Semi-Sensei, Day 5: Moving On From Home Stays to Shrines and French Toast

Yesterday started with goodbyes, moved onto sites, then the best tastes, and finally some really bad singing (with an exception or two).  The homestays ended with a ceremony and with many great stories and some terrific newly forged connections.  I was most jealous as the students had great experiences.  Some got to do an onsen, and others got to see the museum/memorial dedicated to the victims of the 3/11 tsunami.  All got much food, a fair amount of sake, and memories of super-sweet Japanese families.  Oh and the two groups sang Canadian songs to share their feelings (this was assigned by the organizers, the groups chose the songs).

A home stay parent can compete with
Stephanie Carvin!

Last interactions between host and hosted

Hosted and hosted, bridges built indeed (Kakehashi=bridges)

I am a big fan of our guides who have had great spirit as
well as being informative.

Better singing at the ceremony than later at the karaoke bar.  U of Ottawa went first and then Carleton.  And by the way, I went from knowing clearly which students went to which school to having no idea--a good thing, I think, as other bridges have been built.  The U of Toronto students who went in a different direction on homestays are less familiar to me (separate bus and some different activities), but I have enjoyed chatting with as many of them as I can.  I can say for sure that Kakehashi folks did a great job on both sides of the Pacific, choosing participants--the hosted and the hosts.

From there, we took a bus to Matsushima, which not only had a spectacular shrine complex (one of the most striking of all that I have seen in my visits to Japan) but a setting by the sea that is terrific.  Started with a good lunch in a great delivery system:

Three layers!

A guide for the shrine with our two guides:
Yuki and Kato

Now this is a zen garden

gate to shrine

A shrine on an island close to land displays
its exhibits every thirty three years.

The area

Rainbow bridge to another island

Map of the Rainbow bridge island

View from the island

Some perspective sauce here.

Then onto Sendai for working on their report to the government and then finally getting the golden ... french toast---best in my experience.

Team Uof O to the left, Team Carleton to the right, and
I am stuck in the middle (after I took the pic)

If I knew how to do it, I would put worshipful music right here.
The best French Toast ever--every time I come to Japan.
Fluffy, sweet goodness.

Three of the thirteen students I dragged here (well, I paid).
My table was suitably impressed.

Nadia was most happy to receive this dish of greatness.

Dinner later involved many, many dishes at an izakaya. 
I have had much fun hanging with these folks.

Even if they make me sing.

Our plans for the next few days are changing--to avoid crowds to reduce the risk of catching corona.  This is unfortunate as many of the cool places in Tokyo happen to be crowded.  I am hoping they get some free time to see some of this stuff. 

Anyhow, this has been a great experience, and these folks have hardly needed a chaperone.  But, yes, I do like being called Sensei.