信じられない、明日でお別れなんて、、、、今日が実質みんなと過ごせる最後の日だななんて。

朝からキャンパーたちも口々に　えーーーーもう明日帰るのーーーーという声がきこえてきます。

今日はクラスはなく、帰りの支度や明日の準備が主な予定ですが、その他にも楽しいことが盛りだくさん。

朝食のプレップは NAOKO & AKIRAチーム。いつもの朝食とちょっと様子が違うのは、ミステリオのコスチュームをつけて朝ごはん。昨日のタレントショーで使ったものをキャンパーにも自由に身につけてもらいました。

片付けを済ませて、学年ごとに並びながらさるしょうの玄関前で集合写真。

そのあとはブルー＆レッドチームに分かれての対抗玉入れ合戦。結果　引き分け！

お次はスイカ割り。なかなか割れないチーム、一気に割れるチーム、様々でしたが最後カウンセラーやスタッフが男女に分かれての決戦では　キャンパー全員が応援してくれ盛り上がりもピークに。割れたスイカを鷲掴みで食べるのもミステリオならではの恒例のイベントの１つ。

校庭で熱く遊んだあとはお待ちかね　ミステリオのイベントとしてみんなが楽しみしている LET'S GET WET!!!  みんなで水に入って濡れまくろう大会。

みんなでプールサイドに行くとなんだかいつも様子が違う、、、プールに入るのかと思ったらプールの周りに座るというアレンジ、、、一体全体何が起きるのかっ！

ジャーーーーン、実は信じられないスゴーーーーイゲストが登場してくださったのです。

大きな音楽がプールサイドに流れたと思いきや、後半来てくださったナースのMINAさんを筆頭に繰り広げられるシンクロナイズスイミングチームのスイマーたちが登場！　いや、待てよ、その中に、AIKA＆ARISAがいる、、、、えええー彼らも泳げるの？？？？？　いやいやそれはちょっとしたサプライズでした。

そのメンバーのお一人は現役で現在ラスベガスのシルクドソレイユ"O"に出演していらっしゃる酒井麻里子さん。彼女からのメッセージも届きました。”私は10歳からシンクロナイズドスイミングを始めました。国際大会に出たり、海外でショーの仕事をしていました。厳しい練習もありましたが、水中で音楽に合わせて身体を動かせる様になって、今では陸上にいるよりも、水中の方が気持ちいいです。更に技術を磨き、いろいろなアートを通して、シンクロを続けていきたいと思っています。

Hello everyone. I'm Mariko Sakai. I started to practice Synchronized Swimming when I was 10 years old. I had joined international competitions and shows. The practice was very hard but now I can control my movement with music, it is easier for me to be in the water than to be out on the land. I would like to continue and develop what I am doing though various kinds of art.”

彼らの水中での踊りは、人間とは思えない、水と体が一体化され　まるでお魚か人魚のようで、あまりに美しさに涙が出るほどでした。きっとほとんどのキャンパーもスタッフもシンクロをこんな目の前で見たのは初めての経験だったのではないでしょうか？

その美しいパフォーマンスのあとは、みんなでプールに入り　LET'S GET WET!!!!

そうそう今年はさる小にできたばかりのお風呂も大人気でした。特にスポーツのあとや夕方の自由時間を利用して　木の香りのするお風呂場で汗を流すことで　疲れも取れ癒されました。

ランチのあとは、荷造り、大掃除、お別れ会のリハーサル。

お別れ会で何をするかは　明日のお楽しみ。

お掃除も片付けも　今週みんなで守ってきた　HELPING EACH OTHERの成果か、手が空いている人が率先して手伝う光景をとてもよく見かけました。さすがミステリオのキャンパーたちだなあ！

夕食時に習った今日の英語。Break A Leg!!!

そのあとは、いよいよミステリオの最後の夜のハイライト、キャンプファイアー。

火起こしをしてくださったYUさんは今年も趣向を凝らしての演出。まず花火が遠くに上がり、花火が消えそうになったかと思いきや、聖火を灯しゆっくり入ってきたスタッフ二人がキャンプファイアーの真ん中に火を灯しました。

ボッという音に元気の良い火がメラメラと空に向かって大きくなっていきます。

その火を囲んで　ダンスをしたり、TETSUROのギター演奏や、FUMI,SHIZU, MARI, NANAMI & AKIRAによるパフォーマンス、そして最後は　今年CITキャンパー最後になるDANKICHIと　カウンセラー最後のMAOの表彰式。

これ以上説明はいらないとは思いますが、　やっぱりこの二人やられましたっ。卒業生にミステリオから送る言葉は　言葉でなく顔いっぱいにパイ投げ。

最後はみんなで肩を組み、泣きながら歌ったミステリオの歌。そしてみんなで約束しました、また来年も会おうね、と。　たとえ来年会えなくとも、いつでも戻ってきてねと、、、、、。

I cannot believe we have to say good bye tomorrow. It is the last day we can spend whole day together.

