Report on 7 days of tears [Philippines: Davao Study Tour]!

Hi, this is Aya from GLI!

the other dayThe tour will last seven days and six nights from July 21 (Sun.) to July 27 (Sat.),Davao, Philippinesset in theOverseas Study ToursimplementationI did!

This overseas study tour started with a little "trouble" on the first day. In the Philippines, we were thrilled to meet our online teachers in person, and we were thrilled to have a series of new experiences. At the end of the tour, there were tears of regret as we said goodbye...,

Through such a variety of experiences and activities, even if only for a week,The children who participated in the event have grown up a lot.I did!

In this blog, I hope to share with you the Davao Study Tour!

Day 1: Departure to the Philippines!

At 7:00 a.m., we gathered at Narita Airport and were escorted by our parents' families to Manila by Philippine Airlines!

Rather than the anxiety of leaving your parents,Feelings of fun and excitementIt looked as if they had departed in

　
Since participants came from each school building, there was an atmosphere of awkwardness as they met for the first time, but some children were happy to be reunited with those they had befriended at the orientation prior to the event.

On the plane, the children were so excited and chattering that they had to be warned by the teachers several times.

　
One of the joys of flying abroadIn-flight mealsThe students were also enjoying themselves well.

　
It was supposed to be about 3 hours on the schedule before arriving in the Philippines and transferring to a domestic flight,WHEREAS.Trouble. The arrival of equipment was delayed due to bad weather.

We were supposed to arrive in Davao at 8:00 p.m. and have a welcome party with the teachers, but to our surprise, we arrived at 8:00 p.m.!The plane took off from Manila at 21:20 local time.It was.

During the long wait at the airport, the children had their firstJollibee, the soul food of the PhilippinesI ate the

　
Also, at the Manila airport"A pleasant surprise."Also! Ysah-sensei, who lives in Manila, joined us and together we set out for Davao. During the waiting time, some students had English lessons with Ysah-sensei.

It was a really long wait, and I know it was hard, but each person was having a great time and everyone was wonderful.

　
We finally left Manila at 21:20 and arrived at our destination, Davao, around 23:00. Even though we were well past our schedule,Online teachers were waiting for us with banners!

　
Finally, finally,Thrilling first meetingWe were able to fulfill the following!

The children were hungry, having arrived quite late. We then headed to the hotel where we were staying and had a slightly late dinner.

　
After dinner, we spent time relaxing with teachers and friends, and the tumultuous first day came to an end!

Day 2: Welcome Party

Due to a late flight, I slept in an hour later than planned last night,My First Morning in the PhilippinesThe company welcomed the

　
Eat a good breakfast and prepare yourselves,"A place."to the

　
That "one place" is where teachers are always giving lessons today,Davao OfficeIt is. In its office,A welcome party was held.The first time the company was founded, it was in the process of being reorganized into a new company!

　
The students introduced themselves in English, learned greetings and songs in Visayan, the local language of Davao, and enjoyed spending time interacting directly with the teachers they were meeting face-to-face for the first time.

　
McDonald's for lunch.

Everyone is familiar with McDonald's in Japan,'I want to tell you that Filipino McDonald's has rice and spaghetti!'Paired with teachers who areExperience ordering together, Filipino-style McDonald's lunch.We received the following

　
We all enjoyed a fun Filipino McDonald's.

In the afternoon, go to town,I enjoyed the local atmosphere of Davao.

　
In such a city of Davao, the localsInterviews."The company has conducted a

We had the courage to call out on our own and learn more about the city of Davao by interacting with them in English and learning various things from them.

　
In the midst of all this, we also interviewed a police officer who was just taking a break. They also showed us a police dog show,Feel the warm connection of local people.The company was able to

They also took a group photo to commemorate the event. They were such welcoming people and it was a really good memory.

After that, we had a game activity and had a good time.The distance between you and your friends is now even closer.

　
Then back to the hotel, in the evening,Tomorrow's Activities (Community Services)We packed for the The next day we had to meet at 5:00 a.m., so we went to bed early that day.

　
By the way, the photo here ↓ is from that night, and the children's expressions look so much better in the photo!

