DIDSBURY - Westglen School in Didsbury has marked 20 years of welcoming students from the town’s Japanese twin municipality, the Chinook’s Edge School Division (CESD) said in a release.
Since 2005, students from Miki Town, Japan, have visited the Didsbury school as part of a Maple Leaf Exchange Program -- a cultural and educational exchange for junior high students.
Didsbury and Miki became twin municipalities in 2005, with exchanges taking part in many years, although not during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Most recently, Japanese students visited Didsbury for six days late last month.
During the visit, the Japanese students spent two classes in Westglen and spent time with their billet families and other community members.
Many of the Japanese students were billeted on area farms.
During their recent visit, the foreign students taught Westglen students Japanese words, calligraphy and origami. They also gave a well-received drumming demonstration.
Grade 7 Westglen student Grayson said, “I learned how to use chopsticks. It was pretty hard at first but then it was super easy. Being a host is a fun experience because you learn about their language and culture and meet new people.”
Fellow Grade 7 student Wylie said, “I would live to go to Japan and see the cherry blossoms and see what school is like there. We are definitely going to keep in touch.”
Westglen principal Carolyn Massel called the visit “very positive for our students.”
“It gives (Westglen students) a chance to consider life from a new lens. Also, I love seeking how the students of two different cultures and language end up finding so much in common,” she said.
