Japanese Sister School Visit - Host Families Needed

In November last year, 16 SHC students and three teachers embarked on a study tour to Japan, and were warmly welcomed by our sister school, Ibaraki Nishi High School, in Osaka. We are very excited to announce that our friends from Ibaraki Nishi are planning a reciprocal visit, and will be coming to Sacred Heart College Kyneton in Term 3, from Tuesday 30th July to Friday 9th August.

We are seeking families of students currently studying Japanese who may be interested in hosting a student as part of this exchange. It is a great opportunity for students to practise their Japanese language and learn a little more about Japanese culture. It can also open up lasting friendships as hosting may be reciprocated when our next SHC Japan Study Tour takes place.

This experience is about immersion in everyday Australian life. Please note that host families are not expected to provide experiences above and beyond what they would normally do. Weekdays will be spent attending school, and on weekends activities such as family catch-ups, sporting events, local festivals are perfect for sharing Australian culture with the Japanese students.

Additionally, it is not a requirement for the Japanese students to be accommodated in a separate bedroom. It is perfectly acceptable for the students to share a room with their host brother/sister of the same sex. Please note that it will be a requirement for all adults within the host family home to have a Working with Children Check, and sign a Code of Conduct, to ensure the appropriate care of the visiting students.

If you are interested in hosting a Japanese exchange student, please register your details below by Friday 19^th April. Please note that this does not automatically commit you to hosting, at this stage it is just an expression of interest to assist with our planning. We will be contacting potential host families with more information early in Term 2. Please click here to register your interest.

If you have any initial questions, please don’t hesitate to contact Kim Twilley, Languages Learning Area Leader, at the College.