June 28, 2002

Are they singin' in the rain? The Centennial group poses for a shot in the mist. Did we mention that it rained every day in Tokyo? Well, "shikata ga nai" (it couldn't be helped). Thankfully, everyone had a great attitude and didn't let it spoil their time in Tokyo. Notice Tokyo Tower in the background? No, that's not a really strange looking NP:J student! If you haven't seen the lovable cartoon character Totoro, then you are missing a wonderful story the entire family can enjoy. You'll laugh, you'll cry---it's better than "Cats!" Centennial gives Totoro two thumbs up, way up! Totoro, like Sally Fields, says "they like me, they really really like me!" Garrard-sensei, from Centennial in Boise, is frightened by the fearsome ninja. Two Centennial students approve of the ninja guardian they found in Tokyo.

Tokyo Study Days - Exploring Greater Tokyo After a much-needed night of rest at the Olympic Village, all eight schools participating in the June NP:J tour were quick to continue exploring the Tokyo Metropolitan area. Teachers and students were eager to make the most of their final two days and nights in Tokyo, because Friday is the day of departure. The main activities? Visiting the Great Buddha in Kamakura, shopping, eating, going to Tokyo Tower, shopping, eating, buying "Hard Rock Cafe Tokyo" T-shirts, shopping, eating, visiting the Imperial Palace, shopping, eating, and---oh, yes---a little bit of sleep now and then. Tokyo is truly a world-class city, with so much to see and do, it's impossible to see absolutely everything in a mere three days. But that doesn't stop the NP:J participants from trying. When students returned to the Olympic Center on both nights, you could frequently here a variation of this comment: "I am really tired, but I'm glad we saw so much! The group from Jefferson High loved their visit to an Edo-period village. The students from Southwest were duly impressed by the bronze statue of Amida Buddha, cast in 1252 A.D., 13.35 meters tall, and weighing in at 121 tons! Even though the day was cloudy, the Centennial group made its annual trek to Tokyo Tower, a landmark reminiscent of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Two very popular destinations for many groups? Shibuya is a center of much activity for Tokyo's youth, and many insisted on seeing Tower Records. Second, virtually all schools visit Akihabara, the electronics and "techno-geek" section of Tokyo. It is wonderful to see the participants trying to squeeze every moment out of their adventure. If you have not seen the itinerary of each school group, please click here. Thursday night, the NP:J staff met with the teachers of all the school groups and reviewed the logistics for Friday, the NP:J departure date. While many are tired and happy to be returning home to their friends and family, it is also clear that the study tour has been a worthwhile and meaningful experience. In closing, the staff of The Laurasian Institution wants to convey a warm and hearty "Thank You!" to the families and friends of our students, to the teacher/chaperones who gave so much of themselves, to our funders, The Freeman Foundation and The Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership and---last but not least---to our NP:J students. Watching you experience Japan (most of you for the first time) helps us rediscover this beautiful culture anew with each tour. We hope all of our NP:J students continue to show an interest in Japan and in becoming more internationally aware. We wish you the best of luck with your future! That's it for the June NP:J Study Tour 2002. Thanks for dropping in and catching our newsletters. Until next time, sayonara!