Nijo Castle after heavy rain!

Since last night it had been raining heavily and I was worried a bit about everyone's communiting. Some had a bit difficulty on commuting but the rain was ceased and helped us to visit to Nijo Castle.

It seems that everyone is getting used to the daily routine.  One student left his wallet and commuting pass behind but a kind person picked it up and returned to the student.  Feel good about Japanese hospitality!

The golden pavilion after making sushi

Today was the ady everyone experienced making sushi roll and taste it with some miso soup!

Some are good at making it some are making something else with sushi rice!

The best cloudy weather helped us not to get so hot and humid while walking to the Golden Pavilion from the school.

Good start of the program and some shower will cool down the temperature during the night so that we will have another fun day tomorrow at Nijo Castle.

For me?  After picking up my daughter at the kindergarten, we went through the zoo!

The Rock Garden rocks!

The weather here in Kyoto has completely recovered and got really hot humid though not as bad as it should be.  Everyone made it for schooling in the morning safely without major problems.

Our lunch today was at one of the cafeterias at Ritsumeikan University where Shingo was graduated from years ago.

Next to the university is the Rock Garden or Ryoanji temple where everyone began sensing about the Japanese gardens.

Hopefully this good weather continues tomorrow!

Hoping the weather to get improved on Monday!

Tomorrow will be the first day of the study abroad and hopefully the weather gets improved for us to begin the program nicely.

The rainiy season in Kyoto this year seems to mean real, but.....

10 students from COD and 15 students from ELAC are now ready for the program!

2015 Summer Study Abroad has begun in Kyoto

United Airlines gave all of us the Economy PLUS seat and everyone was happy though it still took over 12 hours from Chicago to Tokyo.

Our connection was smooth and transfered to Kyoto without any problems.

Communting practice will be tomorrow and we will be ready for everything!

The weather here is not too good but we cannot complain too much about it.

Orientation for 2015 Study Abroad in Kyoto, Japan!

Rather small group of 2015 COD Study Abroad Japan gathered for the orientation in which we discussed some travel information as well as acquiring trans-cultural competence.

A former participant and a philosophy professor, who participated GTS' international field study in Japan twice, joined to assist this important gathering.

First day presentation includes the Peace Study for which we will visit Hiroshima during the program in order to listen to the actual A-Bomb survivor after 70 years of A-Bomb drop.

Students will be informed their host family and the language school itself. 

This year, for the first time, 15 students from East Los Angeles College will join the program and share the meaningful global experience in Kyoto, Japan.  Summer 2016 will be joined even more by students from Georgia Southern University.

Oooh, nasty rain so we will leave Kyoto for Chicago!

We were again lucky probably even luckier than last year Spring trip!  We had some slight rain during the trip but over all Japanese traditional Sakura welcomed us and fully bloomed as if planned.

It is raining this leaving day.  Kyoto is just crying for us because of our leaving for Chicago.
Thanks again and we will back here next Spring though our college calendar changes so the trip will be in mid March!

GTS also leads the study abroad trip to Kyoto this summer (6/25-7/30) so I will greet Kyoto again soon.

To many of my friends in Kyoto assisted me for this trip one way or another, THANK YOU!