KYS-YSFH: Science, games, snacks and so much more!

By Irdina Aqeelah

I never thought we would be able to learn so much about the Japanese culture and bond with them within just a few days, it’s insane!

– Syahir Adhlan

Yes, it is insane indeed.

Kolej Yayasan Saad Melaka and the Yokohama Science Frontier High School have always had an unbreakable bond with each other which was fostered through music and many cultural exchange programs back then. 

We were thrilled to finally be able to meet our brothers and sisters of YSFH once again as they step foot into our school on that very day. 

The welcoming

A warm welcoming speech by Mr Tan Cheh Li, principal of KYS followed by Mr Yutaku Kurisu, principal of YSFH was given as they retold the stories of the past activities both schools have gone through together as well as how much we have grown in many ways.

After a short souvenir presentation, students’ representatives were given the opportunity to introduce their school in the Great Hall itself. True enough the students of YSFH were amazed after watching the video presentation from KYS and started booming off questions out of curiosity.

The KYS School Tour

To bring on the excitement, the YSFH students were brought on a brief tour around the school. True enough, they walked off the bus talking about the infamous 300-meter-long swimming pool as they have never seen anything like it in Japan.

Bring on the games!

Culture provides a framework for how we view and interact with the world, which is exactly why we had a short session to introduce to the YSFH students some of Malaysia’s well-known traditional games ranging from Batu Seremban, Hopscotch to Congkak and even Sepak Yem.

It wasn’t a surprise to see that the YSFH students were a natural at our games as we were also introduced to some of theirs. 

The Science presentations

After that, we all had lunch to reenergise ourselves and headed to the Great Hall for the joint research presentations. The students of YSFH truly fascinated us with their interesting presentations topics including Snail Mucus, Marine Microorganisms, Use of POME (palm oil mill effluent) and many more.

We were also given a presentation by Sarah Matthews George and Alesha Damia from KYS, together with Mei and Riku from YSFH on the topic of ‘Food Colourings in Candies and Gummies’. A question-and-answer session was held afterwards to cure any curiosities we had.

Snack Time!

Moving on, it was time for the YSFH students to get a taste of some of Malaysia’s best snacks. We prepared our favourite childhood snacks such as Yupi Gummy, Sugus, Mamee Monster, lollipops and the most classic of them all, dodol. Every bite of each snack brought us all back to our childhood days. In return, we were also presented with snacks originating from Japan such as Happy Turn Rice Crackers and Lotte Toppo Chocolate Sticks.

All experiences will eventually end, but that doesn’t mean it will be the last. Embracing cultural experiences can ultimately lead to a more enriched and fulfilling life as a student who is constantly yearning for new experiences.