June 14, 2003

While sitting in the lobby of the student dorm lounge, Eagle High students receive instructions on the rules of the Olympic Village complex and dorms. Have they absorbed what Ward-sensei is saying? Once the rules have been discussed, the group gets ready to leave on their Study Day. Here is a picture of the entrance to the student dorms. The Eagle High participants wait on the platform of the Chiyoda Line subway at the Yoyogi Koen station. On the subway, their first venture into the heart of Tokyo. Ward-sensei, exhausted even before the trip begins...

New Perspectives: Japan Tour 2 Begins! The NP:J tour 2 is now underway! NP:J staff greeted the eight school groups at Narita International Airport on Friday afternoon. Many of the flights which the NP:J school groups were on arrived a bit ahead of schedule. This allowed three of the groups to board buses earlier, enabling the bus to miss rush hour. The second group, although arriving early, just hit the rush hour window once reaching the middle of Tokyo. The final bus load just missed the rush hour and although departing from Narita nearly an hour after the second bus, managed to cut that time difference by thirty minutes! Fortunately, all three groups checked into the Olympic Center by 7:00 pm enabling everyone to have dinner before the teachers' meeting at 8:30 pm. The school groups participating in the June 12-27 New Perspectives: Japan tour are: Carroll High School, Fort Wayne, Indiana Clarkston High School, Clarkston, Michigan Eagle High School, Eagle, Idaho Kelly Walsh High School, Casper, Wyoming King Kekaulike High School, Maui, Hawaii Michigan City High School, Michigan City, Indiana St. Mark's School of Texas, Dallas, Texas Webster Groves High School, Webster Groves, Missoui After the meeting, one of the groups, Carroll High, ventured to Shibuya for some shopping and people watching. We were quite impressed to hear the teachers were genki enough to trek the three-four miles there and back after flying for 15 hours! These are some lucky students to have such teachers, wouldn't you say? Some students did decide to return to the dorms after taking just a few steps. They were simply too exhausted from the long plane ride and jet lag. But there is no doubt that the students who turned around to go to bed are probably wide awake today and giving the rest of their group the push necessary to get through the day. This morning, Saturday, several groups left at 4:45 am to catch some of the auction action at Tsukiji Market. For those of you who have not heard of Tsukiji, this wholesale seafood market is one of the largest in the world and sells to the world. The tunas, for example, are purchased whole for tens of thousands of dollars and then flown to all parts, including maybe some of your cities! But it takes an adventurous teacher to bring students into this busy work environment with the work carts zipping back and forth. It is a trip well worth th effort of waking up early, however. The other groups left at a more reasonable hour and are visiting places like the Imperial Palace gardens, Asakusa's Sensoji Temple, the Hama Rikyu Gardens, Odaiba. Others are heading to Ginza to lighten their wallets. Parents, grandparents, be ready for those phone calls asking for money to be sent! We have suggested to the students that they hold off on their actual shopping until the end of the trip. Monday morning, when the groups head off to their host schools with their backpacks and bags, we will see if anyone heard that suggestion! Tonight, although the computers will be available for students to email family and friends, we have heard groups talking about heading out for an evening of karaoke or staying out as long as their teachers can hold out. So, parents, don't fret if there isn't an email from your child, they are having one great adventure! Check back in a few days for the next installment of the NP:J online newsletter. We will also be adding more pictures to this issue so be sure to check back! Until then, sayonara! Many NP:J groups visit the Imperial Palace gardens. The water irises are in full bloom. Below is a picture of the irises.