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School visits

Caroline captured everyone’s attention with her talk and visual images. She touched everyone with her experiences and the guides are very keen to help the present situation for these people in Japan. It is so heartening to sense enthusiasm from the guides to help other less fortunate people in this rather selfish world. It is what Girlguiding is about. Thanks to Caroline for sharing her experiences with us and allowing us to help in a small way. — Rose Bishop, 1st Fremington Guides

It was great to have Caroline visit again. This time to tell the students how the goods they collected in June have travelled to the tsunami ravaged area of Japan with Caroline and are now very much appreciated by the survivors trying to regain their lives. She told a very human story which really brought home the reality of how it’s not just doctors, nurses and food aid that is important, but that the ordinary things in life are so important to helping people move on with hope and a smile. — Nick Johns, Geography, Plymstock School

Having Caroline talk to the pupils was a real inspiration. She demonstrated how someone can really love and want to share their passion for their country and also gave them a perspective on worldwide issues and disasters; that today’s news isn’t tomorrow’s fish and chip paper but that there are lasting impacts on communities that we can all help to take responsibility for. — Gillian Ashcroft, Class Teacher, Bratton Fleming Community Primary

I have visited over 50 schools so far, in the Plymouth, North Devon, Gloucestershire, Warwickshire, Cambridge, Leighton Buzzard, and Twickenham areas. Children have ranged from 5–18 years old and talks can range from 15–60 minutes.

For a first-time visit I tend to focus on some of the things that I love about Japan rather than focusing on the earthquake — my aim is to try to inspire a curiosity about Japan among children who may otherwise grow up forever associating Japan with its recent disaster. Images are not scary at all, but instead feature aspects of Japanese culture, architecture, or entertainment that children may find interesting. The sumo wrestling photos always go down a treat!

For a follow-up visit at schools I met during my first trip whose families donated items that I took back to Japan, I tell the story and show pictures relating to what actually happened to their donations. This is a great way for children to see what a difference all their efforts made.

Secondary schools often ask me to participate in their geography or citizenship classes. In one school, I was even asked to pop along to their sixth form class on Transport Economics, so they could ask me some questions and therefore compare transport systems between the UK and Japan — there are so many ways to inspire an interest in Japan and I am happy to be a resource for that.

I have connected schools in the UK with schools in Japan. Through my own business, publications, and school talks in Japan; I have worked with over 200 international schools throughout the country for many years now — I try to match a school in England with a similar-sized school in Japan, with children of the same age. And hope that this will lead to some wonderful friendships, cultural exchanges, and perhaps even visits one day in the future.

And finally, if a class, teacher, or head of school is interested in building some even stronger ties with Japan, I would like to encourage schools to take on the sponsoring of an Oshika-hanto Home. This can be an individual class, or whole-school project, or even be something that one school could do with neighbouring schools. Homes can be named either after the school or by something the children all voted upon. And regular updates on the house-building progress can be sent to the school, so the children can again see the results of their efforts.

School Connections so far

  • Braunton School in North Devon & K International School Tokyo