A group of 11 professors and students of the Institute of Music, Pomeranian University at Slupsk, Poland, came to Jiyu Gakuen on the exchange programme.
They stayed with us for two weeks from 31st of October to 14th of November 2017, holding a concert of Polish music on 4th of November, attending lectures at our College, giving lessons and performances of Polish dances and songs at our Kindergarten, Primary School and the Boys’ and Girls’ Departments.
Three professors gave to our college students lectures on ‘Chopin’, ‘Other Polish Composers’ and ‘European Guitar Music’. They also observed some music lessons at the Primary School, the Girls’ Department and the College.
And the six female students stayed at Kofuryo, our college women’s dormitory. Our students enjoyed their company and made friends with them all.
At the college chorus lesson, learning a Polish folk song
Polish dance at the Kindergarten
The following are excerpts of their comments and impressions sent from them after they went back to Poland.
About the school, Jiyu Gakuen
・I’m really fascinated by the way how Jiyu Gakuen education system really works.
・Students are very high skilled in responsibility, team cooperation and consideration for the needs of other persons.
・The school of Jiyu Gakuen is simply staggering. I like every aspect of it; the organization, the idea by which the school was founded, the way the school is organized, and how the students are being taught.
・The school is very beautiful. The campus is wonderful with its architecture, great trees and nature. The school system is unusual. I was fascinated by the fact that children care for their own school.
・I think students are well trained in many areas.
About meals
・The meals were very good at school and in the dormitory. It was very nice for me to discover different flavors of meals served at different occasions. Speaking about menus and other food related issues was a great opportunity for students to gain experience in public speaking.
・Meals were very, very tasty and as far as I can tell very healthy.
・I like the way of table speeches in that students, even pupils, get used to public speeches.
Lunch at the Girls’ Dining Hall
Lunch at the College
Dormitory
・I like the dormitory as it is small and not so many students are there.
・Girls in the dormitory were very quiet and sometimes I wondered if they were there.
・The peaceful atmosphere in this building was unique and interesting. The meals made by the students were very tasty. My room was clean and I liked to be in it.
Polonez lesson
・Students learned the various figures of our national dance very fast. These girls were smart and they learned very fast.
Polonez lesson
Concert (Jiyu Gakuen students joined in their orchestra to play together)
・It was a great opportunity to find out that the music is the universal language that brings people together and allows them to communicate at the highest possible level.
At the beginning of the Concert of the Polish Music
Observation of music lessons in the primary school
・I was very shocked that children in the primary school played the instruments well and read music. Children were very polite, when their teacher told them to play alone, and other pupils didn’t disturb.
General impressions
・Our staying at Jiyu Gakuen and being able to experience all those amazing moments were much more than I could have ever expected. I was overwhelmed by the hospitality and kindness and the attention given to the details. The way everything was prepared simply blew my mind away. I will be forever grateful for the opportunity of coming to Jiyu Gakuen and of meeting great professors and students, and through them Japanese culture.
・It was my first stay in Japan, so I was fascinated by everything. All was new to me. I really liked the people who were extremely kind and helpful.
・Too much goodness happened during those two weeks and I have no words to describe my thankfulness.