Summer Diplomat, Future Global Citizen

My name is Sunny Chen, and I am a Junior at Madeira. I am excited to share my journal entries from my time at the High School Diplomats (HSD) U.S. Program. HSD is a cross-cultural exchange program where 20 students from the United States and 20 students from Japan gather as one group who come together to experience each other’s cultures to the fullest. Undeniably, we quickly turned into a family! We did not have access to any electronics whatsoever, but I think that was definitely a nice touch to the program because we were all fully immersed. It is so fascinating to me how forty strangers became so close in the span of 10 days. I enjoyed my time at University of Virginia with my ‘family’ of forty SO MUCH and I miss it every single day.

Day 1

Today was the first day of our 10-day program. The bus ride was very pleasant. There was only one other girl, but we got along very nicely. At first, everyone was kind of isolated on their own, but at about an hour in we all went to the back of the bus and started talking. I really liked that part. When we arrived, we went to a conference room and had an icebreaker. It was pretty much orientation day! We then made posters and were anxiously waiting for our roommates to arrive. Hana, my roommate, finally arrived from her hometown Tokyo and it was such a sweet moment! We had an opportunity to interact prior to meeting but seeing her in the flesh was an entirely special moment. I also loved seeing everyone else meet their roommates for the first time. Hana is so nice, and I really like her. We had the opening ceremony, played a group game, and went to the courtyard to play volleyball. Then, I washed up and we relaxed. Before we went to bed, I let Hana try some American snacks; her absolute favorite was Nerds Gummy Clusters! Overall, it was a really great day, and I am so excited for what’s coming next. 

Day 2

Today was so busy and so enjoyable. It started off with Rajio Taiso which is stretching to get the blood flowing! After lunch, we then had a scavenger hunt around UVA’s beautiful campus and wow – I was sweating a lot, but it was all good!! We then did a bonding game where we had to name the person behind the curtain when it drops. After that, we had our Green vs. Blue pep rally!! Our cheer was motivating, but we lost that event, unfortunately.

On a brighter note, we did win the banner portion! We also had our first day of presentations and my group was up to present today. I would say my favorite part of the day was the presentation because seeing our hard work turn into reality was really rewarding. I loved working with my teammates. Our presentation was on the American education system, and we touched on elementary school, middle school, and then got in-depth about high school and the college application process. We also discussed paths after college. My role in the skit we did was the college counselor. Alright, I am going to bed because I am exhausted. Goodnight.

Day 3

Today was HSD Night Out. HSD Night out is essentially a dance. It was a lot of fun, but my feet were hurting so much because I was in heels! My partner for HSD Night Out was really nice. Essentially, an American boy is paired with a Japanese girl and an American girl is paired with a Japanese boy. I hadn’t gotten the chance to meet or talk to my partner before we paired up, so it was the perfect opportunity to become closer to another peer!

That morning before the dance, we went to the famous Bodo’s Bagels, and it was so good. Hana and I got matching meals: an everything bagel with plain cream cheese. Next, we went to Mincer’s Spirit Wear, and I got a UVA sweatshirt for myself and a crewneck for my sister Bella. I also got a swimming shirt from UVA. Then we went back to the dorm to do some laundry and walked back to get Chipotle. We got our steps in today! Afterwards, we went to a cute store called Finch, but I didn’t get anything. We then walked back to the dorms, played volleyball for a bit, and then got ready for the dance! It was a lot of fun. Signing off tonight… I am exhausted!!

Day 4:

Today was a very informative, engaging day. We had breakfast and then headed to our first day of classes! The Japanese and American students split up into separate classrooms where the American students would learn about Japanese language and culture and the Japanese students learned about American language and culture. Class was a lot of fun; I really enjoyed it. After classes we went to have our diplomat talks where we talked about what being a diplomat means to us and how we can use it in our everyday lives. After the diplomat talks, we had a short break and then headed to dinner where I chowed on pizza and ice cream. After dinner we had Earth Day activities to celebrate our beautiful planet by playing Capture the Flag and going on a little “safari” which was a lot of fun. The American students were responsible for providing outfits to the Japanese students that represented Earth Day, so Hana wore a shirt I got her on Mother Nature. It looked so cute on her! After our Earth Day festivities, we had another little break but during that break we had time allotted to prepare for our talent show which is coming up in a couple of days. Reflecting on today, I definitely feel this experience was a chance to bond with our roommates and each other. I enjoyed every moment of it but it’s time to rest up. 

Day 5:

Today was a lot of fun. First, we woke up, had Rajio Taiso and went to breakfast, and then headed to our second day of classes. After classes, we had lunch and then another short little break. After our break, the group went to see the second presentation of the program on popular culture. The American students talked about the pop culture here in America while the Japanese students did the same for Japan. After that we went and did some program activities where we got the opportunity to have a deep conversation with our roommates about general things in our lives and how we're feeling throughout the program. 

After program activities, we had a fabulous all-American cookout because the theme of today is the American Independence Day extravaganza. This one was special because, as we were doing our Independence Day activities such as water balloon fights and playing spike ball, it started to torrentially downpour, but we were all allowed to stay out and play in the rain. It honestly felt like a movie; it was so much fun seeing the Japanese students get to experience this because they told us they don't do these types of things in Japan. After the refreshing rainfall, we all went back to the dorms, showered, and then we had our midway reflections where we spoke about our relationship with our roommates and how we were feeling throughout the program. What was most significant about this is the American and Japanese students split up, but the American girls went to our own room and the American boys went into another room. After that it got pretty late so we immediately all went to bed. Today was definitely a very, very fun day!

