July 31, 2007
Japan Experience Day 1 (July 29) Arrivals!
A 747 airliner arrives at Narita International Airport, Tokyo's gateway to the world!
Between the arrival of George Clooney (here to promote the movie Ocean’s Thirteen) and some 1000 new English teachers for Japanese schools, plus the regular many thousands of passengers, our four foreign students also arrived safely to participate in the Japan Experience program on Sunday, July 29.
Richard (Seiritsu International Section Manager ), Marvin, Mr. Fukuda (Seiritsu Director & home stay dad), plus cute Mioko!
After a long flight from Berlin, Germany, with a stop-over in Amsterdam, our first student to arrive was Marvin Hartmann. Marvin’s in junior high, he practices karate and jujitsu, plus he loves anime! His home stay family was there to meet him, Mr. Yohei Fukuda (home stay dad), Mrs. Ryoko Fukuda (home stay mom) and Mioko Fukuda (cute 9 year old home stay sister). On the car ride into town, Marvin got to see the city skyline of Tokyo when crossing the famous Rainbrow Bridge.
When he saw Tokyo Tower, he decided for sure that’s where he has to go during his stay (no problem, the Fukuda’s are taking him there on Saturday night to see the wonderful city lights from the top).
Hidenori Hanai, Mrs. Hanai, Mr. Hanai, Angeline and Justine.
The next two participants to arrive were the Canadians from British Columbia! Angeline Spears (from Prince George) and Justine Stefaniec (from Victoria) both arrived on the same JAL Airlines flight from Vancouver, even though they didn’t know each other. They were met by the school’s former PTA president, Mrs. Mitsuko Hanai, her husband Mr. Yoshio Hanai and their 19 year old son (and former graduate of Seiritsu), Hidenori Hanai.
Angeline is going into grade 12 and she also practices karate. Justine is a recent graduate who is preparing to enter education at university in the future.
Soon they were whisked off to Tokyo, where they enjoyed a sushi dinner and some relaxing sleep.
Jessica on the train ride into Tokyo!
The last participant to arrive was Jessica Knight from near Nashville Tennessee on Northwest Airlines. Jessica, while also being a karate-ka, is a recent graduate off to college upon her return to the US to study rehabilitation. Her home stay family is also with the Hanai’s, so she and myself zoomed into Tokyo on several trains to catch up with the rest of the group.
All in all, a very fine (if not a little sleepy for the students) first day with everyone having arrived safe and sound. And so the adventure begins!
Richard