Category Archives: Mito City

City Life, Mito City, Toride City, Video

Looking Back – Summer 2009 Program 2

September 27, 2009 Thomas Greve

WCI summer 2009 program 2 video

Summer 2009 Program 2 was about relationships. World Campus International said good bye to some important pieces of our puzzle and welcomed in some new participants that would prove invaluable to success. Participants from all over the globe pulled together to become more than a team, they became like family. The participants said hello and goodbye to two more host families in Mito and Toride. They had the chance to speak to the mayors and the vice governor of Ibaraki prefecture and see Japan from the eyes of its leaders. They took a day hike through the beautiful Japanese countryside while getting to know a lot of people on a personal level. The group teamed up with host families to fly strings of 35+ kites. However, the most talked about day of the program was a day spent with the young employees of Exxon Mobil. Through artful facilitation and creative communication, the World Campus – Japan members and the Exxon Mobil employees experienced a day that changed many perceptions from both groups. Take a look for yourself, you will surely get a taste of WCI through these pictures.

(Jay Kinsel, Production Manager)

Arao City, City Life, Hiroshima City, Mito City, Omura City, Tama City, Toride City

A Reflection on World Campus International Summer 2009 Tour!

September 18, 2009 Thomas Greve

Ray from America and Ashwin from Holland

Okay, wow. First of all, traveling with World Campus International this summer was my first trip outside of Europe and my first trip alone for more than 2 weeks. At first I was a little bit scared. Who will I meet and what will the program be like? Of course I read a lot about the program on the website, but still I could only create an image, which might be different from the real thing… and it was different. All the people I met there were so friendly and open! I am now back in my country called Holland and only now I realize what kind of people I met there and how they changed my whole lifestyle and way of thinking.

I completed all three programs of World Campus International this summer. I visited 6 different cities, lived with 7 different host families and each stay was an experience on its own. I met friends in Japan with the same interests as me, friends with the same passion, friends with a different way of thinking and friends with other customs. I never thought I would meet such a variety of people! Even when I met more than one person from one country, none of them had the same personality or interests. That was the beautiful part of the diversity I encountered. For me, I did not just meet people from Taiwan, Norway, China or Japan; no, I met people who became good friends. I never ever thought that I would get so close to the people I met in the World Campus – Japan program.

The life in Japan I lived was so different from the life I lead in Holland. Not only because it took place in Japan, but also because I was immersed in the World Campus – Japan life. At times we had a busy schedule and I was tired from the program, but it was all worth it. The things I have seen and experienced, shaped my imagination and helped me form opinions on matters like education, international relations and the role of media within the society. Also, my thoughts on different food, customs and languages. Personally, it was weird to speak English every day, but the more I talked with my friends, the more I became accustomed to it. Not only did I learn English, I picked up a little Japanese, Chinese, some Korean and even some New Jersey slang.

I have gained so much. Now, I am sitting in my chair in my house in Holland looking at pictures and videos from the program, reliving the moments. I am trying to reflect on the whole program, but I am still in Japan with my thoughts. I cannot reflect on my experiences if I am still there, can I? When I look at all the pictures and videos, I have come to realize that the time in Japan, which I enjoyed to the fullest, is over.

It might seem sad that the end of the program came. But, it is not the end of World Campus (cliché, but true). I am staying in contact with my new friends on Facebook and mail (people who are reading this and have no Facebook; get Faaaaaaaaaaacebooooooooook!) and I talk to them about everything and nothing as if we were never separated from each other. I think making connections with new people is the focus of World Campus International. Because, truthfully, the program would never have turned out the way it did without the people who were participated.

Thank you for this wonderful time and experience. See you soon!

(Ashwin Ramjiawan, Holland)

City Life, Mito City, Toride City

Good-bye Mito, Hello Toride!

August 5, 2009 Thomas Greve

Saying goodbyes have really been my least favorite part of the journey, which made yesterday a hard day. I had a great time in Mito. But just like life, people come and go, and I needed to move on. We got on the bus and said farewell to our host families, while many kids (host brothers and sisters) chased our bus for a long long distance, which actually made most of us cry.

We stopped twice during the bus trip, one time for a stop in a outlet shopping area and one time for a quick visit to a big famous statue of Buddha, which was huge! Then we moved on to Toride, where the Local Organizing Committee was already there waiting for us. Then WCI members were introduced to our new host families. It was really hard saying goodbye to a host family and adapting directly to a new one in such a short period of time. But my new host family is awesome too (my host sister, the 9-year old girl, can speak both English and Chinese and there is another exchange student from New Zealand living in this family!). I believe that my last week in Japan will be wonderful.

(Chong Li, China)

City Life, Mito City

Crafts Making Day and Good-bye Party in Mito!

August 2, 2009 Thomas Greve

For the last activity day in Mito, the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) threw a goodbye party for the World Campus International members. Some of us were cooking meals from our countries, and some of us were partaking in Japanese arts and crafts, including making “misanga”, a braided bracelet or anklet worn for good luck, cell phone charms, a memo holder, and newspaper flower corsages.

As part of the cooking group, I was in the kitchen, with some of the LOC and Ibaraki University students. I was making Coca Cola Chicken (that’s right – Coca Cola) as a sous chef, and other dishes included Pasta Penne with mushroom/spinach/chicken sauce, a beef-noodle dish (mushy but yummy), Berthalina from Mexico made guacamole and salsa as dips for tortilla chips. Lastly, the LOC made chicken curry for our potluck.

Of course, everything turned out really delicious, and by noon we were ready to kick off the party. It was really cool to see everybody having fun and eating and shouting “Oishii!” everywhere, that was a nice way to say thank you to the host families. Afterward all of the host families presented a homemade sign with some personal writings on them, it was very touching. We also celebrated Ashwin’s (Holland) birthday (21! Congrats!). The day ended with a discussion among WCI members about stereotypes.

It was a great day! I went home completely exhausted, and now I’m ready for the next two more personal days (I’m going to the beach! :D)

(Maria Lisberg, Denmark)

City Life, Mito City

Arigato Evento in Mito city!!

July 31, 2009 Thomas Greve

Today, WCI members had a great opportunity to show their gratitude for people who were involved and helped our program in Mito. It was a fun event that offered the chance to share various cultural features of many countries, things that WCI members learned throughout the program, and also to have valuable interactions and experiences with host families and people in Mito city.

World Campus International Blog