Consul-General of Japan + More

Yeah, here I am in my new, somewhat bright professional wear ready to leave for Houston. Yes, Tuesday, June 6th was an interesting day. I was invited to a reception for the Japan Fulbright Memorial Fund Scholars given by the Consul-General of Japan in Houston, Yoshihiko Kamo and his wife. I drove to Houston and was greeted at the home Mr. Kamo and his wife along with consulate staff. I don't know if I have ever been to an event that I did not know at least one person. This reception gave me a taste of what the next few weeks will be like as I will be thrown in with 200 total strangers in a new culture and country. Talk about needing to make instant friends. Several speakers during the course of the reception spoke on the JFMF program and the wonderful experience that we as participants were about to embark upon. I was able to meet other members of the June Cycle and we compared packing notes. More on packing in a later entry ----- packing to go on this trip has become an experience unto itself. The evening events ended with a sushi buffet and informal discussion. This reception gave me just a small taste of some of the differences in culture and only has made me more excited for Sunday to get here and the plane to take-off. I am ready to quit preparation and move on the the main event!

Speaking on the main event, I spent much of this week taking pictures of local places and things I take for granted..... the round rock of Round Rock for example. I also went by and got materials from the Round Rock Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Leander Chamber of Commerce. Thanks for the free stuff to take to my host schools in Japan. I also got a few cougar pins from CTMS to give students in Japan. It will be very interesting to see what schools are like outside the United States and how different or similar classrooms halfway around the world from one another really are!

Tim Lowke