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
A Positive Experience
Shinya Matsushita

Thinking over the study trip to Australia that has just finished, the biggest plusses for me were the homestay and the exchange I took part in at school.

The first day I went to school I was really nervous and, to be honest, I kept thinking how I wanted the day to end as quickly as possible. But luckily two or three kids came over to talk to me, and I took the chance to introduce myself in English. This made me feel more relaxed about being at the school.



As for the homestay, at first I had trouble understanding most of what people were saying. But the host families had bought dictionaries before we arrived, so we were able to communicate using the dictionary when, for example, they asked me about jobs and daily life in Japan. I thought, ñEven if you donÍt fully understand language, you can still undertsand each other in your hearts. I want to make the homestay a good memory.î I kept telling myself this during the four days of the homestay.
On the second day of the homestay everyone in the group went sightseeing to Ballarat. Ballarat is a town in the suburbs of Melbourne. The thing I remember most from that time is not the zoo we visited nor how I had a go at digging for gold dust but what happened on the bus. It was quiet inside the bus on the way to Ballarat, but on the way back the Australian kids started talking to me more and more. We all talked a lot in English and Japanese about buildings in our countries, our schools, and other things. I think that was the most enjoyable time in the whole of my trip.
I spent the whole next day with my host family, and the day after that it was already time to say goodbye. I kept thinking, ñWe were just starting to get on really well.î I took a lot of photos and got on the bus to leave the school for the last time. I waved back until the school was out of sight.

I feel I gained a lot from this experience. In case I have the chance to go again, I am going to start studying a bit harder so my English improves and I can speak more with people.