It's 5:30 AM Tokyo time. I can't sleep. I decided to get up and put down the words that are filling my head. (Does that beginning sound familiar? I think that's how I started the entry in my journal after my first day in Japan!) Yesterday all ten groups of traveling teachers shared their experiences in 20-minute presentations. Here are some scenes from our presentation. (Some of us did Bunraku puppet theater.)

We all had very different experiences- some were covered by a blanket of snow in the north, some spent time on the beach collecting seashells and walking through the surf. Yet there were many things that were common to all of our experiences: the hospitality and warmth of the Japanese people-- from the youngest child to the Fulbright alumni who took us to dinner our first night in Tokyo... from the worker who packed the people into the trains to the city officials that served us green tea. The beauty of the country was another common thread. We watched many slide show presentations of rugged cliffs, green valleys, golden shrines and colorful gardens and forests. We all noticed the simplicity of Japan, the energy of the elementary teachers, the Japanese awe of the natural world around them. It was a five-tissue day. Songs were sung, like "No Man is an Island", and there wasn't a dry eye in the room. In the evening, at the end of our closing banquet, all 200 teachers plus invited guests, joined hands. I held the hands of the Sasakis, who had taken me to dinner my first night in Tokyo, as we sang "Let There Be Peace on Earth." I realized how amazing it was that less than 60 years ago, Japan and the United States were enemies. Yet with each new generation, people are working to foster peace and understanding... The Japanese government's commitment to funding this program is evidence of their belief that teachers are the ones to bridge the gap between our two cultures. Of course, much of the tears that day were because of the sadness of leaving our new found friends. The Toyonaka group was filled with intelligent, interesting, and most of all fun people. Sharing this experience with them doubled the pleasure. Thank you, Toyonaka teachers, for your caring and companionship!

I know there are some gaps in my journal. I promise to fill them in when I return. I leave this morning for the Narita airport for a 2:55 PM flight, I don't know how, but I've stuffed all my clothing and gifts in my suitcases, and I will be arriving in United States before I leave Japan. (How is that possible?) I have a two-hour layover in Chicago and will be in Philadelphia by 4:00 this afternoon. I look forward to seeing Heckman students and faculty on Monday morning. I'll be the one wearing a hapi coat with bags under my eyes!

Thanks to everyone who has been e-mailing and following my trip. Can't wait to show you all the pictures!

Rosen San (soon to be plain old Mrs. Rosen)