South West hosts needed for Japanese school visit

The Year 11 students from Waseda Shibuya Senior High School in Singapore are mostly children of Japanese parents working in South East Asia.

They will arrive in the region for a three day visit in January.

The school previously sent students to the South West prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, and is now resuming the visits, for the first time organised and managed locally by Gold Educational Tours.

Locals Scott and Sachiko Pearce will manage the student exchange from the company's Busselton office, having taken over from another company previously tasked with the Waseda Shibuya exchange.

"The contract has now gone to our company," Scott explained, and said they were committed to providing a genuine local experience for the visitors.

"We want these students to experience our incredible way of life instead of ending up in a hotel with their teachers.

"We are seeking host families in the Bunbury, Busselton and Dunsborough region. They can be individuals, couples or families with children."

Students will stay in the South West for two nights from January 23 to 25.

Scott said they are able to speak "reasonable English", and the company would provide support throughout the visit for those needing assistance.

Waseda Shibuya Senior High School is associated with Tokyo's prestigious Waseda University, which has produced some of Japan's most celebrated leaders in politics, law, journalism and mass communications, art and sports.

"This visit in January is a valuable opportunity for children in host families to make a new international friend, and for those learning Japanese, to hone their conversational skills," Scott said.

Host families will receive a fee to help cover expenses.

Host family registration forms are available from: www.goldil.com.au/ws-pearce