Grammar Gazette- Issue 2, 2016

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FRIENDSHIPS WITHOUT BORDERS

AUTHORS Head of Japanese, Ms Jennifer Fukushima Navodhee Wijesundara (11O) Ayu Ishii (exchange student from Seirinkan High School)

NAVODHEE When given the opportunity to host an exchange student, I was jumping with joy. As I am an only child I was so excited to be able to have a sister. On August 16 at 8.00 am, I met my host sister at the airport. She looked tired and exhausted from her journey, but she still managed to gain all the energy she had left and run over to me with a smile on her face. ‘Hi, my name is Ayu, nice to meet you,’ she said as we exchanged hugs. As the days passed, Ayu and I realised that we had many things in common and shared the same interests. This made us realise that no matter how different our culture were, there were universal languages such as music, friendship and kindness. My family and I showed her around Brisbane and took her to see Australia Zoo to experience the native Australian wildlife. As my family is not originally from Australia, she was able to experience both Sri Lankan and Australian culture. We shared many memories and laughter through misunderstandings, and one of the best experiences was the Year 11 Charity Social. Ayu and I have become very close and our relationship only continued to grow stronger. I learned many things from her and she assisted me with my Japanese. It was a very fun and interesting experience and both of us were very sad when it came time for her to return to Japan. However, for us, it will never be the end, we will think of it as a new beginning. AYU I was very nervous at first and I struggled to understand what everyone was saying — Australian people talk very fast! Navodhee spoke slowly to me and made me feel more relaxed. She became my sister and her family helped me every day. I’m so happy to have met them. Although I found it hard to understand at first and sometimes found it hard to start conversations with new friends. I found friends in my Japanese class. These friends were interested in Japan and they made an effort to help me fit in and spoke Japanese to me to make me feel welcome. I had so much fun doing lots of different things. I taught Japanese to my friends in Japanese class, sang songs together in music class, made and sold brownies at Open Day, dressed up and danced at the Charity Social and made so many new friends. I was also able to experience Sri Lankan culture and foods. I loved Australia Zoo and I was able to touch a kangaroo and a koala. I also saw a crocodile show for the first time. I will miss Navodhee and her family when I return to Japan but I’m sure we will stay in contact.

MS JENNIFER FUKUSHIMA In the late 1980s as a Year 11 student at Brisbane Girls Grammar School, I was approached by my Japanese teacher to host a student visiting from one of our Affiliate Schools, Tsushima Girls High School (now Seirinkan High School). This initial three month homestay turned into a continuing friendship that has lasted over 25 years with my good friend Keiko. This year as I spoke to my Year 11 Japanese class about the benefits of accepting a student into their homes and family I was delighted to see a huge smile and a hand pop up and to hear Navodhee say ‘Fukushima Sensei, I’ll ask my parents tonight!’ In this article Navodhee and her host sister Ayu Ishii talk about their experiences that occurred during five weeks earlier this year. There are numerous opportunities throughout the year to host students from our Affiliate Schools in Japan, Germany and France and so much all of us can learn from watching and experiencing friendships that have no borders. ‘ There is so much all of us can learn from watching and experiencing friendships that have no borders.’

GRAMMAR GAZETTE