Orientation

Orientation Day. Today.

I just attended the orientation day for this years outbound students. I've been through so much since i sat in the seats they were sitting, since i heard the things they heard.

I miss Japan so much these days. So much i want to talk about with so many people to listen!

I miss blogging.

I'm doing year 12.

I'm going back to Japan in July!

Schooling Comparison

Well it’s been such a long time since I’ve posted because I’ve simply run out of things to talk about but I am aiming for a revamp sooner rather than later. So, to kick-start this revamp, (motivated by the fact that this is a summative assignment for Japanese) the first instalment is an educational and insightful post into the differences and similarities between schooling in Japan and Australia.

The Australian schooling system, based on my own experiences as this can vary, has a primary school which ranges from the ages of 5 in Reception all the way through to Year 7 at about the age of 12. However, before the age of 5, children attend kindergarten which is a mere introduction to the official schooling system.

During Primary School, students work to establish the foundations for the future of their education. High Schools can be selected depending on how heavy a fee the parents want to pay or simply for reasons such as location and popularity. Students then remain in High School for 5 years which is the end of their schooling until University.

Primary Schools in Japan work on a similar basis with a kindergarten at about the age of 4 that is followed by the start of Elementary School. Students spend 6 years in Elementary School (主学校(しゅがっこう)) and then move into a Junior High School (中学校(ちゅがっこう)) where they will spend three years until they then reach high school (高校(こうこう)). There are then difficult entry exams for students to enter universities.

Now you know the basic structures I have provided you with something more interesting and informative as below is a recount of my experience in a Japanese High School during an exchange at year 2 which is an equivalent to year 11 in an Australian High School:

‘During my stay in Japan I had the fortune of attending a competitive high school called Tachibana. The first thing I noticed about the schooling system was that it was a lot more regimented than my school back home and most of the students that attended this high school were quite lucky as it’s a difficult school to get into, due to the difficulty of the application exam. Japan has the highest attendance rate in the world when it comes to non-compulsory education. Every morning I would see thousands of other students going to many different schools within one area.
Students would arrive at school as early as 7.00am in Japan. This is in stark contrast to the Australian mind-set in regards to sleeping in and getting to school! Students in Japan do this in order to increase the amount of time available to practice their favourite sports. They do this through clubs and this is something that Australians don’t do to such a large extent. These clubs are serious and are all student driven.

I personally would arrive at school at 7.45am and talk with my friends who were studying before the day starts. Like Australian schools, we had a home class lesson in the morning before lessons. However, once lessons commenced, teachers would move around the school to the home classes, instead of the way it is done in Australia, with the students moving from room to room.

Teaching methods and styles also vary between the two cultures. I found it tiresome as the teachers teach in a lecture-style manner, without any interaction between teacher and student and no chance for open discussion. Students had work books and had to fill-in the blanks however there were never any assignments, videos, essays and rarely any practicals for subjects such as Biology.

One of my most shocking discoveries was the number of class mates who would fall asleep during lessons. At times, I could potentially count 8 or so students who would be slumped upon their desks, out like a light! This is because, although there are no assignments or essays, Japanese students are loaded with work for night time as they don’t get to do it in class. Classes are like lectures and most often the homework involves filling in books about the topics recently covered.

Furthermore, Japanese students don’t have recess. Instead, we work with ten minute breaks between subjects and then an hour long break for lunch between lesson four and five. Lunch is often eaten inside and comprises of an obentō or canteen food.

When school is finished in Australia, at generally 3.20pm, students have vacated the area within thirty seconds. In Japan however, the end of the day, which can be as late as 4.30pm, is followed by a session of cleaning. Each home class is rostered on for a certain section of the school and then that home class is divided into sections for specific jobs. A roll call is checked off to make sure everyone chips in and jobs range from cleaning carpets, sweeping to cleaning toilets and windows. Once cleaning is finished, at no official time, students then either remain at school for reasons still unbeknown to myself or attend club.

A degree of ‘study’ is undertaken during these long hours after school however, as hard working as the Japanese culture may be, a great lot of socialising goes on during this timeframe. Students can arrive home as late as 8.00pm from school and will stay up into the early hours of the morning completing homework or using their ‘keitai’ between consciousness and dreams as they lay on their beds or slumped at their desks.'

I hope my personal experiences give you a more realistic insight into the life of a Japanese student in comparison to Australia. If I was made to choose, I still don’t know what I’d choose, there’s something enjoyable about the way Japanese people become so addicted to their club and passionate about doing well but I definitely missed the relaxed Aussie lifestyle!

Melissa Ryan

Hisashiburi

Almond Blossom Ball

Me and Luke Almond Blossom Ball

Mattea Mel and Rach on Japanese Excursion

Steph and I at Jen's and Kip's 17th

Long time no post. ごめんね。What have I been up to in the land of Aus? Well, homework and a few awesome events of which I shall post some pictures!

Holidays

Holidays. Filled with guilt at the pile of homework sitting on the floor to my left. I've done it, but of course I could always have done more.

I had better things to do now that I am back in the land of Aus. I wanted to make a beautiful album of my Japan time but I still haven't gotten around to that, it is so frustrating and now with my 24/7 date with Harry Potter number Seven I have no hopes.

Working a lot. It's frustrating and I feel like the smell of deep fried chips, pies and pasties is continually following me like it's been etched into my nose.

