Following our Junior Ambassador's visit to the Asian-Pacific Children’s Convention (APCC) in July, APCC connections continued during the Bridge Club Oakland event at the Buddhist Church of Oakland Obon Matsuri on August 3, 2024 and the Oakland Fukuoka Sister City Association barbeque for the visiting Fukuoka high school students on August 4, 2024.

The Oakland Fukuoka Sister City Association hosted the chaperones and the high school student winners of the Fukuoka City Government English competition. One of the students was a former APCC volunteer and a participant in the recent Bridge Challenge Trip to the Maldives. One of the chaperones was also a former APCC volunteer. All the former APCC participants enjoyed doing odori together at the Obon Matsuri and making many new memories with each other at the barbeque. Our friendships made us feel that the ocean between the cities of Fukuoka and Oakland was indeed actually quite small!

Photo: APCC Reunion in Oakland (left to right): Brittany (BC President, JA 2009), Lewanna (BC Event Manager, JA 2018), Yoshine (APCC volunteer, Bridge Challenge), Linda (Liaison Officer, Chaperone 2018), Keiko (APCC volunteer)