On exchange in Japan

During the summer holiday, with Julia, Venus and Hannah of Year 11, I had the chance to go on exchange to Soshin Girls School in Japan.

Japan has a rich and unique culture that I was eager to explore. From the moment I arrived, I noticed the cleanliness, punctuality, and respect for rules that is deeply ingrained in Japanese society. I also enjoyed experiencing traditional customs such as participating in tea ceremonies, flower arrangement, Japanese calligraphy and visiting historical sites like temples and shrines.

During my time in Japan, I made many friends, both Japanese and international students. These friendships allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of the Japanese way of life and learn about different cultures through their experiences. Even on our first day, we had noticed the major differences between Australian schooling and Japanese schooling, however, after noticing the differences, each of us made an effort to adapt to them and by the first week we were all fitting in like the actual students at the school. The teachers at Soshin were also immensely guiding and had offered us a lot of help when we were experiencing problems such as language barriers. By attending a Japanese school, we were able to further understand local Japanese culture in a way that cannot be learnt from a textbook. We improved our Japanese skills by the daily chats with our host families, classmates and teachers. 

Living in Japan as an exchange student has taught me valuable life lessons about adaptability, resilience, and open-mindedness. It broadened my perspective and allowed me to develop a deeper appreciation for different cultures and ways of life. It also provided me with a global lens of viewing the world. 

When the last day of our exchange came, it was extremely sad to depart from the life that we just started fitting into. It was really sad to depart from our classmates and teachers that we have bonded with over three weeks. 

In conclusion, our experiences going to Japan on exchange amounted to a life-changing opportunity that allowed us to grow personally and academically. Despite the challenges, we cherish the memories and friendships that we had made during our time in Japan and am forever grateful for the opportunity to have experienced this incredible exchange experience.

Venus Iu, Julia Hoang, Cary Yeung and Hannah Gaul

Cary Yeung
Year 11