Day 11 (June 11) Deeper (and authentic) dive into Kunisaki Culture

Day 11 (June 11)
HUNTING for potatoes!
Today was our last full day of a rural and more traditional experience on the Kunisaki Peninsula (tomorrow we head to Fukuoka, where we'll join its 1.67 million residents... and sing karaoke). We started today day with the traditional Japanese warm up routine; everyday for decades these "calisthenics", replayed daily on national tv, have been the common way Japanese students started their school day. Because these exercises have remained largely unchanged for decades, they have created a bond between generations; today, the young, even the elderly, can be seen executing their exercises.
Our first "visit" today was to an exquisite local temple. While there, a monk led us through a time of meditation/reflection. We experienced 30 minutes of absolute silence- stunning to have not a sound considering there were 15 people in the room. We also walked the temple’s gorgeous mountainous grounds.
Our next stop was a step back in time- back to the Showa era I(1920s-1989). We saw many cars, tech, clothes, and other items from the 20th century (up to 1989)... and, of course, the students passionately taste-tested many of the candies for sale. After another spectacular lunch, we met three families at the community center. The event was initiated by a formal time of exchanging greetings (the leader offered words of thanks, Elizabeth and Mr. Caragher shared words of gratitude, and the mothers in the three families expressed their commitment to care for our 10 students). The Poly students, divided into three groups, went “home” with their new families for their second overnight experience during this travel program with a Japanese family.
In the mid-afternoon, the Walk Japan guides, Yo and Ayako, and the Poly chaperones visited the 4 boys, who were digging for potatoes (part of their dinner for tonight), 3 girls (who had just made mochi and were preparing to construct chop sticks), and the 3 other girls who had returned from collecting reeds (they were about to perfect their basket weaving skills). The students expressed comfort, even in some cases elation, with their “farm stay” arrangements.

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