We met our excited students Monday morning at the JR train station and they were filled with stories
about their fantastic weekends with their new families. Some kids visited Universal Studios in Osaka, went to festivals,
had family B-B-B-Q's, traveled to Kobe, Nara or even as far away as Kyushu-Japan's southern island!
Check the Homestay page in a few days for more detailed stories
about your students' adventures.
Monday
was a very rainy day in Himeji. We walked up the main avenue to the beautiful castle that is Himeji's chief tourist attraction.
A former teacher from Himeji-Minami High School was our volunteer guide and we all learned a lot from her wonderful narration.
We climbed up, up, up to the highest part of the tower and enjoyed the amazing view while shivering in the cool wind.
After the castle tour we walked to Kokoen Garden. The students
enjoyed the traditional Japanese beauty and time with each other and their new friends. Japanese gardens are often most beautiful
when glistening with raindrops. Your students spent the rest of their afternoons shopping, eating lunch, visiting Starbucks
and enjoying time with their new brothers and sisters.
