Final Reflection
I have expanded my world while on this Hawaii-Okinawa Student Exchange program. I can honestly say it was life changing. It gave me a whole new perspective of Okinawa and my culture. It made me appreciate my heritage. My host family the Yonahas and Takase my host student have shown me the Okinawan customs and their way of life. I am grateful for their warm hospitality and loving home. Takase was a kind, generous, happy, helpful genuine girl. I had gotten the chance to become close with her and her family. I still keep in contact with her through email.
In closing, I hope that other students will have the same opportunity as I did to participate in this exchange program. The close bonds such as that between Hawaii and Okinawa are crucial for future generations. If other countries develop such bonds, this world will be a better place where peace will prevail.

June 19, 2010 - Going home :(

Two weeks in Okinawa went by so fast, and I wasn't ready to return to Hawaii. I was sad to leave my host family in Okinawa. I love the Yonaha family! The morning before I left I went to beautiful beaches.

Above: Cape Manzano


Above: At the Airport with Takase and Moeko

June 18, 2010 - Last day of School

I had a lot of fun on the last day of school. I followed the English teacher to all of her classes and my homeroom surprised me at the end of the day with special messages. It was really sad leaving all of my new friends.

Above: Homeroom students


Above: The drawing the students made for me.

June 17, 2010 - School and Aloha Party

I had an awesome day at school, as always. I also got to teach my homeroom students and special education students the hula! They really enjoyed and appreciated it.

Picture Left: All of the students I taught hula.












The Aloha party-
It felt like we were just at the Welcome Party meeting the Yonaha Family for the first time but here is the farewell "Aloha" party. I had a good time at the Aloha party. The food was delicious and the entertainment by the Okinawa students was also great! It was fun dancing on the stage with the Okinawa students!

Above: Okinawa students singing

Above: Okinawa officials, Hawaii students, Okinawa students and host families

Above: The Yonaha Family with me! :)


Above: Anthony and me with the host students

June 16, 2006 - Churaumu Aquarium

In the morning before going to the aquarium, "Okasan" took me on excursions. I thought it was so sweet of her to take off work to take me.
(Picture Left=At a diving beach)




















Jennifer, Carly, Kathy, Tani and Rylee

The aquarium was amazing and huge!

June 14 & 15 -- School

School was the time where I got to interact with other high school students. Most of the students could speak English. I met some amazingly nice people. I went to swim class with Takase but observed and talked with some of her friends. I met one of her friends named Saki. The next day at lunch time she came to visit me at my homeroom and she had brought me cake and juice. The Okinawan people are always so polite, generous and friendly.

Picture = Chibisaki "Saki" and me

June 13, 2010 -- Shopping day!

On Sunday Takase and I went to Jusco Center to meet up with Mizuki, Richard, Emu, Sara, Jon and Mariko. I was surprised that their mall was so big! The first thing we did was go to the arcade to the purikura (picture-taking booth)! Finally, I could do some shopping! I had a long list for omiyages (gifts) to buy. I brought a very large suitcase to carry home all those goodies. We went to the food court for lunch and I bought my favorite foods, udon and vegetable tempura, for only 210 yen. I couldn't believe how cheap it was. At the mall we (Hawaii kids) even went on a ferris wheel. It was pretty scary and it moved really slow, but the view was great. After going on the ferris wheel, we just wondered around and bonded with each other. Everyone had a lot of fun!
In the evening, Takase's neighbor invited us over to a wedding party. I hesitated to go since it was already 8:00 p.m. I didn't know if they could speak English but I went anyway. I'm so glad I went! They were all so friendly and many of them could speak good English. They said funny jokes and treated me very well by feeding me a lot of sushi and dessert plus they kept asking me questions. I didn't want to leave, but we had school the next day.

June 12, 2010 -- Peace Memorial Park

The Peace Memorial Park was a solemn place with many graphic pictures and realistic looking exhibits. As you graze out on the lawn of the park, you can see rows and rows of monuments with names of people that had lost their lives. It's sad to see the vast amount of soldiers and civilians that were killed. After looking and wondering around the monuments for awhile, you can sulk looking out to the scenic view of the ocean.
Picture Above= Marissa, Me, Carly & Jennifer at the Peace Memorial Park

The next memorial site just really hit home for many of us. You walk into a dim room with pictures of school girls and teachers lined up across the wall. None of them are smiling. It's like they're giving you a blank stare. I went around the room reading each name and looking at their pictures. When I read their age, many were my age or younger. My eyes watered and I felt like crying. It's so sad how many of them had to face bloody disasters each day. I would never be able to handle that. I never really thought about the battle of Okinawa before. I didn't know that so many people had lost their lives and that students my age were recruited to become nurses. After going to these memorials, it made us realize this should never happen again so it's important that Hawaii and Okinawa plus other countries keep healthy relationships.
Picture - Himeyuri Memorial Park

June 11, 2010 --
Gyokusendo-Okoku-Mura

A membranous day at the caves. Not you get the historical aspect but the cultural. There were many attractions to keep you busy and learn about the Okinawan culture.

The caves were amazing and really cool to be in them. Hearing the water drops hit the ponds in the cave and the cave itself is so massive and beautiful. I really liked seeing it. After going through the caves we watched an eisa performance. I was super amazed at their enthusiasm and energy. They were hopping around with their heavy taiko drums. I have never seem anything like that in Hawaii. After watching the performance we took pictures with the snake, it cost 1000 yen but it was worth it.

