Takara Suzuki

I had a lot of difficulties when I was studying in New Zealand, but at the same time I had a very valuable experience.

First of all, I wanted to go to study abroad again this year because I wanted to improve my rugby skills and English and to deepen my friendship with my friends who I had built during my month study at St Thomas of Canterbury College last year.

On March 7, I flew from Japan to New Zealand for about two weeks. However, I heard something very uneasy during check-in. It is said that the scheduled return flight was canceled due to the influence of the new Corona virus. However, because of my positive personality, I decided to go to New Zealand for the time being.

When I arrived at Christchurch, Mr. Kashizuka, an agent who took care of me for a month last year, was waiting for me at the airport. I consulted him about my return flight on the way to homestay. He suggested me to extend from two weeks to a month. When I heard it, I was puzzled because just arrived, but I decided to extend.

The school program started the day after arrival, and while I couldn't even do club activities in Japan, I was able to participate in weight training and rugby practice after school as part of my class.

While spending such a day, when I was on the phone with my family, my mother told me, "Due to the new Corona virus, direct flights will be canceled until the summer, so I can't come back to Japan. The first two-week study abroad was a four-and-a-half-month term study abroad. At first, I could only laugh, but gradually my anxiety grew.

A few days after hearing about it, I was told that my host family was going to change, and I moved to another host family's house (Biggs Vice President's House). I had a lot of anxiety at first, but it was a very friendly host family and I liked it very much. Until now, I had been picked up by car to school, but I went to school by bicycle on my own.

On the first day of school, when my home stay changed, I was taking classes as usual, and some of the students started to make a fuss when they looked at their cell phone. It was a government interview which announced lock down when I thought what it was and showed it.

I was very confused about lock down as soon as I moved to a new place, but I knew I couldn't do anything about it myself, so I said, "I can't help it, it’s going to be okay. I thought. During the lock down, I used training equipment in the garage to train my muscles, play billiards, touch the guitar, and kill time on Netflix.

In this way, the lock down period of six weeks ended, and when the school started and going to school by bicycle, various coincidences overlapped, the balance was lost, it fell, and the knee was cut deeply. When I arrived at school with blood, I was told that I should go to the hospital immediately, so I decided to go to a nearby hospital with Mr. Kashizuka. The anesthesia was done, and even the inside was sterilized carefully. Fortunately, there was no need to sew.

The injury did not interfere with rugby, and I was able to participate in club activities as usual. We had a practice match with other schools every Saturday, and we were able to experience high-strength rugby matches.

Through these matches, I was able to see the difference between the physique of Japan and the world and how well I can play. When I came back to Japan, I want to get as physical as these players.

On my days off, I enjoyed shopping, swimming pools, and watching Super Rugby at the mall and city with my school friends. I was able to go anywhere by myself by bus in Christchurch.

In no time, I finished studying in New Zealand for about four and a half months.

Through this study abroad, I said,“Nobody knows what will happen to our life. ”