Tuesday saw a display of cultural exchange, where The Catlins Area School played host to a delegation from Japan as part of our ongoing exchange student program. The visitors included Mr. Takao Inamura, Principal of Yasuda Gakuen, Mr. Yoichiro Moto, English teacher at Yasuda Gakuen, and Mrs. Kei Ando from JTC, the Japanese agent for International students.

The trio were welcomed with a informal Maori welcome, known as a mihi whakatau, in the school gym. Following the mihi whakatau, the visitors were treated to a personalized tour of The Catlins Area School by the school's head students, Blake Affleck and Mia Cable. The tour aimed to showcase the unique aspects of the school and providing the Japanese delegation with a first hand look at our school. The tour proved to be particularly exciting for Ryusei, who was delighted to see a familiar face from Yasuda Gakuen.

The relationship between The Catlins Area School and Yasuda Gakuen is part of our ongoing exchange program. This program facilitates the integration of Japanese students into the New Zealand school environment for a term, fostering cross-cultural understanding and friendship. Shosei was a previous Japanese student from Yasuda who participated in the exchange program, and we look forward to welcoming a student in 2025.

As the exchange program progresses, both schools look forward to building lasting connections and creating new opportunites for akonga.