Japan School Visit Program

Japan is one of my dream countries to visit because it has a great culture, rich history, and a unique education system to learn about. I applied for the Japan School Visit Program because I wanted to learn and understand about the education system. We know that after the atomic bombs destroyed Japan, it quickly returned to be one of the superpowers in the world.

I felt privileged to be selected as one of the School Visit Program volunteers in Japan this year with the other volunteers Ngoshi from Tibet, Ria from India, and Parwana from Afghanistan. This program was held from 10 May until the 17 June 2019.  I had met them before when I joined the internship and outreach programs in India. During the program, we visited 20 schools from Elementary Schools to universities. We presented our countries and introduced the ideas of IofC through skits and personal story sharing; also we had a question and answer session. Our program was published in a newspaper and one of the local TV news. I was so happy that I could introduce Indonesian culture, lifestyle, and food. I was also given a chance to sing Indonesian songs and to perform a Papuan dance.

Staying with a host family was one of the most unforgettable experiences because it gave me deeper understandings about the Japanese lifestyle and culture. My host family also donated some books and stationery for my library project in Papua.

The program helped me to understand the difference between Japan’s and my country’s education systems. I am passionate about the education system in Papua. I believe that what I have learned during this journey will be useful with my library project in Papua. This journey was really meaningful for my future. I thank IofC Indonesia and the IofC Japan team for giving me this opportunity to have an amazing experience. ‎

Reported by Neas Wanimbo