From New Zealand_Report on New Plymouth GHS_Apri. 9th 2016

This is the final report for Term 1 study program at New Plymouth Girls’ High School from Nonoka Kuwabara. We are very proud and highly of her because she has been making every effort to make herself better in New Zealand.

Hello again there!  This is the final study abroad report.  So far every single day I have had a lot of fresh things, a lot of fun things and a lot of surprises.  There were so many things happening that I couldn’t write down about all things in this report once every two weeks.  However I would like you guys to know that New Zealand is such a good place and that what I experienced here.  So every time I wrote my report, I tried to do my best.  I want you guys to read all of this report.

These days New Zealand weather isn’t good.   The temperature is cool as usual.  A few days ago we had consecutive holidays called Easter holidays like Japanese golden week.  Easter days are the 25th and 26th of March.  My host family said to me, “In these days, every store is closed, even the supermarket”. I was surprised because Japan has many stores that open 24 hours a day. I think we can’t experience this in Japan. Also the school hostel is closed too. So, four students who are staying in the hostel came to my homestay house.

During these days we were playing together.  I heard that on these days most people in New Zealand get relaxed. But my homestay house had 5 children so it was so noisy. On Sunday of the 26th of March, my host family took us to Hamilton and went to a big shopping center. There were a lot of people and I could find many discount sales. I wanted to buy souvenirs, so this discount sale was really helpful.  Hamilton is different from New Plymouth and Wanganui.  Hamilton is more crowded than New Plymouth and Wanganui.  That’s why Hamilton has a lot of stores. I loved shopping so Hamilton was good for me.

At night during the Easter holidays, 5 children were playing the board game Monopoly. It was so exciting and full swing livened up. At first we weren’t familiar with each other, so we were a little cold to each other, but in the end of the holidays, we were familiar and could joke around, so Monopoly was better than the first. Long six days passed by in a moment because I thought it was so fun.  On the last day of the Easter holidays, I felt lonely because the other guys went back to hostel. I want to play Monopoly again with those four.

After the Easter holiday, a Farewell party was held by New Plymouth Girls High school students.  In the beginning of last February I just started school so I didn’t have any friends and I felt lonely, but now things have changed. I got many friends and we talked a lot and played a lot.

I had a full life these 2 months, which I had never experienced before in my life. It has nearly finished and the time comes soon to leave New Plymouth. I’m so sad. I can’t speak and understand English very well, but everyone talked to me very gently. I was so happy. So New Plymouth Girls High School students are my very important friends. In addition, my teachers who planned this study abroad, my parents let me go to study abroad, my guardian who has took care to me, host family who always helped me, and then Japanese friends who have supported to me, I have a lot of thanks to those guys. Thank you so much. During the days left for me, I will work hard and talk more with English. And I want to make more memories and get my English much better.

こんにちは。

このレポートもついに最後になりました。毎日新鮮なこと、楽しいこと、驚くこと、沢山のできことがありすぎて二週間に一回のレポートでは書ききれないくらいの体験を私はさせていただきました。この最後のレポートもすべてを書くことはできませんでしたが、毎日の楽しさを少しでも伝わるようにと書きましたので読んでいただけると嬉しいです。

つい先日までNew Plymouth はイースターホリデーという日本でいうとゴールデンウィークのような連休でした。イースターの日、３月２５日と２７日はすべてのお店、スーパーやガソリンスタンドさえも閉まってしまうとホストファミリーから聞いてとても驚きました。また、学校の寮も閉まってしまうらしく四人の子が私のホームステイ先に来ました。日本では２４時間営業などのお店が多いため日本にいたら一生体験できないと思いました。イースターの日はほとんどの人が家でゆっくりするらしいので私も友達と家でのんびり過ごしました。２６日土曜日はHamiltonに連れて行ってもらいました。大きなショッピングセンターに行ったのですが、ホリデーということもあってすごい人で溢れていました。また、沢山のセールがやっていてお土産を買おうと思っていた私にはとても助かりました。HamiltonはNew Plymouth ともWanganuiとも全く違いとても賑やかな町でした。なた、お店の数もたくさんありショッピング好きの私にはぴったりの場所でした。

イースターホリデー中の夜は子供たちでモノポリをやりました。人数が多いのもあってとても盛り上がりました。最初の方はお互いに慣れていなかったのでよそよそしく静かなゲームだったのですが、最後には冗談もいえるようになり奇声が飛び交っていてモノポリもどんどん楽しいものになりました。六日間の長い連休も楽しすぎてあっという間に過ぎてしまいました。最終日、寮の子たちが帰ってしまった後は何か足りない感じがして寂しかったです。また五人でモノポリができる日がくればいいなと思います。

イースターホリデーが終わりすぐにフェアウェルパーティーをNew Plymouth Girls High School の生徒さんが開いてくれました。二月学校が始まったばかりのときは友達も全くいず心細い日々が続いていたのが嘘みたいに、たくさんの友達ができて、たくさん話して遊びに行って。今までにないくらいに充実した２か月間でした。それももうお終いでもうすぐお別れだと思うと悲しいです。まったく喋れないし聞き取れない私に優しく話しかけてくれた友達には感謝の気持ちでいっぱいです。また、この留学の企画をしてくださった先生、留学に行かせてくれた親、こっちでの私のサポートをしてくれたガーディアンのテフ、毎日毎日私のことを気にかけて世話をしてくれたホストファミリー、そして何よりも、心細くてしょうがなかった私をいつも励ましてくれた友達。皆さんに感謝の気持ちでいっぱいです。

あと残りの日々、ラストスパートは全力で英語も生活も楽しもうと思います。そしていい思い出を残すとともに英語の力を最後まで上げられればいいです。