Japanese Exchange ...

Huge thank you to Shirley for this comprehensive article on the recent Japanese Exchange.

On the 18th of November, nine Macrob students left for a three-week exchange program in Kobe, Japan. This day was the last of the VCE exam period; some of us rushed to the airport just a few hours after completing their last Chinese VCE exam. The days leading up to the exchange program were filled with both worry and anticipation. 2015 marks the ninth year of the Macrob-Shinwa exchange, where girls from both school are given the opportunity to share their respective cultures, and experience first hand the lifestyle of another's. We stayed with a host family for two weeks, participating in their daily class and activities. They made us feel welcomed, and were excited to befriend and teach us as much as they could. We made more than just memories in Kobe; we had also made friendships we will treasure in many years to come. On the first day we were reunited with our host sisters after what seemed like three long months. We were immediately faced with cultural differences. The transport system was very different to Melbourne's; trains moved smoothly on the tracks and we did not have to hold on to handrails constantly, and students were also not obliged to give up their seats as it was more on a first come first serve basis. We were also told not to eat on the streets, as Japanese people did not approve of eating while walking. Our host families prepared baths for us every night, and we were very comfortable in them as the temperature was maintained throughout the night. The nine of us were separated in six classes, with two caretakers in each. They taught and assisted us in the classroom, and without them we would not have known or understood what to do. We followed a schedule and attended many classes such as English grammar, English Conversation, physics, maths, biology, ancient Japanese, Japanese and world history. We had fun participating in their extracurricular subjects, such as calligraphy, art and music. The nine of us went on many excursions and incursions. We learnt how to perform tea ceremony and were given the chance to wear a kimono. On each Saturday, the half day of school for Shinwa girls, we went on excursions to Himeji Castle and to Hiroshima. Each excursion gave us the opportunity to soak in and learn more about Japanese culture. Towards the end of our time in Kobe, we were given the opportunity to share with the girls we had befriended a part of our lives in the form of a video presentation. The two months leading up to the program were spent preparing, filming and editing various parts of Macrob, our classroom life, Melbourne, Australia, our homes and personal lives. We were happy to hear that they found it fascinating and interesting, especially at the size of our houses; we were able to share with them a part of our own culture. On the 7th of December, after two weeks, we left our host families and went to Tokyo for our last four days. In Tokyo we had the chance to visit various places and shop at several shopping districts such as Harajuku, Shinjuku and Shibuya. We also got to visit Disneysea were we went on several rides and bought souvenirs for our friends and family. On our second last day in Tokyo, we visited the famous Kenrokuen Garden in Kanazawa which is 2 hours away from Tokyo by bullet train. There we got to take in the beautiful views of the garden and took many group photos. During our stay in Tokyo, we also had fun bonding with each other at night in the hotel, doing face masks and playing games such as mafia. Our stay in Tokyo was short but fun. Returning home, we are eager to share our experiences to our peers, family and friends. Seven of us will be landing at Melbourne Airport on Saturday afternoon, though two of us, (Cecilia and Felicity) will continue to remain in Kobe until January 22nd for an extended exchange experience. To those who are considering going on exchange, we would highly recommend you take up this opportunity. In just a short amount of time, we were able to see a large part of a very different culture. We will be sure to visit again.

Thanks,
Shirley