Past Participants Experience
Aleisha Emauel - Blenheim Girls High School
Attended 2008 Program
Dear Labo,
Thank you so much for giving me the most amazing time of my life.
I attended the Labo exchange programme to Japan that I had been looking forward to for years!
The first time I met my host family, they welcomed me straight away and made me feel like part of their family, like the older sister. I was nervous at first but as I got to know my host sisters, I realised that we had so much in common!
My two host sisters, Yuka and Chise, took on the task of introducing me to all their high school friends. Whenever I greeted them in Japanese they would always get so excited and say "Kawaii!". I never understood why it was so cute, I'm sure my Japanese was horrible!
As me and my sisters were exploring the streets of Yokohama I noticed so many differences between New Zealand and Japan. For example, I kept seeing cyclists go by, without wearing helmets! Not to mention every 200 metres there were vending machines with an assortment of hot drinks, cold drinks, umbrellas, flowers and everything imaginable. Whenever I went on an escalator, you always had to stand to the left, in case someone wanted to climb up. Every store I went to had little money trays that you put your money into when you purchased something too!
After a couple of days in Japan I already felt at home! I was invited to go to Yuka's school, which I got to do maths and science, which were hard enough in English let alone Japanese!
Then there was the Labo winter camp I had been waiting for ages! A 5-6 hour bus trip to Nagano was full of stories from the Japanese and New Zealand students alike. The winter camp was so much fun! I made so many friends who I still E-mail and I learnt heaps of Japanese at the camp. During the camp I participated in many activities like singing and dancing, doing chores and learning about the Japanese way of life. It really was an amazing experience, there's no other way to put it.
It seemed like time was flying way too fast, as it was New Years Eve already! My host family took me out shopping on the 1st day of December, and my host father helped me buy a Kimono! I was shocked when he offered to pay for it all; it was such a kind gesture!
On New Year’s Day we visited each of my host's mum and dad's parents. I learnt that it was a tradition to give the children of the family little envelopes with some money in it, on New Year’s. So after visiting all these families, I had accumulated a little stack of brightly coloured envelopes!
During New Year’s my host family took me to a shrine, where there were literally thousands of people queuing up to pray at the shrine. When it was my turn I had to clap twice and throw a coin in, then make a wish. Decked out in my Kimono I really felt - and looked - the part! It was so cool!
Time was going way too fast and before I knew it I was packing up ready to go back to New Zealand. I really didn't want to leave! Labo had given me the greatest time of my life! I loved their winter camp and the whole Japan experience. I had made so many new friends and learnt more Japanese in 3 weeks than I had learnt in 7 years in a classroom.
It was truly the best experience of my life, thank you so much Labo!
Attended 2008 Program
Dear Labo,
Thank you so much for giving me the most amazing time of my life.
I attended the Labo exchange programme to Japan that I had been looking forward to for years!
The first time I met my host family, they welcomed me straight away and made me feel like part of their family, like the older sister. I was nervous at first but as I got to know my host sisters, I realised that we had so much in common!
My two host sisters, Yuka and Chise, took on the task of introducing me to all their high school friends. Whenever I greeted them in Japanese they would always get so excited and say "Kawaii!". I never understood why it was so cute, I'm sure my Japanese was horrible!
As me and my sisters were exploring the streets of Yokohama I noticed so many differences between New Zealand and Japan. For example, I kept seeing cyclists go by, without wearing helmets! Not to mention every 200 metres there were vending machines with an assortment of hot drinks, cold drinks, umbrellas, flowers and everything imaginable. Whenever I went on an escalator, you always had to stand to the left, in case someone wanted to climb up. Every store I went to had little money trays that you put your money into when you purchased something too!
After a couple of days in Japan I already felt at home! I was invited to go to Yuka's school, which I got to do maths and science, which were hard enough in English let alone Japanese!
Then there was the Labo winter camp I had been waiting for ages! A 5-6 hour bus trip to Nagano was full of stories from the Japanese and New Zealand students alike. The winter camp was so much fun! I made so many friends who I still E-mail and I learnt heaps of Japanese at the camp. During the camp I participated in many activities like singing and dancing, doing chores and learning about the Japanese way of life. It really was an amazing experience, there's no other way to put it.
It seemed like time was flying way too fast, as it was New Years Eve already! My host family took me out shopping on the 1st day of December, and my host father helped me buy a Kimono! I was shocked when he offered to pay for it all; it was such a kind gesture!
On New Year’s Day we visited each of my host's mum and dad's parents. I learnt that it was a tradition to give the children of the family little envelopes with some money in it, on New Year’s. So after visiting all these families, I had accumulated a little stack of brightly coloured envelopes!
During New Year’s my host family took me to a shrine, where there were literally thousands of people queuing up to pray at the shrine. When it was my turn I had to clap twice and throw a coin in, then make a wish. Decked out in my Kimono I really felt - and looked - the part! It was so cool!
Time was going way too fast and before I knew it I was packing up ready to go back to New Zealand. I really didn't want to leave! Labo had given me the greatest time of my life! I loved their winter camp and the whole Japan experience. I had made so many new friends and learnt more Japanese in 3 weeks than I had learnt in 7 years in a classroom.
It was truly the best experience of my life, thank you so much Labo!