The Lafayette Times and the Louisville Times both ran the same story about our trip. Aside from the few factual errors (the team we played in March was a mixed boys and girls team; the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb museum was not about Hiroshima; the Kumomoto coaches didn't rearrange the tournament schedule - the tournament sponsors did), it's a nice story. Thanks to Ken Forman for alerting the paper!
Here's the link: http://www.coloradohometownnews.com/sports-story.asp?ID=4410
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Videos from Greg - 3 - The President Gets a Shout Out
There is a video here - just click on the arrow.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
From Felisa
The last three days of the group trip were a blur. I can say that, on the main, our girls remained in good spirits despite the long days. Everyone took off for their separate destinations after heartfelt and somewhat tearful goodbyes. Joe and Tara boarded the plane from Fukuoka with the bulk of the girls. In a change of plans, Coach Oscar and the entire traveling team (less Formans, Ciaglos and Andersons) went by bus to see them off at Fukuoka. At curbside, he reminded them that while they have had a wonderful, activity filled week, yet the critical part of the journey was still ahead of them. . . staying together and arriving home safely to Denver. As I see no emails saying "where are our kids?", I am hopeful that everyone got home who was supposed to get home. It was a great trip for us all.
From Fukuoka train station, the Pattersons met with their Japanese family. The Marcias, Veros and Matinos were trepidatious with our next jaunt, but we managed to get reservations for the Hikari to Kyoto. Once on the train, we started with an Asahi toast to the success to the international exchange. Thanks to everyone who contributed to making this experience possible; it will be remembered by all. As Coach Yamada said, we are now family. And, FYI, he expects an invitation to the wedding of the first girl to marry!
The Forman travelling group left directly from Arao City for a stop at Nara prior to Kyoto. As it turns out, though, we ran into both groups at different times in the area near our ryokan (Higashiyama). Dahlia has been terribly amused with Peter's (aka Family Guy's) antics. I found on this trip that Joseph, too, is now ready for college . . he was able to point out where to go for beer!
We had dinner with Vero/Matino group our first night in Kyoto. It was great to walk up to a restaurant, realize there was a 1200 yen/per person table fee and have another person say "NO WAY". It was on the canal, but come on, we're happy to pay for food, but not just to sit down. As it was, we found a great meal in a private room and, again, found reason to toast our good luck and good friends.
Kyoto was an interesting juxtaposition of new and old. We stayed in a ryokan that was established over 100 years ago. The family run inn was the ultimate in understated and subdued comfort. We were greeted with cold tea and exquisite cakes. The ritual was repeated every afternoon. We ate traditional japanese breakfasts. It is true that we did not always know what we were eating, but Oscar and I found it an epicurian delight;I particularly enjoyed the first morning because the kids slept in an skipped breakfast. The tranquility of the ryokan permitted us a leisurely pace and many naps. The evening shower and traditional bath afforded me a relaxed sleep.
Just outside the doors of the ryokan we could find geisha, a french coffee house and so many shrines that it was impossible to stop at them all. The highlights of our visit, though, were the 2/3 scale imperial palace (the original was destroyed) with its immaculate gardens and the Gion Days fesival parade late one night. Tens of men carried golden shrines (we saw the largest in Japan, weighing as much as a car) through the streets. (Think Semana Santa in Sevilla or Latin America) Each shrine held a soul wanting to escape and get home. Amazingly, the men would lift and shake the shrine throughout the walk.
Today, we left Kyoto for Tokyo. We were unable to see Mt. Fuji from the train as it was quite overcast. We plan to visit the Gibli Museum (dedicated to Hiyo Miyazaki's studio films) and take in a Tokyo Giants game. If time permits, we'll make a side trip to Mt. Fuji. But no climbing it this time.
Regards to all,
Felisa
From Fukuoka train station, the Pattersons met with their Japanese family. The Marcias, Veros and Matinos were trepidatious with our next jaunt, but we managed to get reservations for the Hikari to Kyoto. Once on the train, we started with an Asahi toast to the success to the international exchange. Thanks to everyone who contributed to making this experience possible; it will be remembered by all. As Coach Yamada said, we are now family. And, FYI, he expects an invitation to the wedding of the first girl to marry!
The Forman travelling group left directly from Arao City for a stop at Nara prior to Kyoto. As it turns out, though, we ran into both groups at different times in the area near our ryokan (Higashiyama). Dahlia has been terribly amused with Peter's (aka Family Guy's) antics. I found on this trip that Joseph, too, is now ready for college . . he was able to point out where to go for beer!
We had dinner with Vero/Matino group our first night in Kyoto. It was great to walk up to a restaurant, realize there was a 1200 yen/per person table fee and have another person say "NO WAY". It was on the canal, but come on, we're happy to pay for food, but not just to sit down. As it was, we found a great meal in a private room and, again, found reason to toast our good luck and good friends.
Kyoto was an interesting juxtaposition of new and old. We stayed in a ryokan that was established over 100 years ago. The family run inn was the ultimate in understated and subdued comfort. We were greeted with cold tea and exquisite cakes. The ritual was repeated every afternoon. We ate traditional japanese breakfasts. It is true that we did not always know what we were eating, but Oscar and I found it an epicurian delight;I particularly enjoyed the first morning because the kids slept in an skipped breakfast. The tranquility of the ryokan permitted us a leisurely pace and many naps. The evening shower and traditional bath afforded me a relaxed sleep.
Just outside the doors of the ryokan we could find geisha, a french coffee house and so many shrines that it was impossible to stop at them all. The highlights of our visit, though, were the 2/3 scale imperial palace (the original was destroyed) with its immaculate gardens and the Gion Days fesival parade late one night. Tens of men carried golden shrines (we saw the largest in Japan, weighing as much as a car) through the streets. (Think Semana Santa in Sevilla or Latin America) Each shrine held a soul wanting to escape and get home. Amazingly, the men would lift and shake the shrine throughout the walk.
Today, we left Kyoto for Tokyo. We were unable to see Mt. Fuji from the train as it was quite overcast. We plan to visit the Gibli Museum (dedicated to Hiyo Miyazaki's studio films) and take in a Tokyo Giants game. If time permits, we'll make a side trip to Mt. Fuji. But no climbing it this time.
Regards to all,
Felisa
Friday, July 24, 2009
We're home safely
We made it. Tara and I, Claire, Chase, Kyle, Caity, Belle, Whitney, Cassie, Dani, Ivy, Brynna and Amelia survived the 25 hour journey with only a few hassles. Our only complaint was that the airplane food was awful. Sleeping was the rule, no matter how hard we tried to stay awake. At one point, I couldn't see any of the girls because they were sleeping on each other. It was very sweet.
