Arron Dobrescu has once again brought a group of Japanese students from his English-language school in Yokohama to stay with Moose Jaw families for a 10-day adventure that will strengthen their skills and expose them to Canadian culture, customs, food, and people.
"When I graduated university as a teacher, I just wasn't ready to settle down yet. I wanted to see more of the world, so I moved to Japan for a year," Dobrescu, who was born and raised in Moose Jaw, explained during a visit to the Western Development Museum on Aug. 11. "But, after a year, I just loved it, so I kept going. After a couple of years, I got married and had kids, started my own school, and that's been going on for 18 years now.
"We have around six or seven hundred students in a few different programs. ... This is part of our homestay program. Every year, we bring around 15 kids, but because of COVID we couldn't bring anyone for three years. So, the kids have been waiting impatiently and that's why we have 26 this year. It's been quite a thing. With so many, everything takes twice as long, but it's good. The kids are having fun and enjoying themselves."
The parents who send their children to Canada for these trips want them to develop independence, learning attitudes, and an appreciation and ability for moving between cultures. The students must speak English as much as possible, try new things, and have limited contact with their parents.
"We want them to build independence, so of course we're in contact with parents every day, sending photos and reporting any problems or concerns, but for the kids themselves, if they experience some homesickness, we want them to try and climb over that," Dobrescu said. "We have nine wonderful host families this year, putting up two to three kids each, and an itinerary for them to learn all about another culture, food, and just how daily life is spent here.
"And it's just so different from Japan, of course, because Japan is fast-moving and everybody goes by train everywhere. Just a totally different lifestyle, no cars there, and the houses here are much bigger and the land is much bigger. It also helps them realize how important their country and culture are, and they appreciate their own food and the way Japanese society is."
Sara Hibino, 16, said this is her second visit to Moose Jaw with the school. She is enjoying all the experiences, including seeing all the planes, trains, and automobiles at the WDM, and was grateful for the hospitality of her host family.
"It was very good experiences, and I have a very good time with my homestay sister and host family and friends," she said. "Moose Jaw is very good place, because now it's August in Japan, and our summer is very hot and humid. But in Saskatchewan, I like this climate, I want to live here in the future."
Rikuto Moroi, 12, is visiting Canada for the first time.
"It is so different from Japan, so [I am] excited," he said. When asked what his favourite food on the trip was so far, he struggled to remember the Canadian word at first, but described it perfectly. "Potato, and cheese, gravy... Ah, poutine!"
The students have toured Crescent Park, the WDM, the Kinsmen Sportsplex, and more as part of their cultural tour of the area, taking in many new experiences that are sure to leave a lifetime impression. The trip will finish off with a 'sayonara' (goodbye) party and cultural exchange sponsored by Canadian Pacific Railroad.
Learn more about Arron Dobrescu's school, Spike & Ai International, through their website at international.spikeandai.com.
