Oki High School Australia Exchange Programme 2014 Report 26 Feb (Wed) to 10 Mar (Mon) 2014 1 １ Aims ① To foster a strong sister school relationship with St. Mary MacKillop College in Canberra, Australia. ② To discover the value of the Oki Islands Global Geopark and present about it, therefore spreading the word about the Global Geoparks Network. ③ To visit a site of geological heritage in Australia and learn about geotourism activities around the world. ④ To participate in cultural exchange and deepen cross-cultural relations with St. Mary MacKillop College. ⑤ To enhance awareness of the natural landscape and culture of the Oki Islands through exposure to a different country and culture. ２ Schedule Duration: 26 Feb (Wed) to 10 Mar (Mon) 2014 Location: Canberra and Sydney, Australia Accommodation: Sydney METRO HOTEL SYDNEY CENTRAL 431-439 Pitt Street Sydney, NSW 2000 Australia Phone : 02-9281-6999 Canberra COUNTRY COMFORT GREENWAY 46 Rowland Rees Crescent, Greenway, Canberra ACT 2900 Phone : 02- 6293- 3666 (Teachers) Program participants (6): First Year Asuna Ota Second Year Saya Fukumoto First Year Miho Sasaki Second Year Miki Makio First Year Anri Shiro Second Year Mizuki Yokoji Staff (3): 克幸 Onda (Vice Principal of Oki High School) 教諭） 折坂 育子 Ikuko Orisaka ( ) Teresa Sadkowsky (Okinoshima Town Coordinator of International Relations) 2 Itinerary Day Date Location Time Details 1 26 Feb (Wed) Afternoon Assemble at Saigo Port Depart Saigo Port 15:40 Ferry to Shichirui Port Arrive Shichirui Port 18:05 Matsue Station by Transfer Bus Arrive Matsue Station 19:00 2 27 Feb (Thurs) Depart Hotel 10:45 Depart Matsue Station 11:05 Airport Bus Arrive Izumo Airport 11:35 Depart Izumo Airport 12:25 JAL Flight JL 1666 Arrive Haneda Airport 13:40 Depart Haneda Airport 14:10 Airport Bus Arrive Narita Airport 15:25 Departure Depart Narita Airport 19:55 Qantas Flight QF 022 3 28 Feb (Fri) Arrive Sydney Airport 07:15 Arrival Depart Sydney Airport 11:25 Qantas Flight QF 1477 Meet Teachers and Host Families at Arrive Canberra Airport 12:20 Airport Arrive Host Families Afternoon Students commence Home Stay 4 1 Mar (Sat) All Day Day with Host Families 5 2 Mar (Sun) All Day Day with Host Families 6～ 3 Mar (Mon) - All Day School Exchange 10 7 Mar (Fri) Assemble at Canberra Airport with Host 11 8 Mar (Sat) Morning Families Depart Canberra Airport 10:25 Qantas Flight QF 1468 Arrive Sydney Airport 11:20 Taxi to city center Afternoon Sightseeing in Sydney Sightseeing Blue Mountains National 12 9 Mar (Sun) Blue Mountains All Day Park Depart Sydney 19:00 Taxi to Sydney Airport Depart Sydney Airport 22：20 Qantas Flight QF 021 13 10 Mar (Sun) Arrive Narita Airport 06:20 Arrival Depart Narita Airport 08:00 Airport Bus to Haneda Airport Arrive Haneda Airport 09:30 Depart Haneda Airport 10:30 JAL Flight JL 113 Arrive Itami Airport 11:40 Depart Itami Airport 14:00 JAL Air Commuter Flight JN2335 Arrive Oki Airport 14:45 3 ３ Program Day 1 (Feb 26 - Wed) 15:00 Assemble at Oki Kisen Ferry Terminal Departure Greeting Student Representative and Oki High School Principal 15:40 Depart Saigo Port Arrive Shichirui Port – Bus to Matsue Station Day 2 (Feb 27 - Thurs) 11:05 Depart Matsue Station for Izumo Airport 11:35 Arrive Izumo Airport 12:25 Depart Izumo Airport Flight JL1666 13:40 Depart Haneda Airport 14:10 Bus to Narita Airport 15:25 Arrive Narita Airport 19:55 Depart Narita Airport Flight QF022 Day 3 (Feb 28 - Fri) 10:00 Arrive Sydney Airport - Immigration Presentation Practice at Airport 11:25 Depart Sydney Airport Flight QF1477 12:20 Arrive Canberra Airport Students and Host Families at Airport 4 Day 4 & 5 (Mar 1 - Sat – Mar 5 - Sun) Sightseeing in Canberra with Host Families Day 6 (Mar 3 - Mon) Student Exchange begins at St. Mary MacKillop College Junior Japanese Language Class: Junior Japanese Language Class: Japanese Language Class & Oki High Students help with MacKillop Students do Year 9&10 Science Class: self-introductions and participate self-introductions and interview Oki Islands Global Geopark in class activities Oki High students about daily life Presentation Day 7 (Mar 4 - Tues) Sightseeing in Canberra City Parliament House National Art Gallery Questacon Science & Technology Center Day 8 (Mar 5 - Wed) MacKillop College & Japanese Embassy Visit Ash Wednesday Mass Hospitality Class Japanese Embassy 5 Day 9 (Mar 6 - Thurs) Excursion to Cowra with Japanese Class Students Japan Peace Garden Cowra WWII Prisoner of War Camp Day 10 (Mar 7 - Fri) MacKillop College Meeting with Minister for Education Physical Education Class Farewell Party Day 11 (Mar 8 - Sat) Farewell at Canberra Airport 10:25 Depart Canberra Airport 11:20 Arrive Sydney Airport, taxi to hotel in city center. 