Our journey started with a great send-off from Sanvino (and the hotel staff) after some last minute on-the-spot repacking to avoid overweight luggage charges. Fortunately, I had received a great soccer bag as a gift, and several of the girls made use of it. Somehow, though, I got stuck with many pairs of cleats and shin guards (when I got home, Michele practically feinted from the smell!!) Many of our hosts and I think all of the Sanvino players accompanied us on the bus to Fukuoka airport. There were plenty of tears and hugs when we finally arrived and had to leave our new friends at the security checkpoint. As we waited at the gate (our flight was delayed because of a mechanical issue), there were plenty of sad faces. Nobody was ready to leave yet!!
But once we were underway, we were all eager to get home. Our first flight was short, and we had plenty of time of last-minute shopping in Narita airport and a quick lunch. Then came the long flight across the Pacific - Dani and Tara got upgraded to business class - lucky them - but to be honest, coach was comfortable enough. There was a collective hurray when we finally got off the plane in Los Angeles. We cleared immigration and customs quickly, and then had nearly 3 hours to kill in LA, so we took an 8 minute forced march from the international terminal to the United Terminal (at the opposite end of the airport) because we needed the exercise at that point. Then it was sit and wait, Starbucks Frappacino's ruled, and some of us even napped. Finally, we were boarding our last flight and it was off to Denver.
No surprise, parents were waiting for us, and Michele even brought an American flag to welcome us home. There were lots of happy faces and hugs. Before we headed off to baggage claim I made a point of calling everyone together and letting our parents know how great our girls did and how proud they should be of them. I certainly am - I go with these girls on another trip in a heartbeat.
So that's it for our soccer exchange, though the memories and impacts of this trip will last for years to come, I'm sure of it. Thanks to everyone who made this possible, and to all of you who followed our trip on this blog.
Our journey started with a great send-off from Sanvino (and the hotel staff) after some last minute on-the-spot repacking to avoid overweight luggage charges. Fortunately, I had received a great soccer bag as a gift, and several of the girls made use of it. Somehow, though, I got stuck with many pairs of cleats and shin guards (when I got home, Michele practically feinted from the smell!!) Many of our hosts and I think all of the Sanvino players accompanied us on the bus to Fukuoka airport. There were plenty of tears and hugs when we finally arrived and had to leave our new friends at the security checkpoint. As we waited at the gate (our flight was delayed because of a mechanical issue), there were plenty of sad faces. Nobody was ready to leave yet!!
But once we were underway, we were all eager to get home. Our first flight was short, and we had plenty of time of last-minute shopping in Narita airport and a quick lunch. Then came the long flight across the Pacific - Dani and Tara got upgraded to business class - lucky them - but to be honest, coach was comfortable enough. There was a collective hurray when we finally got off the plane in Los Angeles. We cleared immigration and customs quickly, and then had nearly 3 hours to kill in LA, so we took an 8 minute forced march from the international terminal to the United Terminal (at the opposite end of the airport) because we needed the exercise at that point. Then it was sit and wait, Starbucks Frappacino's ruled, and some of us even napped. Finally, we were boarding our last flight and it was off to Denver.
No surprise, parents were waiting for us, and Michele even brought an American flag to welcome us home. There were lots of happy faces and hugs. Before we headed off to baggage claim I made a point of calling everyone together and letting our parents know how great our girls did and how proud they should be of them. I certainly am - I go with these girls on another trip in a heartbeat.
So that's it for our soccer exchange, though the memories and impacts of this trip will last for years to come, I'm sure of it. Thanks to everyone who made this possible, and to all of you who followed our trip on this blog.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Our last day in Japan
It's just after midnight, and I've just finished the last full day of our visit to Japan. What a day it was, and I still have to pack! So please forgive the brevity of this post - but you'll see us in just a day.
We had a long bus ride this morning to the soba noodle center, but in what was the icing on the cake for this trip, we got to witness today's solar eclipse. The maximum coverage was at 10:56 AM here, and what a sight it was. In this part of Japan, the sun was 92% occluded, looking something like the sliver of the new moon. We lucked out in that it was an overcast day, so that we could actually view the eclipse with the aid of the Mylar candy wrappers that were all over the bus. WAY COOL! There were some great pictures, and I'll try to post some when I get back to Colorado. Thanks to Sanvino for thoughtfully arranging a near-total solar eclipse during our visit!!
After stopping to watch the eclipse, we continued our journey to the noodle school, where we learned how to make soba (buckwheat) noodles - and then we at them. Yummmy!! Then it was off to Mt. Aso, an active volanco. Very cool, and stinky! Vendors were selling chunks of pure, yellow sulfur - we wanted to buy some, but were afraid they'd be confiscated since sulfur can be a bomb-making material. Still, there was plenty of shopping at the volcano, just like at any tourist attraction in the U.S.
Then it was a long trip back to Arao. We arrived 1.5 hours later than scheduled and had to rush immediately into the farewell party since the mayor of Arao was already there. Nonetheless, we acquitted ourselves honorably and had a great time. Many speeches and gifts and hand shakes and bows, some tears, lots of hugs and smiles, and a wonderful send-off. Oscar and I sat with the Mayor and the other officials, and we had a wonderful conversation with the Mayor about democracy and ways in which our two countries pursue our versions it. I had a fascinating time, and all the Arao officials were gracious and seemed genuinely glad and proud to have hosted us for the week.
Time for me to pack, but I just want to say this for the record. As many of you know, I have visited a great many countries in my life and in all those travels I can honestly say that the Japanese people are the most gracious, kind, and warm-hearted people I've met. The Sanvino parents were generous beyond belief, and I leave here feeling that I've made friends for life. Thank you to Hiro and Tara for making this trip possible and to everyone who made our stay in Japan a wonderful, memorable experience. I want to thank all the parents and siblings who came along - Peter, Ann, Greg, Terri, Bill, Pat, Paul, Felisa, Carol, Sharon, Joey, Dahlia, Reed, Dylan, Emiko, and JoJo (in no particular order) - you added laughter and friendship and were wonderful travel companions. Thanks, too, to all of the parents and siblings and our two teammates who didn't come - Lauren and Cindy; we missed you and thank you for sending us on our way with love and friendship. But above all, I want to thank Oscar and the young woman of the Trebol U15 team who came on this trip - Chase, Kyle, Belle, Amelia, Ivy, Brynna, Whitney, Cassie, Dani, Caity, Katie, Midori, Kayla, Haley, Natalie, alumna Shanlie, and my daughter Claire who have allowed me to be Coach Joe and be part of one of the most memorable trips of my life. It was an honor to be in Japan with you all.
