This time Trine talks about a day in her life in world campus.
At the start of the day we get to go back-stage in Tama Pantheon. The staff at the pantheon shows us how they operate the back-stage and all the things they can do. After this we meet with a local organization were we eat food, play games, and interact with a lot of different people.
On this day World Campus- Japan visits a keisei woman university and a primary school in Tama. We get a tour around the university and get to meet a lot of the student. Then at the primary school we get to try all sorts of japanese traditional gamese and other cultural activities.
Sydney talks about here experience from that day!
During this day we visited Chuo Gaikin university. Much like visiting the previous university it is the highlight for many as it is an experience to meet Japanese people of our age, with respectable English. First and foremost was the usual introductions between everyone in which we displayed our knowledge in either Japanese or English. Next was a short peek into a room in which traditional tea ceremonies take place, fitted in a small room with beautiful traditional walls and floors, as well as a fresh flower display. Following this was an actual tea ceremony we had in which the students of a tea club showed us each meticulous step, from how to make the tea to how to hold the bowl. The tea itself was delicious green tea, but slightly strong for my taste. It was interesting to see as these students, who could sit in silence to make tea, could then be seen a minute later cracking jokes, truly an embodiment to the politeness and respect within the Japanese culture. We were then asked to make green tea ourselves, a task which I of course royally failed at, never being able to have the sweet release of having the correct number of bubbles in my bowl.
After the tea ceremony was a chance to familiarise ourselves with the students better, in doing this, we played certain games and activities all involving communication and teamwork. The first of these was an adaption of Chinese Whispers but instead of words, it was a drawing. Now, this either resulted in a boat being a boat at the start and end or a boat being a castle at the end depending on the drawing skills at each interval. This was a fun activity with no confusion as everyone understands the language of art! Next was teaching each other Cups to the timings of “When I’m Gone”, again very simple to understand and entertaining. Finally and most interestingly was the activity involving the group siding yes or no to a proposed question, the most fascinating of which often involved an interpretation of our respective cultures and seeing how others reacted to this. Such as “Your country is the best in the world” or “Would you want to live in Japan?” After this and some exchange of social medias, we later said goodbye to one another and departed, having met some more relatable, wonderful people.
However the day did not end here, this day also happened to be the Abiko Hanabi Fireworks Festival, which of course many people within and outside our group swarmed to, myself included. This jubilant display and hysteria was wonderful to see as people swanned around in their kimonos and such, looking in awe in the dark sky above them, illuminated by the colours which then bounced off the river near.
Joshua Corder, UK
Today I visited the Parthenon. Not the one in Athens as you might think I’m off topic and country, but the one in Tama city, Japan. Right on top of the redbrick pedestrian lane one can see a building resembling the ancient Greek monument. For this reason the people of Tama agreed on this name thirty years ago when their culture centre was first built.
Our group was guided around the main hall where opera, ballet, music and theatrical performances are held. We also had the chance of taking a look at the backstage areas, which honestly looked like a daedalus to me… The “irony” of more Greek words…
Off to our happy free hour where we wandered around before we went to the pot luck lunch party organized by the local international partners.
And the feast eventually begins! We got a chance to mingle with Japanese people who joined the event and cooked delicacies for us.
I had an excellent discussion about World War 2, Lefkadio Hern (aka Koizomi Yakumo in Japanese) and permaculture in Japan and Greece with elder people who sometimes spoke good English and sometimes used all possible language combos and gimmicks. And it was fun seeing their wide open eyes while I was eating octopus as normally as any Greek person would… I got a few pats on my back for that, which made me feel like home and think how stereotypes about Japanese manners have nothing to do with honesty and the light heart of people.
We played traditional Japanese games together, tried calligraphy, astonished them with weird fun facts from our home countries and enjoyed their honest responses.
All in all, yeap, delicious food and good company are all you need to have a nice day. And this does not only apply for the Greeks as proven today…
Stella Tsolakidou, Greece
Today started out pretty grand as we practiced for the Arigato Event (always fun to sing and dance) and some of the university students joined in which made it more fun. I ate Italian which was super delicious! We also got to do country presentations. I learned a lot about the other countries, like how Finland and Norway have the chance to see the Northern Lights, Greece breaks ceramic pots on a certain holiday and Chine has sweets that I have to try!
There’s a lot more, but what I would really like to mention is the performance we got to watch. Elementary School children sang for us, which was both touching and amazing – no joke, these kids won a championship. I should mention that the Mayor also came and spoke a few words to us. It was really fun and I would say more, but I feel as though this is something that everyone should experience for themselves and I don’t want to spoil too much.
Aimee Morales, USA
