2010 Himeji Exchange Visit
During the last school holidays four students, Michaela Lemm, Frances Collett, Sarah Martin and Bradley Thompson represented Blackwood High School on an exchange visit to our sister city in Japan, Himeji. The students were excellent ambassadors for their school and city and involved themselves totally in the excellent program organised for them by the Himeji International Exchange Organisation. If you enjoy reading about the students' experiences, you may consider applying to be part of the program next year.
Karyn Jones
Coordinator, International Student Programs
During the October holidays, four students including myself travelled to Japan for a two week exchange. Knowing Japanese was not required (although it would have helped) and hosting a student, who you would later stay with, for two weeks prior, was a requirement. It was good that I hosted Sento, my exchange partner, because once I got to Japan I had someone I could communicate easily with (even though many Japanese people can speak English very well). During the two week stay in Japan, I participated in many activities. My fondest memories are of Himeji castle, Central Park, Mt. Shosha and (believe it or not) going to school.
School in Japan is very different from Australia. The technology is nowhere near the standard of most Australian schools and while we are projecting videos onto smart-boards, they are writing in chalk on a blackboard. The desks are made for one person, with a shelf built in for your books, and a hook for your bag. The chairs are hard, wooden and not too comfortable, but the most surprising thing, amongst all the discipline, is that, during one lesson (history I think), more than half the class was asleep. Even Sento was asleep at one point. Later, I learned that; students can sleep during class all they want, but have to get their homework and notes from another student, or go to 'cram school', which is basically night school. You have to go to because you were asleep in class, because you stayed up late for cram school, and so on. It was rather bizarre to see everyone sleeping in public, on trains and buses, something you would rarely see in Australia.
Japan was different in many other ways too. The houses were tiny on small blocks of land, but built high.
My Japanese house was two storeys. There was my bedroom, the kitchen/dining room and the lounge/family/Sento's sister and mother's bedroom downstairs, and Sento's room and Sento's brother's room upstairs. Another major difference I noticed is the way people travel. The roads are a lot narrower than Australian roads, so naturally the cars are smaller too. I couldn't recognise the makes of most of the cars, but one stood out, the Toyota Cube. As you could imagine, it looks like a cube. Most cars around the city also had some kind of customisation. Most had some shiny rims, but others had custom bumpers, hoods, and even paint jobs. Buses and trains are always on time, with literally seconds separating them from their scheduled time and time of arrival. The trains travel at speeds three times the speed of the trains running around Adelaide, and have usually got at least three times more people on them at any given time, so you are lucky if you can find a free seat for more than a few seconds.
Visiting Japan was an amazing experience. It was the first time I have ever been to a non-Western culture, and it was cool spotting all the differences and getting to live it for myself instead of watching a travel show. It just doesn't compare. I am hoping to save enough money to return to Japan in a few years time, to meet all the new friends I have made and revisit the places I have just seen, especially Himeji Castle, which will be finished restoration and open to the public again.
Bradley Thompson
During my stay in Japan I was able to visit and experience many parts of Himeji thanks to the Himeji International Association and my host family. One of the many exciting places I visited was Universal Studios Japan with my host sister Mariko and her older sister Yukari. Mariko and I met Yukari in Osaka and she then took us to Universal Studios Japan.
Universal Studios Japan was very big with many attractions that I was able to experience. Some of the rides we went on were 'Spiderman'; this ride was in 3D and had water and fire special effects. I really enjoyed this ride. Another ride we went on was 'Hollywood Dream'. Hollywood Dream was a big, long roller coaster. It was scary to ride but also my favourite. Some other rides that we went on were, 'Back to the Future', 'Jaws' and 'Jurassic Park'. After we had finished going on rides we went shopping for Hello Kitty merchandise and took purikura.
I enjoyed many things in Japan and I'm thankful to my host family and the International Association for making many enjoyable memories for me. I hope to visit Himeji again soon.
I enjoyed my time in Japan immensely as I was able to have contact with another country, with a new culture as well as a different language. I enjoyed being part of a Japanese family as I learnt what it really meant to be Japanese. My family were so kind and caring and I also had lots of fun with my younger siblings. They gave me many opportunities to try different types of food. Whilst I was away I enjoyed everything that I tried, I even enjoyed natto for breakfast! This is a very smelly dish of fermented soya beans and is often served with raw egg for breakfast. The school visits also meant a lot to me. Everyone was very friendly and it was interesting to learn about a different schooling system. However, I think that the highlight of my trip was when my neighbour took my host family and me to Kyoto. We went to many temples including the famous Kinkakuji (Golden Temple) and I was able to learn a lot about one of Japan's most beautiful cities. It was very hard to leave such a wonderful place and return to Australia, school and routine. I am looking forward to returning one day in the future.
Frances Collett
Being involved with a program like the Himeji-Adelaide sister city exchange is an amazing experience. To live within a family in another culture, is the best part of being an exchange student. Sure, it's fine for you to sightsee around Himeji, but to actually be a part of a family and live how they live is another story all together. My host family, although I am biased, was truly amazing. I felt so welcomed and when I returned to their home at the end of the day, I felt as if I was at my own. My host father and I played games every night, ending up crying from laughter, I helped my host sister with her English speech and was "show and tell" for my little host brother. My host mother made me feel so welcome and like I was part of the family. They took me to as many places as they could; the hot springs, the history and science museums, shopping and of course, my favourite place of all, the beautiful Kokoen garden. Inside the Kokoen garden I had my third experience of a traditional Japanese tea ceremony, where I was able to show my host sister, who had never experienced one before, how to drink the tea in the traditional way. My host mother was so impressed and kept saying "sugoi, sugoi" which in English means "amazing, amazing". To say goodbye to my host family was the most excruciating pain I have ever known. Every day I wish I could go back and stay with them again. They have said their door is always open to me should I ever wish to come back, which of course I plan to do (hopefully in 2012.)
This exchange is one of the best opportunities for a student to experience. I hope that for many more years this exchange will take place and one day, in the not-too-distant future, I will be back in Himeji once again, perhaps organising one of these amazing exchanges.
Michaela Lemm