Arigato Event. Many of us start to tremble just to hear the sound of it. Doing a “show” in Japan?! That might not be the greatest idea for those who are stage fright or simply think that they don’t have any special talent. So, why is the Arigato Event something so important for World Campus International?

It’s simple. You don’t have to be talented. You don’t have to feel comfortable on stage. You just need to put your heart into it.

We spent a wonderful week in Tama. We met fantastic people from the local community, college students and many others that were so, so kind to share with us their cultures and their lives. But, on the top of it all: we met and lived with the most marvellous host families that welcomed us into their houses and treated us as if we were their own children. How do we repay such kind of kindness?

Arigato Event is the key of it. The people from Tama, who made our week unforgettable, came to see us. Yes, we were nervous as hell – after all, we wanted to make something beautiful, something that our families and new friends could enjoy. We didn’t want to mess up! But no one was worried about talent. We just wanted to say, from the bottom of our hearts, “Arigato” – or “Thank You”, in English.

It worked. Arigato Event in Tama was very emotional – after all, it was our last day in the city. We had to say goodbye to many people who we considered friends already. Arigato Event made even more tight the bonds we created all week.

And yes, there were a lot of mistakes. Some people forgot their lines. Some other forgot their lyrics. Some even forgot the moves. But, honestly?

We all had the time of our lives. And we are certain that the Tama community had a great time too.

(Ana Margarida – Portugal)