~ Article and photos from Lismore City Council ~
2015 Sister City Student Exchange Program participants with students and teachers from Kadina High School
Lismore once again played host to students from our Japanese sister city Yamato Takada this August as part of the 2015 Sister City Student Exchange Program.
Lismore and Yamato Takada have enjoyed a sister city relationship for 52 years and the exchange program is a fantastic way for young people from both countries to share one another’s culture and experience new things.
The five students and their chaperone had a wonderful time exploring the Northern Rivers region, visiting local sights as diverse as our major water reservoir Rocky Creek Dam to our famous alternative capital, Nimbin.
The students also spent three days at a local secondary school, Kadina High School, where they got to try both ordinary and extraordinary Australian experiences, from making Anzac biscuits and lamingtons to undertaking science experiments with eucalyptus oil!
Members of Kadina High School’s Japanese Club took the students under their wing, giving the Japanese visitors a taste of felting, farm agriculture (essentially patting baby chickens!) and photography.
“The students loved every minute of it… they made so many new friends, although I am sure they were tired once they got back home. We packed so much into 11 days!” laughed Lismore City Council’s Michella Wade, who chaperoned the students during their stay.
“I think their exchange gave them insight into our culture, which is vastly different to theirs, and the fact they were hosted by local families meant they got a very personal experience of our family dynamics and lifestyle.
I definitely think it opened their eyes to a new world and gave them a different perspective on their own lives.
“For us as the chaperones and hosts, it was an absolute joy… they were so respectful and very willing to have a go at anything. We would have them back in a second!”
Students from Lismore will return the favour, travelling to Yamato Takada from 23 September to 2 October 2015 to experience all that Japanese culture has to offer.
Yamato Takada students and their chaperone on the 2015 Sister City Student Exchange Program with Lismore City Council’s Michella Wade