A group of international students enjoyed a trip to Lake Tekapo whilst Kiwi students sat school exams.

Matua Tip Winiata and Ms Sue Kim took the students on the trip. The visit included soaking in hot pools at Tekapo Springs, snow tubing, tramping near Mount Cook as well as star gazing.

One student Hanako said she had always wanted to go to Tekapo to do some stargazing since she was little in Japan and saw a T.V. programme about Lake Tekapo. It is much harder to see stars in Japan so she was really looking forward to having this opportunity and what she saw turned out to be “really impressive”.

Like Hanako, Yuto had heard about Lake Tekapo from Wakamatsu students who had enjoyed being there in previous years. Yuto was amazed at how big Mt Cook was and thought it was very beautiful but he thought that Lake Pukaki was the best. He said he had never seen a lake so blue and he was “overwhelmed” by the scenery.

Tomoka thought the food was great and the accommodation was “comfortable”. She enjoyed the hot pools and skating.

Chikasa enjoyed the ice skating too, visiting the salmon farm and thought “climbing the elephant rocks was amazing”.

They all enjoyed a farewell dinner, including cake for Sascha, one of our lovely German boys who has returned home to Germanay. The students were especially grateful to Tip and Sue for providing them with this wonderful opportunity and looking after them so well.