Japanese Study Program at St Andrews College

Moses Badelles recently completed his 8-week homestay program in Japan. This special exchange program is offered by our sister schools, Isahaya Commercial High School and St. Andrews College.

This opportunity allows our students to experience life in Japan as exchange students for eight weeks. Moses was the first student to participate in this program and visit our sister school. He shared his experience in a speech at the school assembly in Week 3.

For those who missed it, here is his report.

If you are interested in this program, please contact me. I will provide details about the program and its eligibility criteria.

I hope you enjoy reading Moses’s report!

Ms Mariko Suzuki

Leader of Learning - Languages

Homestay Experience In Japan

I’m Moses Badelles from the graduating class of 2024, and I studied Japanese for 5 years, from Year 8 to Year 12, at St Andrews College. This summer holiday, with the wonderful help and support from the school, I was able to participate in a homestay program in Japan with our sister school, Isahaya Commercial High School. This homestay program lasted for 2 months in Nagasaki, Japan, whilst I experienced Japanese school life, home life, and Japanese culture all together. This was a marvelous experience, and I’d do it all over if I had the choice too in less than a heartbeat.

When I first arrived at Isahaya Commercial High School, I was struck by how respectful and disciplined the students were. Every day, we began with a greeting, and the focus on mutual respect between students and teachers was notable. But what stood out the most was everyone's kindness and welcomingness. Even though I was a foreigner, they treated me with the same respect as everyone else. There wasn’t a day that went by without someone saying a full of joy good morning with a broad smile. Everyone is very willing to chat and will often approach you to get to know you better. 

In Japan, almost every student is involved in a club, and the variety of clubs available is incredible. I had the chance to experience almost every club the school could offer, from sports clubs like badminton and soccer to more traditional activities like calligraphy and the tea ceremony. I loved all the clubs I attended, as they all had a unique set of characters excited for me to try out what they were doing. These didn’t seem like just another extracurricular activity but a great way schools build community whilst building values beyond the skill itself, patience, discipline, respect, and teamwork. No matter your club, it’s a chance to build lasting relationships and develop essential life skills beyond just the activity.

And, of course, one of the most heartwarming aspects of my trip was experiencing Japanese home life. I stayed with a wonderful host family who welcomed me as one of their own. Every day, we would share meals, and I was amazed by their importance on family and tradition. In my host family’s home, it wasn’t just about living together. It was about supporting each other, sharing experiences, and creating a harmonious environment. From helping prepare dinner to participating in their daily routines, I felt a sense of belonging that deepened my understanding of the culture. Japanese home life teaches you the value of connection, gratitude, and creating bonds with those around you.

My favourite factor among all these activities was the people. Japanese people are the kindest people I’ve ever met, and I have learnt so much from everyone regardless of age. Saying goodbye to everyone for the last time was such an upsetting time for me as the bonds I built with everyone were so strong even though it was only a 2-month trip. I’m pleased to keep them all in contact through Instagram and LINE, and I look forward to keeping them as my friends and meeting them again in the future. This homestay program in Japan changed my life, and I’ll forever treasure these memories.

Moses Badelles - Year 12 Japanse Continuers, Class of 2024

Speech from Moses:

Good morning, Dr Kennaugh, staff and students, 

Let me introduce myself a little bit. I’m Moses Badelles from the graduating class of 2024 and I had taken Japanese throughout year 8 until the end of year 12 at St Andrews Collge. This Summer holiday, with the wonderful help and support from our school, I was able to participate in a homestay program in Japan with our sister school Isahaya Commercial High School. This homestay program lasted for 2 months in Nagasaki, Japan, whilst I experienced Japanese school life, home life, and Japanese culture altogether. This was a marvelous experience, and I’d do it all over if I had the choice too in less than a heartbeat.

Let me start by talking about how learning Japanese influenced my school life in Japan. Upon arriving at Isahaya Commercial High School, I was initially overwhelmed by how respectful and disciplined the students were. However, because I had studied the language for several years, I was able to communicate and engage with everyone in a way that helped me feel welcomed. The ability to speak Japanese allowed me to form stronger connections, whether it was through daily greetings, classroom discussions, or simply chatting with classmates between classes. One of the most notable parts of Japanese school life was the emphasis on respect, not only between students and teachers but also among peers. My language skills made me feel like I was part of the community from the very beginning. Not only was I able to meet so many wonderful Japanese students, I experienced so many differences between Japanese and Australian schools, and even though I knew most of these things from Japanese class, seeing and living these differences was one of my favourite things about being in Japan.

One of the biggest differences, the club activities. In Japan, almost every student is involved in a club, and the variety of clubs available is incredible. I had the chance to experience almost every club the school could offer, from sports clubs like badminton and soccer to more traditional activities like calligraphy and the tea ceremony. I loved all the clubs that I attended, as they all had a unique set of characters excited for me to try out what they were doing. These didn’t seem just like another extracurricular activity, but instead a great way schools build community whilst building values beyond the skill itself, patience, discipline, respect, and teamwork. No matter what club you’re in, it’s a chance to build lasting relationships and develop important life skills that go way beyond just the activity. These were a great way to meet new people from within the school, and try out so many new things that I’d never get to experience ever.

And of course, one of the most heartwarming aspects of my trip was experiencing Japanese home life. I stayed with a wonderful host family who welcomed me as one of their own. Every day, we would share meals together, and I was amazed by the importance they placed on family and tradition. In my host family’s home, it wasn’t just about living together, it was about supporting each other, sharing in each other’s experiences, and creating a strong, harmonious environment. From helping prepare dinner to participating in their daily routines, I felt a sense of belonging that truly deepened my understanding of the culture. Japanese home life teaches you the value of connection, gratitude, and creating bonds with those around you.

Above all, what truly stood out to me were the people. The kindness and warmth of the Japanese people left a lasting impact on me. Learning Japanese not only gave me the tools to communicate but also allowed me to connect with others on a deeper level. I was able to form meaningful friendships despite only spending two months there, and I’m grateful for the lasting bonds that I’ve built. Saying goodbye was one of the hardest moments of my trip, as I had truly become attached to everyone I met. Thanks to the language, I can stay in touch with my friends through Instagram and LINE, and I look forward to the day when I can reunite with them.

This experience in Japan has truly transformed my life. The language opened so many doors and allowed me to experience things I never would have otherwise. I’ll forever treasure these memories, and I will continue to appreciate the power of language in bridging cultures and forming lasting connections.

If you are doing Japanese now in year 8, and you are doing well in it, I strongly recommend taking a step further and choose it for year 9 and 10. Even if you don’t plan on going on this homestay, it really enhances how you live life through learning about culture from a different country. And to those in year 9 and 10 now, I advise you to really consider this program, as not only was it life changing, it improved my fluency in speaking Japanese by at least three times more than before, and there is so much potential to improve your Japanese skill. Experiencing a homestay and attending a different country’s high school is something you can only do during these years of your life, and I couldn’t thank Dr Kennagh enough for offering such an enriching opportunity. There is so much to experience and learn in Japan, and the Japanese lifestyle. And when I say “so much” it’s an enormous understatement.

If you are interested in this opportunity, please speak to Ms Suzuki. She designed and organised this program for us.