Day 3: Community Service

Community Services."means to help out with something in the city or community where we live, such as community service or community contribution activities.

On this day, the teachers woke up early at 4:00 a.m. and the children at 5:00 a.m. to head out to Cleanergy Park to experience a variety of community services.

But, even though it was early in the morning, everyone was full of energy! They were having fun with a little athleticism.

　　
We also took a group photo together.

　
The children are in full energy from such a morning, but first of allPlanting mangroves."The company has conducted a

The growth of mangroves will not only preserve nature, but will also be a great help to the communities living there in the event of a major tsunami.

The children, who learned anew that planting mangroves is connected to saving lives, carefully planted mangrove seedlings one by one.

　
thereafter"Cleaning up by the sea."and collected plastic and clothing that had fallen onto the beach.

Next stop.Sea Turtle Conservation Center... Actually, it was not on our itinerary, but we had to visit on short notice through the connection of a Davao City councilor who arranged this community service!

At its conservation center, sea turtles that do not yet know how to swim are protected and cared for until they are ready to be released into the wild. We were able to see how they protect the turtles and actually see the turtle eggs.

　
By actually interacting with the sea turtles and listening intently to the explanations of the staff members, the participants not only learned something new, but also felt a variety of things.

　
We also took a commemorative photo with a sea turtle.

Then we all headed to the community area.Stationery donations."The company has conducted a

In this community area, children who cannot afford to buy new stationery and other supplies gather to study together. We donated stationery such as notebooks, crayons, and pencils for each child.

　
Not only were the local children very happy with the donation, but also the teacher in charge'We have 30 students here, most of whom struggle to afford this kind of stationery, so we are very grateful."He said.

After the stationery donation, we were attended by Davao City councilors whoDavao City HallI also went to

　
In fact, they allowed us to visit the City Council and tour their offices and buildings, a valuable experience that we would never have had on a normal trip.

　
In the afternoon,SM, a famous shopping mall in the Philippinesand we all took a leisurely stroll together.

　
Among them was a booth at the post office, where the children had the opportunity to write messages on postcards and send them. I think this is also an experience that is hard to find in Japan, so on the third dayA day full of new experiencesIt was!

Day 4: Enjoy nature activities!

On the fourth day, two parks about an hour from the hotelMalagos Garden Resort and Eden Nature ParkI went to the

Touring these two parks was the main event of the fourth day, but when the "Philippine Eagle" was mentioned during yesterday's community service, the children's interest led the teachers to quickly add it to the itinerary.Tour of the Philippine Eagle CenterThey put in

　
The children were very excited to see the "real" Philippine Eagle, which is depicted in illustrations and billboards as a symbol in many places in the city.

One of the fun things about the day wasChocolate MakingDavao is famous for its cacao. In fact, Davao is famous for its cacao. We also went to the Chocolate Museum.

In that park, you can also see other real cacao nuts,You can touch and see colorful birds.I was so absorbed in the game that I lost track of time.

　
We were also able to take two shots with the birds!

　
In chocolate making, fresh chocolate was placed in molds and toppings were freely added to create original chocolates.

　
I wanted to give them as gifts to my family, but everyone was snacking on them because they wanted to eat the chocolates I made (laughs).

The next stop was Eden Nature Park,"Horseback Riding."andZipline."Challenge to the

　
Some children were hesitant to go on the high zip line at first, but they were surprised to see the children who had tried it before them.I had a great time!" "The view is amazing! I want to do it again!"Everyone took up the challenge one after another, encouraged by the voice of

　
The teachers of course never pushed anyone, but everyone took on the challenge of their own volition, and when they returned, they looked very refreshed. Everyone was wonderful!

This was the fourth day of enjoying such natural activities!

Day 5: Island hopping

On the fifth day, the big event of the study tour, theIsland hopping" on Samal IslandThe day of the event!

Take a ferry from the ferry port not far from the hotel for a 15-minute trip to Samal Island. From there, board a chartered boat for a trip around the islands!

We will visit a total of three islands and points of interest, each of which offers a different beach atmosphere from that of Japanese "bathing beaches," and we will find rare sea creatures and beautiful seashells,

　
Of course, I felt a lot of Philippine nature by swimming in the clear, clean sea.

