Shepparton High School offers a Japanese exchange program every year. Students have the chance to go to Toyoake city in Aichi Prefecture, Japan to experience the new world and broaden their horizon. This occurs every second year, with our school hosting Japanese students who come to Australia to learn English and experience life in Australia in the alternate years. The visit to SheppartonHigh School is arranged by the Toyoake Education Board. Toyoake is a friendship city of the City of Greater Shepparton where we made our first visit in 2005.
Our trip to Japan was something you could only describe as unforgettable. After hours of draining travel, there was not a more perfect welcome than the lights of Universal City Walk in Osaka. The people, the bustle, the blissful vibe; every experience was exciting. Even enjoying fresh bentos while passing the countryside on a bullet train was something to behold, and something most locals would take for granted.
Twelve students and two teachers with a tour conductor from Toyoake Japan, arrived safely at SheppartonHigh School in the afternoon on Sunday, 10th of August. The students are in Year 8, and they are just 13 or 14 years old. They came to the cold winter weather Shepparton from the muggy sweaty Japan in the middle of summer. They didn’t look so tired, and soon met Mr Squire and host families. They were too shy to start to talk with their buddies in English at this stage.
At the end of June, three students and one teacher were lucky enough to experience a ten day visit to Japan. The day we arrived in Japan, we found ourselves on the outskirts of Tokyo. The very next day we flew to our sister city, Toyoake which would be hosting us for the duration of our stay.
Eight students and three teachers set out for Japan on Thursday the 30th of June. We touched down in balmy Singapore after 7 hours of hassle free first time for some students) flying. Baby octopus, whole roast chicken with the head still attached and chilli prawns were part of the smorgasbord in the Koran restaurant that Mr McLean chose.
Shepparton 
Our trip to 
Twelve students and two teachers with a tour conductor from Toyoake 
At the end of June, three students and one teacher were lucky enough to experience a ten day visit to 
Eight students and three teachers set out for Japan on Thursday the 30th of June. We touched down in balmy Singapore after 7 hours of hassle free first time for some students) flying. Baby octopus, whole roast chicken with the head still attached and chilli prawns were part of the smorgasbord in the Koran restaurant that Mr McLean chose.
