The 2019 Indonesian Cultural Exchange represents the sixth exchange where Peter Moyes Anglican Community School has been very happy to welcome students from Margie School, our Sister School in Surabaya, East Java. This well-established sister school relationship helps our Middle School and Senior School students to develop a personal connection that supports their language and cultural studies.
In this year’s edition of the Exchange, Six Indonesian students from Margie School once again stayed for two weeks in Weeks 3 and 4. The exchange students toured the School and spent a day in the life of a Peter Moyes student. At School, the students participated in a wide range of Indonesian classes from Primary to Senior School, helping PMACS students to practice their language skills and sharing views about what life is like as a teenager in a big city in Indonesia in comparison to Australia.
The Margie students enjoyed interesting visits to a number of venues such as the Fremantle Prison, the Caversham Wildlife Park and the Chocolate Factory in the Swan Valley with their host students. They also participated in an Amazing Race excursion to the City and Elizabeth Quay with some Senior School students. Host families enjoyed spending time with our overseas guests bowling and exploring other tourist attractions such as Rottnest and King’s Park. Their stay ended on a high note with the opportunity to attend the 74###sup/sup### Indonesian Independence Day celebrations held at the Indonesian Consulate in Perth on Saturday 17th August.
The Margie students have particularly appreciated the opportunity to experience Australian values, excursions and the feelings of independence and freedom they were given. It was also the first time most had experienced colder weather, a lingering feature of the two weeks they were in Perth.
Their gratitude for the hospitality and opportunities given was intense. But most gratitude was saved for the host students and their families who had made them feel welcome and part of the family.
We thank the exchange host students, Mitchell and Ben Graham, Abby Palmer-Smith, Neisha and Bianca Admaweda, Dana Harrison, Connor McVey and George Burke for their roles in welcoming our exchange students from Surabaya during their two week stay. We look forward to continuing with this strong interschool partnership and providing Peter Moyes students and families an opportunity to develop international links with their language learning.