SDIP Daarul Jannah Cultural Exchange with Satoyama School in Gunma, Japan
SDIP Daarul Jannah Cultural Exchange with Satoyama School in Gunma, Japan
Published 15 February 2024
Naba Putri
Learning enthusiast, a mother and a teacher who loves education and psychology.
Translator : Larasati Adiannisa W
Satoyama Gakkou (Satoyama School), a school located in the Maebashi area of Gunma Prefecture, Japan. This school takes the freedom of learning and connection with nature to a whole new level. On this opportunity, SDIP Daarul Jannah was able to have a cultural exchange with Satoyama School.
First Day
On a sunny morning in Gunma, we were welcomed by Mrs. Han Jin Hee and the principal of Satoyama School, Mr. Ochiai Sensei. Arriving at the Satoyama School area we were welcomed by all students, teachers, and volunteers from Satoyama School, after a brief introduction we went straight to the outbound area to start the actual introduction and activities.
In just a matter of minutes all SDIP Daarul Jannah students and Satoyama School students jumped, climbed and played together, the language barrier between the two groups was not a problem for them to immediately get along and interact with each other.
Students from Indonesia had brought some traditional games to play together including Tali Karet, Congklak, and Egrang from Coconut Shells. Although in Japan there is also a game of jumping rope, it turns out that the way to play and the materials used for the rope are different! Eventually both sides taught how to play jump rope from their respective countries to play together. Not only that, we also got an interesting experience by making keychain handicrafts from grains.
When it was time to eat snacks together, we were served snacks that came from the gardens of Satoyama School. It turns out that these very large and lush walnuts and strawberries are cared for by Satoyama School students! It is extraordinary, a nature school and in its learning is integrated with nature and local residents. So what the students eat comes from their own garden. In the afternoon, students from SDIP Daarul Jannah and Satoyama School played by the river, and at night we built a bonfire and had dinner.
As if we were not impressed enough, the day's activities were capped off with Stargazing and Planets viewing at the Kurabuchi Kodomo Observatory Planetarium located close to the Satoyama School premises.
Second Day
On the second day, we met up with fellow students from Satoyama School in front of the Gunma FM radio station. There, students learned a lot and saw first-hand how to broadcast, from the briefing process to the broadcast itself with radio broadcaster Wai Wai Groovin' from outside the radio broadcast room. We watched the whole process live through the glass windows of the audience room.
Then followed by Ice Skating activities at ALSOK Gunma Ice Arena, we played ice skating with students from Satoyama School, it turned out that they were also not very skilled in ice skating as well which lead them to fall often, but even so they would stand up and to try again, so on until at the end of the game they became more skilled than when they started ice skating that day.
The cultural exchange program came to a close by gathering together and giving each other impressions and messages. Unexpectedly, the farewell event of two days of cultural exchange between SDIP Daarul Jannah students and Stoyama School students was closed with the
heartwarming goodbye.
Two very memorable days, children learn not only to recognize differences, but also to overcome those differences and interact with friends with different cultures and even languages. The student's ability to adapt, collaborate, creativity, perseverance and even independence were gained from the two-day trip at Satoyama School.
Thank you our new friends,
Thank you our new family,
Thank you Satoyama School,
Hopefully next year we can meet again with an adventure that is just as much as excitement and fun.