Awesome Travelers Reunite at Woodhull Event

Many thanks to Mary Lawrence, Tess, Paris and Chris Woodhull for inviting the group over for a reunion dinner Sunday night. We enjoyed a marvelous dinner, house tour, and a long discussion of our tremendous international experience.

The "Lost" Tamami Photos Discovered!

Rumored to exist but previously unseen, the "lost" Tamami photos have surfaced. They may be viewed in their grainy original film splendor at: http://picasaweb.google.com/kusumjapan/Cultural2009?pli=1&gsessionid=TY3ypUzRAtmULTRGsXCjsw#

For those desiring a quick preview, here's several shots helping us relive the trip from a different perspective:

The 20 Year Anniversary Plaque

Many thanks to Sarah Rennich for creating the plaque. We are all very proud to have our image on the Panasonic Cultural Exchange Wall of Memories.

Photo Gallery from Panasonic Thank You

Awesome Travelers Say Thanks to Panasonic

********************************On September 22 the travelers gathered at the Panasonic headquarters to share a big thank you with the Panasonic managers and staff. We all agreed that traveling the world was more exciting than attending class or studying for tests. Everyone in the group spoke eloquently about our experiences in Japan. Certainly a highlight was Rylan's repeated use of the descriptive term "slimey". After our meeting with the Panasonic staff we spent some time catching up and planning for our next reunion.

Group Reunion

Proving we are still friends after more than 24 hours of airline flights and many days together on the road, the awesome travelers are shown enjoying a group reunion in Knoxville. Thanks again to Panasonic for giving us such a tremendous cultural experience in Japan.

Homestay-By Molly Chaffin

My home stay was better than I thought it could be. My family couldn't have been sweeter and they made me feel right at home. I left Senri High School with Mayuko Abo, 15 years old, and met her mother, Yumi, at the car. We went to their beautiful home where I met Mayuko's grandparents and her little sister (13) Nanoko. That night we had a wonderful dinner of sashimi, and rice topped with egg, salmon flakes, salmon eggs and seaweed. After dinner we watched Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (they're bigs fans like I am) and played uno (with Harry Potter uno cards!).

After a good night's sleep on my tatami mat, I woke up for breakfast and met Mayuko's father, Mr. Abo, who had just returned from a business trip--he owns an insurance company. We had a delicious breakfast of fruit pastries and then drove to Kyoto where Mayuko, Nanoko and I made pottery. I made a coffee mug. It was quite difficult to communicate with the man helping me...

Afterwards we walked to Kiyomizu Temple. I drank from the natural spring. The water tasted so good! We then ate Kyoto-style Okonomi-yaki. This was very different than the first Okonomi-yaki our group ate; it was an actual pancake, topped with things such as egg, cheese or udon and then folded over like an omlet. It was so good too! We got back to the car and headed to the supermarket (ichiban). It was overwhelming! Raw fish, pickled everything, fresh fruits and vegetables-- it was like Walmart times ten! It was such an experience.

We got back to their home Mayuko, Nanoko, Mr. Abo and I played volley ball and badmitten in the street next to their house while Yumi was preparing dinner. We ate shabu-shabu (main course) for dinner. We also had tempura, sashimi, rice, and edamame! Yumi was a great cook.

After dinner we played with sparklers in the street. We had at least fifty sparklers. It was a blast!

The next morning we drove back to Kyoto to go hiking in Mino. We walked up a paved pathway to a beautiful waterfall at the top of the mountain. There we ate rice balls before hiking back down. Then we drove up another mountain and saw monkeys just sitting by the road. There were about five and two babies! So kawai (cute)! We stopped at a sweet shop, (they definitely kept me fed at my homestay) and then we drove back home. After getting ready we headed out for the farewell party, a delicious meal of Japanese-style Italian food. Saying goodbye to my host family was the hardest part of the trip (harder than eating the sashimi!). I love my host family like my own family, even after only two days! I couldn't have asked for a kinder, more accomodating family, and I promised them if I return to Japan I will stay with them again.

The Group Returns - Really!

Several skeptical readers have requested photographic evidence of our actual landing in Knoxville. Here are the weary travelers tapping their last bit of energy to smile and appear coherent.

Home stay - shared by Jim

I could write a book about the homestay but I will be brief (grateful applause from readers).

My homestay family of Masafumi Nishida (father, Panasonic engineer), Eri (mother and teacher at Senri High School) and Satoki (son, high school student) did a great job of keeping me entertained with interesting activities. My homestay family is shown standing in front of their house (not too big, not too small, just right!)

