20 August 2008

Open Campus for Japanese High School Students

By Emu Izaki and Shirley Ghozalli

Visiting the local primary school and joining in their dance class

Each year, during the spring break and also during the summer holiday in Japan, IPC holds an "Open Campus" event. This event is a perfect opportunity for Japanese high school students to get to know IPC. Usually more than half of the participating students come back and study at IPC. This time, the Open Campus was held from 5th until 12th of August. Eight high school students visited the locals and experienced the life of overseas students. During the Open Campus, the weather improved briefly, although Palmerston North had been having gloomy winter weather before the students arrived. It is as if the weather was also welcoming the new arrivals.

Their schedule while staying here was full. On campus, as well as English lessons, they did activities such as making waffles and pikelets (New Zealand-style hot cakes). They also joined IPC students in club activities until late at night.

As for off-campus activities, first the students visited a local primary school, where the children were thrilled to be visited by people from another country, and to have their visitors join in a special dancing programme with them. After they finished dancing together, the children pulled them outside to play, using the Japanese toy 'kendama' and doing 'origami' as well as sharing each other's cultures. "The children are very happy. Please come again whenever you can," is how one of the schoolteachers expressed it.

After the time at the school, the city was their next destination. The students strolled around the Palmerston North city and participated in a communication game which involved talking to the local people and the shop assistants.

On the Saturday morning, they enjoyed New Zealand style activities such as sheep shearing and wool spinning, and they went on a field trip to the wind farm. After that, the students had the chance to experience home-stay life for two days and one night. They had dinner together, went to church, got involved in afternoon tea preparation and enjoyed lively discussions about a hobby they shared with someone in the host family who had the same hobby. Spending the weekend with New Zealand families would be an unforgettable experience.

After the farewell from both the students and the staff, the high school students went on their way to the capital city, Wellington, and then back to Japan. The participants were able to taste the atmosphere of life at IPC Campus in a way which cannot be done just from pamphlets and videos.

Experiencing classes at IPC

Cooking with IPC students

All of the students with IPC students and staff

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