Hirakata High School Visit

Day 1

Our Hirakata High School students had a fantastic day at TLSC today and embraced every opportunity to experience Australian school life.

This morning, they enjoyed a school tour followed by Susanne Johnson’s fun cooking session where the students made Vegemite and cheese scrolls, and lamingtons. It was their very first taste of Vegemite! While the reactions were certainly mixed, everyone was willing to give it a go.

Later in the day, they participated in an AFL skills session with Jonathan Pavlides and Emma Fjeldstad, where they learnt how to handball and kick the footy. It was a real highlight of the day!

A huge thank you to Susanne, Jonathan, Emma and all of the staff involved today. Your enthusiasm made the activities so enjoyable, and the students absolutely loved your lessons.

Day 2

Today we officially kicked off our sister school partnership with Hirakata High School through our Welcome Ceremony. Our instrumental music students showcased their incredible talent, and I would like to sincerely thank Tracy Lee, Bobby Vasilevski and Darren Grima for their time and support in making the ceremony so special. 

The Hirakata students also delivered wonderful speeches, which reflected the effort they have put into learning English.

Thank you to everyone who attended the morning tea and showed your support for this special program. Our accompanying teachers have commented many times on how welcoming and friendly our staff and students have been. 

Thank you to Alessandra Borg, Chris Galle and Bruce Zhao for taking our visiting teachers out for an Aussie pub meal and trivia last night. They had a fantastic evening! 

Following the morning tea, the Hirakata students joined Trish De La Fuente’s Year 8 Art class, where they created beautiful watercolour postcards featuring Australian and Japanese flowers. 

They exchanged their postcards with one another, each including a personal message, creating a meaningful keepsake of the day. Trish, thank you for delivering such a thoughtful and engaging lesson. Your youngest student really enjoyed the painting! 

In the afternoon, the students enjoyed an exciting reptile encounter, where they learnt about some of Australia’s unique native wildlife and had the opportunity to get up close with a variety of reptiles. It was a memorable experience and another highlight of their Australian visit.

Thank you once again to everyone who has contributed to making our visitors feel so welcome. Your support is helping create lasting.

Day 3, 4 & 5

Over the weekend, our Hirakata students spent time with their wonderful host families, who truly went above and beyond to make their experience unforgettable.

Students enjoyed a wide variety of adventures, travelling as far as Phillip Island, Yarrawonga and Lorne. 

Others explored the Yarra Valley, visited the chocolate factory, spotted penguins, explored the historic streets and waterfront of Williamstown, or took in spectacular views from the Eureka Skydeck. 

Some enjoyed quieter moments at home, including cooking homemade ramen together, while others experienced an evening around a bonfire, toasting marshmallows with their host family’s extended family.

Today, the group travelled to Ballarat Wildlife Park, where they had the opportunity to hand feed kangaroos, meet a variety of native Australian animals and, to everyone’s delight, spot plenty of joeys! 

Day 6

Today began with an English conversation class led by Angela Kelson, followed by a wonderful presentation from our Hirakata students about their hometown and school. We learnt about their school clubs, annual festivals and life in Hirakata. Many of our students were surprised to discover that Osaka Castle Park is not only a historical landmark but also a popular venue for concerts and major entertainment events.

The students then took part in a special session with Darren Grima and Danielle Simone using our new 3D printers. 

A huge thank you to Darren and Danielle for creating this opportunity and sharing their expertise. The Hirakata students were excited to take home the keychains they designed and commented on how innovative and impressive our IT programs are at TLSC.

Lunchtime was full of conversation, laughter and connection as students shared snacks and played cards. There continues to be a fantastic buzz around the school, with many TLSC students dropping in throughout the day to chat with our visitors and make the most of this cultural exchange.

In the afternoon, the Hirakata students joined Bruce Zhao’s VCE Japanese class, where they had the opportunity to interact with senior Japanese students, answer questions and experience a VCE language lesson. 

They then observed a range of classes across the school. A big thank you to Bruce Zhao, Mel Tarquinio, Paul Felton, Elizabeth Green, Ricco Dezan, Bobbie Gagovski and Sema Ersoy for welcoming our visitors into your classrooms.

This evening, a large group of host families headed to Watergardens for dinner and bowling.

Day 7

Day 7 saw our Hirakata students and their host siblings explore the heart of Melbourne! Together they wandered through the historic Block and Royal Arcades, sampled chocolates at Koko Black, admired the colourful graffiti laneways, visited the steps of Parliament House, and enjoyed lunch at il Mercato Centrale.

Thank you to Bruce, Alessandra and Angela for leading such a fantastic excursion, and to Danny for attempting to sneak the group into Parliament House for an impromptu visit!

That evening, we came together for our Farewell Ceremony to celebrate an unforgettable week of friendship and cultural exchange. 

Students from both schools shared heartfelt speeches, reflecting on the experiences they had shared and the friendships they had formed. There were plenty of smiles, laughter and, of course, tears as it became clear just how meaningful this exchange had been.

One question kept being asked throughout the evening: “When are we going to Japan in 2027?” ….No pressure, Danny!

Thank you also to Bobby for supporting the musical performances and to Darren for attending to ensure everything ran smoothly with the sound and technical equipment.

This morning, we gathered one last time to wave our Hirakata students goodbye. There were plenty of hugs, tears and promises to stay in touch.

Finally, thank you to everyone who helped make this exchange such a success.

• Jackie Scodella, your catering was exceptional. You were always ten steps ahead, anticipating what was needed and ready to help.
• Penny and the Library team, thank you for your support throughout the program. The library became the heart of our exchange, and your willingness to accommodate every request made such a difference.
• Danni DeLuca, although illness kept you from the final days, your experience with homestay programs and support throughout the planning process were invaluable.

Here’s to a wonderful new sister school partnership and, judging by the excitement of our students… hopefully Japan in 2027!

Danielle Thomas

Japanese Homestay Leader