A group of 25 Japanese students have been visiting the School. They have come to Australia to improve their English language skills. The students have used two and a half weeks of their summer holidays to visit Australia.
Approximately half of the group are being home hosted by students from Peter Moyes who come to School with their host student. The other students have a School Buddy and meet up with them at Recess, House Tutorial and Lunch. All of the Japanese students experience the Australian school day either in the Middle or Senior School. This extends to attending some class lessons with their Home host or Buddy student.
For the Japanese students at our School their morning included extensive English language lessons in the Lecture Theatre or the Common Room. Every other day sees the group on either a full day or half-day excursion to places of interest in the metropolitan area. One afternoon saw Nyoongar visitors to the School explain aspects of our indigenous culture to the students, including lessons on how to play the digeridoo.
Students in the Primary School also had a visit from the group also, where Year 5 students asked about the students’ hometown. The Japanese students have been practising this topic in their language classes. Afterwards, the Japanese students also shared an aspect of Japanese cultural life, such as traditional calligraphy, origami and the tea ceremony.
Our students, as expected, have been excited and pleased to share their school life with the Japanese students. Cultural exchanges are valuable for both groups, highlighting similarities as well as differences.