Student exchange program to Japan
Mehreen Zaffar – A class XII student won a scholarship to study in Japan as part of an exchange program. Below is her report of her experience of living and studying in Japan.
Of all the books in the world, the best stories are found between the pages of a passport”. Saber ben Hassan
Winning a scholarship to Japan was a life changing event. It has transformed me in unexpected ways. I lived in Fukuoka prefecture where I was provided a dorm. I was admitted to Nakarmura Girls High School and got to experience a completely different, but beautiful culture. Students clean their classrooms on their own and focus is solely on making the students independent. Students are provided training in a lot of other activities like; cooking, sports, dance, tea ceremony, sewing, and more. As school students have to clean their classrooms on their own. Students are provided different shoes for indoor and outdoor activities. It is a very clean country. No person is allowed to smoke in public. High school students are not allowed to drive but they can ride bicycles.
The academic standards of Japan are among the best in the world. High school students are taught Japanese language and mathematics coordinated with elementary curriculum. Elementary curriculum covers Japanese language, English, social studies, mathematics, science, music, fine arts, home making, health, and physical education. The education doesn’t give preference to studies only, but along with that they focus on cultural development.
I was particularly impressed by their punctuality and organization. It is also a very safe country and people are extremely honest. When you first set foot in Japan, it’s hard not to be impressed by the efficiency and social order. The streets are clean, trains run on time, and the people are quiet and polite. As a foreigner, you are treated with great respect and it is hard not to become pro-Japan, and applaud the benefits of a sophisticated, polite society. I witnessed this first hand as I found myself a host family. While walking towards the school one morning with my foot injured, I met a kind couple who were jogging. They expressed concern for me and accompanied me till school. We developed a strong bond and I requested them if they could host me. They gladly agreed and that is how I found myself a family in Japan. They always understood me in any situation and considered me a part of their family.
To stay in a country like Japan is difficult, but with time one gets used to those principles from which you learn a lot. As one begins to understand the culture better, one feels more comfortable. For me, the best thing I learned was bowing in front of everyone as a sign of respect. I learned a lot from this experience especially time management and organization. I am now more confident, and certainly a far better person than I had left.
