Thinking about My Time in Japan This Past Summer

10月 1, 2008 Thomas Greve 5 Comments

WCI bridges people from around the globe to become part of the world community. Various activities were offered as part of the program curriculum. From living with host families, getting to know Japanese cultures to communicating with various people from other parts of the world. With that, people’s views change!

Over all, this program is not a normal program because a sense of becoming a family happened for most of us. It started from our first meeting at the Narita airport, where almost all members came from all over the world. When we introduced ourselves to each other, we all made an effort to not let language and other differences become an obstacle. In the first several days of the program, we stayed together in an accommodation, where we got to know each other before eventually meeting local Japanese community members.

During our first city in Ueda, it initially felt strange to live with families as foreigners. But in the long run we felt very lucky to be able to experience the direct interaction and welcoming spirit by the locals. During the theme activities of Food and Society, we were taught about how Japan processes the land and their resources to produce food. Other memorable activities included the Firefly Festival, interacting with pupils from a junior high school, where we played, joked and studied together and also the courtesy call to the mayor’s office. And definitely, the “Arigato Evento” could not be forgotten.

The second city, Tama, was the last city for the first session. Tama was the “Hello Kitty city”, with the presence of the Sanrio Puroland amusement park. There were plenty of contrasts between Ueda and Tama. Tama is part of the greater Tokyo metropolitan with various modern and sophisticated facilities. This city theme was Population and Society. We were taught about the development of this city in the past 60 years. Metropolitan tours were very impressive because we got to know so much about the younger generation and how it contrasts with the older generations with differences but also with respect. Host family day was also very special for us, where we experienced things all day long with our host families. I even got to visit Tokyo Disneyland, the place of my dream! We also met Kyoko Nathalia Takahashi, she was a person of Mexican-Japanese descent and it was truly wonderful to be able to meet her.

Out of all of the participants only, I, Lita and Jackie were to only stay for the first session. We all wanted to join the second session and stay with our newly met friends until the program ended. The idea of leaving was really very sad and touching.

The third city, Toride shi, had a Community Revitalization theme. It was the beginning of the second session, where we met the 4 new members before Lita and I had to leave. Truly a very pleasant matter! My short stay in Toride shi taught me a lot as well about Japanese culture such as kite instruction, Koto (Japanese zither), Shakuchi, Karate, Bon dance, Takoage, and Turushi, as well as the production method of sake!

After returning to Indonesia for a short time, I was quite fortunate to have the opportunity to once again feel the fresh Japanese air, the beauty of city scenery and the height of the skyscraper buildings. Yes, I once again returned to Japan to join my friends in the second session! It was a surprise to the group and I really startled everyone! Possibly I was mad, I did not have common sense, but I dared to come back and was so happy! The fourth city, Mito shi, is the city proud to be the home of the sticky, protein filled Japanese natto and also gave WCI insights about nuclear energy during a power plant visit as well about an international business at the Canon Company. Mito, was also the city that had the nearby beauty of the sea. We experienced the Hanabi festival, the fireworks festival to celebrate the summer season. Truly a beautiful experience!

Hiroshima was the last city in Summer’s 2008 trip to Japan. The city theme was Peace and Conflict. On August 6, 1945, this city had been attacked by an atomic bomb and was destroyed. However, with lots of support and hard work, now Hiroshima is now one of the biggest cities in Japan and is very much alive. And on August 6 each year, many Japanese people along with people from around the world recall the incident by holding a peace ceremony as well as a lantern festival in the spirit of remembrance and peace. Words could not describe the environment where everyone gathered with mutual promises to always maintain peace between individuals, families, ethnic groups and internationally.

The end started our separation and really inauguration ceremony to what is to come because we successfully undertook the WCI Summer 2008 program. There were so many feelings that spilled into one- happiness, sadness, relief, frustrations, love, and many others. WCI was not only a summer season program but became part of our family. The experience we lived was now a beautiful new community that was created by us together. Yes, we felt very sad because of being together for so many days but we had to go back to each of our homes and other realities. However one day we will definitely meet again as an intact family. Yes, we are already planning the reunion party!!!!

(Amanda Soeprobo, Indonesia)

訪問地, 地域学習, 広島県広島市, 参加生

Wrap-up – Super Happy Sunshine Funtime Tour

8月 30, 2008 Thomas Greve

Less than two months. It was a short amount of time but enough for a bunch of strangers from fourteen countries to come together. During that time we learned, we played, we had fun, we got frustrated, we overcame, we laughed, and we cried together. And as a group, we successfully completed the World Campus International summer program. Yay!! Congratulations!! 😉

There were great times where everything was peachy and fun. From hiking Mt. Taro, to the walking tours of Tokyo, to attending the Peace Ceremony in Hiroshima. Everything was not always super happy though. There were also demanding times where we met challenges. From our first “Thank-you Event” rehearsal, to our struggles in “getting over the rope”, to our final goodbyes at the airport. Those were difficult times but we always somehow prevailed as a group.

It is hard to imagine the amazing experiences we would share when everyone first stepped off the bus at the Music Village in Ueda City. Everyone seemed so different and I did not know how the group would mesh together or how long it would take. Living together at the Music Village for the first few days obviously allowed us to connect sooner but I would like to commend everyone for being so open and personable to those that would join later. This program can only succeed if everyone works together, plus it is also a lot more fun when everybody gets along. Thus, it was a pleasant surprise for me to see such harmony in so little time.

Although WCI is not an academic program, it is undeniable to state that we all learned much during the tour. Staying with host families offered us the best opportunity to experience Japanese life and culture. What we have learned was not just relegated to Japanese culture either. Because we were such a diverse group, we were able to learn a little bit about the other countries too. We were all put in an uncomfortable situation in a country foreign to many of us with so many different personalities. Such as life, sometimes the personalities conflicted, yet we all learned about ourselves and how to handle such uneasy situations.

