Day ten of the field study (May 26) found us in Fukuoka. We arrived by bus from Kurokawa the night before. According to one student, after nine days in Kyushu’s countryside, Fukuoka was like returning to civilization. I gave everyone a few hours to rest and explore Canal City, an award-winning shopping center near our hotel.

Canal City (image source)

We ate our final group dinner in Canal City, where we shared favorite memories of an experience that I hope everyone will not soon forget. After dinner, we walked around the streets of Fukuoka, through some of the seedier areas and to streets with outdoor food stalls.

We departed Fukuoka around 10:30 the next morning, arriving in Singapore around 3:00pm, a world away from the farms and mountains of Kyushu.

Over the ten days, the students became very close to one another, forming friendships that I hope will last a lifetime. However, I also know that today’s vivid memory is tomorrow’s vague recollection, and that not all friends made on short-term study trips remain friends forever. People grow apart, and it takes effort to retain connections made over such a limited time period. Hopefully, the variety and ease of web-based applications available to students (Facebook, email, photo-sharing sites, this blog) will help this field study have a long-term effect on students, both personally and educationally.

For those who have read all the posts about the field study, thank you.