Welcome Party

Everyone was up, showered (?) and dressed by 8.00am, looking much more awake than they did last night! After breakfast in the hotel restaurant, we gathered in the lobby at 9.30am, ready to leave for Sakura.

After a ten minute train ride to Sakura City, we caught a small local bus for the fifteen minute drive to Kusabue no Oka, the park where the Welcome Party was held. Our Japanese hosts hired a beautiful old building in the park (a farmhouse that is more than 200 years old) and we were joined by all of the host families as well as the Deputy Principal from Shirogane Primary School and a number of English-speaking volunteers who will be helping us throughout our stay. We all gave a speech introducing ourselves in Japanese (even Mr Baptist!) and were very warmly welcomed by everyone.

After eating lunch, we watched mochi (Japanese rice cakes) being made, and the students went outside with their new Japanese friends for a look around the park.

At 1.00pm it was time to say goodbye and leave withour host families.