We had a long bus ride this morning to the soba noodle center, but in what was the icing on the cake for this trip, we got to witness today's solar eclipse. The maximum coverage was at 10:56 AM here, and what a sight it was. In this part of Japan, the sun was 92% occluded, looking something like the sliver of the new moon. We lucked out in that it was an overcast day, so that we could actually view the eclipse with the aid of the Mylar candy wrappers that were all over the bus. WAY COOL! There were some great pictures, and I'll try to post some when I get back to Colorado. Thanks to Sanvino for thoughtfully arranging a near-total solar eclipse during our visit!!
After stopping to watch the eclipse, we continued our journey to the noodle school, where we learned how to make soba (buckwheat) noodles - and then we at them. Yummmy!! Then it was off to Mt. Aso, an active volanco. Very cool, and stinky! Vendors were selling chunks of pure, yellow sulfur - we wanted to buy some, but were afraid they'd be confiscated since sulfur can be a bomb-making material. Still, there was plenty of shopping at the volcano, just like at any tourist attraction in the U.S.
Then it was a long trip back to Arao. We arrived 1.5 hours later than scheduled and had to rush immediately into the farewell party since the mayor of Arao was already there. Nonetheless, we acquitted ourselves honorably and had a great time. Many speeches and gifts and hand shakes and bows, some tears, lots of hugs and smiles, and a wonderful send-off. Oscar and I sat with the Mayor and the other officials, and we had a wonderful conversation with the Mayor about democracy and ways in which our two countries pursue our versions it. I had a fascinating time, and all the Arao officials were gracious and seemed genuinely glad and proud to have hosted us for the week.
Time for me to pack, but I just want to say this for the record. As many of you know, I have visited a great many countries in my life and in all those travels I can honestly say that the Japanese people are the most gracious, kind, and warm-hearted people I've met. The Sanvino parents were generous beyond belief, and I leave here feeling that I've made friends for life. Thank you to Hiro and Tara for making this trip possible and to everyone who made our stay in Japan a wonderful, memorable experience. I want to thank all the parents and siblings who came along - Peter, Ann, Greg, Terri, Bill, Pat, Paul, Felisa, Carol, Sharon, Joey, Dahlia, Reed, Dylan, Emiko, and JoJo (in no particular order) - you added laughter and friendship and were wonderful travel companions. Thanks, too, to all of the parents and siblings and our two teammates who didn't come - Lauren and Cindy; we missed you and thank you for sending us on our way with love and friendship. But above all, I want to thank Oscar and the young woman of the Trebol U15 team who came on this trip - Chase, Kyle, Belle, Amelia, Ivy, Brynna, Whitney, Cassie, Dani, Caity, Katie, Midori, Kayla, Haley, Natalie, alumna Shanlie, and my daughter Claire who have allowed me to be Coach Joe and be part of one of the most memorable trips of my life. It was an honor to be in Japan with you all.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
And in case you can't get enough here...
Paul Vero is also blogging about the trip. Go to http://japanjuly09.blogspot.com
It's really worth it!
It's really worth it!
From Felisa - pottery and soccer
7-11. The convenience store. Slurpees? Sorry, but no. Lottery? Not today. Japanese style was different, yet incredibly similar. Refridgerators against the walls. Newspapers at the front. Atm? Check. Bottled soda? Check. Junk food? Check. Candy? Check. Kitschy paraphanalia? Absolutely. But lets venture out a bit. Sushi, onegiri, and mini bento boxes galore packed in miniature sushi trays (like the ones you can pick up at our grocery stores). The clerk (in this case the owner) will put it in the microwave and heat if for you. And lest we not forget, the hot water dispenser for the cup of noodles or cup of tea. 7-11. Pronounced "seboon eleboon". The preferred quick lunch stop for the full day pottery hunters.
I would have gone to Greenland instead of making the pottery rounds. REALLY. But once Oscar said we had enough chaperones for the rainy amusement park, it was not hard to imagine how quickly my mind was made up. And all for the better. With the indispensible help of Bill's Japanese, Michael's directional sense and Carol's adventuresome nature (have you seen how narrow some of these roads are?), we spent 4 hours taking a potter's tour.
We were so very impressed with Bill when he got us to the first place. Big parking lot, big smokestack. Lots of cars. He pushed the intercom by the door. (It triggerred some vague recollection from my days in Europe. Remember that, Sharon Sargent?) Bill stated the essential sumimasen (and a lot of other words I don't know) and the owner said ie. No. It was not a potter's studio. More words passed. Lo and behold, before we could even say "go trebol", an older woman appeared. She had come outside to greet us and point us on our way. Ann gave her a Trebol sticker for her troubles. Go, Ann.
Back at the hotel, we met Coach Yamata for an early dinner. It was a walk across the street to a "sushi train" restaurant. Little plates moving around on a conveyer belt. No waiting. Think Hot Shoppes (or McDonald's) with sashimi on tapas plates. Worth doing once. Funny thing is, over half the adults went twice in the same day. I think there is such a thing as too much sushi. Or at least too much mercury.
The soccer games in the evening were beyond my expectations. Coach Joe has already blogged about the games. Now it's his turn to hear what he missed, through no fault of his own, by being on the sidelines coaching.
It was so much fun. All three teams brought parents and boosters. You could smell the excitement in the air. I took on my customary role . . . being loud and cheering. Lionel, you were sorely missed. One curucurpai gaijin was probably enough. Your presence might have altered the world's chi (qi). The poor girls had a hard time because they were on the same side of the field as parents. My chants were distracting. I didn't care. I was in Japan. I was watching good soccer. I was cheering Oscar and Joe and every single player. I was an ambassador for soccer fans the world over. And boy was I loud!!
But the true ambassadors were our team. They performed like diplomats and heads of state. They have every reason to be proud.
I would have gone to Greenland instead of making the pottery rounds. REALLY. But once Oscar said we had enough chaperones for the rainy amusement park, it was not hard to imagine how quickly my mind was made up. And all for the better. With the indispensible help of Bill's Japanese, Michael's directional sense and Carol's adventuresome nature (have you seen how narrow some of these roads are?), we spent 4 hours taking a potter's tour.
We were so very impressed with Bill when he got us to the first place. Big parking lot, big smokestack. Lots of cars. He pushed the intercom by the door. (It triggerred some vague recollection from my days in Europe. Remember that, Sharon Sargent?) Bill stated the essential sumimasen (and a lot of other words I don't know) and the owner said ie. No. It was not a potter's studio. More words passed. Lo and behold, before we could even say "go trebol", an older woman appeared. She had come outside to greet us and point us on our way. Ann gave her a Trebol sticker for her troubles. Go, Ann.
