FCJ College Year 12 student Kelsie Scriven with Japanese exchange student Manani Tamaru, who has been staying with her family.
Photo by
Simon Ruppert
For the past two weeks, 22 FCJ College families have been hosting a Japanese exchange student in their home.
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The 22 students from Sacred Heart School in Tokyo enjoyed a unique cultural experience a very long way, figuratively and literally, from their inner-city life.
They sampled traditional Aussie cuisine, attended Aussie school classes and toured Victoria, and further afield with their host families.
FCJ College principal Shaun Mason said the key to this exchange was to offer the Japanese students a chance to practise their English.
Next year, FCJ College students will get the opportunity to have an amazing cultural experience in the heart of Tokyo, while also practising their Japanese.
“Prior to the pandemic, it was an alternating program where they would come here, and we would go there,” he said.
“But COVID happened, and last year, both schools travelled.
“This year, Sacred Heart are here again, and then we get into the old routine as of next year, which is when our students will go to Sacred Heart School.”
Mr Mason said all students studying Japanese will get an opportunity to go.
“They will stay in the homes of Sacred Heart School families, and then do some touring around Kyoto and Hiroshima as well. It’s a pretty amazing trip,” he said.
Students from Sacred Heart School in Tokyo were farewelled by FCJ College after a successful two-week exchange program. Sacred Heart students performed a dance and hosted games with their Aussie counterparts before students, teachers and host families enjoyed some traditional Aussie food.
Photo by
Simon Ruppert
“The Japanese students have been taking the opportunity to learn and practise their language skills.
“They tried not to speak much Japanese as possible in the homes. It’s about their English skills.”
One of the host mothers was Anna Eddy, and she said it has been a wonderful experience.
“It's been a fantastic experience learning about their culture,” she said.
“She's fitted in really well. We live on a farm, so it was a farm life experience that she's never had before coming from the city. Lots of kangaroos jumping around the paddocks.
“She loved the Aussie food. She requested an Aussie barbecue, so we did that. We also did a traditional roast, another day we had meat pies. And she seems to have really enjoyed it.”
Current Year 12 student Kelsie Scriven isn't studying Japanese herself, but has loved having Manani Tamaru stay in her home.
“She immersed herself in our culture. She loved seeing all our native animals.
“She made us a traditional Japanese dessert and showed us how to do origami.
“We all had a nice time looking through her photos from home.”
Kelsie said she has seen an improvement in Manani’s English skills during the visit, which she said is what it is all about.
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