From 19th June to 25th July I had the pleasure to be one of the 47 students from all over Europe to attend the Japan Mutual Understanding Scholarship Program 2010.

Ever since I started studying Japanese, I always had the dream of visiting Japan after finishing school and it looks like my wish was granted thanks to the International Friendship Association (IFA) and the Ministry of foreign Affairs of Japan.

A Tokyo street at day After all students gathered in Narita Airport, mostly from 2 separate flights, we got on the bus which took us to National Olympics Memorial Youth Center (NYC), where we would have stayed for the next weeks. On the way, our guide Oka-san, made a welcoming speech and she informed us about everything we needed to know about our stay at NYC.

The last day at NYC with friends Upon arriving to NYC, we had to find out our roommates and rest after so many sleepless hours. In the days that followed, we underwent a lot of briefings, lectures and cultural sessions about various aspects of Japan and its daily life. We also had the opportunity to take language lessons in groups, according to our level. During our stay in Tokyo, we visited many famous spots and areas, like the Edo Museum, Shibuya and Sensoji Temple, while using public transportation. The last day in the NYC was celebrated with a special meal and every group made a small presentation about a certain place they visited in Tokyo when we had free time.

At Kochi Airport with my host family The day of the home stay period came and half of the participants were taken to Haneda Airport via Monorail. Then, everyone split up and I headed to Kochi, a small but beautiful town in Shikoku island, where I would stay for 3,5 weeks and attend Kochi Nishi High School. My host family was waiting for me in Kochi Airport. They picked me up and we went home, where I was introduced to the new rules and the new way of life. The stay with my host family was definitely positive. The fact that they have children close to my age was really beneficial for me, as I could practice my Japanese more. We always had dinner together and after that we had interesting conversations. They are lovely people. They extended a great deal of attention and care to me, I felt they were adjusting their daily program to suit my presence in their home.

Dressed in kimono with my host sister An unforgettable moment was the traditional ceremony of wearing the kimono, which took about 30 minutes to be completed. My host sister and I wore kimono and then we had pictures taken. Every day I was going to school riding a bike and then continuing by train, so I had to wake up quite early. School was interesting and I made a lot of friends, not only from my class, but also from others.

At school with my classmates Both teachers and students were friendly and they did their best to make me feel comfortable. I was mostly impressed by the effort students put in order to succeed in their exams and by the organization of the school. The last day of the home stay period, my host family and Chuma sensei accompanied me to Kochi Airport. I had mixed feelings about my departure, but I was excited at the same time that I would be seeing my new friends in Tokyo.

In front of the big Buddah in Kamakura After my arrival at Haneda Airport, I took the Monorail and headed to Tokyo Prince Hotel, where I met with everybody from the Program. The first day was quite busy, because we had to write reports on our home stay experiences. After the job was done, we settled in our rooms. The next day, we got ready for our trip to Kamakura, where we visited the Big Buddha and the Hachimangu temple. We were given some free time to walk around.

A group picture at Hakone Inn

To sum up, this program didn't only give me the chance to fulfill my dream of visiting Japan, but it also gave me the opportunity to make wonderful friends around Europe and Japan and meet new people. It is a life time and irreplaceable experience. I continue to be in contact with a lot of the program's participants and also with some students from the Kochi Nishi High School. I really feel privileged having this possibility as a result of my participation in the program.

I wish the best to the new participants in the program for the year of 2011 and thereafter.

I am confident this program will give them unforgettable experiences and knowledge.