Back at the hotel, we met Coach Yamata for an early dinner. It was a walk across the street to a "sushi train" restaurant. Little plates moving around on a conveyer belt. No waiting. Think Hot Shoppes (or McDonald's) with sashimi on tapas plates. Worth doing once. Funny thing is, over half the adults went twice in the same day. I think there is such a thing as too much sushi. Or at least too much mercury.
The soccer games in the evening were beyond my expectations. Coach Joe has already blogged about the games. Now it's his turn to hear what he missed, through no fault of his own, by being on the sidelines coaching.
It was so much fun. All three teams brought parents and boosters. You could smell the excitement in the air. I took on my customary role . . . being loud and cheering. Lionel, you were sorely missed. One curucurpai gaijin was probably enough. Your presence might have altered the world's chi (qi). The poor girls had a hard time because they were on the same side of the field as parents. My chants were distracting. I didn't care. I was in Japan. I was watching good soccer. I was cheering Oscar and Joe and every single player. I was an ambassador for soccer fans the world over. And boy was I loud!!
But the true ambassadors were our team. They performed like diplomats and heads of state. They have every reason to be proud.
Our day in Nagasaki
Yesterday's soccer matches were meaningful for several reasons: they gave us coaches a means of measuring how the girls were doing in assimilating the new, international style that Coach Oscar has been teaching this summer, and they represented in the most concrete manner the international exchange itself. Our girls were introduced to some of the pomp and circumstance associated with international soccer, from lining up to greet the opposing team before the game to bowing to the other team afterward.
But whatever the significance of yesterday's events, today's trip to Nagasaki will, I hope, be what sticks the most in the minds of our girls. Even now, hours after being there, it is hard for me to write about our experience at the museum without breaking into tears. It is hard to express in words how moving an experience it was to tour the Atomic Bomb Museum. I for one struggled to retain my composure almost from the very minute we arrived at the museum, and I know that I wasn't the only one to experience a profound sadness at witnessing in such an intimate manner the horrors of war, and particularly of nuclear war. I'm sorry that I cannot describe in writing what it was like to tour the museum; it's too hard for me and I will leave it up to each of you to talk to our girls when we get home and have them tell you about the experience. I would recommend, though, that if any of you ever have the chance to come to Japan, this museum is a must visit as far as I'm concerned. I will add, though, that our daughters treated their visit to the museum with the utmost respect, and for that, I am very proud of them, and you should be, too. You should also know that after we left and had lunch at a Nagasaki restaurant that Oscar called us all together on the banks of the river, in a quiet spot, and talked to the kids and adults about the museum and let them talk about how the museum impacted them. It was a beautiful moment, and we all owe Oscar a big thanks for the way in which he helped us all deal with the emotions of seeing the effects of an atomic bomb blast. I also must say that seeing the way our daughters reacted and hearing what they had to say about our visit to the museum gives me hope for the future of our world.
Fortunately, our next stop was the Peace Park, which was close to the epicenter of the bomb blast that devastated Nagasaki on August 9, 1945. For me, this park was the yin to the museum's yang, a place where peace and hopefulness, not war and hopelessness, were the theme. It was a healing place, and I'm very glad we had time to wander through the park and see the many statues and fountains that countries around the world had donated in the name of peace. Our visit to the Peace Park certainly gave me comfort and helped heal my wounded soul. I hope it did the same for your daughters.
It almost seems trite to write about the rest of our day, but I will for the sake of completeness. We started the day with a short bus ride to the Ariake ferry, which took us across the bay in a mere 45 minutes. From there, we reboarded our bus and headed to Nagasaki, stopping briefly at a rest stop/souvenir shop, where many of us bought things to bring home for family and friends. Once our visit to Nagasaki was complete, we headed for the Taso Outlet Mall, a thoroughly American experience - we could have been at any outlet mall anywhere in the U.S. What was interesting to me, though, was that our girls realized this right away and used the time to talk and walk rather than shop - way to go, ladies!
The day ended on a big positive in my mind - a thoroughly enjoyable evening with the Ikejiri family, which hosted Chase and my daughter Claire. Though at times we struggled with the language barried, I had a wonderfully delightful time, and I just hope that they did, too.
Tomorrow is our last full day in Japan. I can't believe the time has zoomed by, even though I knew it would. As I reflect on today and the week we've had so far, I'm struck by a couple of thoughts. Perhaps most importantly, I've seen nothing but the best from our daughters, and you shouldbe extremely proud of them. They have represented our team, our club, our state,our country - and themselves - extremely well, and not just on the soccer field. But I've also seem them grow right before my eyes. Think about it - these girls have taken an amazing journey to a far away country just as they are about to start a new chapter in their lives with the impending start of high school. I was talking with Oscar and we both agreed that this trip couldn't have been better timed in that respect, and I think I speak for Oscar as well as myself when I say that I hope this trip will give them a big boost as they enter high school. I see the way they've have carried themselves here and I feel nothing but pride for them, and have little doubt that they will have a leg up on their fellow freshman in the year(s) ahead. I think we all owe Oscar, Hiro and Tara, as well as ourselves, for making this journey a reality. Way to go, Trebol!
But whatever the significance of yesterday's events, today's trip to Nagasaki will, I hope, be what sticks the most in the minds of our girls. Even now, hours after being there, it is hard for me to write about our experience at the museum without breaking into tears. It is hard to express in words how moving an experience it was to tour the Atomic Bomb Museum. I for one struggled to retain my composure almost from the very minute we arrived at the museum, and I know that I wasn't the only one to experience a profound sadness at witnessing in such an intimate manner the horrors of war, and particularly of nuclear war. I'm sorry that I cannot describe in writing what it was like to tour the museum; it's too hard for me and I will leave it up to each of you to talk to our girls when we get home and have them tell you about the experience. I would recommend, though, that if any of you ever have the chance to come to Japan, this museum is a must visit as far as I'm concerned. I will add, though, that our daughters treated their visit to the museum with the utmost respect, and for that, I am very proud of them, and you should be, too. You should also know that after we left and had lunch at a Nagasaki restaurant that Oscar called us all together on the banks of the river, in a quiet spot, and talked to the kids and adults about the museum and let them talk about how the museum impacted them. It was a beautiful moment, and we all owe Oscar a big thanks for the way in which he helped us all deal with the emotions of seeing the effects of an atomic bomb blast. I also must say that seeing the way our daughters reacted and hearing what they had to say about our visit to the museum gives me hope for the future of our world.
