Cultural exchange to strengthen relationships
Horsham’s St Brigid’s College students will learn about Japanese culture first-hand during a three-week visit from a group of international exchange students.
Teacher Jeni Allen said the college welcomed 15 girls, all aged 15 and 16, from Matsudo International High, near Tokyo.
“In September, a group of 19 St Brigid’s students will be going to Japan and will spend a couple of days at Matsudo International, being hosted by perhaps some of the same students who will be with us for the next three weeks,” she said.
Ms Allen said the Japanese students would participate in several excursions and activities, such as visiting Green Park Casuarina Kindergarten and Ss Michael and John’s Primary School, along with ‘further flung’ places such as Naracoorte, Roses Gap and Brambuk – The Aboriginal and Cultural Centre at Halls Gap.
“They have a dedicated English teacher to prepare them for many of these activities,” she said.
“They will be observing and participating in regular classes at St Brigid’s and exploring Horsham city on foot armed with extensive worksheets, by means of which they will discover what pies and pasties are, the difference between a cafe and a bakery, what an ‘op shop’ is and so on.”
The college officially welcomed the Japanese students at an assembly on Monday.
Year 11 student Tarnee Arch, who will go on exchange to Japan in September, gave a welcome speech in Japanese.
Staff and students also officially welcomed Italian student Chiara Bottazzini from Turin.
Chiara will attend the college for three months.
“Italian has been taught at St Brigid’s College for the past 20 years or so, but has only recently included classes beyond year eight level,” Ms Allen said.
“I teach both Italian and Japanese, and in my four years here have seen classes grow into the senior years, so that we now have students at year 11 level in both languages.”
Ms Allen said St Brigid’s students looked forward to a follow-up trip to Japan at the end of term.
“All 18 of us going on it will meet these same Japanese kids again, which is an indication of how important and popular the study of Japanese at St Brigid’s has become in the four years it has been being taught here,” she said.