Participants Voice

Finally, the long-awaited day of the BRIGDE KIDS EXCHANGE program started. There were children with dark skin, golden hair, and Junior Ambassadors from different countries. On the first day, we explained the rules to all our foreign friends about the Japanese sports day. At the grand finale on the second day, a video of the BRIDGE KIDS EXCHANGE Program was shown. During the grand finale, the lights went out, music played, and glowing balloons started falling from the top of the stage. At that moment, I cried as I remembered my friends from overseas that I had met this summer. Everyone comforted me and I cried more because of their kindness. I was very sad thinking about leaving everyone tomorrow, but I stopped crying when Omay, the Junior Ambassador from Hong Kong whom we had accepted as a host family, gently said to me, "Don't cry. When it was time to say goodbye, I remembered the words "Don't cry" and stopped crying and waved my hands. I made Japanese friends at the BRIDGE KIDS EXCHANGE Program, and after the program I received letters and wrote back to them. I hope to see them again.