2019.10.28.  From Ireland, Rikako Yasuda, Updated report on her life at Dundalk Grammar School,

A very informative and impressive report reached us from Ireland.  Rikako, an exchange student studying at Dundalk Grammar School, shared her fantastic experiences there in Ireland.

Hello everyone. This is Rikako Yasuda, studying in Dundalk Grammar School in Ireland. It is my great pleasure to update my report on the school life there as an exchange international student.

This month we had a lot of events. I was very busy and tired, but absolutely all of my experiences became my fantastic memories. In this report I would like to talk about three big events.

The first one is musical “GHOST”. My school puts effort into musical. In addition to students, teachers and parents, many other school groups and locals come to watch our musical every year. This year there are 50 students to join this musical, including actors, musicians and supporters, and 5 teachers. After the audition for the main characters in April, its rehearsal as for everyone started seriously in September. I really love musical, so I was super happy when I knew that I could participate in the musical as an ensemble.  The rehearsal had every after school 4 to 6, and 10 to 4 on Saturday and Sunday. At first, they didn’t come on time or they were stressful because they were tired. But the day of real performance was approaching, the stage settings and costumes were getting exactly complete for the true performance. Our morale and bonds were getting higher and stronger. Then we could do high quality rehearsal.  On the day before the performance we could whole performance that we wore first costume, mike and makeup. We were so happy and excited.  On the day of the real performance, I was really nervous, but we were singing and dancing together respectively, and I could finish safely singing my solo part. Finally, we finished our stage with a storm of applause. Through this musical, I thought it was really good that I could make the best memory and friends.

The second one is Open day. The targets for this event are family whose children want to attend this school.  As for this event, students mainly proceed with its preparation and implementation. I made “The Wild Harvest Company” and “Japanese store”. “The Wild Harvest Company” was made of 6 students who are taking the class of “Grow your own class” as their TY program. We introduced our project and provided tasting party of pesto made of chard.

“Japanese store” was made by myself because I wanted to expand Japanese places and culture. Visitors worried about the typhoon damage and praised Japanese National Rugby team won Irish National Rugby team. I was so happy to talk about that. Also, they were so pleasured when I gave Orizuru on which I wrote their names in Japanese. It became my good memory.

The third one is ISSU. Many students joined this event who were in school council. I could join it because I was  selected by a lottery. The meeting place looked like Diet and I was so surprised. We were talking about social situations and climate action. There were many fantastic speakers and I couldn’t believe that they were the same age as I. This event inspired me much.

In conclusion, I could spend full days for this month. I would like to give it more and more try to make good use of my TY program. Thank you very much for reading my report to the end.

みなさんこんにちは。アイルランドのダンドーク・グラマー・スクールに留学している安田理花子です。今月はたくさんの行事があり、忙しく毎日グッタリの日々でした。しかし、どの行事も私にとって本当に一生の思い出になりました。このリポートでは今月あった３つの行事についてお話します。

一つ目はミュージカルGHOSTです。私の学校はミュージカルに力を入れていて、毎年、生徒や先生、保護者の方々以外にも多くの学校の団体さんや地域の方々が見に来てくださります。今年は演者、オーケストラ、裏方含めて50人の生徒と5人の先生で創り上げました。４月にメインキャストのオーディションがあったのち9月からエキストラ含めた本格的な稽古が始まりました。

私はミュージカルが大好きなのでエキストラとして参加できることが分かったときはとっても嬉しかったです。稽古は毎日放課後4時から6時まであり、学校がない土日も10時から4時までありました。稽古の最初は時間通りに集まらなかったり疲れてストレスがたまり空気が悪くなったりと大変でしたが、本番の日が近づいてくるにつれ、舞台装置や衣装も揃いみんなの士気があがって、徐々に絆も深まり、質の高い稽古となってきました。本番前日、初めて衣装にマイク、そしてお化粧をして全通しが終わった瞬間は、嬉しさと興奮でいっぱいになりました。いざ本番になると、たくさんのお客さんを目の前に緊張をしましたが、心を一つに一生懸命歌い踊り、そしてソロパートも無事に終え本当に素晴らしいものとなりました。このミュージカルを通して最高の思い出と大切な仲間ができて、心から参加して良かったと思いました。

二つ目はオープンデーです。これはこの学校に入学希望しているご家族を対象に、生徒中心で学校を紹介するイベントです。私は“The Wild Harvest Company”と“Japanese store”を手がけました。“The Wild Harvest Company”はTYの選択授業でGrow your ownをとっている生徒で作ったお店です。私たちは活動を紹介したりチャードをベースに作ったペストの試食会を設けたりしました。“Japanese store”は私がたくさんの人に日本の各所や文化を紹介したいと設けました。たくさんの方が日本の台風について心配してくださったり、ラグビーでアイルランドに勝ったことを称賛してくれたりと嬉しかったです。また来てくださった方々に日本語でその方の名前を書いた折り鶴を渡したらすごく喜んでもらえたことも良い思い出となりました。

三つ目はISSUです。これは生徒会に所属している生徒が集まって、社会情勢や環境問題について話し合うイベントです。私は生徒会内で行われたくじの結果、参加させていただくことになりました。行ってみるとそこは国会みたいな雰囲気で驚きました。彼らは同じ年代とは思えないくらいしっかり意見をもっていて本当に刺激を受けました。

このように今月は濃い時間を過ごすことができました。もっともっとTYを活用してたくさん経験していきたいです。最後まで読んでくださりありがとうございました