La Salle Academy and TOKE High School of Japan signed a sister school agreement on Friday, August 24, which formalised the relationship between the educational institutions.
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La Salle recently bid goodbye to its latest cohort of visiting students, who have been exposed to cultural experiences and plenty of Aussie friendliness.
For the last two years, La Salle Academy has hosted visiting students from TOKE, who have enjoyed the opportunity to immerse themselves in Australian culture.
La Salle Academy principal Joyce Smith said the sister-school arrangement was an opportunity to celebrate the things we have in common, as well as our cultural differences.
“One of the reasons to study language is to better understand the structures of our own language,” she said.
“Opportunities to travel – opportunities to have visitors come to us from another country – makes that study come alive.”
Mrs Smith said she looked forward to the arrangement as a wonderful opportunity for the “enrichment of us as people”.
TOKE High School principal Hajime Imai, known to his Australian hosts as ‘Jimi’, said his teachers and visiting students had been struck by everyone’s friendliness, and by the students’ independence.
He said the agreement between the schools would promote friendship into the future. Due to retire in 2019, he said he valued the bond they had forged.
“This historic event will be an unforgettable event for me,” he said.
“I hope this will strengthen the friendship between us, and deepen [the students’] understanding of culture.”
Mr Imai extended an invitation to La Salle Academy’s students to make a return visit soon.
“May our friendship last forever.”
During the two-week homestay program, the TOKE students enjoyed workshops and activities, such as a visit from Eve White from Wandana Aboriginal Education, and excursions to sites including Featherdale Wildlife Park.
Bathurst Diocese Bishop Michael McKenna attended the sister-school signing event, leading the school in a prayer for rain as well as celebrating the new arrangement.
“It was a good day to visit La Salle Academy, a very happy providence that I am here on the day of this visit by TOKE School,” he said.
The visiting students from TOKE took the opportunity to share some of their culture with the gathered school students, singing their school song and a favourite pop song before performing a traditional ‘fishing’ dance.
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