That evening we had a great time with all of the students from Hawaii

June 10, 2010 -- 3rd Day of School

It was just a usual day of school but after school the elderly care welfare class went on an excursion to Pork Hillock and to a welfare dinner in Naha. Port Hillock was a luxury elderly care facility. The facility can easily be mistaken was a hotel because it sits on top a hill with a beautiful view.
Following our tour we went to a hotel in Naha that was the site of where the students performed eisa. They had been practicing for months before and after school for this one performance. They had cute matching kimonos and everything. It's nice how people of all ages in Okinawa perpetuate their culture.

Picture = Students after their performance + me

June 9, 2010 -- 2nd Day of School

One time in my life that I actually love going to school. I had a great time interacting with all these students. At school was lucky enough to watch the high school's sumo team practice. They are very intense, they had to be after all since they were the best high school sumo team in Okinawa. I think that will be my only chance to be able to see sumo with my real eyes. Also while at school I also had the opportunity to watch traditional eisa done by the students. I had fun watching them they were really skilled. They even let me dance with them for a little while.

June 8, 2010

We were fortunate enough to be able to meet the superintendent of the Board of Education and the Mayor of Okinawa. After our visit with them we went sight seeing to the ancient Shuri Castle and the Shikina Gardens. The historical, cultural part is one of the main reasons why I wanted to go on this trip so its amazing to be these treasures in real life.

I loved going to Shuri Castle. The artifacts are all so amazing and the view is just stunning. I would never be able to experience this any where else. Its really cool to think that one day a long time ago an emperor walked where I was standing. Shikina Gardens was also breath taking. It was well maintained and you can feel the history as you walk around the gardens.


Picture Right/Above = me at Shuri Castle

June 7, 2010

Yikes the first day of school. I didn't know what to expect, but I know schools in Japan had strict expectations. I was kind of intimidated. I got all dressed up in my school uniform, and had my home made bento in hand. I attended Chubuu Agricultural High School. Takase was in the 12th grade and was 18 years old. My first impression of her school was that it was really historic looking but had a beautiful campus.

(Picture Above=Me & Takase ready for school)
It was an experience having to take off my schools when going into the hallways. I was greeted by Takase's friends. They were all so friendly and welcoming. When the first bell rang it was so different from the American school bell. It was almost like a song tune that lasted 30 seconds. When the teacher walked into the class room the students were so obedient. One student called all of the students to attention and all of them stood up in uniform to bow to the sensei. Many of teachers didn't notice me, I blended into the classroom.(Picture Right=Eisa Students & I)

On every Monday each student gets a uniform check. Their skirt must be knee length, no jewelry, nail polish or make up. I thought it was really interesting that if a student it caught at night past curfew (11pm) then the police would call the homeroom teacher first, and the homeroom teacher would discipline the student.
(Picture Left=Me getting uniform Check)

June 6, 2010

With lots of rest our room we woke up early and headed down to breakfast. I love the way they serve their meals and everything has their down dish. I love that my food doesn't touch!
(Picture Left:Breakfast at Youth Center)






The moment had finally come to perform our "I gotta feeling" and "Mele no Lilo" dances. It was pretty nerve racking to perform in front of all these important Officials and dignitaries.
I thought we had done a good job, and all of that practicing was worth it.
The luncheon had an assortment of foods to munch on. Since I was in a totally new country I told myself to try new things even though I was scared to. For the first time I tried pig ears, I thought they were very interesting. It's nice being exposed to new foods and I would ever eat at home.

(Above: Me & Tarynn ready for hula)
(Right:Food at welcome dinner!)













After the luncheon I was introduced to Takase and the Yonaha Family. They were so kind and insisted to carry my VERY heavy luggage. Since the luncheon was in Naha we had a far drive. I was totally fine with that since I got to see many places. At first when we were in the car it was awkward and I didn't know what to say but after awhile we had broken the ice and we shared things about ourselves.
(Picture left:Yonaha Family House)



I had read the etiquette section of our handbooks and it had so many rules that you had to follow at the table so you would not be rude but I realized my family was really laid back. I read not to sit until the father had so I just stood there by the table. Everyone had sitten down even without him so I followed. The mother made us a really good meal that was very delicious. They made sure I would NEVER go hungry. The father kept adding food to my plate even though I was really stuffed. (Picture Right: Me & Takase eating)
I was surprised they gave me a whole room to myself, and I was surprised that they had actual beds.

Picture: My room at the Yonaha House

June 5, 2010

"HEY we're in OKINAWA!"
As we stare outside our plane windows all you see is the blinking light of the aircraft wing, then we felt the airplane hit the jet way. Finally on our way out of the airport we were greeted by the Okinawan officials. Drowsy and jet lagged we loaded in the vans and went to the Youth Hall to get some rest. I thought the traditional futons in the tatami room was interesting, but they were quite comfortable.
(Left: Me @ Youth Center)

June 4, 2010

OKINAWA HERE WE COME!
Ready to go in our business attire Jenna, Tarynn and I are leaving to Oahu to meet up with the the group. We had to travel to Oahu for 3 Saturdays, all the traveling was so worth it and we were all really excited to go to Okinawa.
(Big Island Girls-Jenna-Tarynn-Kathy)


You could feel all of the excitement in the air, although many of us didn't get much rest that night. (to the right, 21 of us missing Sherron)


















(Pictures Above: Me & Anthony on the Plane, & plane food)
The flight was very long...9 hours. Even though it was a long flight I was able to become closer friends with Anthony. I had never talked to him at the orientation so we got some bonding time. The Japanese woman that sat next to us was very friendly, and the food wasn't so bad either.