JENESYS 2017 GROUP 4B SPORTS

JENESYS 2017 GROUP 4B SPORTS (TUESDAY, 23TH OF JANUARY, 2018 THURSDAY, 1 ST OF FEBRUARY, 2018) ILISAPESI VEIKUNE TONGA

Contents PREFECTURES WE VISITED... 2 Thursday, 25 th of January 2018... 2 Orientation... 2 The observatory at Tokyo Government Office, Odaiba commercial area... 2 Friday 26 th of January 2018... 2 New Olympic Arena, Athletic center, Big Sight Center... 2 Japan Sport Council Nippon Budokan... 2 Saturday 27 th of January 2018... 3 Tokyo to Fukuoka... 3 Homestay... 3 Sunday 28 th of January 2018... 3 Fukuoka-Tenmangu shrine... 3 Traditional Hakata doll... 3 Monday 29 th of January 2018... 4 Fukuoka Prefectural Office PM... 4 Visiting an university in Fukuoka (FIT)... 4 Tuesday 30 th of January 2018... 5 Fukuoka to Tokyo PM... 5 Sensoji temple... 5 Wednesday 31 st of January 2018... 5 Wrap up Reporting... 5 HOW I FOUND THE PROGRAM... 5 NEW THINGS IVE LEARNT... 6 WHAT I ENJOY THE MOST... 6 HOME STAY EXPERIENCE... 6 WHAT RECOMMENDATIONS WOULD YOU MAKE TO IMPROVE THIS PROGRAMME... 6 PHOTOS... 7

PREFECTURES WE VISITED Thursday, 25 th of January 2018 Orientation The observatory at Tokyo Government Office, Odaiba commercial area On this day, we got in and settled in the hotel mid night and had to wake up the next morning for breakfast from 6:30 to 7:30 because we meet up at 8:10am. Officially day one! Had a buffet breakfast in the morning which was definitely worth waking up real early in the morning. We meet up at 8 and left for our first stop. First stop was orientation in the morning in which we were welcomed and given a brief about our allocated locations we are going to visit in a group and the funniest thing was when we were informed about the cans in vending machines that looked like juice could be a can of alcohol and we were also given a question sheet to be collected on our last day. After we had orientation we had lunch together with everyone both group A and B at this amazing restaurant, we demolished everything on our table. Food was small but quite filling. After lunch we visited the observatory at Tokyo Government Office. The observatory had a very amazing view and best of all we could see Mount Fuji from there. We left from their and were given a shopping time. I spend my 10,000 yen in just a day, everything was just so vibrant and I wanted all, and they were quite cheap compared to the prices back home. We later went for dinner and then head back to the hotel and had a long rest because it was indeed a very tight schedule day and we didn t have enough sleep. Friday 26 th of January 2018 New Olympic Arena, Athletic center, Big Sight Center Japan Sport Council Nippon Budokan Today, we had another buffet for breakfast! The wieners are to die for. After breakfast we left on the bus we basically had a bus ride with a tour guide, who told us he is not an official but just a sports freak and we thought maybe he was just joking with us, only to find out he was being serious. His a teacher, he was fun and he really made our days with his little quizzes. We stopped on the way at the Big Sight and had quick photo and to use the restroom then we continued with our sightseeing. We spend the whole day viewing the New Olympic Area still building and we then went for lunch but I was still full from breakfast. We then visited the Japan Sport Council Nippo Budokan in the afternoon which we were given a presentation about their visions and their advance technology advance amenities used to help out with the athletes of different sports. They even had little day cares for female athletes who has babies how cool is that! And then later we then went and we witnessed kids training Judo and Kenton. This was really fun to watch but I wonder what it would be like to actually wear the outfits and join them. We later head for dinner and back to the hotel for some rest.