Fortunately, our next stop was the Peace Park, which was close to the epicenter of the bomb blast that devastated Nagasaki on August 9, 1945. For me, this park was the yin to the museum's yang, a place where peace and hopefulness, not war and hopelessness, were the theme. It was a healing place, and I'm very glad we had time to wander through the park and see the many statues and fountains that countries around the world had donated in the name of peace. Our visit to the Peace Park certainly gave me comfort and helped heal my wounded soul. I hope it did the same for your daughters.
It almost seems trite to write about the rest of our day, but I will for the sake of completeness. We started the day with a short bus ride to the Ariake ferry, which took us across the bay in a mere 45 minutes. From there, we reboarded our bus and headed to Nagasaki, stopping briefly at a rest stop/souvenir shop, where many of us bought things to bring home for family and friends. Once our visit to Nagasaki was complete, we headed for the Taso Outlet Mall, a thoroughly American experience - we could have been at any outlet mall anywhere in the U.S. What was interesting to me, though, was that our girls realized this right away and used the time to talk and walk rather than shop - way to go, ladies!
The day ended on a big positive in my mind - a thoroughly enjoyable evening with the Ikejiri family, which hosted Chase and my daughter Claire. Though at times we struggled with the language barried, I had a wonderfully delightful time, and I just hope that they did, too.
Tomorrow is our last full day in Japan. I can't believe the time has zoomed by, even though I knew it would. As I reflect on today and the week we've had so far, I'm struck by a couple of thoughts. Perhaps most importantly, I've seen nothing but the best from our daughters, and you shouldbe extremely proud of them. They have represented our team, our club, our state,our country - and themselves - extremely well, and not just on the soccer field. But I've also seem them grow right before my eyes. Think about it - these girls have taken an amazing journey to a far away country just as they are about to start a new chapter in their lives with the impending start of high school. I was talking with Oscar and we both agreed that this trip couldn't have been better timed in that respect, and I think I speak for Oscar as well as myself when I say that I hope this trip will give them a big boost as they enter high school. I see the way they've have carried themselves here and I feel nothing but pride for them, and have little doubt that they will have a leg up on their fellow freshman in the year(s) ahead. I think we all owe Oscar, Hiro and Tara, as well as ourselves, for making this journey a reality. Way to go, Trebol!
More from Felisa
Somehow I lost a night. It's hard to recall today's events; I have to comment on the missed day before I forget. From what I have seen, the photos and emails of bowling (which I did not attend) and the barbeque were thorough. Let me just say, however, that the noodle run made us look eerily akin to pigs at the trough.
Sunday was FANTASTIC. Sure, it was hot (thankfully, we had cloud cover much of the time). And, yes, the sand was itchy. Nothing new here. But the joy on the faces of all the kids and the absolutely fanciful, almost fantastical nature of playing volleyball in such beautiful surroundings practically wiped out any irritation, of unknown origin, that brought the girls running out of the water almost as soon as they got in. Ah, but I get ahead of myself. That was after the games had concluded.
Before we even started, Oscar told the girls to have fun. He emphasized that games were their reward for all the hard work they had put in to get to Japan. It was not a competitive tournament. Second, they took it to heart. Third, they looked GREAT! Having seen them practice sand soccer back home, I almost didn't recognize them. They moved the ball fast, passed well, and smiled almost the whole time. Our host families provided a ton of water, juice, soda, and bento boxes for lunch. The shave ice was a particular hit. Bathing in a barrel was an added bonus.
In the afternoon, we moved on to Kumamoto Castle. Michael's pictures speak volumes. The pictures, however, fail to capture two of the most important aspects of the two hours. I hope that you will forgive my impertinence, Michael, but where, pray tell, is the sweat? Lest you forget, we spent two hours in a sauna. Indoors, outdoors, upstairs, downstairs, Castle, Palace. Everywhere was sweat. People were fighting each other for a breeze; they were praying the next building would be air conditioned; they were stepping around no entrance signs to intake one cool breath from the only air conditioner they could find. And it wasn't only the gaijin. I saw Japanese doing it, too.
But the most amusing and, unless I am mistaken, also unphotograped event was unfolding as Oscar and I exited the palace. We saw some of our group sitting inside a small building. And who's hanging out? Pete, among other. I thought there must have been some English language presentation. I wanted to head over to hear what was keeping Pete entranced for so long. What, I wondered was going on in that building? Have you guesed yet? The attraction was the air conditioning. Good air conditioning. Cold air conditioning.
The doors were made of two fabric panels. Outside it was 98 degrees with 98% humiditiy. But this building had the best air conditioning I've yet felt anywhere in Japan. Unless you count the cars. The building must hold a masterpiece, I thought. Something that required temperature and humidity control. Well, it did if you think Pete's in that category (I know he does) Alas, in this case, the main attraction was the vending machines. Yes, you got it, this was the refreshment area. If it had afforded us showers and a change of clothes it might have come closer to fulfilling it's name.
The place, I mean the Palace, was amazing, though.
Finally, you guessed it, the families cooked us dinner for the umpteenth time. The beach had taken it out of everyone. Some had slept on the bus back. Others, Oscar included, were almost too tired to eat. The girls, you ask? Still playing around and keeping it light. The food? It was oyshii (delicious). And no nuts. We were all happy (ureshii).
More tomorrow on today. Oyasuminasai or good night.
Sunday was FANTASTIC. Sure, it was hot (thankfully, we had cloud cover much of the time). And, yes, the sand was itchy. Nothing new here. But the joy on the faces of all the kids and the absolutely fanciful, almost fantastical nature of playing volleyball in such beautiful surroundings practically wiped out any irritation, of unknown origin, that brought the girls running out of the water almost as soon as they got in. Ah, but I get ahead of myself. That was after the games had concluded.
Before we even started, Oscar told the girls to have fun. He emphasized that games were their reward for all the hard work they had put in to get to Japan. It was not a competitive tournament. Second, they took it to heart. Third, they looked GREAT! Having seen them practice sand soccer back home, I almost didn't recognize them. They moved the ball fast, passed well, and smiled almost the whole time. Our host families provided a ton of water, juice, soda, and bento boxes for lunch. The shave ice was a particular hit. Bathing in a barrel was an added bonus.
In the afternoon, we moved on to Kumamoto Castle. Michael's pictures speak volumes. The pictures, however, fail to capture two of the most important aspects of the two hours. I hope that you will forgive my impertinence, Michael, but where, pray tell, is the sweat? Lest you forget, we spent two hours in a sauna. Indoors, outdoors, upstairs, downstairs, Castle, Palace. Everywhere was sweat. People were fighting each other for a breeze; they were praying the next building would be air conditioned; they were stepping around no entrance signs to intake one cool breath from the only air conditioner they could find. And it wasn't only the gaijin. I saw Japanese doing it, too.
