Kelly Dowel and Tim Williams experienced another culture through Rotary exchange.
Camera IconKelly Dowel and Tim Williams experienced another culture through Rotary exchange. Credit: Supplied/Andrew Ritchie

Open to cultural experience

Staff ReporterEastern Reporter

The 22-year-old, of Perth, completed the Rotary Australia-Japan Youth Cultural Exchange (AJYCE) program and stories about his host family, the Japanese people and their lifestyle encouraged his brother to successfully apply the following year.

‘My brother and I still maintain a strong relationship with our host families and my brother now lives in Japan and teaches English,’ Mr Williams said.

Applications for the 2015 AJYCE program are open for 18 to 35-year-olds (Year 11 and 12 students can apply) until the end of the month and the exchange is over two weeks in January.

The cultural exchange between District 9455, WA and the Japanese Rotary District 2570, Saitama has been going for 38 years, with a reciprocal visit by the Japanese team to Perth scheduled in March.

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Highlights include skiing, cultural sightseeing, shopping in Saitama and Tokyo, a trip to Tokyo Disneyland, a tour of the Fukushima tsunami disaster zone and a visit to the Honda Motor Company. Rotary subsidises the exchange to help promote better understanding and relationships between Australia and Japan.

For more on the exchange program, call Regan Ashley on 0400 842 464 or email ajyce@|outlook.com.