Japan Exchange 2025
Published by Christ College on Thursday 30th of January 2025
This year marks the 15th anniversary of our Japanese Exchange Programme. It is competitive to gain a place on this exchange, with letters of application and an interview to complete prior to the selection being made. This first step is crucial in helping our pupils appreciate the value and unique opportunity the trip offers.
Over the past two weeks, four of our pupils selected for the programme have been staying with host families and immersing themselves in the rich culture of Japan. During their stay, Caty, Holly, Louisa and Erin took part in academic lessons at Meikei High School in Tokyo. They also tried Kendo, a traditional Japanese martial art, calligraphy and learned the customs and tradition behind the tea ceremonies. They were lucky to be served traditional meals with their host families and were taken on numerous excursions in and around Tokyo. Before returning home, they had time to explore the incredible sights of the city, with a highlight being the stunning view from the Skytree tower!
One of our pupils selected for the trip, Erin, says, “The Japan Exchange was an incredible experience, and a memory that I will never forget! I would highly recommend the trip to anyone who is able to go, to take advantage of the opportunity as not only was it an incredible experience for me, but it was also a huge learning experience, living with my host family, and adapting to not only their culture, but their language too! Also, the experience was something completely out of my comfort zone as I had never travelled for this duration before without my family, but I feel that this will benefit me in the future, when it comes to starting university or travelling overseas. Some of my highlights include trying all the delicious food they had to offer, visiting the fascinating city of Tokyo, and going to school with my partner to experience how different their school is to ours.
My advice to those who will experience this trip in the future, would be to go into the exchange with confidence and enthusiasm, as well as practicing some basic Japanese before you go, the family really appreciated my efforts to try and communicate to them in their language.”
This is an experience that will stay with these girls forever, and we look forward to welcoming pupils from Meikei to Christ College in March. We hope to offer them the same invaluable insight into our culture and the CCB community.
After spending some time at Meikei, meeting with the Head, visiting a few classes, and meeting our pupils’ host families, Mr Hill left Tokyo to visit other elite schools across Japan, while also connecting with some of our current parents and future pupils.
This trip is an important part of our school calendar, providing our pupils with an incredible experience while also strengthening our connections with the schools we welcome children from each year.
