Wednesday, June 28, 2006. Our group presentations were today. Each of the 10 groups had to get up in front of the other 180 teachers and present what they learned and experienced during the trip - especially their trip to the respective host cities.

We met to rehearse at 7 a.m. and then had breakfast. The presentations started at 9:00 a.m. We broke for lunch, and then finished up the presentations, as well as information on getting home on Thursday, around 2:30 p.m.

We spelled out "Kesennuma City Group." Each person had a letter and talked about the things they learned and experienced that started with that letter. I had "t." I did a whole alliteration thing and talked about temples, tuna, the time difference, etc. Our presentation was very well received.

After, I headed out alone to the Hard Rock Cafe in Roppongi (another area of Tokyo) on a mission to get my sister, Laura, a Hard Rock Cafe t-shirt. I get her a Hard Rock t-shirt every place I visit - it's a thing we do.

I arrived in Roppongi without incident and found the Hard Rock Cafe with no difficulties. As soon as I walked in, "Super Freak" by Rick James started playing. Buffalo reminders are everywhere! (For those of you who don't know, he grew up in Buffalo and is buried here).

With my mission accomplished, I headed back to the hotel to get ready for our Sayonara Dinner. On the way, students were getting out of school. I saw girls that appeared to be as young as five-years, walking in twos and getting on the Tokyo subways by themselves. It was pretty amazing and something you would never see in the States.

We all had a nice time at the dinner - though it was sad because we knew there was a good chance that we'll never see each other again. Yuki, the man who arranged our visits to the schools and host families in Kesennuma, took the train to Tokyo to come to the farewell dinner. The food was fantastic. They had lots of meat - I think they know Americans well enough that they understood many would be craving meat - not raw fish. We also were fortunate to watch an Aikido demonstration at the dinner.

After the dinner, some of our host city group went out for ice cream. Monica, one of the more adventurous of our group ordered ice cream that had rice and beans in it. I, not feeling so adventurous, ordered chocolate ice cream and enjoyed it immensely. I don't think Monica felt the same about her decision.