Prime Minister Bill English is in Te Puke this afternoon.
He first visited Te Puke High School where he was welcomed with a powhiri from students and mihi from kaumatua Tapua Te Amo and kuia Vervies Punohu McCausland before meeting some of the school's international students and student leaders.
International student Yolanda Xu, 14, from Chins said her high school in China is so large she has never even met the principal, never mind the country's leader.
''This is great and exciting,'' she said.
Lyn Hartje, 15, from Germany said the visit had prompted a lot of discussion at her home stay, especially after former Prime Minister John Key's valedictory speech yesterday.