Zach Siegel 5/29 - Kendo, Samurai Museum, & Group Dinner

Our final morning kicked off in the smoothest way possible: with a subway meltdown. Our line was shut down, everyone got rerouted, and we ended up cramming ourselves into a packed train like it was a competition. Not ideal, but honestly hilarious in hindsight. Once we finally made it to the kendo studio, however, the tone flipped completely. Kendo isn’t just a sport; it’s a direct descendant of samurai swordsmanship, and you can feel that weight when you’re learning the strikes and footwork. After drilling the basics, we suited up in full armor. It was heavier and bulkier than expected, but once you got moving, it was a blast. The instructors wrapped things up with balloon battles, one on the wrist, one on the head, and pure chaos from there. This was easily one of the most unique and fun experiences that we had on the trip.

After lunch, which was at a really cool conveyor belt sushi place, we headed to the Samurai and Ninja Museum. Seeing actual armor and weapons up close made the history feel real. Learning about the two side by side was eye‑opening; samurai built around honor and open combat, ninjas operating in secrecy and often coming from everyday professions like farming or trading. The tour ended with us throwing plastic ninja stars at foam targets, which was way more fun than it had any right to be. A perfect mix of learning and play.

  

We had some free time before meeting up for the last group dinner of the trip. You could feel the mood shift, still fun, still loud, but with that quiet awareness that everything was wrapping up. We went around sharing favorite moments, funniest memories, and the things we didn’t expect to love as much as we did. Almost everyone ended on the same note: we couldn’t wait to see each other again back at Syracuse next semester. It was the kind of ending that hits you in the best way, grateful for the time you had, already nostalgic for it, and excited for what comes next. 

As someone who got the chance to go on two different trips through the university, one to Europe and the other now to Asia, I can say that these trips have easily been the most impactful and life changing experiences of my life. The places, the meetings, the people, the connections, all of it made every moment feel even more special. I am so grateful to have had these opportunities and hope that anyone else who has the chance to do these trips takes full advantage. You will not regret it one bit.

Zach Siegel 5/15 - KSPO, KSOC, Olympic Park & Baseball

Our morning started with a subway ride out to the Olympic Park, where the Korea Sports Promotion Foundation welcomed us for a deep dive into how Korea invests in sport at every level. The scale of the park itself set the tone, with modern architecture, massive plazas, and monuments honoring the 1988 Olympics making it clear we were standing somewhere historically important. Inside KSPO, we learned how intentionally Korea approaches sport development. Their promotional videos covered everything from archery and cycling to tennis, golf, and even darts, showing just how broad their investment is. What stood out most was the national fitness testing program. It’s free, accessible, and normalized in everyday life. Trying the reaction‑time and grip‑strength stations made it easy to see how Korea frames physical activity not as a luxury, but as a public right, something Professor Kim emphasized throughout the visit.

Right after lunch, Korean‑style burgers delivered straight to Olympic Park, we headed to the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee. This session focused more on Korea’s Olympic identity and how the 1988 Games reshaped the nation. The presentation made one thing clear: the Seoul Olympics weren’t just a sporting event. They were a turning point for Korea’s global reputation, economic growth, and modernization. Sport became intertwined with national ambition, and that legacy still shapes policy, investment, and culture today. Hearing how intentionally Korea uses sport as a tool for national development was one of the most eye‑opening parts of the day.

After we finished our meetings, we took a quick train ride over to the Lotte World Mall. The mall complex was massive, endless shops, food options, and energy everywhere. I went with a couple of people to the aquarium (yes there is an aquarium in the mall and it was huge and awesome and fun) before doing some shopping and grabbing a bite at the food court. 

However, the highlight of the day, without question, was the baseball game. I’ve been to a ton of high profile sporting events in my life, including the World Series, so my expectations were already high, but Korea somehow blew past them. The stadium atmosphere was electric from first pitch to last out. Fans chanted, sang, and cheered in perfect unison. It wasn’t just loud; it was collective. The entire crowd moved as one, creating a synchronized environment that felt completely different from most American sporting events. It ended up being one of the best live sports experiences I’ve ever had. By the time we got back on the subway, everyone was exhausted in the best way. The day had moved from Olympic history to modern city life to a stadium bursting with energy, each part completely different, yet all connected through Korea’s relationship with sport.