Saturday 27 th of January 2018 Tokyo to Fukuoka Homestay Today we woke up really early to have breakfast because we had a flight to catch to Fukuoka. Flying within Japan even awesome. We then had a bus ride tour to where we would meet our home stay host family. As soon as we got there we were then where separated from each other, I was placed together with the Cook Island girls and the only Kiribati girl in our group (a total of 5 girls)by our host mother Sato San. We went straight home to drop off our bags then came back to do some grocery shopping. Our host mother didn t know what to get us so she let us chose what we wanted and she paid for it, our shopping was 6,548 yen. We felt bad she used that much money on us, strangers she has never known all her life. On our way back we picked up her friend and she knew little English and she was funny, she couldn t get over how tall and big we were for our ages and how we stood next to our host mother. We got back home and started cooking our first dish was octopus balls and we chopped vegetables and then we sat in the dinner table! I remind you it was a traditional dinner table where we sat on the floor we even were given the choice to grill or boil our favorite meat in the soup. Our host mother offered us all forks, but we wanted to try out our chopstick skills and we nailed it!! We had dinner and we decided to perform our items for our host family starting off with Kiribati, then Tonga and Cook Island. Surprisingly our host mother made us all stand up and we performed a Japanese item together. We had dinner for almost 3 hours. After eating she came with fruits, we had fruits after having fruits we had tea! So much food it just kept coming it was up to a point in which we had to Google how to say We are full, thank you very much We then had to clean up and make our beds, traditional beds even! Sleeping on the floor and best part is that we all slept together. Our host mother then got a drawing book and drew a clock pointing out the time we should wake up, we then laid and she tucked us into bed and we slept. With a full stomach. Sunday 28 th of January 2018 Fukuoka-Tenmangu shrine Traditional Hakata doll Today was a very memorable morning and day for all us girls! We witnessed snow for the first times ever in our lives!! We take our host mother s dog Peter San for a walk and as soon as we got back we had breakfast and we packed our bags and we gave our host mother our souvenirs. She cried and she went back to her room and got us some Japanese fans as souvenirs. On our way to dropping us off she was crying, my heart ached wishing we could spend another night and also so warming how she would shed tears for girls she just met. She then took us back and we had a photo together and said our good byes (with a lot of tears shed) waving till we can t see our host families on the way. Our coordinator knew we were all sad so he knew what would cheer us up FOOD of course and we head lunch and it just happened to be at the place our next stop was at the Tenmangu Shrine. After lunch we explored the Fukuoka Tenmangu Shrine. It was so amazing!! It was a Sunday and it was quite crowded in which was a good thing we got to observe ways in which the people worshiped and we decided to try it ourselves!

It was worth it and it was indeed a good experience. I also bought a fortune teller note and asked our translator to please translate it for me. I have never been shocked in my life like what he said was indeed what I was going through and was giving me hope it s still time to change and be a better person. Oh and not forgetting the highlight of my day was when I wanted to use the restroom and when I visited the restroom, there was a traditional toilet, and guess what I used it, now Il have to cross it off my bucket list, anyways back to the relevant facts, We then head to another place to paint a Traditional Hakata doll. Now this was indeed a very good experience! First hand painting our own dolls and we could keep it. As we were about to leave I put on my shoes and accidentally broke my Hakata doll I made! I was so upset and sad. When I was about to walk out a man tapped me on the shoulder I turned back and it was the artist who mixed our paints he gave me a brand new Hakata doll that was well painted, it s the dolls he paints and sells for more than a 1000 yen I got it for free. I love Japan! I considered myself as the lucky one. We then later met up and head for dinner, everyone was exhausted, after dinner we head back to the hotel to rest for the following day. Monday 29 th of January 2018 Fukuoka Prefectural Office PM Visiting an university in Fukuoka (FIT) Rise and shine! Another day, another prefecture!! After having a heavy breakfast we then left to visit the Fukuoka Prefectural Office PM. Another million dollar view very amazing and also we had a presentation about the exchange programs they have done with Pacific Island countries and Tonga was included. They also asked for recommendations to help them improve their ways of service, and looking after the athletes that will be participating in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games about what difficulties we are facing in Japan. After that we left for lunch, but we girls were more into making sure we looked pretty because after we had to visit FIT (Fukuoka Institute of Technology) and we we re given a heads up that we will just be associated with the rugby boys. When we got there we had to watch their rugby team warm up and I noticed one of the Tongan boys my age back in High School was attending this university and just happened to be the only Pacific Islander in this Institute. They then had a game of touch with our Jenesys boys which was very entertaining and I of course made myself useful by becoming the Jenesys cheerleader, after the game we had a photo taking and we girls had to choose a pick out of all the boys and take a photo with. We then went inside the university and had a presentation but we were forced to mix with the rugby players, the presentation was about their game plans and how they plan ahead and the time table and ways to achieve their objectives and goals. Then we later head back for dinner and after dinner we did a little shopping then we head back to the hotel to get some rest because we were flying back to Tokyo the next morning.