During my homestay I experienced:

*shopping at an upscale grocery, bakery and dessert store,
* joining the extended family (including grandfather Yasuo, grandmother Setsuko, and brother Hiroke) for a great evening of exotic (to me) food cooked at the table in the Yakinku style (sadly it takes more than that to make squid taste good), calligraphy, and (thank goodness for Hiroke the translating brother) spirited discussion,
*experiencing incredible generosity and hospitality not only from the host family but also from Masafumi’s parents,

Yasuo taught me a little calligraphy, and my writing of the word "dreams" could actually be read by others in the group,

Yasuo also gave me a beautiful ink brush drawing titled "Lakeside fresh breeze". Thank goodness I didn't have to write that in Japanese characters!

To be fair, this incredible Yakinku dinner (which translates to "bake meat") included a large amount of nicely marbled (Kobe-style) beef. So the octopus and squid were exotic components of a very satisfying meal.

*boating down the shallow but whitewater Hozugawa River (redundant as gawa means river but I am showing off ),
* a boiling public bath in Kyoto, as if I wasn’t already steaming in the ambient air temperature of 99,

* a wonderful bento box meal as part of a traditional lunch in a ryokan (Japanese inn) in Kyoto,
*a stroll through an absolutely beautiful Japanese garden,

* a wide ranging bike ride (next time I want a bigger bike!) through the back alleys and hinterland of Kyoto, including a spin through the incredible bamboo forest,
* many connections with kids, farmers, ice cream vendors, etc. during the bike ride,

*watching my homestay family have a life changing experience – eating frosted cinnamon Pop-Tarts for their first time, (ever tried Pop-Tarts with chopsticks?)

*trying to figure out where to put your clothes and towel while taking a shower (a continuing mystery),
*a visit with the neighbors of the Nishidas (note to next chaperon – learn how to make conversation in Japanese!)

*wading through a stream in the Setutukyou area to join friends of Eri for a holiday cook-out by the edge of a stream (no squid or octopus…they must have been holding back the good stuff!)
*visiting one of Eri’s colleagues who served some awesome white peaches (I’d like one right now!) and some high powered super sweet juice and delicious cakes,
*biking through the neighborhoods and the local market near the Nishida’s home,
*checking out a fireworks/bridal/”congratulations on your baby daughter” store on the way to the farewell dinner (not to say that this was the reason we were late…)
*trying to say funny phrases like “Wood Whittlers” and laughing together for a long time,
*eating several delicious meals prepared and served by Eri (next time I’m expecting those grits for breakfast!),
*working through our language barriers with an electronic translator in hand,
*a wonderful heartfelt connection with my homestay family, a connection that hopefully will bring us together again in the future, sooner rather than later.

Senri Highschool & Home stay - Shared by Rylan Bledsoe

When we arrived at Senri Highschool, I had no idea what this day would hold. Mr. Yamauchi led us inside where we swapped our shoes for guest slippers and had a meeting with the principal. After a short presentation, we were sent to our classrooms with guide-students. I was lucky enough to have two. They brought me to their chemistry class and gave me a small stool to sit beside one of their desks. I met an exchanged student named Patrick and it was a little comforting to know that I wasn't the only non-Japanese student in the class.... but on the other hand.... Patrick spoke very good Japanese and mine is dismally restricted to a few phrases. I introduced myself to the class and sat and watched as the teacher made a battery out of Lead, Lead Oxide, and Sulfuric acid. He attached clamps to the sheets of Pb and PbO and they powered a small fan for the remainder of class. After class let out, I was guided back to the board room and the group re-formed. We changed shoes and headed out to the field where all of the students had already assembled in block formation. These last two sentences took place in about 5 minutes so give the time period this was an incredible feat. The assembly was hot and rainy and the students showed upmost discipline. After the assembly, I met my host student Masataka Mori. We went to his home room to begin cleaning. An American student would never stand out in the rain quietly and willingly clean the school building. Needless to say, I was very impressed. We all met again for lunch, and after an opening speech, we began our workshops. Tess, Kelsey, and I chose calligraphy and the others chose origami. We also had workshops in wearing yukatas, traditional tea ceremony, and kendo. After all of our workshops we were quizzed on different aspects of Japan and had to say goodye to all of our new friends.
At the end of the school day, we all joined our host students and their families and had to part ways for the weekend. Masataka lives in Takatsuki City which is about 40 minutes away from Senri. I met his mother, father, and younger brother Takahiro and we went out to eat. The restaurant's specialty was skewered meat and vegetables that you bread at the table and deep fry right infront of your plate. I ate like a king and then impressed some of the fellow diners with my icecream swirling skills (I get more out of Chickfila than a wage). Afterwards, we saw Harry Potter and we all fell asleep at some point. We got to sleep as soon as we could seeing as we were so tired.
The next day, Masataka and his father took me to Universal Studios Japan. It was very fun and interesting, especially to see so many shows in a language I don't understand. It actually made everything more interesting than it would have been in English. We got home late again and had Kakoyaki (spell check?) which are balls of batter, octopus, and pickle fried in a waffle iron type contraption. Also we had fried pork and some delicious sliced cabbage.
The next morning, I went to a judo practice with Masataka's father. We sat and watched as they underwent a grueling workout with a 5 minute water break sometime in an estimated two hours. We picked up Takahiro and went bowling and after 4 gutterballs I got back into the rhythm and eventually started making some strikes. We met up at the house and left for the farewell dinner. It was very tough to part with them. I had a wonderful time, but spending so much time with such a happy family made me miss my own back home and I was looking forward to seeing them.

