Buildings
Today we spent the day performing for all of the other teachers that went on this trip. Our group of twenty teachers went to Komaki, while the other 180 teachers went to nine other cities and towns. We performed and showed the other groups what our city was like. My group made our presentation like a game show.
After our performances I went out with another teacher, Mr. Barry-san, and took some photos of the buildings that are right around our hotel. I went up to the 45th floor in the next building and took some photos of Tokyo and my hotel. 
The city
The building was across the street from my hotel. Mr. Barry-san and I went to the observation floor.
The Keio Plaze Hotel – This is the one I’ve been staying in. I’ve been on the 18th floor.
I am finally done packing and will be spending the day on a plane. I will leave on Thursday, November 30th at around 3:20pm (Japan time) and arrive in Hartford, CT around 4:33pm. Does my flight from Japan to Hartford take only 1 hour and 13 minutes? That can’t be right. I have to go to Chicago first and wait for two hours to catch another plane to Hartford. Can you figure out how long I’ll be traveling today?
Well, I have learned so much about Japan. This has been an amazing trip that I highly recommend to any teacher or administrator, regardless of whether or not you teach a unit on Japan. I have learned things about the educational system here that will improve my own teaching and that have changed my attitude about certain educational practices and/or beliefs. I can’t wait to get back to the United States and see everyone and share what I’ve learned.
Special thanks to the Japanese Government, JFMF, IIE, Keio Plaza staff, Glastonbury administrators, students and teachers (including Julie Campbell for doing such a great job with my class while I was gone), Komaki city officials, Komaki administrators, teachers and students, my host family, my family in the US, the patient Shinjuku/Tokyo Starbucks staff and to the other 199 November 2006 JFMF teachers/administrators who made my trip so incredible and educational.