　
On a moving boat.Karaoke Contest."Oh my god!!!

Some parts of the lessons include singing English songs and English lyrics as the subject matter,Sing an English song with your teacher!"The event was a great success.

　
Filipino children love to sing and dance. Perhaps influenced by this story, the children, who were a little shy at first when the microphone was pointed at them, gradually got into the Filipino groove!

　
They fought for the microphone and sang and danced while eating the food prepared on board,Even the travel time was 100% enjoyable!

　

　
On the way back from the beach,Bat Sanctuary, a bat caveI stopped by the

Bats carry fruit seeds, and many fruits grow in abundance in Davao.Yes, and I also learned that the fruits of Davao are protected by protecting such bats.

I also tried to be a bit of a bat, perhaps influenced by that story (laughs).

　
The children enjoyed the beach as much as they could for almost the entire day. AlsoMany memories were made!

Teachers and students

A little here.A Teacher-Student Story."to.

The local teachers, who interacted with the children on a daily basis, also had time during the tour to teach their regular online lessons.

But every teacher'I want to see my kids for one day!'and adjusted their schedules to join the tour, even if only for a short while.

　
Various teachers came to see them every day, and the children looked really happy.

Of course, this is the first time I've met them, but they are familiar teachers that I've known online for a long time.The more time we spent together, sleeping and eating in the same room, the closer we became, like brothers and sisters.

　
The teachers seemed to love the children who had come all the way from Japan and took care of them in many ways.

Being away from family, being independent, and taking care of myself...was another thing I wanted them to do well on the tour (laughs),The fact that the teachers took care of us like brothers and sisters was also an irreplaceable experience.It may be.

(Jerick, the teacher in charge of the boys' room, teaches the boys how to make their beds, while the girls play hand games with the teacher and get their hair done...)

I felt that the time I spent with the teachers, who usually live far away from me, was truly invaluable.

Day 6: Craft, Cooking, and Farewell Party

The last day at the hotelCrafts and CookingThe following is a list of the most common problems with the

The last precious day is,Working with teachers to create memoriesStarting from

First, we reflected carefully on our week-long trip and created our own speeches. I will practice my speech and present it in the evening in front of everyone and my teacher.

　
craftIn the "Souvenirs of the Philippines" section, we painted pictures on Philippine fans, which became wonderful souvenirs of our own originality.

　
cookingThen we made Lumpia, Filipino-style spring rolls, with special guest Queen's mother. The teachers also made a lot of Filipino food for everyone to enjoy at the end of the event! and made a lot of Filipino dishes.

The Philippines is all about fruit, though,Durian ChallengeThe children were all very excited to see the new food. Many of the children could not eat the food because of the smell.

　
Lunch is the lastJollibeeI had a very typical Filipino last lunch with my teachers. I ordered with the teachers, and it was the last Filipino-style lunch.

and now ...farewell party... Tomorrow morning we will say goodbye to the teachers we spent the week with.

Before that, I would like to express my gratitude to the teachers with a presentation summarizing the fun memories of the past week! and everyone gave a magnificent speech with all their hearts.

　
The teachers listened to the children's speeches, nodding their heads in delight.

At the end of the presentation, the children were relieved and at the same time praised by their teachers with applause and hugs,Tears, tears, tears... I feel that tomorrow I will be far away from my teachers.I was not able to do so.

　
I cried so hard that my tears had dried up...and I was so sad to say goodbye.

I dared to spend time with the teachers I had always wanted to meet, and the teachers really cared about the children and were devoted to them,A really strong bond was formed.

　
The children were so excited to say goodbye to their teachers that many were even looking forward to the "lechon," a whole roasted pig.

Day 7: To Japan

The return flight was almost on time.

What is the waiting time at Manila airport,I'm crazy about picking out souvenirs for my family.

Since I will be meeting my family soon, I shopped until the last minute for my dad...for my mom...for my siblings...and so on. I am getting used to using the Philippine currency, the peso.

　
Because of the early departure from the hotel, most of the children slept soundly on the plane from Manila to Narita.

After landing at Narita Airport, many families were waiting for us in the arrival lobby.

