また九月に (Until we meet again)
By Michele Sharp, Head of Languages
If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart – Nelson Mandela
Last week Year 10 Japanese students hosted 13 students from Konko Gakuen, our exchange partner school in Okayama, Japan. These exchanges not only foster enhanced language and communication skills, but students learn valuable life-skills such as developing respect, empathy, cultural understanding, and an increased awareness of world issues. Through exposure to different ways of thinking and living, the homestay component is an opportunity for personal growth as it assists students to gain confidence, experience independence, as well as develop adaptability and resilience.
Prior to the Japanese students' arrival, the Radford Year 10 Japanese class studied a unit on homestay, where we discussed the importance of hospitality. Japanese people are well-known for the concept of おもてなし(Omotenashi). Whilst often translated as ‘hospitality’ it is a far broader concept where people think selflessly and anticipate the needs of others through a genuine desire to be of service. I was very proud of our Radford families who lived this ideal. Thank you for all your efforts as host families.
During their visit I developed a program of experiences for the visiting students to gain a taste of what Canberra and Radford College has to offer. They arrived just before the weekend, so the Radford host families were on duty and introduced them to a variety of activities such as the Balloon Spectacular, Corin Forest, and Canberra city sightseeing. On Monday, the students were welcomed by Radford Principal, Mr Christopher Bradbury who spoke of the importance of language study in our global world, and Rev. Andy Fleming provided a blessing for our exchange.
Activities during the week included attending classes with their host, a lunch time game of Oztag organised by the Language Captains, a Year 12 Japanese class, and an excursion to the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve for a guided tour of native plants and animals.
The Japanese students also undertook some special classes including an art class focused on the nature around us, and a woodtech class in which the students made their own chopsticks. They also took part in a cricket lesson and had the opportunity to make Australian delicacies, such as pavlova and fairy bread for their host families.
Our exchanges are a Radford team effort. Exchange students are welcomed into usual lessons, and many support staff and teachers gave up their time to assist or deliver special lessons. In particular, I would like to thank the following staff: the communications team, Andrea King, Bláithin Murphy, April Frias, Dianne Rose, Rev. Andy Fleming, Sam Lonsdale, Lisa Bourne, Paul England, Cathy Jackson, Neil Craven, Anne Sutherland, Fiona Glover, Amanda Marshall, Damien Nemeth, Stephanie Comino, sports staff, and the languages department.
While it is sad to say goodbye, 20 of the current Year 10 Japanese class will be travelling to Japan to see our friends again in September. Please read some reflections from the Year 10 students below.
"Hosting a Japanese exchange student was an experience I'll never regret. I learnt that friendship expands beyond conversation, beyond borders. Through this opportunity, I made friends I'll never forget, and memories I'll always treasure" – Tilly
"I am so glad I participated in this experience. Not only does this exchange provide unique ways to learn more about Japan's language, history, culture, and society, it also fosters deep connections and is an extremely rewarding and fun experience. I would encourage anyone to accept this offer if presented to you as it is an amazing opportunity with almost endless benefits" – Zoe
"Having a Japanese host student stay with me for 6 days was an amazing experience that allowed us to build a strong friendship despite language barriers. We bonded over shared interests, using a mix of English, Japanese, and gestures to communicate. It was fascinating to see the cultural differences, from daily routines to social customs, and I especially enjoyed introducing them to Australian life while learning about theirs" – Methmal
"The Japanese exchange student program provided so much to my language skills, whether it was just being able to practice daily conversations or learn to use words in ways I didn’t know I could, the exchange was incredibly valuable to me and everyone else who took part. I’m sure we all made some lifelong friends in Japan, and I can’t wait to go there in September!" – Alex