Yokohama International School in Japan - Expeditions
I remember the jubilant feeling I had when I finished my very last final exam before graduating high school not too long ago. Giddy for the future adventures of university but ready to put my books down for a while to relax into my new role.
In late May, myself and several members of our key partner company, English Adventure, were looking at 60 students from Yokohama International School who were standing on the mountains of Tsunan, Niigata between exams and their International Baccalaureate diplomas.
Yokohama International School’s high school seniors and their educators were celebrating the end of the school year in a very constructive and progressive way. Each students were able to participate in various activities associated with learning practical skills and tools for adulthood. Tools such as knowing how to fix their car, bicycle or clothing; skills on balancing their budgets and even how to be safe in social situations.
But their retreat was not all practical tools and skills. Above all, the retreat was to have fun and enjoy themselves. Activities such as Ultimate Frisbee and bake offs were among the light-hearted activities. Of course photography was among them as well. Students with their own cameras or smartphones, learned how to understand their camera and take better photos.
Students most enjoyed how to create great portrait photos without having to turn out their portrait mode on their cameras. Some of the students appreciated not having the use the radial tilt shift feature on Instagram.
