Category Archives: Host Families

Exploring the coal mine history of Omuta

Thomas and his host family
Thomas and his host family

Our Host Family day was packed full with many different activities instead of just one big event! I was hoping to take it easy on the Host Family day but we had a schedule to keep so there really was no time to rest. My Host mother is a real movie enthusiast and she wanted us to go to the movie theater! It was a different experience because the movie started at 9:30 in the morning and I was very surprised to see so many people there. Especially because in Sweden we do not go to the movies that early, it is more of an afternoon and evening event. After the movie ended we went to the Omuta Coal Museum!

The Coal Museum was a very small but interesting museum. My Host mother wanted us to go there because of the Coal Mine History the city had. Even though it was small I still learned a lot from the information texts and the models were good representations of how it used to look like. In the end I learned something new about the city and the coal mine industry. Close to the museum we ate our lunch at a Ramen place.

Before heading to our next activity with my Host Family’s friends we went into one of the malls in Omuta. They wanted to buy me a gift and we went around the mall looking for something that I would want. However, we did not find anything interesting so we decided to go to another mall the next day.

After a quick rest we went to the Bowling center where we played three games with their friends. My Host mother and Host father are Bowling experts so of course they crushed me and got way better results. It was a lot of fun and we cheered on each other. I would like to add that if you ever go Bowling in Japan, look up your japanese shoe size so that you don’t have to try a lot of shoes to see which one fits. It did this mistake unfortunately.

We ended the Host Family Day with a nice dinner with their friends at the Suchi bar that was nearby. As always we had a lot of fun and the food was amazing. I enjoyed our day together and I have learned so much.

Thomas Jinton
Sweden

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)

Host family day cruising

Thomas and his host family in Omura
Thomas and his host family in Omura

So, today was the host family day and it was amazing! First of all, I got a good night sleep and the breakfast was really amazing and delicious as always. After the son of the family, Kait, had finished his baseball club training we took the car to Kujukushima, where we hopped on a cruising boat. The boat took us around the beautiful islands in the area and it was an amazing experience. The islands were magical and the weather was perfect.

After a delicious lunch at the harbor we went into the Aquarium there. It was a really cool experience as well. After that we returned home and had dinner, which was so delicious and amazing. I really love my host family and Japan 🙂

Thomas Jinton (Sweden)

Host family day in Isehara

Nagashi soumen with host families in Isehara
Nagashi soumen with host families in Isehara

Every week there is a host family day, where we spend the whole day with our host families doing activities they have planned. We spent most of the day in the back yard, where we had a barbeque with friends of the family. We had a great time comparing Norwegian and Japanese phrases, and talking about Norwegian food and geography.

We played a game where one is blindfolded, and had to hit a watermelon with a wooden sword after spinning in circles and being directed by the audience. After many near hits and misses, we managed to break it, and we shared the carcass among us. We also visited one of the friends who lived nearby, and spent the rest of the evening playing billiards with the other WCI participants at a bar.

It was really nice to spend more time with the family so I got to know them better, and to see how they interacted and talked with their friends. You really get a unique perspective on how life is in Japan this way. The host family days were probably the best days of the program, so if you are going, look forward to them!

Jørgen Eri, Norway

World Campus – Japan Trailer 2015

World Campus International’s Japan Program offers young adults the chance to view Japan’s culture, people, and language from within!

World Campus International, Inc. is a nonprofit organization that provides a unique access to Japan.

As a participant of the of the World Campus – Japan (WCJ) Program you will be part of an international group that travels around Japan.

During the day there are various activities in which you interact with the local community and learn about Japan and the world.

In the evening and at night you will be with your host-family. This way you get the chance to experience Japan from an inside perspective.

This year there will be three sessions. The duration of one session is three weeks. During that time we visit three or four cities. You can choose in which session you would like to participate or if you want to join one, two or all of the sessions.

Become a global citizen in Japan!

Interested? Join us now by visiting our site: www.worldcampus.org

Want more information? Follow us on;
Blog: www.worldcampusblog.org
Instagram: WorldCampusJapanOfficial
Facebook: www.facebook.com/WorldCampus
Youtube: www.youtube.com/WorldCampusJapan

OneRepublic – Counting Stars©
Musik
“Counting Stars” von OneRepublic (Google Play • iTunes)