Team Leaders Perspective

Team Leaders Perspective

Jen, Givon, Katie and Kelly were discussing on the bus yesterday how this GSE experience to Japan has really been the trip of a lifetime. A large part of its success is due to the hospitality and generosity of our Japanese hosts. They could not be more accommodating by sharing their homes and lives with us. We have learned, laughed until we cried, and eaten our hearts out with our Rotarian hosts every single day.

Another very important　aspect　of　the　trip has　been the makeup of the actual　team　itself.　When　they　were　first　interviewed only ten short weeks ago, one GSE Committee member remarked that this team could possibly be one of the best ever from our District 7430. After spending the last nineteen days with them, I can assure you that this has come to be. They are, unequivocally, The Best Ever.

Each and every day has been met with enthusiasm. Their spirit, both individually and as a group, is without bounds. They are appreciative, resilient, resourceful, cooperative, and truly supportive of each other. Our District should be very proud of each and every one of them. They have represented both Rotary District 7430, and America, to the highest standards.

One GSE host mother recently told me that she had two sons, but in the few nights that one of our team members spent with her, she had found a daughter. This is just one of many such comments received by me from host families.

It was a true honor to be selected as Team Leader, but an even greater honor to be with this Team throughout this Japanese experience. It will be a sad day when we leave Japan, but even sadder still to leave this GSE family. I have been truly blessed to be with them. TOCHIGI, TOCHIGI, TOCHIGI! TOCHIGI!

Bruce Dearnley

A.K.A. Fearless Team Leader 

Time is winding down but still seeing so much!

Hey all! Been a few days since our last update. Much has happened! Tonight is actually our last night with our host families in Ashikaga, and from here on out, we are staying in hotels! :-( We will miss our host families, who have once again shown us amazing hospitality. I am currently staying in a Buddhist temple, and my host father is a Buddhist priest. Pretty amazing experience.

Front yard (bell tower):

Back yard (Buddhist graveyard):

Our hosts in Ashikaga have been amazing, and so we have visited the Red Cross Hospital in Japan, taken a calligraphy lesson (sho-do), visited a copper mine in the mountains of Ashikaga, visited the oldest school in Japan, and I had a vocational visit- visiting an accounting office! Hurray!

Bruce also took a test drive with what it would be like to have hair:

 Kareoke with our hosts in Ashikaga!

 Beautiful scenery by the copper mine:

 Oldest school in Japan! Ashikaga School:

My vocational visit YAY!:

Me in a kimono (all of the girls tried one on & hopefully someone else has a pic of all 3 of us!):

Givon after a meeting with the mayor of Ashikaga!

 WIth our good friend & translator Momi!! Charlie's Angles WERQ

 Copper mine!

Our second to last presentation today @ the Ashikaga East Rotary meeting! The team (minus Bruce) in our yukatas- summer kimonos. Very cute but not completely comfortable!! (Especially after our feast.)

I can't believe our trip is starting to come to an end! It has gone by so fast. :-( We're not ready to leave our amazing host families behind. Tomorrow we travel to Utsonomiya (capital city of Tochigi prefecture) for 1 night, then to Tokyo for two nights. Can't wait to see our old friends tomorrow but I want time to slow down!!! Hopefully we will have internet access and can update more on the rest of our trip.

Mata ne,

Katie

I have internet!

Hello Everyone!
Sorry I have been so quiet on the blog. I have been surprised to find even in a first world country many people still do not have internet. And wifi is rare to come by. Many nights we have been sleeping in traditional homes on futons in tatami rooms. Tatami are room squares made of delicate rice leaves woven together. Very delicate, no shoes! Here is a photo of one of Bruce's past bed.

Yesterday was a day of learning! We went to the new Japanese Red Cross hospitol where we learned about the new designs and efforts of earthquake damage prevention. They are now developing ways of allowing the building to shift without swaying causing the least amount of damage.

Here is a metal plate the Red Cross uses to determine how far the building has shifted after an earthquake.

For the large earthquake that occured in 2011 the building shifted a total of 20cm without damage! The mechanical systems of the building brought the building back into place after only 12 hours without disturbing the patients of the hospitol.


We then went to the research center at AIT where they focus their research on renewable energy. Specifically on solar panels, windmills and wind turbines. We learned how wind can produce energy to run electicity in homes. I wish we could put this knowledge to action back at home. The Japanese people are very energy counscious people.

Sorry, but I gotta run. A meeting with the mayor awaits us today. I will try to post more soon!

Kelly

Update on Moka/ Ashikaga!

Hey y'all!! Its been a whirlwind since I last updated! We have had so many new and great experiences. I stayed w my host family in Moka (ie, Momma and Poppa). They were great!! I had eel for the first time with them, as well as uni (sea urchin), dancing shrimp (shrimp that are fresh and still moving when u eat them) and lots and lots of sho chu (Japanese alcohol). And kareoke! So much fun.

Here is my Japanese momma & I singing ABBA ( obviously)

We had a tea ceremony (complete with kimonos) & flower arranging ceremony. Pics below.

My flower arrangement:

 The Rotarian teaching both had the most adorable dog that reminded me so much of my dog Chip. I miss him!!! Lots of toy poodles here.

