Columbia-Hakusan Sister Cities

Farewell ICT and Hakusan! ❤️✌🏼

Day 10- Blue Skies! We had an epic outdoor adventure. After an educational trek through the forest, we sat down to a local picnic lunch. We then made our way to the shrine that worships Mount Hakusan and stopped by an epic waterfall on the way home.

Day 9- Science and Math!

Students spent the day in ICT classes. Precalculus, fundamentals of AI, Physics and Chemistry.

We can’t believe this is our last week, the students had such a great time at their home stays and are enjoying friendships with ICT students.

Day 7- Community Language Exchange.

Students spent the night with their homestay families, but we all met again at ICT this morning. Local students, ICT students, and Columbia students all interacted to share culture and language. After the event, our students left with their homestay families. Many had exciting lunch plans! Students will spend tonight and tomorrow in the homestay and return to ICT in time for dinner.

Day 6- We met our homestay families! The day was filled with ICT classes—Japanese, History, Engineering Design, and PE.

The best thing about today was our evening Homestay Welcome Ceremony. The students traveled to Hakusan where a room full of smiles greeted us. Students will be spending two nights with these warm and hospitable families.

Day 5- Feelin’ Alive! Today we trekked into the mountains, spent some time by the Tedori river, ate lunch in Shiramine, and hunted fossils. The time in nature was beautiful and relaxing. Our traditional lunch included Japanese pickles, hot soba, firm tofu, fishcake, quail egg, chicken, rice, cherry jelly, and local ferns.

Our trip to the dinosaur park included cleaning and excavating fossils. It was an experience that took us back in time!

Day 4- Full of Language Learning. It was a rainy day at ICT, but the students paid no attention. They were busy with English and Japanese learning!

Newspaper worthy!

Day 3- Outstanding! We visited the local elementary and middle school for most of the day. After our school visit we met with the Mayor of Hakusan and presented a gift from the city of Columbia. The Mayor and officials had such fond memories of their trips to Missouri to honor our sister city relationship.

Creating Calligraphy in Class!

Day 2-Our First School Day! Delegates spent today learning and playing with ICT students. We joined English classes, made laser cut projects, learned basic Japanese phrases, listened to the history of Hakusan and exercised with PE classes. It was such a day of learning!

-