There were many parts of this fantastic student exchange program; I will only cover a few of the highlights. One thing that was amazing was that everyday offered an opportunity to try new and fun activities. Japan has kept a lot of its ancient cultural traditions, which I found to be very interesting because America’s traditions don’t stretch nearly as far back. During the Taiko float festival early on in our program we got a glimpse of Japanese culture as hundreds of men put on Happi coats and lifted up their float with their friends. During this festival it was very impressive to see these men lifting such heavy floats. However, what impressed me the most is the teamwork and the strong bond of community displayed during this festival, which made me realize how strong the sense of community is in Japan. This strong sense of community is one of the biggest differences between the United States and Japan, and one of the most interesting to observe.
Another tradition which I really enjoyed learning about was the Japanese tea ceremony. During this ceremony, we sat quietly and respectfully while awaiting the instructions from the tea masters. We learned the process of making a cup of matcha tea, which I hope to make at home. In addition, the “surface of water” jellies, as well as the tea sweets, were so delicious that members of our delegation secretly wanted more. Overall, the ceremony was conducted in a manner that calmed me down and allowed me to reflect on how lucky I was to be in Japan enjoying a wonderful tradition.
Another highlight was the day trip to Hiroshima. The Itsukushima Shrine at Miyajima Island was the first big shrine that I went to on this trip. On the ferry to the island, one of the Japanese boys with us began a conversation with me and we talked the whole ride. Then when we got off the ferry, I was very surprised to see all the deer walking around and interacting with people. After watching people pray at the shrine, I decided to try it myself. I threw in some yen, clapped and bowed, and then I prayed. I felt like a part of something as I was praying between many Japanese people, and I enjoyed that feeling. When we reached Hiroshima, I was a bit nervous about going to the museum. However, reading the information and later watching the interviews from people, I will never forget visiting that museum. It held emotions that were so strong they were tangible. The museum trip, in combination with the ground zero visit, made an afternoon I will never forget.
The last highlight was the stay with the host family. I was so nervous before the trip that I wouldn’t be able to communicate with my host family. By the end we could understand each other even with the language barrier because of the strong ties that we had developed over my 10-day stay with them. I hope to stay in contact with them and I hope that their son, Takumi, comes to Sausalito.