Hi, this is Chichi from S-TOKYO!

I recently participated in Colive FUKUOKA, which was held in Fukuoka Prefecture!

S-TOKYO participated in the event as a partner community. Following on from the first part , I'd like to report on some of the fun times we had with digital nomads from all over the world!

We enjoyed a cruise and dinner on a traditional Japanese houseboat!

It was a refreshing experience since even Japanese people rarely get the chance to ride on one! It was a strange feeling to take off your shoes and eat a meal on a boat. The Indonesian guy sitting in front of me seemed to really like spicy food and he was very fond of the shichimi (Japanese seven-spice blend) 😆

After disembarking, we took a group photo in front of the "FUKUOKA" sign!

I also participated in the workshop "Break the Mould" hosted by Jazmin and Alice.

This was a workshop for women who live unconventional lives and their supporters.

With the support of the two moderators, we worked together with the participants to break down the expectations and prejudices that society has about us, and to consider what kind of person we truly want to be and what small steps we can take to get closer to that ideal.

Spending time with vibrant and successful women of my generation was incredibly inspiring. Knowing that we all share similar struggles and challenges was very encouraging.

What was particularly striking was how open they were to sharing their success stories and past struggles, and how participants responded by hugging, patting each other's backs, crying, and laughing.

"I am the one who is in charge of my life." "You have already accomplished so many things."

It was a time filled with such positive words and energy.

On the evening of the second day of the main conference, we had a barbecue party at Ohori Park!

The two people from TAIWAN are getting things ready. (laughs)

Even among strangers, nomads are great at self-disclosure, quickly becoming friends and before you know it, you're dancing together...! I was inspired by that nomadic spirit and danced salsa in the park. Lol

Also held at Ohori Park, the day after the BBQ party, was "Unconference."

Here, participants first bring topics they want to discuss and write them on sticky notes, which are then posted. After being grouped by similar topics, tables are assigned for discussion. The person who proposed the topic and those interested in it gather at each table and talk for 40 minutes.

The topics brought by the digital nomads were all fascinating, making it difficult to decide which table's talk to attend. For example, there were topics ranging from "Nomad Relationships: Long-Distance Relationships" to "How to Organize a Large Community."

I participated in a discussion about "connections between nomads and local residents." There, we shared ideas and discussed how to deal with language barriers and how to invite international guests while being more considerate of the local environment.

The conversations with people from different backgrounds and who have lived in different regions were very meaningful. I also learned that digital nomads abroad value "experiences that are unique to that region" and "meeting and connecting with local people." On the other hand, some people said that these experiences don't need to be elaborately designed by the locals, and that "everything is different from my daily life and fresh, so I'm happy just to be able to enjoy even small things with the locals." This made me want to re-evaluate how I create spaces within my own community.

We all took a bus to a sake brewery tour. There was an incredible amount of food, a BBQ, unlimited sake, and even a sauna—it was the best environment ever!

We all toasted a lot, went into the sauna, and screamed in the cold plunge pool...

Around this point, even I, a somewhat introverted person who is purely Japanese, finally started to get the hang of enjoying conversations with people I was meeting for the first time at my own pace. (laughs)

And the final day at Colive FUKUOKA was a Halloween party!

It was a night filled with enjoyment, while also being sad to say goodbye to everyone.

It was so great to meet so many digital nomads and people who run communities for them! When you come to Tokyo, please come visit S-TOKYO 😊 I hope we can meet again!

With gratitude for the encounters at Colive FUKUOKA.