It might be cliché to say, but our little community was much like a family. Every one of us went through tremendous highs and deflating lows but we were always there for each other. Although we are parted now, our shared experiences will never be forgotten. Thank you all for the wonderful memories. It is very difficult not to get overly nostalgic when reflecting back on the tour but it was truly a super happy sunshine funtime.

(Guang Yeung, USA)

訪問地, 地域学習, 広島県広島市

広島での灯籠流し

8月 22, 2008 Thomas Greve

２００８年８月６日に、World Campus — Japanのメンバーは、様々な国から来ている人達や地元の人達と共に広島の灯籠流しに参加しました。儀式は原爆の日の夕方から夜にかけて行われ、その間中、青、緑、赤、ピンク、そして白い灯籠が夕闇の中、元安川を下って行きました。日本の仏教徒達はご先祖様が毎年子孫に会いにやって来ると信じています。灯籠の光は被爆者の魂を天国へとまた導いてくれるのです。

６３年前の原爆投下を大勢の人々が思い起こしている姿は静かな美しさを醸し出していました。

世界平和への強い願いを何千人もの人達が死者へ送りました。私、ディビッド、グァング、そしてイルッカを含む数人のWorld Campus — Japanのメンバーもこの感情的な儀式に参加する特別な機会を与えられました。考え深く書かれ、灯籠に託されたメッセージは、どれもが世界平和、世界中の愛、そして被害者の安らかな眠りを祈願していました。ロウソクに火をつけ、霊の帰り道を照らすようにとそれらの灯籠は川の流れに放たれました。世界中からやって来た、心に愛と世界平和への願いを持つ人々に囲まれたこの経験は実に美しく素晴らしいものでした。

（アメリカ合衆国出身、ツァング・ジャニス）

訪問地, 地域学習, 広島県広島市

Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony

8月 22, 2008 Thomas Greve 2 Comments

On the surface Hiroshima city is a good example of a well-developed and very industrialized Japanese city. Tall buildings, heavy traffic, and very crowded trains filled with busy Japanese commuters on their way to and from work. You can experience the Japanese lifestyle in Hiroshima, no doubt about that.

But the name of the city hides a more terrible side, a side which most people around the world are more aware of. Most of the world is more familiar with the fact that Hiroshima was the place where the first Atomic Bomb in world history was dropped on a city. In the morning of August 6, 2008, we participated in the annual peace memorial ceremony. The ceremony lasted for one hour with a silent prayer and peace bell at 8.15 (the exact time of the A-bomb drop) as its emotional highlight.

The mood was very melancholy and heartfelt during the day. Almost half a million people from Japan and abroad gathered at the ceremony in honour of the 80,000 people that past away on August 6, 1945, the approximately 60,000 people who died in the very first year directly caused of the radiation around Hiroshima and the Hibakusha, the people who survived the bomb with a life of sickness and emotional scars. Everyone of course recognized the all-important theme of the ceremony – Peace.

Prominent persons such as the Prime Minister of Japan, a representative of the United Nations, as well as the mayor of Hiroshima spoke at the ceremony. Among the things they talked about was how important it is not to forget what happened in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, in order to avoid the usage of nuclear weapons in the future. To achieve this universal goal it is necessary for countries to be empathic towards each other, even when it is hard to understand different customs and opinions sometimes.

We can not change the past, but by respecting other countries and cultures, we minimize the risk for future wars.

With the hope nuclear weapons never will be used again,

(Christian Damgaard, Denmark)

訪問地, 地域学習, 広島県広島市

原爆を通じて学んだ “One to One”

8月 22, 2008 Thomas Greve

松原さんの第一印象は、普通の中高年齢者とあまり変わらないのではないか、というものでした。しかし近寄ってみると、濃い目の化粧と鋭い視線からとても強い意欲を察する事が出来ました。

人間は顔に何百もの筋肉をもち得ているといいますが、４５分間のお話の間に見せて下さった松原さんの表情は今までに見た事のない物でした。後からになって、松原さんを含む被爆者の多くが幾度もの手術を重ね火傷の後を消している事を学びましたが、彼女のとてつもなく険しい表情がその結果だったかどうか、私が知る事は無いでしょう。

私は彼女の発する英語よりも、英語を学ぶ決意に感動しました。痛ましくも鮮明な彼女の絵には彼女の、原爆の悲惨さを伝えてゆこう、という決意が表れていました。私が思うには、そんな彼女の絵は芸術の原点にあたります。言葉で表現しきれないような経験や感情を表し、他人に分かって貰う為の道具でもあります。

被爆者の話を直に聞けることが出来た私達はとても幸運でした。六十三年前の経験を語って下さった松原さんには心から感謝しています。しかし、松原さんご自身も戦後、日本人でさえにも被爆者として差別を受けていた時に優しくしていただいたあるアメリカ人の女性に助けられていらっしゃったようでした。そのような行為を通じ、松原さんも徐々にアメリカ人を許し、代わりにもう二度とこのような悲劇がおこらないよう、ご自身の経験を伝えて行こうという決意を持つようになったそうです。

後になって初めて気づきましたが、この原爆の教訓は私達World Campus Internationalのありがとうイベントで歌う”One to One”という曲そのもののようです。一人のアメリカ人が松原さんに良くして下さったからこそ、私達がその善意を受ける事ができたのです。更にさかのぼれば、そのアメリカ人が松原さんに親切にするきっかけとなってくれた人にも感謝したくなります。このように、実に一人一人で始まり、どんな人にでも、誰かを変える事が可能なのではないでしょうか。

（東京都大田区出身、吉田有紀）