We heard camper saying “Already? Do we have to go home tomorrow?”

There were no classes today and we had to pack and prepare for the showcase tomorrow. Plus, we had extra events!

Team NAOKO & AKIRA prepared breakfast for us. We all had costume from last night talent show.

After the breakfast, we took picture in front of the entrance.

We did ball-toss game “tameire”. Team blue and team red were competing each other but the result were draw. 

After that we had fun with ”Suikawari” - watermelon splitting game.

There was a team which quickly split watermelon but there was a team which had hard time doing it. After that, counselors and staffs split into team lady and team gentlemen and compete each other. The support from the campers made us energized and happy. We had delicious watermelon after that.

After we had fun at the ground, we went to pool to GET WET!!!

We all got wet and had super fun.

However…when we get to the pool, camper noticed the difference. They thought they could go into the pool but they are escorted to sit around the pool. They had no idea what was going on.

Ta-da-! The amazingly special guest was there!

The music was on and synchronized swimmer team which was led by a nurse MINA came in. Wait, AIKA & ARISA were there. Were they able to swim????? No, that was small surprise from us.

One of the team member was Mariko Sakai, who is performing at Cirque du Soleil “O" in Las Vegas currently. She had a message for us.

"Hello everyone. I'm Mariko Sakai. I started to practice Synchronized Swimming when I was 10 years old. I had joined international competitions and shows. The practice was very hard but now I can control my movement with music, it is easier for me to be in the water than to be out on the land. I would like to continue and develop what I am doing though various kinds of art.”

Their dance in the water was amazing and it was hard for us to see them as human. The water and their body get along together so well and they were like fishes or mermaids. It was so beautiful and it made us cry. I believe that this was the first time to see synchronized swimming so close for most of the campers and staffs.

After the beautiful performance, we jumped into the pool and GOT WET!!!!

I almost forgot to mention but we were all happy with new bath at Sarusho. We enjoyed talking bath with great woody scent especially after the sports and fertile in the evening.

After the lunch, we were busy packing, cleaning and rehearsing.

I couldn’t wait to see the showcase tomorrow.

Campers kept our promise “HELPING EACH OTHER” and everyone was helping their friends when they are done with their job. I was so proud to see them helping each others.

The English phrase we learned at the dinner was “Break A Leg!!!"

We enjoyed Campfire at final night with loving MSTERIO family. 

Mr. YU who prepared campfire surprised us again. We saw the fireworks and when the firework was about to disappear, two staffs who had flame in their hands appeared and fired the campfire.

The fire was getting bigger and bigger.

We danced and sang to TETSURO’s guitar and FUMI, SHIZU, MARI, NANAMI & AKIRA performed, and we held commendation ceremony for DANKICHI who was CIT and MAO who had final year as a counselor. 

I am sure I don’t have to explain anymore but these two made us all cry. As a present, we gave them pies as our appreciation and love. 

We all joined our shoulders, cried and sang MSTERIO song. We promised to see each others next year again. Even if we cannot see next year, we promised to see each other soon in the future.

 

ここで日本が初めて、ミステリオも初めてというスイスからきてくださったパトリックのミステリオの感想もみなさんにシェアーしたいと思います。パトリックは途中水泳クラスのお手伝いをしてくださいました。We would like to share a comment from Dr. Patrick Huser who came to MSTERIO first time from Switzland. Patrick helped swimming class with Masashi. 

Only a month before I arrived at the Msterio Summer Camp, I was still working for the Red Cross as a humanitarian aid worker in Northern Afghanistan. My colleague and friend Masashi - we had met during the mission - had invited me to visit him and to discover Japan in order to take a breath after the challenging and exhausting 15 months in Afghanistan. “But for the first days of your visit”, he added, “you will have to accompany me in a summer camp.” I spontaneously agreed as I had been a teacher in the past and I enjoy working with children and teenagers.

The range and the quality of the activities that are offered to the campers is impressive: drama classes, calligraphy, dancing classes, handicraft workshops and various sports activities - just to name some of them. And it was clearly visible that the junior campers fully profited from these activities. The special guests and their impressive performances added an unique note to the camp life and left the campers with the certainty that they had participated in something exceptional.

I thus see the camp as a great opportunity for the children, teenagers and adults with different nationalities and cultural backgrounds to meet and to share moments of friendship and joy in the wonderful scenery of rural Japan. It is also a great opportunity to learn in a playful way how to live together in a world that is becoming more and more connected.

Hence, Msterio is not only about having a good time but it is also about living and learning those values that are and remain the basic of every human society: to help and respect each other, to listen to each other and to have a positive and joyful attitude towards life and its challenges.

I am grateful that I could participate in and contribute to this inspiring summer camp and I hope that the children, teenagers and adults that make it such an enriching experience keep their dedication and loyalty to Msterio.

Dr. Patrick Huser