Visit to Soka Elementary School

Last Friday the whole Bekka made a visit to Tokyo Soka Elementary School. It was a really fun but tiring day. We were all (35 Bekka students) separated into 6 different groups to interact with Year 4 and Year 5 students. We depart from Soka University at about 945am.

The day before the trip I was hunting around the web for available scholarships for next year's Masters course. Many of the things I read on the web is disappointing, with not much choices, and usually the scholarship system in Japan does not cover your tuition fee, but only give you a certain amount to spend per month. Which is really weird really, because I find that the main financial problem does not come from monthly expenses, which I can easily earn by working; but the real problem comes from forking out a huge sum of money for the tuition fees and dormitory fees, which could range around RM50k. It was an upsetting search online. And my friends are telling me, hey, you need some chocolates to cheer you up...

So happens that I receive news that Sensei has given us Bekka students a gift commemorating our visit to Soka Elementary School. Lo and behold...it is a bar of chocolates! Swiss chocolates! I was so touched when I found it. Somehow I felt that Sensei understood how I feel and how we, the international students, struggle here in a foreign country.

We arrive at the Soka school at about 11am, have a brief video introduction, some speeches, and off we go to the classes, accompanied by the students. Cute students! Before that, I have to add that we were welcomed into the school compound by Year 1 students, forming two lines and shouting and bowing, 'Ohayou Gozaimasu' or 'Konnichiwa'. They are so so adorable.

Me and my group members were placed into a Year 5 class. In the beginning they sang us the Japanese version of Michael Jackson's We Are The World. Then each of us introduced ourselves. And then we were split into groups...about 6 kids each person. The kids introduced themselves to me, and then started to ask questions...like how is Malaysia?...What do you like to eat?...What is your hobby?...They look genuinely interested, and it is so nice to see their friendly smile.

After that small round of introduction, the kids are in charge of taking me sight-seeing around the school compound. We went to the library, which is really comfortable, the dining hall, one of the exhibition hall (Ikeda Hall) and to the basketball court where they usually play. We ended up playing two games together. One is like the 'kejar-kejar' in Malaysia, the other one is like 'AEIOU' in Malaysia. Phew...I had never ran so much before in my life before this. The kids are so energetic.

Our short time together have to end. After the game they led me back into the room we first arrived and told me that my lunch will be served here, and theirs will be at the dining hall. So we said a short farewell...and I am surprised they actually made an effort to find for simple words in Bahasa Malaysia so that they can greet me in the language itself. I can truly see how proud they are of their school and how excited they are to meet us all.

Lunch was simple...their school lunch...nutritious and very filling indeed. The kids are having their break time and kept hovering around the doorway or the window to sneak a peek at us. We spend some time communicating with them, and I remember at one time this girl asked me from which country do I come from, when I said Malaysia she went like 'Huh?' Then she took me by the hand and dragged me all the way out to a globe positioned in the lobby. Smart indeed. So I pointed out to her where is Japan, and where is Malaysia. Then after a short photo session, we left and went back to the university. All in all we only spend about two hours in the school. Short, but really really memorable indeed...