We were delighted to host a group of twenty five students and three staff for eight busy days. The first tour group since 2019.

On arrival in Christchurch they visited the El Noor Mosque to pay their respects and had a picnic at Hagley Park, before finally meeting their host families.

Following orientation they visited the Victorian Precinct and dressed in period costumes. Two days of buddy classes gave them an insight into New Zealand school life. The biscuit baking lesson was very popular with the girls.

The Hay family farm provided a shearers’ morning tea then gave the students the opportunity of trying their hand at shearing a pet lamb. Then it was off to Moeraki and then back to school for the Gala.This was something completely new to them so the students were asking the teachers if they could hold something similar at their school.

Saturday included a visit to Otago University and shopping in Dunedin. It would have been a profitable day for the CookieTime shop. Apparently Japanese chocolate is not very nice!

We were happy that Kapa Haka were able to provide a lesson in Maori culture and the students enjoyed making a poi.

Students, buddies and host families gathered together for a potluck meal and presentation to the students before we said our final goodbyes.

A huge thank you to the wonderful families who were willing to take the students into their homes, and to all the buddies who looked after them at school and on some of our field trips.

Sayonara Kori Nevers.