My face is
sunburnt and I’m very tired. It truly has been a great day in Japan today.
Instead of doing something touristy, we got the chance to really interact with
Japanese people. We went to Kanda University of International Studies to help
out the students with their flea market for charity.
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| Makuchari Flea Market |
The market
is called “Makuchari” which comes from Makuhari Charity Flea market. It is
modeled after the charity shop in the UK called Oxfam. When we arrived we were
split up in different groups. Some would be helping out with fashion, others
selling dishes, others selling trinkets, etc. I was put in the “Festa” group. There were only six of us put into the group
and right away we were split up. I stayed with one guy from the group named
Arden.
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| Our hot dog selling group |
We were
brought to a booth full of Japanese adults. They quickly started explaining
what we would be doing. Ardin and I just stared because we didn’t understand
any of the Japanese. We found out that they didn’t know any English. A little
later someone came and explained it to us. We would be selling Johnsonville
Brats because of the sister state relationship between Chiba Prefecture and
Wisconsin.
In 1990
Governor of Wisconsin, Tommy Thompson, and Governor of Chiba, Takeshi Numata,
signed a sister-state agreement. They created a business, cultural, and
educational partnership. In order to create friendships they offer exchanges of
all types that include: culture, education, science, and economy. I’m not 100%
sure, but I believe this may have influenced the Japan Foundation in choosing
Wisconsin as a participant in the program that I am on.
In the past
year Wisconsin has also brought over members in exchange. They brought over a
cultural group, a biomass group, and a Women of Wings group. The culture group
performed traditional taiko drumming at the Middleton Public library. They also
learned about Wisconsin’s culture. The biomass group presented research. The
Women of Wing’s group sent over delegates. This group shows how women in both
Japan and Wisconsin have similarities in their issues, struggles, and career
goals.
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| The group by the sister-state monument |
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| The monument made of limestone |
Today I met
and worked with the head of the steering committee of the organization, Shigeo
Moriyama. I also spent a lot of time talking to one of the Chiba government
officials. He took us for a walk and we went to where there was a monument in
respect to the Chiba-Wisconsin sister state agreement.
I really
felt lucky to have been put in this group because I learned so much. It also
made me feel really special to be from Wisconsin. They excitedly told me about
the time they visited Madison and how pretty the lakes in Wisconsin are. One
man boasted that he had been to Wisconsin five times.
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| Arden and I promoting our Brat booth |
They gave
me a garment to wear called a Happi. It is a traditional jacket with a crest on
the back. The crest was of the Chiba-Wisconsin association. My job of the day
was to stand outside the booth and get people to come by to learn about the
association and to buy a hotdog. Arden and I didn’t know much Japanese so we
weren’t really helpful in explaining what the organization was. The most I
could say was “Wisconsin kara kimashita,” which means, “I am from Wisconsin”
and “konnichiwa, sausage!” Luckily,
people thought I looked cute wearing the Happi and I was even complimented on
the way I said “konnichiwa.” Because of this and many other reasons we sold
out. All 200 brats were gone.
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| The crest on my Happi |
The reason
the day was so fun was because I got to meet so many people in such a real
environment. I met some students from the University. I even met a guy that
studied abroad in Stevens Point! I also go to walk around and see what kinds of
things people were selling. Mostly it was cool to see all the university
students working together.
Tomorrow we
visit Chiba University for lectures and a tour. Hopefully we get more
interaction with students.
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