A group of 20 children age seven to 10 arrived in Powell River from Hong Kong on Sunday, April 1, for a two-week Canadian learning adventure.
The students and three accompanying guardians are from Whampoa Alliance Primary School, an educational facility with 1,000 pupils. This is the first time most in the group have visited Canada, let alone Powell River, according to School District 47 International Student Program district principal Shannon Behan.
Behan met the group in Vancouver last Sunday and flew back with them to Powell River. The excitement was palpable and the young contingent did not waste any time with jet lag upon arrival, said Behan.
“They went from Hong Kong to Vancouver to here and later that night were swimming in the ocean, running along Willingdon Beach Trail feeding the squirrels and playing street hockey,” she added. “It was remarkable.”
Students are attending Westview Elementary School and having homestays with families of their new classmates. The intention, according to Behan, who organizes the homestays, is to give the young visitors a typically Canadian experience while they are in town.
“I try to make it as quintessentially Powell River as possible,” she said.
A language barrier is not an issue for most of the students, said Behan, who estimates 90 per cent of the children already possess a strong working knowledge of English. This has helped the new students quickly make friends with their Westview counterparts, she added.
“The students are totally connecting with each other,” said School District 47 ESL teacher Jessica Adam.
Adam is working as a liaison between students and host families, and accompanying the group during activities.
“The teachers are really integrating the kids,” said Adam. “Every class gets to do an activity and it’s such a different experience for these students.”
So far, students have tried bowling for the first time, gone swimming at Powell River Recreation Complex and attended some Powell River Kings hockey games during the height of playoff excitement in the community. It is that feeling of inclusiveness and safety the students immediately felt, said Behan.
“They really automatically feel it’s such a community,” she added. “For people who’ve lived in big cities it’s quite surprising to go to the store and see people you know. They see their teacher out for a walk after school or at the hockey game.”
The students said they are enjoying making new friends and are equally impressed with the fresh air and greenery.
“Powell River is big and so beautiful,” said Anson Tse, 10, who is visiting Canada for the first time.
“It has a lot of trees,” adds nine-year-old Jaime Poon.
Ten-year-old Grace Liu said she lives in a building back home that does not allow animals and she loves staying in a home with a pet.
“Here people can have dogs or pets, whatever they like, so I love Canada,” said Liu.
Adam said many of the children have gotten over their fears of animals during their time here.
“Many of the children said they had phobias of dogs before coming here, but all of our homestay families have dogs because it is very common to have a loving pet here,” said Adam. “That’s been a big piece of learning.”
After spending eight days in Powell River, the children will take the ferry to Vancouver Island and visit Victoria and Vancouver before making the journey home. This is the second year School District 47 has hosted younger students from abroad, according to Behan.
“I would love to see it continue,” she said, “Everybody jumps in and makes it work for the kids.”
