Volleyball
by Mizuki Morishita
On Thursday 27th February, there was a volleyball trial tournament. I was chosen to play in the Team A with the MWSC students MWSC. There were four schools that came to compete in the volleyball round robin finals.
I am in the volleyball club in Japan so I am confident in playing. However I was worried about whether I could communicate well because I was playing in a new situation, with different people, and in a different environment than usual.
Once the match started, we were able to connect the ball well and even spike the ball, and we had many rallies, and when we scored a point, we all celebrated together, and it was great fun.
Everyone on the team was proactive in communicating with me and explained things to me very kindly, so I no longer had to worry. Even during breaks between matches, I was able to practice and play with everyone and we was also very enjoyable. I think the team’s sense of unity was much stronger than during practice, and we were able to fight as a team.
On the way back to school, I was able to talk a lot with the friends that I had made, and it was a very fulfilling time.
There were no differences in how volleyball is played in Australia and Japan, but I was surprised that the tournament was held in such a big gymnasium. I think that this volleyball trial tournament will be a great memory for me.
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How I spent my weekend
by Minami Saino
It has been a month since the exchange students arrived in Australia. In this article, I would like to write about how I spent my weekend with my host family. I went to a market with my host family and other exchange students last weekend. The name of the market is Fitzroy Market. This market is held every weekend and there are many people there. There were second hand clothes, hats, books, CDs, a bakery and a cafe. I enjoyed looking at lots of different clothes and we had a great time shopping. I also loved the place because of the atmosphere there. It was fun to see so much graffiti art.
On Sunday I went out with a group of friends that included MWSC students and the other Owa exchange students. We went to an escape room and I was really looking forward to it because I had never done it before in Japan. However, I was nervous because it looked a little scary. It was a little difficult for the five of us to escape from the room, but it was very interesting to solve the problems. In the end, I was happy to escape. After that, we walked around the city. I had ramen for lunch. It was the first time for me to try Australian ramen. I found it interesting because it tasted a little different from Japanese ramen. It was a very satisfying day.
I have also been to many other places with my host family since I arrived in January. I especially love the beaches and cafes in Melbourne. I hope to visit many more places during the rest of my stay.
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Great Ocean Road
by Ririka Yamaoka
Over the Labour Day weekend (8-10 March ), I went on a two-night, three-day trip. My host family and Mikoto’s host family went to a place called Apollo Bay. It was about a three-hour drive from Melbourne.
As soon as we arrived, we had lunch. I ate souvlaki. It was my first time trying it, so I was happy to challenge myself with a new food. After lunch, we went to our accommodation. The place was very clean and felt like home. After that, we went to look for souvenirs. I bought a coaster, which was very cute.
When we returned to our rooms, we all went to the beach. It was my first time visiting a beach in Australia, so I was very excited. We played on the beach for about two hours. The scenery was beautiful, and I had a great time.
After dinner, before going to bed, we looked at the stars. Unlike in Japan, the stars were incredibly clear and beautiful, which surprised me. On the morning of the second day, we got up early to see the sunrise. The combination of the sea and the sunrise was stunning. After watching the sunrise, we went to the Great Ocean Road.
There were many large rock formations, which were very impressive. After that, we visited Cape Otway. The scenery was breathtaking and beautiful.
That night, we had fun spending our last night together, playing pillow fights and singing karaoke. On the way back, we visited a chocolate factory. I bought lots of souvenirs, had lunch, and then we returned home.
Seeing the unique landscapes of Australia, going to the beach, and sightseeing in various places made for an amazing trip. It became a great memory and a special experience for me.