But the most amusing and, unless I am mistaken, also unphotograped event was unfolding as Oscar and I exited the palace. We saw some of our group sitting inside a small building. And who's hanging out? Pete, among other. I thought there must have been some English language presentation. I wanted to head over to hear what was keeping Pete entranced for so long. What, I wondered was going on in that building? Have you guesed yet? The attraction was the air conditioning. Good air conditioning. Cold air conditioning.
The doors were made of two fabric panels. Outside it was 98 degrees with 98% humiditiy. But this building had the best air conditioning I've yet felt anywhere in Japan. Unless you count the cars. The building must hold a masterpiece, I thought. Something that required temperature and humidity control. Well, it did if you think Pete's in that category (I know he does) Alas, in this case, the main attraction was the vending machines. Yes, you got it, this was the refreshment area. If it had afforded us showers and a change of clothes it might have come closer to fulfilling it's name.
The place, I mean the Palace, was amazing, though.
Finally, you guessed it, the families cooked us dinner for the umpteenth time. The beach had taken it out of everyone. Some had slept on the bus back. Others, Oscar included, were almost too tired to eat. The girls, you ask? Still playing around and keeping it light. The food? It was oyshii (delicious). And no nuts. We were all happy (ureshii).
More tomorrow on today. Oyasuminasai or good night.
Monday, July 20, 2009
A short note
It was another full day and we have a very early morning tomorrow, so I'm going to be brief now and write more tomorrow evening.
The amusement park was great.
Soccer was fantastic. The girls had an excellent scrimmage against the Kumamoto 16-18 year-old team. Though the score ended up 0-0, we had many great opportunities, but more importantly, the Trebol girls thoroughly dominated the game. They played fast, aggressive, and moved the ball well. Coach Oscar was pleased, which says it all.
Though tired, the girls played much better against the Sanvino team, and though the score was 2-0 in favor of Sanvino, they acquitted themselves well and showed that they were a much stronger team than they were in March.
The Trebol girls then played the staff (Oscar and Joe, coaches Yamada and Yoshifumi, and other miscellaneous adults). The first half was lively, with both teams scoring a goal. Coach Joe just missed converting a header off of a corner kick (no vertical leap in those 54-year-old legs proved the difference). The second half was hillarious pandemonium as all three youth teams played against a slightly supplemented adult team, and though the adults had some good scoring opportunities, the game ended tied, as it should have. :-)
Bed time and an early day to Nagasaki tomorrow. The girls all send their best and lots of love to everyone.
The amusement park was great.
Soccer was fantastic. The girls had an excellent scrimmage against the Kumamoto 16-18 year-old team. Though the score ended up 0-0, we had many great opportunities, but more importantly, the Trebol girls thoroughly dominated the game. They played fast, aggressive, and moved the ball well. Coach Oscar was pleased, which says it all.
Though tired, the girls played much better against the Sanvino team, and though the score was 2-0 in favor of Sanvino, they acquitted themselves well and showed that they were a much stronger team than they were in March.
The Trebol girls then played the staff (Oscar and Joe, coaches Yamada and Yoshifumi, and other miscellaneous adults). The first half was lively, with both teams scoring a goal. Coach Joe just missed converting a header off of a corner kick (no vertical leap in those 54-year-old legs proved the difference). The second half was hillarious pandemonium as all three youth teams played against a slightly supplemented adult team, and though the adults had some good scoring opportunities, the game ended tied, as it should have. :-)
Bed time and an early day to Nagasaki tomorrow. The girls all send their best and lots of love to everyone.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Still More Photos
Katie's brother, Michael, has been taking a lot of photos and in the spirit of filling the void left by the absence of team photographers Ken and Yvette, he took a ton of pictures at the soccer tournament yesterday - way too many for Joe to put on the blog, but we thought you'd like to see them!
To look at the photos, go to http://ciaglo.smugmug.com/Vacation
Click on "Japan Beach Soccer"
For the sections that need a password, please email Michael at michael.ciaglo@gmail.com
To look at the photos, go to http://ciaglo.smugmug.com/Vacation
Click on "Japan Beach Soccer"
For the sections that need a password, please email Michael at michael.ciaglo@gmail.com
Slap hands game at dinner
A wall mural in the guest house
Kayla takes advantage of a Sanvino shoulder on the way back from the castle(thanks Greg for the pictures)
It’s 6:45 AM here in Arao, it’s raining. Today, we're supposed to go to the water park, assuming the rain stops, and then play soccer tonight against Sanvino and the Kumomoto team. It ought to be fun.. One thing I have to say is that the girls were very good yesterday about using sunscreen and drinking water or fizzy lemonade…maybe they are growing up!
OK, more about yesterday. As I mentioned last night before collapsing, sand soccer was a blast. There were 8-10 teams of all ages, with the two older teams treating the event as totally fun. In fact, when the last game was over, Terri rallied all the parents and Trebol girls to form a tunnel, and not only did the Trebol team that just finished playing and its opponent run through, but team of 21 year olds also came running over from where their game had ended and ran through, and then so did all the other teams, and then the referees came running through, too! It was the perfect way to end the event…way to go Trebol!
So after the watermelon smashing event and treasure hunt – I didn’t catch much of the latter as like many of us, I was trying to stay a little cool – all of the girls and many parents went down to the water, which was 100 meters away. The water was WARM – if we were scuba diving, I would have worn my skin…which would have been a good idea because within a few minutes many of the girls were running from the water, their skin itching and burning from something in the water; I’d guess some algae of some sorts. Claire wasn’t bothered, neither was I, nor Paul or Greg and a few other girls. Weird. Fortunately, there were showers at the beach, so that helped relieve the discomfort.
Next stop on our day’s adventures were to Kumomoto castle, which was built in the early 1600s and is one of three major castles left in Japan. The main castle sits on a sprawling estate that is home to several prefecture museums (prefecture is the equivalent of our states, and Kumomoto is the prefecture capital), which unfortunately we wouldn’t have time to see. We broke into groups and headed off into the castle or a stunningly beautiful guest house that the government had just finished restoring (all construction was done using period tools, an amazing feat considering that some of the beams in the building were made of tree trunks that were 5 feet in diameter!). All the gold in the guest house was real – gold leaf covered fixtures and gold paint in the many large murals – the floors were beautiful bamboo, and the detailing was stunning. To protect the floors, visitors were handed plastic grocery bags in which to carry their shoes as they toured the guest house. When we exited, we handed the bags back for reuse. [As an aside, recycling containers are ubiquitous in Japan, as are vending machines.]
