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Japanese Youth Exchange presentation

Published: 16/11/2015

Five Flintshire students who travelled to Japan for the 2015 Flintshire Optec Japanese Youth Exchange gave a dazzling insight of their experiences earlier this month to young people interested in applying for the 2016 exchange at a Presentation Evening hosted by Cllr. Ray Hughes, Chairman of Flintshire County Council. After their visit to Japan in late July, Luke Ralphs-Davies, Georgina Wrigley, Eithne Preece, Shannon Tudor and Sam Entwistle, discussed skills and practices of Japanese life, including their experiences of living in a Japanese household, what kind of food they ate, the rebuilding efforts in Miyagi Prefecture after the 2012 tsunami, and the wonderful places that they visited during their two week stay. They also talked about hosting their Japanese students in this country, showing their students aspects of Welsh culture, and the bonds of friendship that were created over the four weeks of the exchange. The students showed slides of their visits to Tokyo, shrines, and places of natural beauty and other images of their many activities such as traditional paper making and attending festivals. The Flintshire parents who welcomed Japanese students into their homes agreed that it had been a ‘once in lifetime’ experience for the whole family, and they would recommend it to any family whose child was interested in applying for the 2016 exchange. Cllr Chris Bithell, Cabinet Member for Education and Youth said: Many young people have enjoyed and benefitted from their experiences provided by the Flintshire Optec Japanese Youth Exchange over the years and I would encourage others to find out more about what this exciting programme offers and how they can be part of it in the future. Cllr. Ray Hughes, Chairman of Flintshire County Council. I would like to thank the Flintshire Optec Japanese Youth Exchange Trust for its continued and generous funding of the Flintshire side of the exchange programme and also the generous assistance provided this year by Toyota UK, Deeside and the Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation. The exchange is coordinated by Flintshire County Council and open to all students aged 16 -18 on the 1 September 2015 in full time education in Flintshire high schools and colleges. Applications for the 2016 exchange are due to be returned by Monday 23 November. For further information or application forms contact Beth Ditson, Japanese Youth Exchange Coordinator on 07786 523 601, Paula Jones on 01352 704400 or email beth.ditson@flintshire.gov.uk Note to editors Pictured (left to right) in the attached photograph are 2015 Exchange Students: Mari Yambe, Kotoyo Sakanyo, Eithne Preece, Georgina Wrigley, Rina Koseki, Emily Bevan-Smith, ShannonTudor, Luke Ralphs-Davies, Ryuya Kubota, Sam Entwistle