August 16 & 17

Most of the day today was spent preparing for our final forums in our roundtable groups. Our group is seen as the “model group” because we have it together so well. I made an awesome pamphlet that we ended up printing in color and distributing at the Forum, which was amazing and everyone loved.

The highlight of August 16 was that it marked the end of the Obon Festival, which I think is the largest national festival in Japan. The festival honors the dead, and is really about gathering with your family and remembering those who have passed away. The reason it was really great to be in Kyoto is that to celebrate they burn certain Chinese characters into the surrounding mountainsides. The one I was able to view was the daimonji, which is 大 (shown on the left) and signifies large things. I wasn’t sure exactly how it would turn out, but first I saw people fanning out carrying little individual fires. They fanned out into the character shape, and then placed the fires somehow and made them bigger. It really was cool to see – very different from anything I have seen in the US. I thought a lot about my Dad and how much I missed him and even though I am not Japanese, I think the spirit of the festival is universal.

After watching the hillsides burn (controlled, of course) for a while, I headed to a small café with my Japanese girlfriends Shino, Aki, and Kiku. The café was super cute, and actually doubled as a dog salon. A really cute poodle was running around decked out in jewelry, a halter top and a hot pink polka dot diaper. The place was actually pretty swanky, and we had green tea parfaits (pictured). It was heaven!! We also met a chihuahua dressed in a yukata (shown with Kiku-chan). We took pictures of it all, and the store owners actually took pictures of us!

August 17 was our Final Forum. It was held at the Kyoto International Commons House, which was very nice. We have so far held forums in two “International Houses” and I’m not too sure what the exact purpose of them is – for international people to gather? – but I am happy to have their support for our conference.

Our group presentation went very well, we did a role playing of a classroom and teacher introducing what global citizenship is. It was funny, and I made a powerpoint to accompany it. After holding Q&A booths, we headed to our final reception. The food was, of course, excellent! We had our last kampai from really adorable older Japanese men and then had a merry time.

Our 10 o’clock curfew looming, we headed to the subway. Some of the delegates planned to skip the curfew and stay out all night long and come back when the building opened again at 8:00am, but I had plenty of fun during the day and really have been exhausted from everything we’ve been doing. Plus, I am a little older and beyond the all night partying with 18-19 year olds.

Instead, I followed with a smaller group to a karaoke bar to quickly sing out hearts out and drink “nama biiru” (big beers) until we had to return. Karaoke bars are ever present in Japan, and while the format varies depending on location, it usually involves renting a “box” which is your own little room for you and your friends. I must say, something comes out in me when I sing, and I rocked the karaoke box! I sang “La Isla Bonita” and Avril Lavigne’s “Complicated” along with group renditions of “Obla di obla da” and “takin’ care of business.” One final stop for ice cream at the “conbini” (convenience store) and we were locked in. Have I mentioned how good the ice cream is?