The castle itself was massive – six stories of rock and wood – and the entire structure was restored to match its external appearance prior to a huge fire that destroyed much of the castle during the last civil war, in the mid-1800s. The inside was retrofitted to serve as a museum, and it was filled with artifacts from when Japan was ruled by feudal lords. As we climbed from one floor to the next, the temperature inside soared, but on the 6th floor there was a wonderful breeze coming from the big windows that afforded a nice 360 degree view of modern Kumomoto. After touring the castle and guest house, nearly everyone discovered the air conditioned “drink house,” which contained soft drink vending machines. Most of us spent the final few minutes there cooling off, as it was very, very hot.
At 6 PM, we piled back into our buses and vans for the trip home and an awaiting dinner. At one point, one of the Sanvino players started chanting, “Obama, Obama, Obama…YES WE CAN!” Soon, that chant morphed into naming each person on the bus… “Brynna, Brynna, BRYNNA…YES WE CAN!”, etc. I understand that there was plenty of laughing in the vans, too, which is not surprising given that we’re all seemingly having a great time.
We arrived at the community center where we had the welcome party to find a lavish spread of leftovers…Japanese style. While we were at the beach and in Kumomoto, the Sanvino parents had taken all the leftovers from last night’s BBQ and turned them into an array of dishes that were, well, scrumptious. Everyone was ravenous, and both Sanvinos and Trebles dove in, stuffing ourselves once again. And then, when it seemed we could eat no more, Mrs. Kuwamoto (who was one of two parents who came to Colorado) brought in eel sushi – it turns out that Sunday was a national holiday and eating eel is traditional on this particular holiday. Oh my, was it good, a marvelous way to top off a marvelous meal. Who needs dessert when you can have eel sushi! Following dinner, the scene became chaotic, with parents cleaning up and the younger kids running around screaming and chasing each other. YIKES! Meanwhile, the older kids sat in a huge circle and played a camp game that involved slapping hands and singing a song, kind of like musical chairs. They finished – Haley was the final survival in a dual with Dahlia – just as it was time to go. Everyone left at 9 PM, happy and exhausted. What a day!!
Beach Soccer!
walking to our bus as we leave the beach
these 9-year-olds beat us!
The beach, from where we arrived
(Thanks Greg for the pictures)
Whew. What a day. We just got home from one of our two long days, so there’s plenty to tell you. The number one thing you need to know is that it is HOT and HUMID here, and today was the hottest and most humid day yet. When everyone left the hotel on the bus today, it was already too warm for most of the adults, and even a few of the girls. Fortunately, the bus that the Sanvino and Trebol players, coaches and a couple of parents rode on had AC; the rest of the Trebol gang followed in vans. We had a beautiful ride from Arao to the beach – this part of Japan is much more rural than I expected. You would have been amazed at the size of the bamboo growing here, the number of cranes, herons and other wading birds, and the paper bags hanging from the fruit trees. Yes, you read right – the farmers enclose each piece of fruit in paper bags to protect them from insects. Talk about organic farming! Anyway, the lush hills were a nice contrast to the ocean. I spent the ride chatting with Peter, which made for a fun trip, and the kids were engaging each other in many conversations. The cutest scene of the ride was one of the Sanvino girls asleep on Belle's lap.
When we reached the beach, we had to hustle to get ready to play, since we were running behind (you can take American teenagers out of America, but you can't make them run on time any better). But first, there was ceremony to attend to: short welcoming remarks from the sponsors (TKU TV), the referees, the soccer association, as well as a well-received short speech from Kayla that she gave in Japanese. Way to go, Kayla!! Then it was time for soccer. We had three teams: green, striped and white. I coached the Great Greens,Oscar had the Stripes, Peter the Whites, and we opened the tournament with a big win, which was nice because the girls were a little nervous about getting beaten badly. It turns out that all three teams did just fine, with each team winning their first game, including a great back-and-forth game between the stripes and Sanvino. In the second round, the Greens beat Sanvino on a goal at the very last second, while the stripes won and the whites threw their game purposefully (though tactfully) to a very cute group of 9 year olds, who were so proud to have beaten the Americanos; Emiko noticed that Shanlie was playing goalie and asked if we were trying to lose...LOL. Shanlie later agreed with that assessment. It was great fun, and though the heat was draining, the girls played really well. Emiko, Dahlia and JoJo all scored at least once.
Soccer was followed by another game of smash the watermelon and then a scavenger hunt in the sand. In the end, it was a fabulous day of beach soccer for the girls and coaches. Parents and siblings were pretty much wiped by the heat, which was as thick as slug snot.
I’m falling asleep as I type, so I’ll finish the day’s recounting tomorrow morning – I’ll have time as we don’t leave for the amusement park until 9:45.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
From Felisa - between lunch and BBQ
While I was busy blogging, Felisa was out and about and had this to report about what we did between eating lunch and eating dinner:
Today (Saturday) was just as full as yesterday. After bowling, many of the kids and parents went off to Youme Mall. I, being less than fluent in Japanese, thought it was You Me Mall. I wondered why it would be called that. Was it because you and me meet at the mall? Or you and me should go to the mall. Bad English aside, I guess it was a single Romaji word whose meaning I have yet to discover.
The girls and boys made quite a splash there. I am told the fairer skinned adults were equally popular staring targets. As I said before, there are very few Americans visiting this part of Japan. Everyone was very respectful in their interactions. It was just teens trying to communicate with limited language skills, mispronouncing each others' names, and laughing and as a result. Our kids found that Japanese teens and tweens do the same thing in malls as Americans do back home . . . they hang out. Here the kids abandon their school uniforms (think catholic gradeschool) and put on a very wide variety of self defining paraphanalia. We saw kimonos, punk looks, hello kitty attire, and even what would pass, back home, as pajama wear (slippers included). I'm not so sure the kids noticed it all, but insofar as I tried to stay a respectable distance from the pack, I had to occupy myself somehow. It was slightly reminiscent of Pearl Street Mall.
Today (Saturday) was just as full as yesterday. After bowling, many of the kids and parents went off to Youme Mall. I, being less than fluent in Japanese, thought it was You Me Mall. I wondered why it would be called that. Was it because you and me meet at the mall? Or you and me should go to the mall. Bad English aside, I guess it was a single Romaji word whose meaning I have yet to discover.
