Exchange

Fukushima-New Zealand Exchange Programme

The 2006 Fukushima Winter School Programme for New Zealand High School Teachers of Japanese

From January 23rd to Feb. 1st, Fukushima Prefecture hosted two Secondary School teachers of Japanese from New Zealand, Kylie Ludgate (Alfriston College, Auckland) and Edmund Chon (Henderson High School, Auckland). Our guests visited schools and took part in cultural activities with an aim to create an exchange between New Zealand and Fukushima students. This year's programme was based in the Aizu region.

This year marked the first time the programme was held in winter, and Fukushima turned on a proper winter welcome for our guests with a blizzard which shut down the highway to Aizu, forcing us to take the low road around Inawashiro in terrible visibility.
After making it to Aizu-Wakamatsu in one piece, the teachers were received with a welcome party attended by officials from the schools they would be visiting. This also provided the chance to try some traditional Aizu Food, including 'basashi' - horse sashimi!

An early start the next morning, heading out to Kitakata High School, just outside Wakamatsu City. The teachers visited several classes, and taught one of their own, introducing New Zealand life through pictures and games. The students got right into the games, and enjoyed the opportunity to move around the classroom. After the school day had finished we got a chance to meet and talk with the Student Council and take a look at kendo club practice. The NZ teachers were impressed with how well ordered and polite the students were compared to back home.

Other schools visited on the trip were:

Aoi High School - a former girls' school in central Aizu- Wakamatsu which became co-educational in 2001. After lessons had finished, students from the calligraphy and tea ceremony clubs taught us the basics of the craft.

Aizu-Wakamatsu 2nd Junior High School - a modern school with a non-traditional approach to learning and special facilities for students with special needs.

Watari Junior High School - A central Junior High School in Fukushima City with 550 students. The NZ teachers played English games with the students, and ate school lunch with the student council members.

To conclude the Aizu portion of the trip, the teachers finished by spending Friday and Saturday with a homestay family, before heading to Fukushima City and spending Sunday night at an onsen ryokan in Iizaka.

The busy schedule continued with a visit to Watari Jr. High on Monday, followed by a whirlwind cultural tour of kimono, ikebana and taiko over the next two days. Also on the cards was a formal meeting with the Governor, who presented them each with a piece of calligraphy he had written himself. The TV and newspaper crews even showed up, giving the event the whole star treatment.

The visit finally wound down on Wednesday evening with a 'farewell party' where everyone could finally relax and enjoy some friendly non-work-related talk!

All in all a fun and productive week - hopefully it leads to more exchange between Fukushima and NZ students in the future.