Yohei YAMADA
What is important
I went to NZ for two weeks for a homestay program. My brother went to NZ two years ago and he said NZ was a very nice place. So, I looked forward to visiting there very much. But I was nervous a little at first. Are my host family kind? Can I be friends with my baddy? But I didn’t need to think these things over. They were very kind and soon I could tell my wishes.
I was surprised at many things. First, English is spoken at school. Of course, this is natural, but I was surprised that everybody was speaking English. In a science class, I managed to complete the handout. I used my dictionary and checked all the words. Then I put the words stickers on the body part graph. Almost all of them were correct. The teacher praised me very much. I was very happy. Second students have freedom. During recesses, many students were chatting and eating snacks, or playing sports in the school yard. But when the lessons started, they could start studying quickly.
I went to Willowbank Wildlife Reserve. I saw kiwi birds and kakapo birds. They were raised in a natural environment. They ran around in the area freely. I also visited Anglican Church. It was made of paper and very beautiful. The light through stained glasses was so beautiful and shinning.
In the back yard of the temporary church, there were 185 chairs. They were displayed one by one. They were all white. Their shapes were all different. One was a small baby stroll. Another was a school desk chair. Another was a kitchen stool. They were like tombs. They were like tombs of all kinds of people. I realized that many precious lives were lost then.
I became good friends with my baddy through this Kurashiki homestay program. I also became good friends with my homestay team mates. I also became friends with other people in NZ. They were not our baddies. But I became friends with them. I learned that it is very important to make friends. If I want to know a culture or a language, I need to make friends.
To make friends is very important. And this is true for everything. So, when I can’t do something, it is alright to depend on somebody. If somebody has a problem, I will help that person. I realized that to keep good friendships with many people is very important.
Fukuda Junior High School Yamada Yohei
山田 洋平
確信したこと
私はニユージーランドがとてもいいところだと兄から聞いていたのでとても楽しみにしていました。けれど少しは不安もありホームステイ先の家族の方々がいい人か、うまくその家族に馴染めるかどうか心配していました。けれどホームステイ先の家族はとても優しく接してくれ、心配などはする必要がなかった。そして馴染めるかどうかも最初は少し遠慮しがちだったけれど、途中から馴染めるようになってきて自分の欲しいものも言えるようになった。
学校体験では勿論のことだがすべてが英語なことにビックリした、そして理科の授業の時に英語がわからないなりにも頑張ってプリントを仕上げると先生に褒めてもらえて、とてもうれしかった。学校を見て思った事は生徒がとても自由だという事だ。けれど授業が始まると真面目な方向へすぐにスイッチを切り替えることができていてすごいと思った。
体験ではジェットボートやキウイやカカポなど多くの自然や遊びを体験することができた。ジェットボートはとても速く岩すれすれのところを走ったり回転したり、とても楽しかった。キウイやカカポは自然に近い状態で飼育されておりとても自由に動いていた。
Anglican Church、紙で作られた教会はとても美しくステンドガラスから差し込む光はまばゆかった。そしてやはり災害はとても大きかったということ思い知らされた。仮大聖堂の裏側、全て形の違う１８５脚の白い椅子が並んでいた。それは小さいベビーカーや学校の椅子、台所の椅子で、多くの尊い命が失われたということが分かった。
この青少年生活体験団で私はバディととても仲良くなれたが、それ以外にも一緒にニユージーランドに行った人達やバディではない外国の人とも仲良くなることができた。それで分かった事は文化や言葉を知るために友達を作るということがとても大事だということだ。それは文化や言葉に限らず全ての事に繋がると思う。だから自分一人でできない事はだれかに頼ってもいい。そして相手が困ったら自分が助ける。そういう事のつながりが大事だと思った。