A group of 30 Japanese exchange students attended Australian Christian College Echuca for a week of cultural exchange.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
Australian Christian College students and families said ‘sayonara’ to a group of exchange students from Japan last week.
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Two teachers and 30 students from Kaichi High School made the trip to Echuca as part of an Australian Institute of International Understanding program.
Students from both schools participated in the cultural exchange, with host families taking in the international visitors.
It was the first time the school had participated in the program, and principal Kevin Sourgen said, after its success, it was unlikely to be the last.
Australian Chirstian College Echuca principal Kevin Sourgen.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
“It’s been a fantastic week. It brings us great joy and great pleasure to have these visitors join us to show them what we do up here in Echuca,” he said.
“I think we might make this something we do more regularly.”
Over a week, the school organised cultural and culinary exchanges, a talk from an Elder on Aboriginal history, and excursions along the Murray River, including a fishing trip.
AIIU Victorian regional manager Kate Bamford said the school had been “amazing” and the Japanese students had thoroughly enjoyed their time in town.
“I think I’m going to struggle to get some of them home,” she said.
“They’re learning about Australian culture and improving their English language skills, but we’re also bringing other cultures into schools to help build relationships of international understanding.”
Kaichi High School students at the school assembly on Friday.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
The institute also runs an outbound program, which takes high-school students from Australia to Japan and other countries.
Ms Bamford, who is in charge of the program, said local students may have the opportunity to reunite with their visitors in the future.
“We’re hoping some of the students from ACC Echuca will go visit Kaichi, and get hosted by the same families to create long-term friendships,” she said.
“The feedback from the teachers from Kaichi has been outstanding, so once other people hear about it, other schools in Japan will want to come, too.”
The school held an assembly on Friday, August 8, to thank AIIU, the students and the host families for participating in the program.
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