Osaka Kun-ei Girls High School

Three girls each year from Kun-ei have been attending Waihi College for a number of years. They arrive in February, and spend the year learning and developing their ability in English. Watching their confidence and ability grow to become fluent and self-assured is a great pleasure. They discover as much about themselves as they do about NZ.

Kyoritsu Joshi Dai Ni High School

It is always a pleasure to welcome the students and teachers of Kyoritsu Joshi Dai Ni High School from Tokyo. They arrive towards the end July, having boarded their plane in Tokyo in the middle of summer, and arrived in New Zealand the next day in the middle of winter. But they have bringt with them a warmth that transcends the weather. During their time here they attend intensive English language lessons with local students and participate in activities in a variety of English speaking settings involving crafts, culture, sport, technologies and arts. They also get to see around Waihi and Tauranga, visiting the goldmine, clambering over the ancient Maori fortifications at Bowentown, and simply being tourists in Rotorua. The international Netball match between NZ and Japan is played out on the court following intensive coaching over two weeks.

Read the Comments of the 2011 students

Kyoritsu Joshi Dai Ni - 2011

Universal Cultural Exchange – Thailand

Two groups from Thailand visit Waihi College through the Universal Cultural Exchange programme in Thailand. The students come from a variety of places in Thailand, and so not only meet new friends in NZ, but also from their own country.

The group in March come for 9 weeks, and get a real taste of Kiwi life, developing their English dramatically, and also discovering much about our country.

The other group in October come for three weeks, and have a similar programme to our Japanese groups.

Jiading District

Along with the Hauraki District Council Waihi College has been association with schools in the Jaiding District near Shanghai in exchanging visits by students since 2007. In a true exchange the schools have hosted each other to learn about their culture and life.

Kaisei Junior High School

About 20 students, a teacher  and escort visited Waihi in February and March each year.

They come to improve their English speaking, and to see what New Zealand life is like. They visit a dairy farm, a gold mine, a Maori marae, walk/swim in the beautiful Karangahake Gorge, went rock climbing in Tauranga and play two games of soccer.

They have English lessons every morning, and spend time with Waihi College students,  talking and listening, and sharing their thoughts. Each afternoon they visited a Waihi attraction or slice-of-life.

Meidai Junior High School

The boys from Medai Junior High School first came in August 2010, and will return  in March 2012. Discovering Touch Rugby and the All Black haka were highlights of their trip.