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Hosts needed for Japanese students

Foreign exchange students want to come to Oceanside - so where do they stay?
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Host families are needed for some high school students from Japan who will be visiting District 69 May 22 to 26. Last year a group visiting from Aichi Keisei worked on their English skills while enjoying all that Oceanside offers.

There’s an opportunity for families in District 69 to host students from Japan from May 22 to 26.

The students are visiting from Aichi Keisei, a high school near Nagoya, Japan and they will be getting a Canadian cultural experience as well as some ESL instruction at Kwalkum Secondary School (KSS).

It’s not the first time students from Aichi Keisei have visited our area and Brad Wilson who teaches Japanese at KSS said it is a great way for families to immerse themselves in Japanese culture for a few days.

He said you don’t have to speak the language to be a host family and there should be no worries about communicating with the kids.

“These kids are studying English.  I speak Japanese and my wife does and we will be on call 24 hours,” he stated.

Wilson said it can be quite an enriching experience to host the students and the families who have done it in the past have found it rewarding.

“I find that with daily activities you can get into a rut and when you have new people in your home, you see things differently…it can bring your own children out of their shell.  Many people maintain relationships with these kids over the years.”

There are 72 girls and boys aged 15 and 16 who will be heading here.  Wilson said they are looking for families to host two students each during their stay.

Families who host students will be paid $25 a night per student for a total of four nights and will look after the Aichi Keisei students in the evenings.

Host families will be responsible for providing a comfortable sleeping arrangement for the students — one bedroom for the students to share is fine as long as they each have their own bed, cot or comfortable foamy.

Breakfast, supper and a bagged lunch for each day they are here will also be required and getting the students to KSS and home.

If your child is currently taking the bus, the district will accommodate your guest as well at no charge.

KSS will provide ESL instruction and other activities for the students during the school day and Wilson said his Grade 10 Japanese class will be joining them on their field trips.

Wilson said they need seven more homes and it is getting down to the wire.

If you have questions or would like to host a student please e-mail Wilson at bwilson@sd69.bc.ca. or call 250-240-3328.