Tuesday 30 th of January 2018 Fukuoka to Tokyo PM Sensoji temple Today we woke up really early to have breakfast and to make sure we have packed everything because we are leaving back for Tokyo today! Most of us agreed that we enjoyed Fukuoka more than Tokyo. We got to the airport only to find out our flights were delayed. Had a good sleep on the plane for a good 2 hours as soon as we landed we went for lunch but we all were still full from our heavy breakfast from every morning and since not most of us including me is not used to 3 meals a day. After lunch we visited the Sensoji temple. We were socked that even on a Tuesday the temple is still crowded. We noticed some similar ways of worship just like the Shrine we visited in Fukuoka and a few new ways. This was amazing, also met some Chinese ladies in their kimonos, we didn t even know the difference until they told us they are from China. We then left for dinner at a Melanesian restaurant. After dinner we then head to the Olympic center where we are going to spend our last nights at. We all were tired and we were informed that we have no access to Wi-Fi and we don t have our own showers we have to join the hot spring public baths, in which we all had to take a shower together. After settling in and Group A joined us, we then all went together to take a shower, Public bath also crossed off my bucket list, then we head back to the room and had some rest. Wednesday 31 st of January 2018 Wrap up Reporting We barely had a good sleep because we had to put up our report and also had to make sure our item was perfect for the reception later. After breakfast we made most of our 2 hours given to finish off our presentation slides with my group and also had a little practice with the girls for our items. We then left for lunch and after lunch we left for report session. At report session it was so fun knowing all the different experiences and the lack of words to express how we felt, how amazing this trip was. Later was the reception, in which we had so much fun watching the different types of dances performances, we later head back to the center which we stayed up all late talking about our experience and how we all met as strangers and now we are all going to leave as family. We woke up early had breakfast and then we had to take our bags down and bid our farewells to our sisters and brothers from the different Pacific Islands but most sadly our translator, our tour guide, and our coordinator. We then left for the airport and we found out our flight was delayed (while everyone was hoping it would cancelled including me hoping for another day) we then left heading for South Korea. Japan was indeed an endless discovery!! HOW I FOUND THE PROGRAM The program was not only educational but was also very fun. Despite the tight schedules we still had time for shopping, and exploring the streets of Tokyo and Fukuoka. This program has not only brought us Pacific Islands as one learning about each other s islands but has brought us to all experience Japan together. From early mornings to up late at night was all worth it, the laughter and tears shed after has

made me realize despite the language barriers the things we all had in common were our sarcastic jokes. I miss everyone! Hoping we all will see each other in the future. Oh and I have a goal which is to save up and visit Japan in 2019 for the Rugby World Cup, fingers crossed. NEW THINGS I VE LEARNT New things I ve learnt was how to make octopus balls and how to worship in Budda style at the temple was indeed something new to me because I m a Christian, Methodist raised this was indeed a very good experience for me! Also learning how to use chopsticks! I bought a bunch of chopsticks and I use then whenever I eat good to forks and knives hello chopsticks!! WHAT I ENJOY THE MOST What I enjoyed the most was the homestay experience. We only knew our host mother and her family for a couple of hours but felt like we ve known each other s for years. Language was not a barrier during our homestay because we understood each other s through hand gestures and we even had to draw if we didn t understand the hand gestures. Also, on the other hand what I enjoyed the most was the Public bath, I felt embarrassed at first but I noticed nobody cared. This was something totally new to me taking a bath with complete strangers but I loved how nobody cared. HOME STAY EXPERIENCE Home stay experience, as mentioned above on Saturday the 27 th of January Sunday morning the 28 th of January 2018 was the highlight of my Jenesys trip! Felt like I ve known my host family for ages and one thing for sure like I ve mentioned above was Language wasn t a barrier due to the Use of hand gestures and drawings was quite useful, and we could just feel the love despite not understanding each other verbally. We are indeed grateful for how much our host family spend on us, forever thankful and grateful. WHAT RECOMMENDATIONS WOULD YOU MAKE TO IMPROVE THIS PROGRAMME Recommendations to help in the improvement of this program for me is to interact in more sports activities, due to our theme sports we were mostly just given presentations and images, it would have been more exciting if we witnessed these sports amenities firsthand, and also if we interact in more sports games like how we played touch in Fukuoka. Also if we had a tour guide to explain the meanings behind the buildings and ways of worship when we visit the religious sites because most of us were very curious and had a lot of questions but the translator only had limited knowledge. But to sum it all nothing more because this program was well planned and also assured that we all had fun!

PHOTOS