Disclaimer: This is short synopsis of a whirlwind professional learning tour hosted by EF Tours and NYSCOSS (The New York State Council of School Superintendents), that 30 school leaders from across the country participated in. This is a brief recollection that doesn’t do justice to the breadth of experiences we were able to enjoy.

A wonderful opportunity!

When the call for applications for the 2024 NYSCOSS/EF Tours Global Professional Development Program was announced, I was intrigued. The trip, a 12 day tour through Japan and Korea , sounded like a great opportunity to travel and learn while making connections with leaders across the country.

Thanks to a generous scholarship, this opportunity hosted by EF Tours, welcomed 30 school leaders, mostly superintendents, who were selected to go.

The first stop was Japan and I was excited like a kid at Christmas when the plane touched down in Tokyo. I could see Mt. Fuji in the distance and little did I know that the juxtaposition of mountains and city would be present during our whole trip.

Tokyo

Tokyo is a bustling and busy city. But there was so much more to Tokyo than the city–for example, we able to explore the Asakusa Sensoji Temple completed in 645. This is one of Japan’s oldest temples. Surrounding the temple is a marvelous shopping district and some great food choices. One of the nice things about our tour was that we were able to do some exploring on our own. It gave us the opportunity to connect with our colleagues and check out the local vibe and eateries.

Admittedly, on one of those excursions on our own, was my favorite food find: Ramen! The broth was heavenly and it included pork belly. You can never go wrong with pork belly. It may have been my favorite dish of the whole trip!

Another highlight of Tokyo was the Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum–this museum of historic Japanese buildings showcased what I had always imagined Japan to look like with “paper houses.” These were the houses that had rooms divided by doors or windows made of wooden frames covered in paper called “shoji.”

Hiroshima and Osaka

We traveled from Tokyo to Hiroshima by bullet train. Riding the Bullet Train was interesting. We traveled up to 200 mph but it was so smooth and comfortable that you didn’t even realize it. The only proof of the high speed is the video shared below. That, along with the beautiful views of the countryside, made the ride a memorable experience.

Hiroshima

Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum and Park was an experience I’ll never forget. From the perspective of an educator, this visit was extremely impactful and humbling. Hiroshima represents resilience and kindness in the most profound way. Seeing the Bomb Dome and visiting the museum were difficult to take in and process, but after speaking to our guides and being shown such kindness by the folks there, the resounding theme was that of rebirth, forgiveness, and community.

During our free time in Hiroshima my group embarked on a river boat tour. One of the things we learned on the tour was that there are over 160 “Bomb Trees.” These are trees that survived the bombing and produced sprouts from charred trunks–these sprouts grew into beautiful, thriving trees. These trees are registered in Hiroshima City.

Shopping

Every city we visited, including Osaka, had amazing shopping districts–unlike in the states where shopping malls are becoming extinct, they are well and alive in Tokyo and Korea. Luxury brands reigned supreme. Fun fact: over half of Tiffany & Co. stores are located in Japan and Asia Pacific.

Final destination: Seoul, Korea

We ended our trip by spending some time in Seoul, Korea. This was by far my favorite leg of the tour. There were several reasons why–including our amazing tour guide, Sunny. She knew so much about history and culture and was able to pivot seamlessly when things out of her control interrupted our plans. That included heavy rains and a canceled DMZ underground tour. We were able to see the DMZ via a cable car ride and we toured the museum at the top that offered insight to the lives of the Korean Soldiers.

In Seoul we also enjoyed the Hyundai Motor Studio Museum where we were immersed in technological advances in auto-making as we were guided through the process of car assembly by robots and what the future of travel could look like in vehicles that look like floating pods to carry passengers. We enjoyed authentic Korean barbecue and a cooking class where we made our own japchae–a Korean dish made of stir fried glass noodles and vegetables.

Reflection

This tour had so much to offer but one of the things I truly value is connecting with colleagues. Together, we learned about the history and culture of these two different countries and truly value this experience. I’m excited for the opportunities that we will bring our students as a result of this wonderful adventure!

About The Author

Michelle Osterhoudt is a school administrator, mom, wife and former small town newspaper columnist who enjoys going to concerts with her husband. She can be reached at osterhoudtmichelle@yahoo.com