6 Sightseeing in Sydney St. Mary’s Cathedral Hyde Park Barracks Sydney Opera House Wildlife Park Day 12 (Mar 9 - Sun) Blue Mountains National Park 7:22 Depart Central Station 9:24 Arrive Katoomba Station Blue Mountains National Park 22:20 Depart Sydney Airport Flight QF 021 7 Day 13 (Mar 10 - Mon) 6:20 Arrive Narita Airport Transfer Bus to Haneda Airport 9:30 Depart Haneda Airport Flight JL 113 11:40 Arrive Itami Airport 14:00 Depart Itami Airport Flight JN 2335 14:45 Arrive Oki Airport 8 ４ Student Reflections Miki Makio I had a really enjoyable experience and learnt a lot during the Australia Exchange Programme. I am really happy that I was able to participate. It was my first overseas school trip so I was a little nervous at first, but people in Australia are so relaxed and cheerful. I was relieved because my host family was really nice and they listened to me very patiently. I also had the chance to spend time with both junior high and high school students as well as join in their classes which was really stimulating. During everyday life in Australia I was able to experience Australian customs firsthand, and find out many differences between Japan and Australia. By traveling overseas I realized many good things about Japan, too, so I want to share those things with many people. The thing I felt most on this trip was that I want to be able to speak more English. Also, I want to utilize this experience and broaden my own horizons by interacting with more people from different countries. I think that my way of looking at things has changed a lot since this exchange trip. Lastly, I am very grateful to the many people who enabled me to have this experience. I won’t ever forget it, and I want to try even harder at school from now on. Miho Sasaki I took part in this year’s Australia Exchange Programme to see how much English I could speak and how much my English ability had improved after a year of study. By the time we were ready to depart for Australia I was getting more and more nervous, and I became unsure whether or not I could really last a whole week there. I was so happy to meet Laina at the airport, but I was only able to say about one in ten things I wanted to and I was really frustrated at my lack of English language ability. I thought to myself that the next students who take part in this exchange trip should definitely not go just to have fun. On this trip, we arrived on the weekend, so I had the chance to get to know my host family a bit before school started. I still couldn’t say a lot, but if I tried hard to convey what I wanted to say, with them trying to guess and understand me, we were gradually able to communicate with each other. On the weekdays we went to school and did our presentation, as well as visited a number of places and learned about Australia and the Australia’s relationship with Japan. Meeting with Australian students and talking with them, I was surprised about cultural differences and how fast they talked, but the time that we spent together was really fun. I really think we should continue this sister school relationship. The homestay time was over in a flash, and while it was really sad to part with everyone, it was a truly great experience that I will never forget. I want to make the most of it in my school life from now on. We spent the last two days of our trip travelling and sightseeing in Sydney. I felt like I could communicate quite smoothly when I was shopping, talking with people in the plane and so on. We also had a great time sightseeing in Sydney for a day thanks to Teresa’s sister who was our guide. During this trip I strongly felt that my English language ability was lacking. It was really difficult not being able to say all the things I wanted to. So, I want to make up for it. I am going to try my very best to be chosen to go to Australia again next year. 9 Saya Fukumoto This was my first trip overseas and so I was really nervous about it. But as soon as I got on the plane with everyone I was only full of excitement. It was my first time overnight in a plane so I didn’t sleep very well but when I met Lara in the airport I realised that my home stay experience was finally starting. Everyone seemed really happy when I gave them souvenirs and from that time I started to feel comfortable with them.