Our eighth day was the culmination of weeks’ worth of research and exploration, and boy, was I nervous — we had met with two out of the three artisans we were tasked with interviewing the day before and consequently had mere hours to finalize our presentation and script. After a long and stressful night, I had completed both parts but still needed to practice with Si Hou, my partner. We ended up practicing once in the morning and another time in the afternoon with Professor Kagaya before heading to Terminal Kyoto, the location of our presentations that night. In between these practice sessions, a group of us–Joanne, Franky, Breelyn, Si Hou, and I–headed to Kawaramachi for a quick shopping excursion. I was able to buy some gifts and a scarf for myself at Takashimaya. For lunch, I ate solo at Ichiran Ramen and had an unexpected companion just two seats away from me: Si Hou!
At 2 PM, all four groups practiced once again, but this time, with Mitsue-san, the Japanese translator. Though figuring out the translations and rhythm took quite a while for all of us, we were able to get through it with minimal damage. One good part is that we all dressed for the part — my classmates certainly looked professional and ready to give 15-minute presentations to a crowd.
People began to filter in around 5:45 until a little after 6. I recognized many of the faces in the crowd, which consisted mainly of the individuals with whom we had interacted over the course of this trip. Seeing their faces alleviated some of my stress, as did hearing my classmates do well in their respective presentations. People, including myself, were getting a little antsy because sitting cross-legged for hours is certainly not the business — nevertheless, we all persisted. Our presentation went fine, for the most part, and I was happy that no disasters occurred during this period.
Leah and me!
A candid shot of Franky and me.
A collective sigh of relief followed the smattering of applause, and from there, we all moved downstairs for the delicious dinner planned by Sachi-san. It was nice being able to talk with people in a more informal setting, and to see the fruits of our labor being recognized. I was also able to meet a carpenter specifically tasked to repair Buddhist temples — it was quite an incredible experience talking to him. To celebrate, we went to a karaoke bar and sang our hearts out. What a fun time!
I’m happy knowing that the second-hardest part of this trip is over, but I’m also sad because the hardest part is coming soon: leaving this city that has charmed me time and time again.
