Joyce Chen was scrolling on Instagram one day in early 2024 when an advertisement caught her eye.
It was for a programme called Japanese Preschool Exchange where families could travel to a region in Japan and have their child attend a preschool there for one week to three months.
Chen wondered if it might be a scam, and asked friends if they had ever heard of the programme before. None had – but she decided to take a shot in the dark and send an inquiry email anyway.
The family stayed there for one week. On weekdays, just before 9am, Chen would drop her daughter off at Sawane Preschool; in the midafternoon, she would pick her up and drive back to their accommodation, which was 15 minutes away.
Chen hoped the programme would expose Evelyn to a new and foreign learning experience.
