Kermit the Frog once said, “It’s not easy being green.”

Now that we’re in the second half of our Summer School program, I am not sure I agree.

This is my first time helping out with ISN’s Summer program, and two things have stood out for me. One, I talked about earlier when I mentioned how much fun we have with water. The second thing is just how beautiful this region of Japan is.

Gojo campus itself is the perfect place for some outdoor fun, between water fights in the yard to turning a somen slide into a waterslide. Nature walks around the campus also help us realize just how much beauty surrounds us here.

And then there are the parks. Huge areas filled with trees, bugs both beautiful and scary, and of course water!

And not only did the kids have a chance to cool off and splash around, but there were some fun hands-on activities as well. Our younger kids made cake…sort of. Wood cake topped with pine cones, twigs, and acorns, but they still looked delicious enough!

Our older kids (and teachers!) got to make gohei mochi. That ended up being as delicious as the park was beautiful.

There was so much park, and so little time in the day. I hope these excursions have sparked an interest in our students to explore more into what these gorgeous places have to offer. Personally speaking, I certainly want to come back and see more, especially after finding my Nirvana!

Personally speaking, it was my first Summer Program, and I am already looking forward to next year’s. I hope all our students and guests feel the same.

Have a great summer everybody,
–Josh