What are the OYIS community members doing over the winter break?
With the winter break and New Year fast-approaching, students, teachers, and faculty members are all eagerly anticipating the holidays! The OYIS corridors are vibrant with conversations about holiday plans, hopes, and new years resolutions. Afterall, a 3 week long break that includes the start of a new year is a joyous and significant occasion that deserves it's chatter and consideration.
Holidays and breaks are more vital than ever with the ongoing pandemic. Research shows that rest and time away increases resilience, which increases our ability to manage the challenges of everyday life. A change of scenery or schedule can provide us with new perspectives and allow us to focus on ourselves for a while. I like to think of winter break as a time to reflect on the school year so far and come back ready to explore the new year.
So, what are the OYIS community members planning to do for winter break? I for one am anticipating spending the winter break with a cup of hot chocolate absorbed in the many books I have been wanting to read for a while.
Felicia from Grade 10 is really looking forward to flying abroad for the holidays and spending time with family she hadn’t seen for 2 years. As she explained, “My dad and I are planning to visit my extended family in the U.S. We weren’t originally planning to fly anywhere because of COVID, but my uncle is getting married, so it was a bit of a sudden decision... I'm really excited!" Felicia added, "After I get back, though, I have to do a two-week quarantine, so I’m hoping to read a bunch of books and watch movies and stuff, which I’m also excited about.” Hopefully, Felicia will have both her family needs and her need for personal time met with her holiday plans.
Winter in Japan is the perfect time to enjoy sports like skiing and snowboarding! Joshua from Grade 11 will be speeding down snow covered slopes while breathing in the cool and refreshing mountain air. Joshua explained, “I am planning on going skiing or snowboarding during my holiday and I will celebrate Christmas with my family too.”
Christmas is an important holiday for many and every family has their own traditions and ways of celebrating it. Ms. Jess the MYP Language and Literature teacher seems to have a exciting break planned ahead. "During the break I will stay in Osaka for the first week because my husband and son really like to be at home for christmas, “ said Ms. Jess during our interview. After spending christmas with her family, Ms. Jess will be going on an adventurous and refreshing trip. “I think we will go skiing in Nozawa onsen in Nagano and after that see some friends in Tokyo and come back to Osaka for a couple of smaller trips with some friends from school," Ms. Jess added. With the perfect combination between relaxing at home, meeting friends and enjoying outdoors, Ms. Jess seems to have a very balanced and energizing break planned.
Mr. Russell the MYP biology teacher unfortunately, had to change his winter break plans because of the new COVID-19 variant. "I wanted to go to the UK. I was looking forward to it because I haven't been home for two years. But the omicron variant made it too complicated and difficult so instead I'm staying in Japan,” said Mr. Russell. Regardless of his sudden change, Mr. Russell's new plan of travelling inside Japan sounds fun and relaxing as well. Mr. Russell explained, “I'm currently trying to make plans to keep myself entertained. I'm thinking of going to Kyushu because it's nice there and a bit more warm." Despite having to change plans, Kyushu’s natural beauty and fantastic food is certainly entertaining and something to look forward to.
Irrespective of COVID-19's effect on many of our holiday plans, OYIS students and staff are enthusiastic and looking forward to winter break. Whether you're travelling, spending time with family, or staying at home, I hope this winter break is a refreshing change from the hectic pace of everyday life. On that note, I wish everyone a wonderful break and a happy new year!