5/22 Gabby Ovadje

 We started off the morning by visiting a kung fu school, which I really enjoyed. As soon as we arrived, we were welcomed with an elaborate performance showcasing the students' skills. They used different weapons, waved colorful flags, performed incredible flips, and even put on a traditional dragon dance. It was amazing to watch how coordinated everyone was, and it was clear that they had spent years training to reach that level. The entire performance was a really cool way to introduce us to Chinese martial arts before we got to try it ourselves.

After the performance, the instructors gave us a demonstration of some basic moves before teaching us a full sequence that we had to follow. It was definitely harder than it looked! One thing that made it even more fun for me was that I used to take karate when I was younger, so it brought back a lot of memories. Even though kung fu is very different from karate, I enjoyed learning the movements and trying to keep up with everyone else. It gave me a new appreciation for the amount of discipline and practice that goes into mastering martial arts.

Once we finished our lesson, we learned more about the school and the students who train there. I was surprised to find out that many of the students actually live at the school year-round and only get a weekend break every two weeks. We got to tour the dorms where they sleep, and I couldn't believe how small the rooms were, especially since several students shared each one. Along with their regular school classes, most of their day is dedicated to training and preparing for kung fu competitions. Seeing how much time and effort they put into improving their skills was really inspiring.

After leaving the school, we had lunch at a nearby mall where I tried a really good bowl of ramen and had some ice cream. It was nice to relax for a little while before heading to our next stop, NBA China.

Visiting the NBA China offices was definitely one of my favorite experiences of the trip because basketball is my favorite sport. We learned all about how the NBA promotes games and players throughout China and how they tailor their marketing to a completely different audience. I thought it was especially interesting how certain NBA teams become popular in China because of one player with a connection to the region. They talked about how stars like Yao Ming completely changed the popularity of the Houston Rockets, and now newer international players like Wemby are helping grow basketball even more. It was really interesting to learn about everything that happens behind the scenes to make the NBA such a global brand. They even gave us some really cool NBA China gifts to take home.

That night, a group of us went out to dinner, where I got to have Peking duck again along with a variety of other delicious Chinese dishes. It was a great way to end the day. Looking back, this was probably one of my favorite days of the trip because it combined so many of my interests. We got to experience traditional Chinese culture through kung fu while also seeing the business side of one of my favorite sports. It taught me a lot while also being a lot of fun.

5/29- Gabby Ovadje

 Our last day of the trip started out early with a kendo lesson, where we got to learn about the ancient Japanese martial art of swordsmanship. After getting dressed up in the traditional armor, we watched a quick demonstration from the instructors before jumping right into it ourselves. We started by learning some of the basic movements and strikes, then eventually put everything together into combinations. Even though we had just started, it was a lot of fun to try. Some of the kids on the trip even got to face off against the instructors, whose armor had balloons attached to it that they had to try and hit. Watching them give it their all while the instructors dodged was hilarious. It definitely gave me a new appreciation for how much skill and discipline kendo takes.

Afterwards, we headed to a revolving sushi bar for lunch. This ended up being one of my favorite meals of the trip because I got to try so many different kinds of sushi and other Japanese dishes that I probably wouldn't have ordered otherwise. My table also decided to make it a competition to see who could finish the most plates. I didn't end up winning, but I had a lot of fun trying. I also thought the desserts were really interesting because they were so different from what I'm used to back home. It was cool getting to experience flavors and desserts that you don't really see in the United States.

Next, we visited a samurai and ninja museum. It was really interesting to see all of the different weapons, swords, and armor up close and learn more about the history behind them. There were so many artifacts and displays that showed how important samurai and ninja were in Japan's history. My group didn't spend too much time there, though, because we still had some last-minute souvenir shopping to do before the trip was over.

We ended up spending the afternoon in the Shibuya area, where I picked up gifts for my family and friends. It was fun walking around one last time, taking in all the energy of the city while checking a few final things off my shopping list. Finally, it was time for our final group dinner. It was honestly a bittersweet moment because it meant the trip was coming to an end. We spent dinner talking about everyone's favorite memories, laughing about things that had happened over the past two weeks, and finding out who won the scavenger hunt. It was the perfect way to wrap everything up before we all flew home the next day.

To finish off the night, a few of us decided to go to Shibuya Sky. Seeing Tokyo from that height at night was absolutely incredible. Getting to look down on the famous Shibuya Crossing one last time was the perfect ending to an unforgettable trip. I think it was the perfect way to spend our final day. We got to experience more Japanese culture, eat amazing food, spend time with friends, and make a few more memories before saying goodbye. While after 3 weeks in Asia I was excited to head home, I was definitely going to miss Japan, and I know this is a trip I'll remember for a long time.