On Saturday 10 December 2011, 36 students and 3 chaperones from the Tohoku Foreign Language College in Sendai, northern Japan, arrived at Kingscliff TAFE to begin a one week study tour.

The Tohoku students were officially welcomed to the region by Tweed Mayor Barry Longland and presented with a plaque to mark their visit. The plaque, designed by Kingscliff TAFE Graphic Design teacher Craig Elliott, displayed the words “hope through friendship” in both English and Japanese.

“This is the tenth year students from Sendai have visited Kingscliff TAFE and the plaque is an acknowledgement of the friendships that have been formed”, said Sharon Lane, head teacher Education Employment and Support.

The students will be spending a week in the Tweed studying English and getting a taste of the Australian way of life in and out of the classroom whilst living with host families throughout the region.

The students will be attending a mix of English language classes, work experience at the Radisson hotel for the hospitality students and a visit to a local Tweed preschool for the child studies students.

In addition to their English studies the group will also get to enjoy some fun excursions including an Aboriginal cultural experience at Fingal Head led by Frank Krasna, local indigenous bush expert.
 
Tweed Mayor Barry Longland believes this type of cultural exchanges is beneficial to all the parties involved. Barry said; “this is not only a chance for our Japanese guests to get a taste of Australian culture and experience all we have to offer in the Tweed, it’s also an opportunity for the local host families to learn more about Japanese culture.”