School Festival, Concert, and Rotary Conference

This post is a little late, because the last week has been a seriously busy one. In addition to being busy, I changed host families and had some trouble with getting the wifi to work. The last week was super eventful, and also super rewarding, read on if you dare.

WEDNESDAY

Nothing too special happened on Monday except for a day of school and a typhoon, and Tuesday was spent setting up the last few things for the culture festival. On Wednesday we started the day off in the gym hall, listening to some speeches and house music. After that we were free to check out the classroom displays. Everything was made by students, which was hard to believe because of how amazing they all were. After checking out all the classrooms, we had lunch and then went to watch different performances and plays that the students put on. 

The entrance to our classroom. Our theme was "A Norwegian Town" And yes that is Olaf from "Frozen in the corner.

The entrance. I´m not going to show you pictures of the inside, because I need to keep some mystery, right? Actually our display was a Norwegian town at night, so it was to dark to take any pictures that would do it justice.

All the classes at school had to hold a short presentation about their theme to get people to stop by their classroom. I wore my marius sweater that my grandmother knitted for me, with a Norwegian flag in hand. I stayed outside the our classroom for a little, and I can now imagine what it´s like working as a princess at Disneyland.

This was the best of the 1st year displays. Class 15´s theme was Cinderella.

The pumpkin carriage.

Cinderella´s castle, made only by water bottles and christmas lights.

These guys asked for a picture. How could I say no?

Some mosaics of Takayama.

Space

Buzz Lightyear

We moved on to the 2nd year classrooms. This was probably my favorite classroom. Decorated as the Studio Ghibli film "Spirited Away".

Couldn´t resist taking a picture with our favourite characters

Dinosaurs. Is this a classroom in Japan or the New York National History Museum?  I´m a bit uncertain myself

As I was trying to get a good photo of the dinos, more guys stopped and asked for a picture with me. It ended up with a  big group photo. This is half the baseball club I think. 

We moved on to a classroom that was Disney themed. Pretty sure this is "The Little Mermaid"

"Toy Story"

"Monsters Inc."

This classroom was "Snow White" themed, as you might be able to tell by the dwarves.

This classroom was really cool because it had costumes that we could try on. Me and my friends as four of the seven dwarves.

Sakurako as the Evil Queen/Witch

Akane as Prince Charming and yours truly as Snow White.

After checking out all the classrooms, we headed out to the school grounds, where they were selling all kinds of food.

I ran in to a lot of friends out there. To my right is my kyudo buddy, Shino, and her gang.  It´s almost as if I´m a part of their class too it feels like.

Had some ramen for lunch. It only cost 100yen but it was oh so delicious.

We went in to the gym to watch various performances. This one group of guys dancing "wota gei" used lightsticks, and threw them out to the audience. I was sitting near the front, and one of the guys gave it to me personally. I felt pretty cool, especially when all my friends started screaming "kyaaa".

A picture of two guys cosplaying as Elsa and Ana from "Frozen". I had a hard time understanding what was going on, but it was pretty funny nonetheless.

All the 3rd year classes put on plays, and they were all pretty well done.

THURSDAY

Since we had already been through all the different classroom displays, Thursday was spent watching shows and just hanging out. We went to the tea ceremony club, which was cool because all the girls were in their kimonos. There was also a fashion show, which was pretty amazing, except for the fact that I didn´t get any decent pictures. After all the festivities were over, we had to start cleaning up. I was so exhausted after all the laughing and cheering that I had been doing all day, but everyone worked as a team, and we finished in no time. My first (and sadly, last) school culture festival was a huge success! I only wish we did things like this at home.

The super pretty 3rd year girls receiving applause for their fashion show.

Hiroto and I standing in the line waiting for ice cream

I didn´t really know what was going on here, but then again I never really know what´s going on anyways. It was hella funny though.

FRIDAY

By Friday school was back to normal, and I must admit it was weird to look at all the classrooms and remembering what they had looked like the day before. I didn´t go to any clubs that day, because I really needed to practice for the live show I would be appearing in later that night. I thought I was going to be singing backup in two songs, but it turned out that I would have some solo lines as well. 

It´s hard to say how I did, but I did get a lot of praise from strangers. I think I paled in  comparison to Lani, the lead vocalist, but it was pretty good time. I sang ABBA´s "Dancing Queen" which is fitting because I like to dance AND I´m young and sweet, only seventeen. I also sang "Let It Go". We´ll see if I´ll be invited back for another gig!

I kinda look like I know what I´m doing here, right?

SATURDAY

I woke up at eight and jumped in the car with some of the rotarians, and headed to the Rotary conference in Gifu City. After a two hour drive and some udon noodles, we were at the hotel were the conference was being held. I was pretty exited to be there, partly because I think these kinds of functions are fun (they make me feel like a successful business woman), but mostly because I was exited to be reunited with the other exchange students again. We were so anxious to talk that we might have been shushed a few time during some of the speeches. Oops.

Logan and I were being sneaky. Then I had to act like I was paying attention mid-selfie. I usually don´t applaud people while making a duck face, I swear.

All of us exchange students were at the conference mostly to show off our cute faces, except for Brennan, who had to hold a speech. Emma, Logan, and I were making faces and doing other distracting things during, but he wasn´t even phased. It was a very good speech.
During the break time some rotarian came up to me and told me that he wants to see me hold a speech like that next time, and I said we had a deal. When I told my host dad about it, but he said I would´t be in Japan anymore next time. Bummer.

After the break some rotarian whisked us away from the speeches nobody could understand, and brought us on this wedding simulation thing instead. This a picture of the western style chapel. Logan and I walked the isle together.

We posed as if we were about to kiss for a picture, and then this happened. I don´t know what´s going on, but it looks like something out of a movie. I guess we got married.

The Inbound crew, all together for the first time. Shortly after this we had to say goodbye which kinda sucked. Hopefully we´ll be able to meet up more often soon. For me it was back to Takayama, even though I would be coming back to Gifu again tomorrow anyway.

SUNDAY

I woke up at 5.30, and jumped on a bussed with my Rotary Club. We were going to spend another day in Gifu at the conference. This time Jake and I were the only exchange students that had to come,  which is ironic since we are the ones who live the farthest away. Logan came too ´cause she lives close and wanted to hang. We watched the first half of the speeches, but since we could´t understand most of it, I convinced the others to not go back in after the break. We found some comfy chairs in the hotel and just chilled for a few hours. I can honestly not express how nice it was. 

The rotarians were totally cool with us not going back for the rest of the speeches, by the way.

This one of the Korean rotarians. When he saw us it caused quite a reaction, I was a little afraid we would get in trouble. Turns out he just wanted a picture with us cute foreign kids. If you look real close you can see that we´re holding hands. Jake says he grabbed his hand too in the other picture haha.

Kool kids

My second host mom and I during lunch. Lunch was pretty fun, cause the food was good, and the people were very, very drunk. We had some pretty funny conversations, and of course we had to pose for pictures. 

Takayama Chuou Rotary Club. I can say I´m pretty good friends with everyone now.

The crew + some lady in a kimono. It was too bad the other exchange students couldn´t come, because nothing makes for better bonding than dealing with drunk strangers together. We had a great time

After lunch we rode the bus back to Takayama, where we went out for dinner. The drinking continued, and I had some pretty heartfelt talks with my host dads, the chairman of the club, and the vice chairman. They basically told me how proud they were of me, and how everyone feels like they´re my dads (or uncles, or grandpas). It had been a long day, so I started tearing up. My host dad and I left a little earlier, because I had to start packing for my family change.


This was a pretty great week.