Today, my daughter left for Osaka, Japan, with her fifth-grade classmates.
She attends a small elementary school in the South Korean countryside. This is not a family vacation or an ordinary school outing. It is a three-night, four-day overseas cultural experience trip organized and fully funded by her school.
For our family, this journey feels especially meaningful because the story began several years ago.
From Watching the Older Students to Taking Her Own Turn
When our children first transferred to this rural elementary school, the older students had already traveled to Japan as part of a school cultural experience program.
At the time, our children were still young. I remember hearing about the trip and thinking how wonderful it was that students at a small countryside school could have such an opportunity.
Years have passed, and now my daughter is in fifth grade.
This time, she is the one traveling to Japan.
It feels a little strange and touching to see something that once seemed far away become part of our own family’s life.
Four Days in Japan, Fully Supported by the School
The students will spend three nights and four days in Japan, with Osaka as the main destination.
One important detail is that the school is covering the entire cost of the trip. Our family does not have to pay a participation fee.
I am truly grateful for this opportunity.
Living in the countryside has its challenges, but our children’s school has also provided experiences that I might not have expected when we first moved here.
Of course, not every rural school in Korea offers fully funded overseas trips. Programs and funding arrangements differ from school to school.
But at our daughter’s school, older students have had this opportunity before, and now it is her turn.
A Special Thank You to the Teachers
Several teachers are accompanying the students to Japan.
As a mother, I keep thinking about how much responsibility that involves.
Looking after an entire grade of energetic, sometimes mischievous elementary school children is not easy, even at home.
Doing it in another country for four days must be even more demanding.
There are schedules to manage, places to visit, meals to arrange, and above all, children to keep safe.
While the students enjoy new experiences, the teachers are responsible for making sure everything goes smoothly.
I truly admire their dedication.
I hope the children have a wonderful trip, and I sincerely hope the teachers return home safely and with good memories of their own.
Learning from Japanese Culture Without Forgetting History
I have never visited Japan myself. To be honest, my feelings toward Japan have not always been positive because of the painful history between Korea and Japan.
However, I believe that every country has its own valuable culture and things worth learning. I hope the children will discover those things by seeing and experiencing Japan for themselves.
At the same time, I want them to understand the history between our two countries.
The itinerary for this overseas cultural experience trip includes visits to Mimizuka, also known as the Ear Mound, and memorials dedicated to Korean poets Yun Dong-ju and Jeong Ji-yong in Kyoto.
The Ear Mound contains the severed ears and noses of victims, including Korean soldiers and civilians, taken by Japanese forces during the Imjin War in the late 16th century. It remains a reminder of the terrible suffering caused by war.
The children are also scheduled to visit the poetry monuments of Yun Dong-ju and Jeong Ji-yong at Doshisha University in Kyoto.
Yun Dong-ju was a Korean poet who studied in Japan during the Japanese colonial period and wrote poetry in Korean. He was arrested by Japanese authorities on charges related to the Korean independence movement and died in Fukuoka Prison in 1945, just months before Korea’s liberation.
Jeong Ji-yong was also a Korean poet who studied in Japan during the colonial period and left an important legacy in Korean literature. I find it meaningful that monuments honoring these two poets stand side by side at a Japanese university.
I hope the children will do more than simply visit these places as tourists. I want them to think about the history behind these memorials and why it is important for us to remember it.
As a mother, I want my daughter to grow up with an accurate understanding of history and never forget the suffering of the past.
But I also do not want that painful history to make her see everything about another country in a negative light.
I hope she becomes someone who can recognize and learn from what is good, while also having the courage to say when something is wrong. Someone who respects other cultures without losing her own perspective or understanding of history.
That is the kind of person I hope my daughter will become.
More than just a trip to Japan, I hope this overseas cultural experience will give her a chance to discover a different culture, learn from history, and develop the confidence to think for herself.
Sending My Daughter Off to Japan
Today, my daughter left for Japan with her suitcase packed for four days away from home.
As a mother, I feel excited for her, but naturally, I also feel a little worried.
She is traveling without us, accompanied by her classmates and teachers.
When my daughter comes home, I want to hear what she enjoyed, what surprised her, and what she learned.
Perhaps she will tell me about Japanese food, the places she visited, or funny moments with her friends.
But I also hope she will have something to say about the historical places she saw and the thoughts they left with her.
A few years ago, we heard about older students from this small rural school traveling to Japan.
Today, it was my daughter’s turn.
I hope she returns not only with happy memories, but also with a wider perspective, a deeper understanding of history, and the confidence to think for herself.
And I am grateful to the school and teachers for making this journey possible.