Japanese Guide Visit – Thursday

サーズディー

Ballarat Town Hall

This morning our Japanese Girl Guides visited the Ballarat Town Hall for an official welcome by Deputy Mayor Mark Harris. Ayano delivered a prepared speech and presented gifts to Mr Harris. Keiko passed on a letter to Ballarat’s Mayor from Inagawa Mayor Fukuda.

The visit to the Town Hall included a tour of the Council Chambers, the Mayor’s Private Chambers and the original ballroom.

The Guides signed the same Visitors Book as Queen Elizabeth and Princess Diana.  They performed “I’ll Think of You”, a delightful clapping song.

Before leaving, they visited the Japanese Garden that symbolises harmony between our two sister cities.

Exploring Ballarat

The girls visited the Ballarat Art Gallery and some local shops. Followed by more shopping. They finished the experience laden with bags.

Ballarat Girl Guides

Local Girl Guides had eagerly looked forward to a visit from Troop 17 of Hyogo Council.  A quick visit to a Junior Guide unit included:

• joining in with Guide Ring
• a session of improvised communication
• singing Happy Birthday to Mahiro
• listening to a performance of The Guide Law Song
• performing a clapping song
• teaching the Junior Guides the clapping song
• singing some favourite campfire songs – Lady Leary, Chinese Fan
• taps

The Japanese Guides ran some activities for their host unit, Sebastopol Guides. This resulted in a fun night of:

• kimono dressups
• koma – throwing a spinning top
• otedama – juggling
• kendama – game
• origami
• Japanese calligraphy

We now look forward to the weekend where more than 50 Guides will attend an Aussie activity day with our Japanese visitors.