International students praise Whanganui

Whanganui City College has been hosting international students from six countries this year.

Some of the students will soon be returning to their home countries of Brazil, Slovakia, Austria, Italy, Germany and Japan.

The students say they have loved what the river city has to offer and used adjectives from their English vocabulary to describe their impressions.

"Exciting," said Ikumi Okamoto from Japan. Isabella Da Silva from Brazil said Whanganui is a "special place" and Jacob Kluge from Germany described the city as "gorgeous."

Sofia Hrabinova from Slovakia said her time in Whanganui has been "educating" and Katharina Schneider from Austria described the city as "magnificent."

Teacher Alistair Duff said it has been a pleasure to work with the young people who are all staying with host families in Whanganui except for Ikumi who is staying at the school hostel.

"Some of the students come from places where the streets aren't safe so it has been wonderful to hear them say that they feel secure in Whanganui," said Mr Duff.

All the students indicated that they would like to come back to visit Whanganui in the future.

International visitors Katharina Schneider (back left), Lisa Wiersch, Sofia Hrabinova, Fernanda Da Silva Viana, Lais Nino, Bezerra Torres, Alice Ferreira Geada Pais Da Costa, Isabella Da Silva, Victoria Von Weicht , Christian Heuber, Rachele Pomellato, Menilson Farnezio, Pereira De Oliveira, Jacob Kluge, Davi Soares Coelho, Guilherme Fernandes Xavier Da Silva, Ikumi Okamoto and Marielly Ferreira De Lima. PHOTO/BEVAN CONLEY