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June 15, 2004

Part Two of the NP:J Study Tour On Monday, June 14, the first NP:J study tour groups headed for their host schools and families located as far north as Yamagata and as far west as Kumamoto. During this stage of the NP:J journey, each school group travels to a different part of Japan. Each summer, we welcome new and veteran schools as hosts. This tour, the hosting schools are as follows. (A link to the host school is provided for those schools with web sites.) Eaton Rapids High School is being hosted by Haguro High School in Yamagata Prefecture El Cerrito High School is being hosted by Shijonawate High School in Osaka Prefecture Middleton High School is being hosted by Oginodai High School in Oita Prefecture Patrick Henry High School is being hosted by Honjo Daiichi High School in Saitama Prefecture Skyview High School is being hosted by Kumamoto Kita High School in Kumamoto Prefecture St. Mark’s School of Texas is being hosted by Warabi High School in Saitama Prefecture Thomas Edison Middle School is being hosted by Teikyo Junior and Senior High School in Tokyo Prefecture Wiley Int’l Elem Magnet School is being hosted by Saka Elementary School in Shizuoka Prefecture In order to travel to their host schools, NP:J groups travelled via a variety of transportation modes: plane, shinkansen, bus, and local train. The day of departure from Tokyo is, perhaps, the most exciting (and nerve wracking) day for the NP:J participants. In addition to all of the details involved with moving from one location (Tokyo) to another (their host community), this is the day the students met their host families! (A volunteer who travelled with the St. Mark's group to their host school sent the attached photos. While each group experiences a slightly different reception at their host school and community, the experience of the St. Mark's group is one example. A staff person travelled with the Eaton group to their host school and will be sending pictures later this week.) Each group has now arrived safely at their host schools and spent their first night with their host families! It is nearly lunch time and everyone is now at school, experiencing school life with their Japanese student hosts. It will be interesting to hear what the NP:J students think about Japanese schools. What will be surprising to the American students? What will be similar? What stereotypes will be busted on both sides? As they say in Japan, "tanoshimi ni shite imasu"or we are all looking forward to the NP:J students' observations. So, all is well in Japan. The NP:J students are safe and sound and having a wonderful time learning about the day-to-day lives of their peers. We'll be posting our final two issues of the NP:J newsletter when all of the participants gather together again in Kyoto at the Royal Rhiga Hotel. Until then..."ja, mata ne!"

This is one of two trucks used to delivery NP:J participants' luggage around Japan. Pelican Takyubin service is somewhat like UPS or Fed Ex. Luggage was picked up on Monday and will be delivered to most locations on Tuesday. Those going to Kumamoto and Oita will receive their luggage on Wednesday. All participants have packed in their backpacks the appropriate change of clothing. These two groups (Middleton above and Patrick Henry below) did not have to leave the Olympic Village until 10 am so they used the time to prepare for their school visits. The students all look pretty serious, don't they?