A cultural exchange program is giving Taree students an opportunity to meet and mingle with their counterparts from around the world.
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The program saw 18 students from four Newcastle high schools (one being a university student) visit Taree High students on Thursday, July 21.
Newcastle students, who have come from backgrounds as diverse as Afghanistan, Syria, Congo, Rwanda, Liberia, South Sudan, Burundi, and Sierra Leone, listened to their Taree contemporaries discuss living in regional Australia while also sharing their experiences and what it’s like for them living in Australia and the challenges they face.
As always they find they have a lot in common.
- Jane O’Dwyer
Organised in partnership between Manning Valley Neighbourhood Service – Migrant Settlement, Northern Settlement Services, and the Multicultural Neighbourhood Centre in Newcastle, the visiting students even took on the Taree locals in a soccer match, as well as enjoying a lesson about Aboriginal culture.
“The students gained a lot from the day and really enjoyed themselves,” said Jane O’Dwyer, migrant settlement project worker from the Manning Valley Neighbourhood Service.
“As always they find they have a lot in common – sport, music, part time jobs, the joy of homework.
“It was fantastic to keep the winning record going with the soccer which was extremely competitive and good fun.”
Jane said the students found the Aborginal culture lesson “very interesting”, and enjoyed being able to handle artefacts, feel the ochre,as well as finishing off with boomerang throwing lessons.