学校生活

Recently, the 8th grade junior high school students of Salesian International School took a trip to Karuizawa in Nagao prefecture. We spent two days and three nights at a great hotel located alongside a mountain pathway. Although this was a school trip, it was a wonderful change of pace from the busy city life in Tokyo.

On day one of the trip, we departed from Salesian early in the morning and arrived at our destination around 1pm. Our first activity, a nature hike. Thanks to the amazing guides from Picchio, the students were able to explore Hanareyama and hike roughly 1700m to the peak! Along the way we saw some interesting creatures, one of the most unforgettable being a snake that was seeking shelter from the cold weather.

On day two, although tired, the students were able to go on a lighter, easier nature walk. This time, the guides at Picchio educated the students on how Japanese black bears and the residents of Karuizawa coexist. After lunch, the students were divided into groups and set off on a scavenger hunt along the nature trail. Although the activity was physically demanding, it gave them the opportunity to use their critical thinking skills to solve clues and successfully complete each challenge they encountered.

Finally, on day three, we woke up, cleaned our rooms, enjoyed a healthy breakfast, and then attended a lecture to wrap up the trip. Our guides reviewed everything that we learned over the past few days and provided us with information on how to have a better, more symbiotic relationship with the world around us.

Overall, this was a wonderful trip that provided insight into the lives of people that share a close proximity to nature and do their best to respect it. I can’t wait for the current 7th graders to move up to the 8th grade so that they can have this experience as well!