[inspic=966,right,fullscreen,400]World Campus – Japan visited Takematsu Elementary School of Omura, where I took part in a second grade class of thirty 7-year-old kids. As I don’t speak Japanese, reading class was quiet impossible for me. However, during math class I had a chance to prove my math skills. After having lunch and cleaning the classroom, we got ready for swimming. We had great fun doing different exercises in the swimming pool and most of the time I felt like the main attraction on a playground of 120 kids. Sadly, soon it was time to say good-bye. I received different beautiful presents and even a cute love letter 🙂

Visiting a Japanese elementary school was a great opportunity for me to get insight into the Japanese education system and get in contact with foreign children, even if it was impossible to communicate with words. I’m sure the school kids had the same unique and exciting experience and they will remember this extraordinary school day for a long time!

(David Hollenstein, Austria)

[inspic=958,right,fullscreen,400]I am from New York and never have met or seen any of the mayors in my city. They are almost untouchable to me and I only get to see and hear about them on television.

Today I was lucky enough to be able to meet and talk to the mayor of Omura, Nagasaki. His name is Takashi Matsumoto. As the group and I waited in the lobby to see him I was quite nervous because I thought he would be a very serious person.

To my surprise he was really friendly. Mayor Matsumoto was very curious about each of our countries. He wanted to know what we were proud of when it came to our home towns. To answer his question I told him about the diversity of people that can be found in New York. There is an opportunity to experience and learn about every culture in New York.

The superintendant of the elementary schools was also participating in our discussion. He told us how in the elementary schools the food for lunch gets delivered to the schools and is prepared for the students at the school. Most of our countries have similar systems except for Austria. David, who is a student from Austria told us that the elementary children have a 2 hour lunch. During that time they go home and eat lunch there. Then they return to school when they are finished. The mayor liked this idea for lunch.

Mayor Matsumoto also told us some history about Nagasaki, like how it was the only city open to foreigners during Japan’s isolation period. The time with him ended when the mayor gave us his business card. I feel very honored that I got to meet the Mayor of Omura city.

(Hasiyna Gibson, USA)