Day of activity: July 7^th 2015

Today was the day which we had prepared for all week, the day of the Arigato event. We started the day by recieving information about the event and how it would be done. After the briefing we rehersed the song ‘Tomorrow’ and the dances we were going to perform, which went really well. Our previous performances were not that good, but it seemed like when push comes to shove, everyone improved a ton. After that we ate lunch. We made a kind of onigiri “burger”. It was two “buns” made of rice with different toppings in between and a nori plate wrapped around the whole thing. It tasted amazing. Then we rehersed a little more, before we got a visit from a bunch of kids. Playing with the kids was really fun, although they were pretty shy. I played a lot with one particular kid, and even though he didn’t talk at all, we still managed to make an awesome paper plane together. After we said our goodbyes to the kids we made the final preperations before the Arigato event. Then, at around 18:30, it started. I was kind of nervous before the event, since I were going to read my thank you card in front of my host mother, but it went really well. Everyone danced and sang really well, and it was great. I also achieved my goal of making my host mother cry. After the event we had a potluck party, where everyone’s host families brought food that we all shared. There was a lot of delicious food there, and I probably ate way too much. During the meal we got a visit from some really awesome traditional japanese dancers. They were really cool, and us World Campus Japan paricipants actually got to dance with them.

This was an amazing day, but also an emotional one. This was our last big experience with our family, and for me it just made it harder to leave. Tomorrow we are travelling to Nara, for a new house and a new family. I hope they are as good as the one I had in Suita.

Tor Holmen (Norway)

Day of activity: July 5^th 2015

So, we decided to go to Universal Studios Japan and see the Harry Potter attraction there.

We arrived at Universal Studios and looked nice, but there was so many people there taking a lot of pictures. We lined up to buy tickets for the Harry Potter area. It took 30 minutes, and the tickets said that we could only enter the Harry Potter area between 12:40 and 13:40. So we walked around and explored everything else since there was still time. Later, I saw there was a Resident Evil game, so we went to get tickets for that too, and got tickets for the last round that day- Lucky! Then it was time to line up for the Harry Potter area. The line was 2 hours long. After that, we waited 3 hours to get onto the Harry Potter roller coaster. We were put firmly into our seats and given 3D glasses.

My host dad said it’s okay to scream. During the ride, you ‘fly’ on your ‘broom’ through a castle while there are 3D effects that you can see through your glasses. It was so awesome, and totally worth waiting for in the line! We both enjoyed it a lot.

After that we left the park, and I bought some presents for my family, including a Hard Rock t-shirt and a one piece key chain.
It was an awesome experience, and I would recommend anyone to visit Universal Studios Japan if they have the chance.

Daniel Gallion (Luxembourg)

Day of activity: July 4^th 2015

Today World Campus Japan took us to Yuipia, where we got to share world views with local volunteers and students, including some pretty cool ‘daigakusei’ (university students). I’m glad I had an opportunity to meet so many peers from this culture. As a sixth form student who hasn’t travelled that much, I learnt about a vastly different, and awe inspiring, world of studying and work ethic in education to that of my home country, England.

I was impressed by the quality of lunch while we spent our time in Yuipia. It was all made by students we talked with, who had prepared three types of miso soup, various fried treats, and a multitude of different onigiri for us, all by 11:45. I can say this is no mean feat, considering the amount of food needed to keep our group of twenty or so’s considerable appetites satisfied!

The games we played today included jump rope with elementary school students (the most painful activity, but the most fun), a Belgian game that involved a lot of slapping your hands on the table (hard for me, due to poor hand eye coordination), Nintendo games like smash bros (with the elite in the world- Japanese children tend to be technologically savvy as possible) as well as making adorable origami.

I made acquaintance with some very sweet, sincere girls from a local Ossakan elementary school today, who were forthcoming in compliments and giggling grins all afternoon. I made sure to ask for a group photo before we left, which seemed to delight them, and was even a bit sad to wave goodbye so soon after having met them all, come four o’clock. I’m sure that many people we met today learnt that cultures can have a great laugh together even without a common language- just being friendly and open to new experiences can bridge the biggest of gaps. This was certainly how I and the others felt by the time we left anyway!

Isobel Crookston (England)

Day of Activity: July 3^rd