Emily Thiel
Student, 2017 Delegation

Monday 24th of July consider of a stomach full of butterflies, as the hours ticked by until we had to board the flight from Melbourne to Singapore. The butterflies quickly turned into excitement, which meant no sleep was in store for out next flight. “Thank you for flying with Singapore Airlines, we hope you enjoyed your flight and will fly with us again soon, the time in Nagoya is 9:05am on the 25th of July the weather currently is sunny with a top of 35 degrees.”

The group of us Aussie walks through the famous white doors to see the four familiar faces of our host students holding up a massive welcome sign . We where greeted by those familiar faces with hugs, as talked about our flights and laughed about all the memories we had all ready started to make.

The families all awaited to meet us at the Anjo city hall, each family member embraced us into there families and house for the 14 days with hugs. They all rushed us off to start the adventure.

First day, free day with our families, I enjoyed a breakfast with my host family. Then we headed of to pick up Hayley to get involved in a Japanese Drum Club at Miho’s school, we where taught how to play the three types of drums, and joined in on their class for about l hour and a half. Then we met the principle where we where asked some questions about our time in Japan, how we liked the weather and what we would like to do when we left school. Lunch was next not the most tradition Japanese lunch we went to a little French bakery, yum.

Later that afternoon we got to experience a Japanese tea ceremony , which consisted of grinding the tea leaves into a powder, then adding
some hot water and mixing until frothy on the top. You then eat a sweet, which was a sweet bean cake then drink the tea , it was very bitter.

Thursday, we meet all of the Aussie’s and the Americans from Huntington beach at the city hall, where games where played and many laughs where had. These friendships made today are ones that I will have forever.

When heading to Japan food, was a concern that I had, as I’ m a very fussy eater but their food was delicious. So many of their foods where their take on a western dishes. Some of my favourites where tempura, udon noodles, tofu, rice, goyzas, curry and their baked goods where so good just to name a few.

The next 12 days went by so quickly, we didn’t have time to stop or remember that we where in another country, with a new family. Over this trip I made a book full of memories that I will never ever forget, it was like a dream and I woke up when it was ended. I wish it could go on forever, I know I will definitely be going back to see my family. This is a trip that only happens once and I would like to thank the Hobson bay international Friendship Association for allowing me to go on this trip.