Grade 9 Students Build Independence in the Heart of Japan

Nothing can prepare a 14-year-old for the thunderous sound of hundreds of people cheering for them in a foreign city nearly halfway around the world. As Rundle College students stepped off the bus in front of Osaka Toin School, our partner school in Japan, they were welcomed by a sea of Japanese students lining the campus holding signs with our kids’ names on them. For our Grade 9 students, any feelings of nervousness or homesickness vanished in an instant, replaced by an overwhelming sense of love and belonging.

“I don’t think our students understand how big of an experience it is until they actually get there and experience that warmth of how much they are appreciated,” says Mr. Attila Kasap, College Junior High assistant principal and trip leader. “Immediately, the kids realize, ‘Wow, this is something special.’”

Fast forward to today and being back home, and the students still grin from ear-to-ear while reminiscing about that experience.

“I loved it; I’ll never forget that moment. I kept my sign and it’s hanging up in my room,” says Brooklyn C. 

Earlier this school year, 65 Grade 9 students spent two weeks travelling through Japan; visiting Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and Hokkaido for an immersive cultural and learning trip. It’s the culmination of the Junior High travel program that exposes students to an overnight trip in Grade 7, an inter-provincial trip in Grade 8, and then an international trip in Grade 9. It’s also a trip that students moving through the younger grades of Rundle look forward to as they reach Junior High.

“I think one of the things that made me look forward to it was that my sister went a couple of years ago. It was really exciting hearing about it from her, and it just seemed like an exciting trip to go on – especially hearing about all the fun things we would get to do,” says Caitlyn F. “And then also it was exciting because it was like the Grade 8 curriculum coming to life; it was fun to actually get to experience that”.

In Grade 8 social studies, students learn about Japan and Japanese culture, which is why Japan is the natural destination of choice for this trip.

“It’s really cool to be in class [in Grade 8] studying Japan and seeing photos of all these different places knowing that we’ll get to go there in Grade 9,” says Alamea C.

“Learning about Japan was super cool because not only are we learning about a completely new culture, religion and country’s history, like the Edo period, but you also know that we’ll get to experience all these cool things and actually go see them,” adds Shozab H.

Building Friendships

This is the fourth year that Rundle junior high students have travelled to Japan. Over the course of 14 days, students visited museums and landmarks, including Mount Fuji, learned to make sushi and play taiko drums, explored temples, shrines, and bamboo forests, and enjoyed incredible sights and cuisines throughout the country.

But when asked about the best part of the trip, the student unanimously said the visit to Osaka Toin School and getting buddied up with fellow teens from Japan.

“Going halfway around the world and meeting these new people, you want to know everything about them. You want to know what they are doing in school, what it’s like where they live. I learned some of my buddies live three hours away from school!” says Shozab. “It was so cool meeting new people, making new friendships and just learning about their lifestyle compared to ours.”

The students were able to share pieces of their culture with one another; the Japanese students performed music and taught Rundle students traditional Japanese games, while our students brought the atmosphere of Stampede to Osaka by making pancakes and teaching line dancing.

“That day went by so fast; it felt way too short. It was so much fun to talk to your buddies and it was so easy to talk to them because there were so many things to talk about and so many things we had in common,” says Brooklyn. “I wish we got more time with our buddies!”

As the trip organizer and chaperone, Attila says his highlight, too, is the school visit, and witnessing bonds form between students.

“You can actually see the experience transforming them, and seeing the day become a highlight for them as it’s happening,” he says. “They go off and hang out for a bit, they’re using their technology to communicate with each other; it’s a really cool way to see two very different groups of students come together and exchange their cultures. We get to step back as educators and witness them form these relationships and play these games. They can’t speak the same language very well, but they have fun for hours.”

Despite only having one day together, the bonds formed between students will last a lifetime; they’ve added each other on social media, they still communicate with their new friends in Japan, and they continue to build on the relationships forged on the trip.

“It was so cool meeting new people, making new friends, and just learning about their lives compared to ours,” says Alamea.

Building Independence

For Attila and the Junior High team, this trip is about more than a fun cultural experience for our students. Two weeks away from their families is an opportunity to show the students how much they have grown and developed in the two years since Grade 7, and how they have developed the skills and confidence to be independent.

“They’re developing a lot of independence to be able to handle tough situations of travel away from the comforts of your family and home. The level of responsibility we are able to hand off to them and the level of independence that we’re trusting them with is really special,” he says. “They come to us from elementary and they need handholding with new experiences; even something like how to unlock their locker on the first day of Grade 7. And now we’re letting them walk through the streets of Tokyo and experience Shibuya Crossing with thousands of people around. The level of independence that’s gone from that locker to letting them explore Tokyo is transformative.”

The students, too, recognize how much they’ve grown. They returned to Canada with a newfound appreciation for the skills they developed in travelling with their classmates.

“I was super excited to go halfway across the world with just my friends and spend so much time with them. I couldn’t believe that I was actually there, no parents, and I felt really comfortable,” says Alamea.

Adds Caitlyn: “I think that’s a really good sign: I’m independent enough that I didn’t feel like I needed them when I was gone!”

They also say the trip allowed them to bond with one another as they went through a unique, shared experience as the Rundle College Grade 9 class.

“We built stronger connections with each other. Going on a flight, being in a different country, everyone is in a kind of vulnerable state,” says Shozab. “Then being able to lean on each other really built a lot of new connections between all the students, but also us with our teachers. Having the opportunity to go to Japan and learn while building these connections was such a good thing.”

They also say that having had a taste of international travel with Rundle left them wanting more once they reach Grade 10.

“I think going to Japan was kind of like a sneak peek as to what those senior high trips are like. Everybody you’re with is there for you, and Rundle has an amazing way of planning the trip to make it fun,” says Caitlyn.

“[Travelling with Rundle] is an amazing program. It’s fun to be travelling with your friends, learning along the way, going to new places, and meeting new people that you might never have been able to,” says Shozab. “I also feel like these different travel opportunities build a foundation for when we are older; whether or not we want to go to university or live somewhere else. Having these opportunities really shows us, ‘I do want to explore the world and possibilities outside of Calgary or Canada in the future!’”