The girls and boys made quite a splash there. I am told the fairer skinned adults were equally popular staring targets. As I said before, there are very few Americans visiting this part of Japan. Everyone was very respectful in their interactions. It was just teens trying to communicate with limited language skills, mispronouncing each others' names, and laughing and as a result. Our kids found that Japanese teens and tweens do the same thing in malls as Americans do back home . . . they hang out. Here the kids abandon their school uniforms (think catholic gradeschool) and put on a very wide variety of self defining paraphanalia. We saw kimonos, punk looks, hello kitty attire, and even what would pass, back home, as pajama wear (slippers included). I'm not so sure the kids noticed it all, but insofar as I tried to stay a respectable distance from the pack, I had to occupy myself somehow. It was slightly reminiscent of Pearl Street Mall.
A great BBQ
The BBQ last night was like nothing we’ve ever experienced before (except for Bill and Terri). We arrived back at the elementary school parking lot – the same place we had lunch – to the sight of a beehive of activity. Tables and BBQ grills everywhere, and off to one side, a long chute of overlapping large bamboo halves linked together in what looked like a water slide, complete with water running down it. And indeed, not 5 minutes after we arrived and kids started lining up on either side of the chute holding paper cups filled with a sauce/water mix and holding chopsticks. Mr. Sakamoto was standing in the bed of a pickup truck at the top of the water slide and he began dropping bunches of cooked noodles onto the slide, and the kids used their chopsticks to snare some as the noodles slid in the water slide, dipping their catch in the sauce! In a matter of seconds, the adults joined in for a riotously fun noodle appetizer. Oscar, a huge smile on his face, moved right to the highest point, proclaiming that being tall has its advantages, and this was one of them – being the first in line to snare noodles! Still, there were plenty of noodles for all, even the smallest kids. Eventually, we all took turns dropping noodles onto the chute, but soon there was another commotion as the Sanvino parents began placing all sorts of goodies onto the six or so grills – thinly sliced meats such as bacon, chicken, beef and shrimp; and vegetables including two kinds of mushrooms, pumpkin (my favorite), cabbage (just as good), a seaweed that was yummy, squash and corn on the cob. We just walked from grill to grill, picking up pieces of whatever you wanted to eat, or adding uncooked items to a grill as room became available. Then there was the table of noodle dishes and an onion and potato (?) pancake that was the Japanese version of a latke (but even better). Dessert was fruit, including watermelon that was opened in the Japanese version of piñata – kids were blindfolded, handed a broom handle, spun around, and then told to find the watermelon laying on newspaper and give it a whack. (No more candy-filled piñatas for us!) Oh my goodness, it was all fantastic, and the best part of all was that in standing around the grills, the connections between Sanvino and Treble grew stronger, conversations taking place over the hot coals as everyone helped cook – Thanks to Bill for diving right in and showing us Americans the way to participate in this uniquely Japanese BBQ event. There was universal agreement among parents and players that we need to try to recreate this BBQ back home for everyone who didn’t come with us. (Terri knows where to get all the necessary sauces).
But the festivities didn’t end with eating and talking – when it got dark, Coach Yamada called everyone into a circle and announced the winners of the bowling tournament and handed out prizes. Oscar finished first, Peter ranked up near the top, but as Coach went down the list it became clear that everyone was going to be a winner, and with each prize came cheers and clapping, right through the entire list of Sanvinos and Trebles. And after the list was complete, some of us were called up for a second prize – I figure mine came for best grimaces. LOL.
When all was done at just after 9 PM, Trebol parents helped Sanvino parents stack chairs and tables, and then it was back in the cars, kids headed to host families, parents to the hotel for a good night’s sleep before the next day’s beach soccer tournament. We’re leaving for the beach at 7:30 AM (it’s a 2.5 hour ride – less if Coach Yamada is driving – on a karaoke bus! That ought to be a riot.
Felisa had this to add about the prize ceremony:
Let us not forget the prizes for bowling. You know how we might give out prizes for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd places? Maybe if we're feeling generous and unusually egalitarian, we might assuage ourselves by going to 6th or 8th and then giving out some prize for good sportsmanship? Well, apparently we are chintzy and self-serving. In the case of our Japanese hosts, EVERYONE WHO PLAYED WON. And I mean everyone. Coach Yamada awarded at least 48 prizes. That was the last number I can remember being called. They made sure that every single person who bowled was called up and given a gift. These ranged from t-shirts and pens to chimes and a purse. Oh ho, and there were five MORE PRIZES for good sportsmanship (Mr. Matino led this group). All you hyper-competitive sorts must be asking yourselves who REALLY won. I mean, who had the high score at the bowling alley? Because it really matter, right? Well, I guess I can let the cat out of the bag. . . . It was Oscar!! But Kayla swears she can beat him on the soccer field so it's just a thing!
Tomorrow is an early day. We leave by bus at 7:30 a.m. for a 2 1/2 hour bus ride to the beach for a beach soccer tournament. Then we visit Kumamoto Castle. We'll be on a tour bus complete with karaoke machine for 5 hours tomorrow with your girls. Think of that and remember to thank us.
Caity, Midori and Hayley have this to say...
This posting comes from Caity, Midori, and Hayley, who took time out from the BBQ Saturday night to write the following:
Japan is a fantastic place, and we really enjoy it here. The people are very curious about Americans, and we feel like pop stars because everywhere we go people come and talk to us. This morning we went bowling, and there was a very big arcade. Hayley won a fish!! Afterwards, we went to the mall, which is very different from the malls we have. Everyone would watch us when we walked around; some even said hello. We met many new people there.
When it was time for dinner, the Sanvino parents had set up an elaborate barbeque. There was a large piece of split bamboo that was slanted so water ran down it. They would stand at the top of it and slide somen noodles down to the waiting people with their chopsticks. They also had about seven grills out with many different kinds of meats and vegetables and fish. It was delicious!
Japan is very, very different then America, but the experiences that we have here will be unforgettable.
Konbonwa!
Japan is a fantastic place, and we really enjoy it here. The people are very curious about Americans, and we feel like pop stars because everywhere we go people come and talk to us. This morning we went bowling, and there was a very big arcade. Hayley won a fish!! Afterwards, we went to the mall, which is very different from the malls we have. Everyone would watch us when we walked around; some even said hello. We met many new people there.
When it was time for dinner, the Sanvino parents had set up an elaborate barbeque. There was a large piece of split bamboo that was slanted so water ran down it. They would stand at the top of it and slide somen noodles down to the waiting people with their chopsticks. They also had about seven grills out with many different kinds of meats and vegetables and fish. It was delicious!
Japan is very, very different then America, but the experiences that we have here will be unforgettable.
Konbonwa!
Pictures from Claire - through Day 2
at the TV station
With the Mayor of Arao
A student plays the Japanese guitar
The school band gets ready to perform
Everyone thought the gas stations were cool
View from a Japanese house
Claire and Chase sleep here
Waiting in LA for the flight to Tokyo
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