Sister schools, intimate ties
Seated in a row behind a conference table, a group of well-turned-out schoolchildren are expressing themselves politely and eloquently. These are this year’s goodwill ambassadors, dispatched from Pei-cheng Elementary School on a Taiwan‡Japan exchange mission. “The ‘Two Norths, One Heart’ cultural exchange program is now in its 18th year,” says headmistress Liu Poling. It was in September 2000 that Pei-cheng Elementary began to visit Japan. Two years later, Kitazono Elementary returned the visit, and the two schools formally became sisters. In June this year, Liu Poling continued the tradition by bringing 39 parents, teachers and students to Kitazono Elementary, where they engaged in artistic and cultural exchanges. Liu Poling—whose policies set great store by the humanities, LOHAS, science and art—not only focuses on cultivating local sensibilities but also continues the school’s tradition of opening up international perspectives. The “Two Norths, One Heart” exchange program is a key aspect of the humanities curriculum.
“We were all looking forward to visiting Japan on the exchange trip. Although we spoke different languages, we could communicate through body language.” Sixth-graders Zhu Yunzhen, Zhu Yunshang, Lin Kaixin and Zhong Xinyan have all served as “Welcoming Angels.” “They performed a Japanese tea ceremony for us and told us about the rules of etiquette in the Way of Tea.” Fourth-grader Lin Shiyun took part in the exchange program for the first time and was very excited about the opportunity to attend classes in the Japanese school. “Since we came back, I’ve been giving thanks to my family before and after meals, in accordance with the rules of etiquette”—Zhuang Zixin now puts her sense of filial gratitude into practice by expressing her respect. Guo Yongqi, fluent in Japanese, is also happy to have got to know more about Japanese life.
Prior to their visit, Pei-cheng Elementary School organized a three-month training course for the children, ranging from language, through arts and crafts, to life skills education. Ou Yiwen—a volunteer teacher for the school’s Japanese language society—played an indispensable role in the training course. She is a parent of one of the children who went on the exchange visit, and was also an important point of contact. Together with her Taiwanese friend Chunhui Oyama, who has emigrated to Japan, Ou Yiwen built a bridge of friendship between Taiwan and Japan; both of them poured their efforts into the project.