The last day of the study trip has arrived already, these three weeks came and went so fast… While the most important part of this day would consist of goodbyes and traveling, this was definitely not all it consisted of. For time efficiency purposes and to get the most out of their last day with the entire group, some had already done most of their packing the night before (putting your dirty laundry inside of your dirty socks turned out to work wonders for saving precious suitcase real estate). Woken up by the DagCos at 09:00 sharp, most people went down to the hostel lobby straightaway to get breakfast and get their suitcases downstairs, making things nice and cozy over there. However, everyone being in the same room at the same time also created the perfect opportunity for collectively thanking the board of Foundation ICE for all their hard work and giving them a small present.
After this, two large flags (one Korean, one Japanese) were spread out on the tables and people got the opportunity to write their names (regularly and in the language of the country on the flag) on both of them to create a nice souvenir. For most people with a western name, finding the Korean or Japanese spelling of their name proved to be quite a challenge, but everyone managed in the end to some degree. When the flags were done, we went outside with them to take one final group picture. Using their Polaroid camera, the hostel staff also took a picture of us, which is now proudly hanging on a wall in the lobby of the hostel.
Directly after taking the group picture, some people already embarked on their own adventures, while some had to wait for the rented bus to the airport. However, this bus would not arrive until 17:00, so there was a bit of free time. We decided to check out the area around Sensō-ji, Tokyo’s oldest temple, with a small group. There turned out to be so much more to see than just the temple: there were a lot of beautiful statues and typical Japanese shops too. We are glad to have decided to still go sightseeing even on the last day!
Upon arriving back at the hostel, the time had finally come to say goodbye and to start a new journey. For some people, this was a goodbye to the people going back home and the beginning of new adventures in Japan, but for most people, it was a goodbye to Japan (for now) and the start of their trip home. Leaving behind the waves of the people that would remain in Japan, we set sail to Narita International Airport, where our flight to Istanbul Atatürk Airport would soon take place, after which Schiphol would be the final destination of the study trip. There were some issues with getting out of the plane after landing and getting our baggage, leaving the parents and loved ones who were already eagerly waiting at the arrivals hall waiting even longer, but all in all, it was a pleasant journey, with which we sadly already have to conclude the last blog post for the 2018 Creative Technology study trip. ExplorAsia, we think we can speak for everyone us when we say that you have been a life-changing experience!