I did get to get away for a few days with friends which was great fun, saw two whales and took some beautiful pictures of a beautiful rainbow.

I have to laugh at myself because this blog is bringing my dreaded reality to the surface. The reality is Mel that it's not going to be in one morning when you wake up that your whole life is organised and your little list of 'things to do or else' is not going to be fully completed overnight and whilst I complete this list more things will attach themselves to the bottom.

Don't despair. Everything on that list is worth this moment below:

I Want

橘高校に行きたい。

早起きたい。

おはしでご飯を食べたい。

福島駅に行きたい。

新幹線を乗りたい。

日本の音楽を聞きたい。

学校でたいくつになりたい。

学校でおなかすいたにはりたい。

眠いになりたい。

放課後にそうじをしたい。

放課後にはるかとカラオケをしたい。

しょどうをしたい。

もえ、はるか、ゆか、まり、まりな、みき、さゆみ、くつした、まみ、なな、きなこ、あき、はるか、あずさ、わたなべ家族、はんざわ家族、よこうち家族、由美先生、とじ先生、ゆうた、みれい　と　みなさん　を

あいたい。

私は本当にかなしいですから日本帰りたいです。　

みなさん、軍馬ってください。

Some things nudge the path of our lives, other leave it untouched but some things simply knock it off course. These are never bad things, just bring with them a lot of time for a strong heart and a willing mind. It hurts, I want to return but one thing I know is that I never realised how important the people in our lives really are. Don't take things for granted, love your loved ones and live like you've never seen the sky before.

じゃね。

And I'm Home

Words won't express the way it felt to say goodbye at Fukushima station. The words sad, the words painful don't do it. Perhaps horrific captures the way it felt to watch their crying, screaming faces as the doors of the train came to a life-ending close. The horror, the tears, the pain.

Words won't express the way it felt to fly from Japan. The words sick, the words surreal don't do it. Perhaps unbelievable captures the way it felt to watch the bright lights fade as I flew away from the life I'd been living. The sadness, the tears, the pain.

Words won't express the way it felt to land alone in Sydney. The words confusing, the words complicated don't do it. Perhaps insane captures the way it felt to search for a so called domestic terminal and a plane all alone. The hurt from the day before, the tears, the nervousness.

Words won't express the way it felt to walk through the gate in Adelaide. The words lifting, the words amazing don't do it. Perhaps magical captures the way it felt to be back in the arms of my mum, her smell, the same feeling, to be back in the arms of my dad, his neck breaking embrace, the same feeling, to be back in the arms of my sister, her lanky frame and boney shoulders, the same feeling and to be back in the arms of my boy, the strength and warmth, the same feeling.

Now I am torn. It really hurts to be home. Realised how much the little things make our lives, how much I love everyone, and how much Japan will always be a part of me. Will never forget the station, the minute at 2.47pm at Fukushima, the moment where I think I heard my glass heart break.

English Lesson

After demonstrating the word `Immediately` to Mari for the hundedth time, Toji Sensei, my english teacher, apporached me with a grin on his face and a camera dangling around his neck. `I have two favours to ask you,` he said in his thick American English accent. `May I take photos of you and the class to commemorate your last english writing lesson? Also, can you give us a 15 minute speech at the end of the lesson about your time here in Tachibana?` Taken a little aback but quite accustomed to being put on the spot, I nodded and told him I`d be more than happy to help. Phrases like that come out of me these days like I`m a robot. After he walked away, Mari instantly demanded of me a Japanese translation of the entire conversation.

Soon enough my 15 minutes of fame were knocking at the door and the girls clapped as I walked to the front of the class. I listened to my all-female class `Ohh` and `Ahh` as I wrote my own name on the board, then Toji Sensei started some of the questions, to get the 15 minutes moving along. He asked me when I am leaving and I answered his questions, then he fired a big one, `What are you going to miss about Tachibana High School?`

What am I going to miss about Tachibana High School.

Catching me off guard, the feelings start rising up inside of me, all their faces, all the memories rising like boiling water, accomanied with the first tear drop to roll down my cheek as I stand, head bowed. Like they could read my mind, they just sit there. Sitting silently at their desks watching my memories come flooding through, no language is needed to be spoken, this was universal.

I don`t know how and I don`t know why, but in silent situations such as this, there is always a precise moment where the time for silence is through. So, at that precise moment, I decide I had better speak. Taking a deep breath, gaining composure, I look up at the class but all that I can muster are the words `I`m Sorry` as I start to drown again in the memories. All of this was simply because of what I saw when I looked up.

I wasn`t feeling the hurt alone.

Whoever wasn`t silently crying was handing out tissues and at that point it became obvious that we`d gone beyond the 'carrying on and ignoring the fact we are crying` stage. Their teary smiles allowed me to also break out in a smile and carry on, until I noticed Mari. Sitting beside my vacant chair, she hid her face as her head hung down low, the odd tear splashing onto her text book.

When my 15 minutes of fame were over, we all tried to compose ourselves, acting like we were fine. I noticed Mari and a few others had dissappeared for a while during which I composed myself with the help of Marina and Auka, tissue-giver-outer-ers.

Theres something so cliche about the way the train is going to whisk me away from these people on Saturday. It`s not going to be nice.