Once in a Lifetime Experience

Japan Study Tour 2014
Last holidays, a fortunate number of students from Years 9-12 and four teachers travelled to the fascinating country of Japan. The whole purpose of the trip was to experience the unique lifestyle of Japan including the school life. But also, the study tour further enhanced all the students’ Japanese speaking skills and their sense of independence.

Homestay
Definitely one of the key parts of the Japanese Study Tour was the opportunity to witness the home lifestyle. In my opinion, I found the homestay extremely fun and unforgettable. As I was able to witness first hand both the home lifestyle and school life. It was interesting, tasting all the different kinds of Japanese cuisine and also following the Japanese peoples’ etiquette which is completely different compared to Australia’s etiquette.

School Life
The school life on the other hand, was surely a ‘once in a lifetime experience’ as we were given the opportunity to immerse ourselves in Japanese school life. We were able to make friends, even with the language barrier. For the two school days, we stayed at Ishaya Commercial High School. During those two school days, we experienced a variety of things such as; being in class, learning their art of calligraphy, dance, club activities, singing and cooking. Indefinitely, it was an experience we’d treasure for the rest of our lives.

Sightseeing
For the next five days, we travelled to all sorts of traditional Japanese restaurants, temples, museums and monuments. Each day was filled with activities and different tours that at the end of day everyone would be really tired. But in my opinion all the places we visited were memorable and unforgettable. All in all, the Japanese Study Tour was a ‘once in a lifetime trip’ that will be forever engraved in our memories for a long time.