When I arrived at Atlanta Airport, there were only foreigners, so I felt weirdly uncomfortable. In training, I asked my teammates if I didn't understand. The gymnasium was very spacious, and it was about 4 or 5 times the size of the school gymnasium, and there were about 6 courts. The facilities were quite well prepared, the floor of the coat was so shiny that I almost fell over.

Purpose

I wanted to broaden my horizons and see where I am located in the world, and whether I can understand English only with your current knowledge.

To have fun.

The main goal was to come back with better at shooting, dribbling, passing, and using the body.

I wanted to prove for myself that I could be good even at this short height.

I wanted to know what kind of evaluation I could receive from abroad even if it didn't work overseas. I wanted to go abroad alone.

I wanted to communicate with various foreigners. Eventually, I wanted to be able to improve my English skills and speak English, so all my goals were achieved.

Covid-19

I was a little worried about what to do if I couldn't go home.

I can enter the United States if you have a negative covid certificate within 72 hours. If IMG has a negative certificate, there is no need to quarantine after Florida. However, It's even stricter when I returned to Japan. When returning from Florida, quarantine for 3 days in a hotel designated by the quarantine station, and another 11 days of home quarantine. With PCR and negative proof at IMG, you can return when you get permission to take off. When I arrive at Haneda Airport, you have to take a PCR test again. After 3 days of quarantine, if I take the PCR test again and it is negative, you can go home. The stay at the hotel is about to go crazy because I couldn't even take a step out of a very small room. I wasn't free. I've been in bed for 72 hours.

Also, in order not to get caught in the PCR test of my nose, which I really didn't like, I always brought water, always sanitized in each place, and tried to wear a mask during practice and training.

Facility

It was quite fulfilling in the camp. 50 Tokyo Domes on the entire IMG premises. The cafeteria is open from 6:30 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. From 11:30 to 1:30 for lunch and 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. for dinner. In the gym, you can do muscle training, dumbbells, hitting heavy balls on the floor, barbells, etc. There are still many things. I was supposed to be in a shared room, but I was staying at comfortable single room which I didn’t really desire. I should’ve had more chance to speak out with more people. The place where I play basketball is the gymnasium, and because the property is large, I move from the dormitory by a vehicle called Tram. After basketball practice, be sure to train at the gym next door. In the cafeteria, pancakes in the morning and meat and rice for lunch. Dinner is all pasta. I got sick of them obviously.

Prize

From the whole entire program, I was selected to the prize of excellence(MVP) that’s sponsored by Gatorade. Apparently, through games and practices, most contributed and influenced person was supposed to be anointed. And that was me even though I was surrounded by 2m high junior high guys. I saw at least three guys like that who also got great agility. There are also monsters who dunk with no jump.

Differences

I really wanted to eat miso soup just because I was eating American meal of all time. The way of eating is not very beautiful compared to Japan. The smell of America was bad at first, but I got used to it. The difference from Japan is that they talk to me and get along with me actively right away. If you look at relationships with peers, it may be easier to live in the United States.