Home Stay--Shared by Sarah Rennich

Friday

After a long, fun day at Senri High School, I headed out with my host student, Rika, and her mom. Both could speak English fairly well, though they seemed slightly anxious about doing so in front of me. We traveled about an hour to the Yamamoto residence—a small, 2-story house in the suburbs of Hiroshima. Once inside, we removed our shoes (something that was becoming natural) and Rika showed me around. Downstairs there was a large family room furnished only with tatami mats, a small dining area, and an extremely narrow kitchen. Also on the bottom story was the bathroom and a separate bathing room. Upstairs Rika showed me her and her parent’s bedrooms, along with her brother’s, which was to be mine for my stay. One characteristic I must mention about all these rooms is that in not one was there an air conditioner running despite boiling temperatures outside (around 95 degrees). Needless to say, I was overjoyed to learn that my room was equipped with an individual air conditioning unit, which could be run when the room was occupied. Once I grew accustomed to the initial heat shock, I even began to respect this economical and eco-friendly habit.

After the grand tour, we headed back downstairs to exchange presents. Rika and her mother meticulously unwrapped each of their gifts and graciously thanked me over and over. Then, they presented me with my present (Hello Kitty PJs) and gifts for my sister and parents. Following this exchange, I thankfully accepted their insistence on giving me a chance to shower. Refreshed, Rika and I looked over each other’s fashion magazines till dinner. The meal that night consisted of fresh vegetables and delicious tempura made at the table. After serving us, Mrs. Yamamoto went to pick up Rika’s brother and father at the train station. Apparently, Mr. Yamamoto worked in Tokyo during the week and Mickey (the brother) attended a special school for university preparation. When they returned, I was pleased to see that both spoke extremely good English. Throughout the rest of the meal, they questioned me while simultaneously watching baseball on the nearby flatscreen TV. After dinner, we watched the 5th Harry Potter movie, which the family kindly set to English with Japanese subtitles. Though I enjoyed the movie, I was aching quite a bit by the end from sitting with no back support (a feat which the family handled with ease). After a busy day, it was only pure exhaustion which powered me upstairs, where I quickly fell asleep to the hum of the air conditioner.

Saturday

The next morning I slept in till 9:30, relishing the lack of an early hour hotel wake-up call. After finally getting up, I was greeted downstairs by a great breakfast of homemade bread, scrambled eggs, ham, cucumber salad, and most blessedly of all—pineapple fresh from Okinawa. During the meal, we watched American MTV (probably a painful sacrifice by the family for my comfort). Rika, her mother, and I then got dressed and headed out to the train station. Three train connections later, we arrived at our first destination—the Osaka Aquarium. There, we saw everything from dolphins and penguins (Rika’s favorite) to a whale shark and giant sea crabs. It was a good activity for us, because it gave Rika (who was shy about speaking) something to talk to me about. After the aquarium, we ate lunch at a restaurant called Hokkyokusei, where I experienced my first (surprisingly good) ketchup-covered rice omelet.

We then walked over to the nearby giant ferris wheel. On our 30 minute ride, we were treated to amazing views of the city and ocean. Once returning to ground, we took the train to the Osaka Entertainment Center (the fancy name for a shopping mall). Rika and I explored over 15 super-trendy stores there, ogling of the cute high-waisted floral skirts and overalls. We both ended up getting some clothes; baggy jeans for Rika and overalls for me (I figured why not? When in Japan where what the Japanese do). Exhausted (as only shopping can make you feel), we traveled back to the Yamamoto house.

