All Groups Together - A Refreshing Break from Intense Language Studies

One of the things students most look forward to is the chance to meet and mingle with their peers from other groups. 

Due to the sheer size of the participant group, students are divided into four groups with two Program Leaders looking after them and guiding them. This makes it more manageable to lead students into the jam-packed trains so they could go to the special activity prepared for them each afternoon.

This is why Week 3’s Language Exchange Activity was special for them. Their day started with the usual 3-hour classes with 10-minute breaks in between. 

After lunch, all four groups gathered at the Yotsuya Sports Square.  They were met by several local residents - from toddlers to students, and even mothers and professionals.

The students got a chance to experience a variety of games, and activities that locals of all ages enjoy.

One of them is Shiritori - a Japanese word-chain game where players give a word (or put down a card) which begins with the final kana or syllable of the previous word.

There were a bunch of other card games that brought out excitement and some students’ competitive spirits. It was pleasantly surprising to see even the normally placid kids grabbing the target card excitedly.

It was a nice break from the intense language classes. It was refreshing to see students smiling, joking around, and enjoying the company of their peers. Some eyes lit up as their homestay parents and siblings came to join in on the activities. 

Japanese students patiently taught CIEE kids origami fold by fold as they talked about each others’ lives and the things they love. Some even shared about their families back home or how somehow, different as their cultures are, their host mom greatly resemble their mom back home. 

All in all, it was a refreshing day where we got to see our kids in a different light. Somehow they too, forgot about homesickness or the anxiety that comes from being away from home and family.