Ten Japanese students swapped the bright lights of Tokyo for the laid-back Benalla lifestyle for the past couple of weeks. Photo: Christine Knight.
Ten Japanese exchange students have been calling Benalla home for the past few weeks.
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The program was arranged by Study Trek Australia and the Australian Christian College in Benalla.
Study Trek Australia director Kate Bamford said it was the first year ACC had been involved.
“They've been absolutely amazing,” she said.
“They've really given the kids that country Australian opportunity.”
Ms Bamford said the program was not reciprocal yet, but hoped ACC Benalla students would have an opportunity to travel to Japan in the future.
“They’re called visiting international students on a study tour,” she said.
“They come over as a larger group, and they get into schools across Victoria.
The exchange students had an opportunity to embrace rural Victoria, including an excursion to see native animals. Photo: Christine Knight.
“We’ve got quite a number of Christian schools we work with, and they’re all linked together, which is how ACC in Benalla got involved.”
The students were in Benalla for two weeks, having left to head back to Tokyo on Sunday, March 22.
Ms Bamford said country Victoria was a far cry from central Tokyo, and students made the most of the experience.
“They’ve had bonfires, they’ve been to a farm visit, they saw all the machinery, saw the cows and the other animals,” she said.
“They’ve gone fishing. They’ve been on a nature hike near the river and had a barbecue at a park.
“They’ve done a lot in that two weeks.”
While part of the trip was about learning English, experiencing something different to what they are used to forms a big part of it.
The students enjoyed a traditional Aussie barbecue on their adventures. Photo: Christine Knight.
“We try to encourage country schools to get involved because we understand that they don’t always get that opportunity to have international visitors in their area,” Ms Bamford said.
“It’s special on both sides. They have a cultural exchange and friendships grow from that.
“So it's really creating international understanding as well as giving back to the school.”
Ms Bamford said the program had been a big success, in no small part thanks to the host families.
“We cannot thank the host families enough,” she said.
“It's exactly the kind of program that we wanted.
“They have gone out of their way to care for these students and show them kindness.
“The smiles on these students' faces tells it all.
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