The village of Otaki has a unique exchange program under which city kids attend the school for a year. They get to experience life in the countryside and learn to look after themselves. They also enjoy fishing, camping, and skiing and like program so much that some stay for a second or third year.

Otaki Elementary and Middle School

The things we do differently from other schools

School Trip to Australia
Full of Gratitude
Kaori Minami

The homestay was the part of our 10-day study trip that I was most nervous about. But luckily we were all taken care of by kind families who welcomed us with open arms.

When I arrived at my host family's house, the grandfather and grandmother of the family were there. In Japan you take off your shoes when you enter a house, but in Australia you don't. Not taking off my shoes felt very strange. During the homestay the thing I was most worried about was communication. The members of my host family helped me by writing things down in Japanese and English or using a dictionary. I, meanwhile, communicated my thoughts by pointing at words in the dictionary or using body language or hand gestures. Sometimes, however, I was sad that I couldn't understand what the other person was saying.



When one of my hosts saw that I was having trouble understanding what they were saying in English, they apologized by saying "Sorry." I thought, "Why are you apologizing? It's my fault." That kind of thing happened several times. This really made me regret not studying English harder before going.

On the first day, having looked up some words in the dictionary, I told my family in English what time I had to meet the group the next day. They understood me on the first day. Although I thought it was a happy moment just for me, my host family also clapped their hands with delight. From then on I never again managed to get my message across first time, but I will never forget how happy that one time made me feel.
At mealtimes, maybe because they saw how we were not very good at using knives and forks, our host families offered us chopsticks. I really felt they were such kind people.

The three days went by in a flash, and suddenly it was time to say goodbye. I was very sad to leave my host family. My heart was full of gratitude, but somehow the words just would not come out. Next time I meet them, I want to thank them as well as talk about lots of other things.
Even though we speak completely different languages, we managed to understand each other through what was in our hearts and the expressions on our faces. After all, we are all human beings.