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Other lives in YIS Article by: Kento Watanabe

Pros and Cons of Date: September 12 2008
Friday
being a “gaikokujin” Interviewed people: 01001,
01002, 01003, 56498

I am a student going to YIS. I am 12 years

old, and I decided to make an article about
the good side, and the bad side of being a
foreigner in YIS. This article shows the
opinion of other students and the thoughts of
me.
Introduction
Japan is a small country located at the east of Asia. The
capital is Tokyo, and is known as the land of the rising sun.
This article is about the good side and the bad side of
being a foreigner in YIS. Some students have answered the
questions that involve what is good, what is bad, what can
change, and how it feels. Great thanks to the people who
answered to the article.
The main idea of this article is to find out the pros and
cons of being a foreigner in an international school. The
school I locate is named Yokohama international school,
which was built in 1924 in Kanagawa. The best way to
collect the students opinion was to interview them. Some
people had interesting opinions.
 Students of the school pretty much had the same answers but it was slightly
different. I asked what kind of environment YIS is for the foreigners. Some students
said the school was a comfortable environment since there were many students,
some said they dont even think they are a foreigner. What I think YIS is not bad
environment. “YIS is a good environment because it is well organized” -by 01003.
The secound question I asked was about the positive side of YIS. The common
answer was that there is a HKC that is fun, and the balance of the school is
organized. I think the good part of this school is that we can learn Japanese while we
learn english. This way we can use it as long as we are in Japan. “The good part is
that we can be connected with Japanese people and non-Japanese people” -by 01001
On the other hand, this time I asked the negative side of YIS, and how it can
change. The response of the questions were a little bit different. Some students said
the homework wasn’t organized. I agree with this opinion. Other people think the
play ground is too small. I think the size is OK. “There is not enough people. The
playground is too small.” -by 01002 “I think the teachers should communicate more
about homework so it balances out.” -by 56498.
At last I asked the students why they came to YIS. Most of the students said that
it’s their parents that came to Japan. The other students said they were already living
in Japan. For me, my parents were already living in Japan.

After interviewing other students, Then I thought of some cons.

I thought of some pros and cons.
Pros.
-Can be friends with other
nationalities.
-Can learn about other countries.
-There is a HKC so it’s different.
-we can learn Japanese while we
learn English.
-YIS is on top of a hill so some
students have to walk up the hill.
-The school fee is expensive.
-The school is small
- There is too much people
compared to the volume
- Homework is not balanced.

School is a good place for the students to be connected. if the

foreigners and non-foreigners are in the same environment, we
can make a better environment. Great thanks and this is the
last time.

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