On August 4th, 2011, we flew to Hiroshima, Japan, for our very first
international cultural exchange. When we were about to arrive Hiroshima, we
were all nervous but excited because, very soon, the members of “Hiroshima
Junior Marimba Assembly” were going to meet us. Here came the problem – we
didn’t know what to say! As we were walking out the gate, we received a warm
welcome from the members of the Hiroshima Marimba Association. They walked
towards us happily and hung wreaths of colored ribbons on our necks! We took
photos together and then went to the hotel for our first night at Hiroshima!
The second day in Japan was the most important day of our journey
because of the cultural exchange concert! That morning, we visited the
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, which was to remember the victims of the
world’s first atomic bombing in 1945. We were so shocked when we saw the
pictures and videos! It’s so bloody and horrible that made us mourn for those
people.
After lunch, we went to get ready for the concert. At 2pm, the concert
started! The first program was a team of teenagers. We were all very impressed
and nervous because they played very well. Next, it was our turn. Although we
were nervous, we tried to do our best for the honor of our school and country!
We played four songs and encored twice! The third song we played was a song
representing Taiwanese culture. For that song, we wore traditional outfits. It was
really interesting. After our performance, we watched a group of boys playing
the Japanese drums, a solo performance, and so much more! When the concert
came to an end, the members from the association taught us how to fold paper
cranes, which represented peace in Japan. Then we had afternoon tea with them.
At last, we exchanged gifts! We also went to the Yamaha Music Center. There
were many special musical instruments and different kinds of colorful marimba
sticks! Moreover, they sold many delicate key chains, music scores and stickers.
In the evening, we had barbecue on the beach in the hotel. We chatted and talked
about how amazing the other bands were. This special experience of cultural
exchange was a special memory.
The next day, we had marimba lessons given by a famous Japanese
teacher, who was very good at teaching marimba. It’s really fun and we learned a
lot! But, we were a little tired. Then, we went to a concert held for the peace
memorial celebration. It was really wonderful and showed the spirit of union.
During the last three days in Hiroshima, we visited some famous tourist
attractions, such as the cave at the “mine city.” It’s a cave 80 meters under the
ground! We also wore “kimono,” the traditional Japanese clothing. It took me a
long time to put it on properly, but it was a fun and special experience. The part
we expected the most was the amusement park called “SpaceWorld.” The rides
were exciting and fun. We thought it’s the best amusement park we had ever
been.
We believed it was a wonderful journey. And we would always remember
the special attractions, the exciting amusement park and the nice cultural
exchange experience. We hoped that we would have a chance to enjoy another
glorious experience abroad like this in the near future.