 

We have been enjoying much sho chu here (this is a picture of me and my previous host father, Dr. Kurosa, with our sho chu). Oishi!!!! It is a potato liquor, stronger than saki. I highly recommend it.

 

At lunch the other day, I told my host father (Poppa) that my sushi / sashimi wasn't spicy enough & that I loved wasabi. The sushi chef proceeded to make me a wasabi sushi roll, made not of the normal wasabi served with sushi, but the freshly ground plant wasabi. I didn't think it would be so bad, but I immediately turned bright red, and tears started running from my eyes. It was SO spicy. I could only have one piece. Others helped me finish the roll, including Givon, Kelly, my host poppa and other Rotarians. All cried / showed a similar face to Kelly below:

 That's what I get for asking for more wasabi!!

My computer is about to die, but will try to post more pics / stories in the AM from Ashikaga (our current location). We had a fabulous kareoke night tonight, complete with our interpretations of Journey's Dont Stop Believe, and The TEmptation's My Girl. Will hopefully post pix in our AM :-). We also had a spectacular farewell party from Moka on Sunday night. All of the days are blurring together and our trip is going so fast! I will be so sad when its done. Post soon! Til then,

Mata ne!!! Katie

Update!

Wow what a week! We have been moving and shaking the entire time here in Japan! The experiences that we have had are priceless.  Being able to experience the true Japan, the culture, the food, and the people.  I think that this trip will never leave our hearts. Below are several pictures of us meeting the Mayor of Moka City.  We have been in his wonderful city for most of this week.

I also wanted to share several pics from our amazing experience at the Tochigi soccer game! VIP all the way!

 They didn't win, but they did have several goals. The energy at the stadium was out of this world! 

The GSE team in the VIP area, getting shots with the Tochigi soccer team!

Our visit to a local TV station. I think we are all in love with it's furry lovable mascot:-)

We were also featured in a community segment that Katie has a copy of. We are all one step closer to stardom!

More to come stay tuned......................

Givon

Quick Update!

Hello! We`ve all been so busy lately we haven`t updated in a few days. The last 3 days we`ve been in Moka with new host families. So far we`ve visited an indigo dye factory, a mental health hospital for Jen`s vocational trip, and participated in another tea ceremony (sado) and learned about the art of flower arranging (kado). Pictures to follow! All of our flower arrangements were great, but the teacher chose mine as the best tapestry :-D sorrrrry guys! Last night, I tried unagi (eel!!!!) for the first time. My host family took me to the next prefecture over for an awesome dinner. After we passed through a Japanese garden, we had about 8 courses, including tempura, sashimi, a sweetfish, and giant oysters before having the unagi. It was oishi- delicious! Who`da thought? I`ve been learning alot about the Japanese language and culture from my host families, who are so patient with me. Props! Soon I`ll be fluent (just kidding). Tomorrow, we have a Farewell Party from Moka, and are staying at a hotel, so hopefully everyone will have internet. We will also have hot springs, and kareoke & saki so we can`t wait!!! Until then,

mata ne, Katie!!

The latest & greatest!

As Jen mentioned, we went to the Killing Stone on Saturday. On the way to the killing stone, we passed these little statues people pray or leave coins for. Someone kindly put caps on all of them :-)

The Killing Stone is above, with the rope around it to keep in the bad spirits. The Killing Stone (and surrounding area) STINKS! Like sulfur. All small animals living in the area are killed from the sulfuric content. Since it was so rainy out (our first true rainy day during rainy season in Japan) we skipped the sightseeing and did hot springs. Because Japanese do hot springs buttttt naked, no pictures! But very relaxing; the first hot spring the girls did was a sulfuric, outdoor hot spring that was about 115 degrees. Needless to say, a bonding experience.

Sunday day, we went to a Buddhist shrine (Tage Mountain) on the top of 128 steps, where they prayed for our GSE Team. This ceremony was amazing!! Fire, drums, chanting, and other instruments were used. This is a picture from the shrine (and yes, we were allowed to take pix with no flash).

Afterwards, we gonged a huge bell! I had to do it twice because I missed the first time :-(

On Sunday night, we went to a Tochigi Soccer Club game!! We were VIP, and got to meet some of the players. I even started a chant!! Very simple : TO CHI GI! TO CHI GI!

Oh, hiiiiiiiiiiiii ;-)

Yesterday, Kelly & I switched host families again. Sad to leave our old host family :-( But happy to meet our new ones!!

We attended a traditional tea ceremony yesterday, and learned about sado, the art of the tea ceremony. Very interesting!

My host family made me tempura last night, and we enjoyed some wine. Oishi!!!

Today we had a busy day, and visited an elementary school, gave a presentation to the Utsonomiya East Rotary Club then visited a mental hospital and pharmacy. Tiring!! The kids at the elementary school were so cute. Kelly and I were debating the logistics of smuggling one home.

We sat in on a fourth grade class, and took apart and rebuilt a clock. Givon clearly had many helping hands.

Tomorrow we switch host families again and move to Mako, about a half hour from where we are now. Tonight, there is a typhoon hitting Utsonomiya, so we expect it to get pretty wet. Until then, trying to stay dry!

Mata ne, Katie