When we got back, we showered and listened to some of my music (a mix of everything from Lady Gaga to Bob Dylan). While Rika liked the pop, she was not a fan of country, and the rock just weirded her out. Next was dinner (a spread of sashimi, shabu-shabu pork, and fresh vegetables) and a movie (Mama Mia). Everything was delicious—dare I say even better than anything I had had at the restaurants. After the meal, we all sat around and talked about travel and the future. It was amazing to see how similar Rika’s father was to mine, encouraging me to travel more and telling me that I would go far. He also gave me a pair of headphones by the company he worked for—Maxell. Rika then broke out the Wii and we had a blast playing sports (She was undoubtedly the best). It really was fun—Wii is something that just overcomes all language barriers. After our less-than-intense workout, we were treated to delicious chocolate cakes with chocolate ice cream inside. Happy and full, I went to sleep into my wonderfully air conditioned room.

Sunday

Today started out much like yesterday—I slept in and ate a delicious breakfast. Today’s spread included tuna salad, homemade maple bread, ham, and scrambled eggs. After finishing up, the whole family and I headed out by car around the suburb. Our first stop was Uniqlo, a clothing store that was a funky mix between Target and American Apparel. Unfortunately, my purse was too drained from the previous day to actually buy any of the neon apparel. Seeing my distress, the family then took me to the 100 yen store. There, I was able to stock up on origami supplies and a map (which had Japan, not the US in the middle). Our final stop of the morning was a crowded 7-story mall. When I asked if many people went to church on Sundays, Rika told me no, but most went shopping. Inside, we looked at more at expensive clothes and at the book store (75% of which was manga). Hungry, we headed up to the food court, where I had really good curry udon and tempura. After eating, we headed home for me to pack.

Around 3:30, we took the hour-long drive back into Osaka, all the while listening to Mr. Yamamoto sing to 80s American pop songs. In the city, Rika and her brother showed me all over downtown to see all the landmarks. We then had sweet red bean cakes for snacks, and headed back to the hotel for me to change. All cleaned up, we walked over to the meet up with the rest of the travelers for our final banquet. It was great to be reunited with my friends and introduce them to Rika. The Italian buffet and Japanese appetizers were delicious, and it was interesting to hear about the other’s weekends. After closing speeches, it was time to say a sad goodbye to my adoptive family. My stay with the Yamamoto family was definitely the most enlightening part of time in Japan. I will remember it and this whole amazing trip forever.

Last Known Photos of Trip

This is the last known photo of our awesome travelers on their way home, shown in the LaGuardia Airport on Tuesday, July 21st just after the announcement that our flight for Knoxville was boarding. Some of you may be wondering what the group was doing in New York on July 21st, given that we were scheduled to return on July 20th through Detroit. Only Northwest/Delta can answer that! Many thanks to them for our "bonus" overnights in Atlanta and Detroit. Please also note that these travelers got up at 4 am in order to catch their flight, and are wearing the same clothes they put on in Osaka the day before. Talk about awesome travelers!

Our plane for the return flight to Knoxville was accessed by walking across the tarmac during a heavy rainstorm. Here Molly is shown enjoying the refreshing soaking as she boards the plane.

Farwell Dinner Photo Gallery

Senri High School - Photo Gallery 1

We began the day in the principal's office for her warm greeting to Senri High School. Following that initial meeting our travelers were met by Senri students and taken to participate in an actual Senri class.

This is a shot of a computer keyboard with the Japanese characters.

This is a picture of the teacher work room. All my fellow business teachers at Hardin Valley who are familiar with how my cubicle looks will understand why I included this photo.

The student body gathered on the athletic field for a closing ceremony (for the end of school.) They stood in perfect lines in the heat through several lengthy speeches. When it began to rain they did not move. We were standing under cover so at least we stayed dry.

These students were the masters of ceremonies for the afternoon activities.

These students taught us about Japanese boy bands and other finer points of Japanese teenager culture.

These are some scenes from the Jeopardy game.

There was great tension as the final score was totaled!

Three of the Knox County group attended an origami lesson while the others worked on calligraphy.

Then it was time for all of us to dress in our yakuta, with great assistance. We were all given a yakuta by Panasonic.

At the end of the day we joined the Senri students for a social time. I learned about the colorful charms the girls attach to their cell phones.