Day 6:

Today was a very special day. First, we went to breakfast, had our third day of classes where we learned more about Kanji and Japanese culture. Right after class, we went to lunch! After a quick lunch, we went to the Monticello for a guided tour. It was such an amazing experience seeing Thomas Jefferson’s home. After the Monticello guided tour, we went to Morvin Farm where we took photos in a Japanese Yukata provided by our roommates! Hana got me a gorgeous blue Yukata with some pink and yellow flowers.

After photos we had a Japanese dinner that consisted of chicken teriyaki, fried rice, and spicy cucumbers. Then we all participated in a traditional Japanese festival called Bunka No Hi. It was a very cool thing to see our Japanese peers put together such an intriguing experience for the American students, where we learned about different Japanese cultural practices and traditions. There were stations where we got to taste the finest matcha, practice karate, write some Japanese calligraphy, and play more Japanese games! After an exhilarating Bunka No Hi, we had a fun bus ride back – the whole group had a sing-along! Once we got back to the UVA campus, we did our nightly check-in and then had lights out. It was a memorable day! Talk to you tomorrow. 

Day 7:

Today was a splendid day! We had the chance to meet Mr. Graeme Freeman, a huge sponsor to the program! It was a meaningful moment to hear about all the experiences he had with HSD and the dedication to promote understanding between America and Japan. After that, we went to eat lunch with friends, then went to our third presentation, which was on regional characteristics; it was really enjoyable. The American group brought in some snacks for everyone to sample. I liked how each snack they brought represented each of the regions of America. The Japanese presentation was also captivating because they talked a lot about architecture, historical landmarks, and popular sites in Japan such as Mount Fuji! The food they also spoke about, like Yakisoba and Yakitori, seemed so delicious.  

After dinner, we had HSD’s Got Talent which was our way of having a talent show! My group performed to “Shake It Off” by Taylor Swift and some other groups sang, danced, and even displayed some karate. Then, we went straight into the annual Ambassador’s Summit. Each Japanese student gave a short presentation about their hometown and its attractions. Today was mainly about celebrating what makes every student unique... it was an experience I will never forget!

Day 8:

Today was another amazing day! We started off with breakfast and then went to our final day of classes, which was such a bittersweet moment. After that, we did a Bon Dance and had speeches to thank our teachers for five days of engaging and immersive education and learning. Afterwards, we had Japanese presentations where three Japanese students spoke about heavier topics. After those, we all went to lunch. Then, we had a short break and went to the last presentation of the program which was social issues! Students talked about various social issues that are really prevalent in their countries. We then had small group discussions where all students got into separate, small groups and we talked and reflected about the program since we are nearing the end of it. After about an hour of small group discussions, we went to go change into costumes, took pictures, and celebrated Halloween in July! Pretty fun times… that was a blast!!! I dressed up as a Devil and my roommate was an Angel. Hana looked so good in her costume! We all had a dance party and did a ring toss competition. At that point we were all very exhausted, so we walked back to the dorms and got checked in. After that… we all went to bed, merry and well!

Day 9:

Today was our last full day. It was the day of reflection. First, we had our usual breakfast and then we had program activities. We participated in a string game where we all had to say a compliment or statement about how the person we were talking about affected our time in a positive way during HSD. We would essentially hand over the yarn ball string that would in the end make a web signifying the relationship we all had with each other and how much we impacted each other's time during HSD! The main idea is that forty strangers became very close friends over the span of 10 days. It was an impactful demonstration to show that idea. Then, we had a little break where we also got ready for the closing ceremony and went to dinner. After dinner we went to our closing ceremony in the famous Rotunda on the lawn and it was SO cool to go inside of such a renowned building. The closing ceremony was a very bittersweet moment because we all got our awards for completing the program but after that it was followed by a dance party. After the dance party we had a flag exchange which was a very, very sad but still a sweet moment. We all formed a large circle on the Lawn with the students holding their respective flags. Each roommate pair was called to meet each other halfway in the circle, presenting one another with our flags to cherish forever. Tears were shed! Afterwards, we headed back to Humphreys Dormitory where we had our last check-in and then we hung out together for the last night. It was by far the most memorable night and sadly, our last “lights out” together.

Day 10:

It was a travel day today. Departing from the bus and saying goodbye to my friends, now family, was unbelievably difficult. We all hugged each other so tight and cried. I am writing this at home now. It is sad to say the ten days are over, and we are all back to our daily lives, but I am beyond grateful I experienced such a paramount, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I am especially grateful to the counselors and Mrs. Zapolski for giving me this opportunity. The people I met here are forever engrained in my heart. High School Diplomats is now inextricably tied to my life. The way I view certain things, such as culture and relationships with people, are forever influenced by my time at HSD. 

Words truly cannot describe how happy and grateful I am to have experienced this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. There is a plethora of takeaways and memories I gained through HSD. The people I met are now best friends that I regularly keep in touch with and although some of them live across the globe, they forever hold a place in my heart. I am thrilled to apply to HSD Japan. I get excited just thinking about it and I think about it daily! High School Diplomats really is a transformative, magical experience and should you have the opportunity to apply, I would most definitely not pass it up! 

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