Card games help bridge language gap

MATES: Masterton Intermediate School student Paige Bodle, 12, with Japanese exchange student Shoko Takasu, 13; Japanese exchange students with their billets from Masterton Intermediate School. PHOTOS/LYNDA FERINGA

Card games have helped bridge the language barrier between Japanese students and Masterton students billeting them.

Masterton Intermediate School is billeting 32 Japanese students from Osaka's Shijonawate Gakuen Junior High School with the Kiwi students hosting them heading to Japan themselves next month on a cultural exchange.

It's an exchange the Masterton school has taken part in for the past 19 years as part of the school's out-of-the-classroom education lessons. The Japanese students arrived last week and leave tomorrow.

Students Macy Ngatuere, 13, and friend Rosa Day, 12, are two of those hosting students as they prepare for their own adventure.

Macy said her billet, Akane Uomoto, 13, speaks very little English but it wasn't a problem.

"It's interesting teaching her our language and me learning her language. At the start she couldn't speak any English but she's doing heaps better now."

Japanese card games Okane had taught them helped breach the language gap, Macy said.

She can't wait for her own exchange experience.

"I can't wait to see all the Japanese temples and shrines ... and to do the calligraphy work we will be learning."

Rosa said having Taeko Ohaski, 13, stay had been a heap of fun.

Taeko has been teaching her Japanese card games and they have played non-stop Monopoly.

"It's been a lot of fun."

Rosa's looking forward to seeing everything she has been learning about when she goes to Japan. "It's going to be very educational," she said.

Parent Nelda Day said the children couldn't go without the continuous support of the community and Wairarapa businesses who sponsor the trip and helped raise funds for the student to go. Each child must raise $3200 towards the trip.

From car washes to quiz nights, fashion shows and every other fundraising effort imaginable, the children had been well supported, Mrs Day said.