such a wide variety of products I thought to myself why not be more organized and get a backpack like the rest of the WCJ members? Exploring the mall realizing how little i like shopping and spending money, I bought a Ghost Pokemon type bag. It doesn’t make me more organized but at least I look cool while being messy.

Thank you, World Campus Japan.

Sami Batescoff (Israel)

Host family day in Kumamoto

Charlotte making soba noodles with her host family
Charlotte making soba noodles with her host family
Charlotte with her host family at the soba restaurant
Charlotte with her host family at the soba restaurant

Even though we couldn’t complete the original plan of going on a boat ride to see dolphins because of the predicted storm, I had so much fun! Instead of going to the coast we went up into the mountains. Coming from the Netherlands, where there are no mountains at all, it was amazing to see all the sights. We never saw the predicted storm but the mountains shrouded in clouds were very beautiful.

After stopping a few times to see the view we arrived at our first destination: a soba restaurant where you can make and then eat your own soba. After mixing the dough you roll it out into a big square, then fold it a few times and cut it to make the long soba noodles. They may not have been the prettiest, but they were the best I’ve ever tasted!

On the way back to Kumamoto we stopped at the Shirakawa fountainhead, a spring where you can see the fresh water bubble up. This water becomes the big Shirakawa river that flows through Kumamoto city. The small shrine there is very old and placed in a very quiet piece of forest, it was a very peaceful place.

During all these car rides we were watching the movie finding Dory. I’m still not used to the fact that so many Japanese cars have a television screen installed in the dashboard. This television doesn’t only play DVD’s but can show live TV as well.

When we arrived back home I taught my two host sisters the ninja game, which they proceeded to play for the rest of the afternoon and evening. In between they also found time to teach me a counting game where you have to name the right amount of raised fingers and two card games as well.

After having made our own lunch of soba noodles we also made our own dinner, takoyaki! You have to turn these small balls of dough filled with octopus and anything else you want around very quickly in one movement so they become nice and round. My host sisters (11 and 7 years old) were very good at it. I was not.

Because this was the last day in Kumamoto and with this host family I felt a bit sad to have to leave so soon after meeting them. I’m looking forward to meeting a new host family in Omuta, but leaving my Kumamoto host family will be very difficult because my stay there was so amazing!

Charlotte Lamping (The Netherlands)

Arigato Event 2: The Technical Guy

Today was the last organized activity day of the visit to Kumamoto city. We spent the entire day at the Prefectural University of Kumamoto, where at first we were given a presentation regarding the general demeanor of the Japanese people. I found this very interesting, as it went in depth on how the average Japanese person thinks, and how past events helped shape their current behavior.

The rest of the day was pretty much dedicated to rehearsing and doing the Arigato Event. As the staff member on tour responsible for the technical aspects, my job was at this point just to run the correct music at the correct time, and ensure that all the pieces went in order and that the volume for the different pieces was correct. However, during this particular event, I was also given the extra task of timing how long we took on each individual part of the event. This was a little bit of a challenge, just due to remembering to write down the time every time it was necessary. However, I believe that the event was held very successfully, and it seemed like the audience was entertained throughout our little show.

I was also charged with making the slideshow for this event, and although I didn’t get any feedback as of writing this, I think it went well considering I only had three days’ worth of pictures and videos to choose from. The day in general felt really good, and I’m pumped for continuing with the program!

Simen Solumn (Norway)

Today we went to a university

Charlotte with origami roses in Prefectural University of Kumamoto
Charlotte with origami roses in Prefectural University of Kumamoto

First, we tried to break the Ice by having a little chat so we lined up in two rows, World Campus members in one line and high school students in the other. After one minute of talking, we changed our partners.

Later we had lunch together. Sadly, some of the students were very shy so I didn’t have a very deep conversation, but I think everyone gave their best. After lunch, we tried to make friends with an origami master by bribing him with licorice. Unfortunately, the taste of salty sweets seems to be new for Japanese. The origami master then showed us how to fold a rose.

We probably could have folded paper for the rest of the day because that was so much fun.
Last thing at this day was a lecture about nonverbal communication and its differences in different cultures. For example, counting with fingers and gestures like “come here”. The differences between cultures and gestures was interesting.

Michael Buehlmann (Switzerland)