OSAKA INTERNATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL VISITORS

Last week we welcomed seven Japanese students to the College from Osaka International School. Sincere thanks must first and foremost be extended to all the host families for their generosity in opening their homes to these visitors and ensuring that they had a thoroughly good time here in Tasmania.

The visiting students were treated to many different experiences throughout their stay. There were special cooking, art and woodwork classes for them and they got to make and eat damper at Brickendon.  There were lovely interactions to be had at the Junior School with Year 5 Bristow and Early Learning Rockcliffe.

The way of life here in Tasmania is significantly different to that of a school student in Japan.  A common comment to be heard was that of how clean our air is here and how beautiful our beaches are.  I think we sometimes take our surroundings for granted and these visitors have made us realise that we are indeed very fortunate to live in such surroundings.

The visitors were very keen to try to communicate in English and no doubt they have learnt a great deal from their host families and from other students they had interactions with here at school. Thank you to anyone who made them feel welcome here.

Some classes studying Japanese this year had the opportunity to interact with these students and try out their own Japanese skills.  Our students had the chance to hear native Japanese people of a similar age speak and it is affirming to realise that everyone’s spoken Japanese was understood.

Once again I would like to extend my most sincere thanks to all the host families.

Jenny Banbury
Coordinator of Japanese