August 8, 2008

Japan Experience! 2008 - Day 13 - Uno, "I Know Japan" contest, & Farewell Party


(front row, L to R) Mrs. Kimura & Mr. Kimura (Victor's home stay parents), Mr. Yohei Fukuda (Seiritsu High School Director), Richard Sensei (JE08 Manager), Mrs. Koyama (Nicholas' home stay mother), and Victor & Claudia's Japanese teacher. Japan Experience! 2008 students with their certificate in the back row.


Time does indeed fly when fun is being had. And considering how quickly the second week of the Japan Experience! has gone by, it would seem that the students were having the time of their life.


The last school-day of Japan Experience! 2008 was a great way to wrap up the experiences the students had, with one final Japanese class with Yano Sensei, an "I Know Japan" contest, a farewell luncheon (again prepared by Akakura-san), and a final meeting.


Before the Japanese class started, Masuda Sensei (who taught the students Japanese cooking) surprised all the students with a small, hand-made booklet summarizing the two menus (and their recipes) that the students prepared over the two weeks. That she made all 9 individually shows just what an impression the students left on Masuda Sensei.


In the Japanese class, the students played Uno with Yano Sensei. Except this Uno had a special JE08 twist- anybody who spoke English had to pick up an extra card! Afterwards, the students presented Yano Sensei with a gift and a card to thank her for teaching the Japanese classes.


Having warmed up their Japanese, we took that one step further with the "I Know Japan" contest. The contest is essentially a fun trivia quiz that consists of questions made by both Richard Sensei and I. The trivia spans from things written in the Japan Experience! 2008 handbook (an information booklet given to all the students at the start of the trip) to little tidbits of information any teacher or tour guide has mentioned throughout the trip. Some questions were easy (Which is the busiest train station in Tokyo? Shinjuku) while some questions were very difficult (What are the two gates in front of the Sensoji Temple called? Kaminarimon & Hozomon). Amidst lots of questions, lots of funny answers, and lots of laughs, it was Nicholas who emerged with one point more than Victor to win the contest.


After the contest, Fukuda Sensei presented each of the students a certificate signifying their completion of the Japan Experience! 2008.


With that done, we all headed upstairs for yet another superb lunch made by Akakura-san. Akakura-san has really been an unsung hero for this whole program, making lunches for all the students every morning, and each student made sure to thank him for his hospitality. During the lunches, each of the students gave a short speech about their two weeks here.


The final meeting of the day included a short questionnaire about what the students liked or would like to see changed, a short explanation of the program Seiritsu offers to foreign students, and a chance to write inside the Japan Experience! Memorial Album.


With all 9 students reflecting on their past two weeks, it was a very happy moment for Richard Sensei and I in that we got to see just how enjoyable this experience was for them all. As Richard and I told everyone at the luncheon, this program would have been a LOT more work had it not been for how great all the students were. Everyday they demonstrated that they were motivated, good humoured, and group-oriented. And being that what one gets from cultural experiences equals what one puts in, it's no surprise that these students got a lot from their time in Japan.


And while the program is at its end, this is merely the beginning for all the students as they all expressed an interest in discovering more of the world, Japan or otherwise.


So to Jocelyn, Xenia, Karen, Claudia, Nicholas, Bryce, France, Victor, and Shirlene.... it's not so much as "good-bye" but "til next time". And Gambatte!! (Give it your all!)


- Japan Experience! 2008



Masuda Sensei (middle) after giving everyone their mini-cookbook.



Remember, this is No-English Uno!...



The students with Yano Sensei (middle).



(L to R) Karen, Victor, Shirlene, Nicholas, and France dig through all the information their brains took in these past two weeks.



(L to R) Jocelyn, Xenia, Bryce, and Claudia double checking their answers...



Congratulations to Nicholas who scored 35 points to win the much coveted Yoshi stuffed animal.



Fukuda Sensei (left) presenting Victor with his certificate.



Victor's certificate.



Even those who weren't hungry became so after seeing what Akakura-san had prepared.



All the students made sure that everyone else was served before serving themself.



With all the students having given their speeches, Richard Sensei gave his.



(L to R) France, myself, Richard Sensei, and Shirlene with the very nice presents from France and Shirlene. Thank you!


-Lawrence

アーカイブ

[2018]
[2017]
[2016]
[2015]
[2014]
[2013]
[2012]
[2011]
[2010]
[2009]
[2008]
[2007]
[2006]

about Seiritsu

Seiritsu Gakuen is a private co-educational high school created in 1925 and it is located in Tokyo, Japan.

≫more info