When children see their family members, they run out to meet them. I think many of the children were away from their families for the first time and went to a foreign country alone. It was a great relief for them to see their families' faces.

7 days and 6 nights in a blink of an eye.Philippines: Davao Study Tourbut through a variety of experiences,Children grow up a size or twoI was able to do it.

And if you wish,I hope that the children will use this experience as an opportunity to deepen their motivation to learn English in the future, as well as to expand their world and develop new interests.I think.

Participant Questionnaire

We asked all participants to write a "questionnaire" for this year's event.

The overall rating of the tour isAll respondents answered "very good".The following is a list of the actual items we received. Below are the actual receivedComments.I will do so.

= = =

I am very grateful that I was able to experience so many things that I would never have been able to experience in Japan. I think it was a very intense week. I think it was very hard work for you to plan and lead us to this point. I can't tell you how relieved I was with the daily updates of photos, videos, and reports. Thank you so much.

= = =

It was helpful for me to be able to participate with just my child. It was also fun to make friends with children I didn't know in the same classroom and children from other classrooms.

= = =

There were so many activities during my stay, from nature experiences to service activities, that it was hard to believe that I only had a week to experience so many things.

= = =

The follow up before and during the tour (procedures, timely progress reports during the tour, etc.) was very generous to both parents and children, which made us feel at ease.

= = =

This time #1 was his strong wish (to meet his online teacher in person!). I decided to participate in the program. I originally thought the program content was attractive, but in fact it was much more than that.

The many pictures and feedback from the teachers brought smiles and peace of mind to us in Japan. We appreciate the teachers' meticulous attention to detail!

He also felt that he had a valuable experience in all aspects, including the shocking differences between Japan and the Philippines (especially in terms of toilets). He was able to meet his online teacher, which he had longed for, and he is happy to say that he had a fulfilling and intense week. Seeing her smiling and excited face, I am very happy that we were able to participate in the program!

= = =

It was a wonderful experience. The program was excellent.

= = =

I am sorry that I became ill during my participation in the program and caused inconvenience and worry to the teachers who led the program. Thanks to your detailed reports, I was able to rest assured, and I am grateful to the guidance teachers, who have experience in child rearing, for watching over me.

I was pleased that she was able to make friends with her friends throughout the entire trip. Since this was the first time we sent the children abroad away from their parents, we hoped that they would develop a sense of independence, but I think they also had a heart-wrenching experience of getting sick away from their parents, which helped them to grow emotionally.

= = =

Through numerous activities, I was able to see my daughter with various expressions on her face. I believe that what she gained was more significant than just improving her English skills.　It will be a memory for my daughter for the rest of her life. Thank you very much for your detailed guidance.

= = =

During the camp, we received real-time photos and reports from the parents, which was very reassuring. The camp was able to experience social contribution activities, etc., which cannot be experienced on an individual trip, and sowed the seeds of interest in society and ideas in the children's minds. Many of the meals were fatty, and it would have been better if more vegetables were consumed. It would have been nice to know information on living conditions in advance, such as local toilet and shower conditions.

= = =

OtherSurvey Content."You can find more information about the following here ↓.

[blogcard_code url="https://gli-english.com/11135/"]

Notice of Next Overseas Study Tour

GLI's overseas study tours" not only provide a variety of experiences, but also lead to significant growth in English and children's development.But next timeScheduled for "April 2025."The company is doing so!

The venue has not yet been decided,As soon as details are finalized, we will inform you on the official line of GLI.

I want to be the first to know!"If so, please register with GLI's official LINE.

↓↓↓↓↓

This blog is long because we wanted to provide you with plenty of information, but thank you so much for reading this far!

I am sure that the entire GLI staff will continue to offer programs that will leave your child with memories that will last a lifetime. Thank you for your cooperation.

　
GLI Aya

　
P.S.
Kaburaki, a GLI representative, will beThe New Normal in Education: Expanding Children's Potential."We provide short videos on the theme of

You can learn about the current educational situation and broaden your career path and options.Information is available.

We hope you will follow us and like our site.

Kaburaki's installations
https://www.instagram.com/kaburaki_san

[P.S. 2
GLI's help for learning EnglishFree learning content."can be found here.
↓↓↓
https://gli-english.com/contents/