April 19^th 2015, the students from the Horowhenua College New Zealand has ended their exchange tour in Guangzhou and embarked on a journey back to their home country with reluctance to part from their Chinese buddies. During two weeks of exchange and study life experience, they have made friends from abroad and left a good memory.

The programme has been carried out smoothly, thanks to the Sister School Partnership between Panyu Zhixin Middle School and Horowhenua College. This is a first-time, face-to-face, sincere and friendly interaction between the teachers and students of the two schools after the two schools started to cooperate with the Ministry of Education of New Zealand.   

Participators of the programme was selected by Horowhenua College. Students stayed in school for weekdays and had Chinese and cultural courses that have never been taught in New Zealand campus. The trip provided an immersive language environment for the students as they were paired with Chinese student buddies, and stay at their buddies’ family on weekends to experience local life.

A 15-days study experience is not too long but Panyu Zhixin designed a variety of cultural experiencing courses and activities for them: Chinese musical instruments, calligraphy, painting, pottery, martial arts, Chinese cooking skills, Lingnan architecture and Cantonese opera art etc. These courses go with field trips in between, which help students to understand the knowledge and cultural connotation in practice. At the end students built their own unique insights into a culture other than their own.