The JCI World Congress in Osaka is now officially open! I pre-started the conference with two days of training doing the JCI Trainer course. We were 19 people and 16 different nationalities. It was truly inspiring, fun and I learned a lot of new things. The training looks the same where ever you do it but I think it adds the little extra to do it at an international conference. In two days you do a 11 modules and the second day you deliver a training specially designed for adults. My group's task was budgeting... sounds boring but I think we did it interesting for the audience.

We had to rush to the Opening ceremony after the course and we saw the best dancing entertaining bits! To honor the ceremony Prince Akashino spoke. How cool it that to get a member of the royal family to speak at a JCI conference. 

The party last night was outside in a garden. I had some sushi and beer to keep me happy. At the party we saw how you cut a tuna on-stage, a bit bizarre, on the edge entertainment for sure. After a while I was a bit cold in my glittery Union Jack dress, brrr... And when in Japan do as the Japanese do - why not go karaoke. After a bit of promotion of my karaoke idea we were 18 people going! For about £20 you can rent a karaoke room and drink as much as you want for 2 hours.
We had an awesome time in the karaoke place and I am still high from our singing performance. Think the karaoke tradition is keeping the Japanese nation young and healthy.

Japanese breakfast meeting
This morning I went up at 6am to go to the formal meeting between JCI UK and JCI Japan's national board. I was not tired at all, think the karaoke helped. It is a very important meeting where we meet, share ideas and knowledge.

Morning show
I was very touched and cried a bit when I listened to Patrick Knight at the morning show. He told us his story what happened to him last year. At his wife's family's Thanksgiving dinner her brother came and killed his wife who was pregnant with their first child, her sister, aunt and a girl who was 6 years old. He killed four of his own family members... Read the story at ABC news.

Patrick Knight is almost recovered today after 3 months in coma. He is an amazing person and I wish him all strength the world can give him.

Now I am going back the the conference centre to have some lunch and to support Solveig Malvik who is competing in the Public Speaking competition!

Cheers Sofie