Aust uni students visit Highlands

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TEN James Cook University students from Australia visited a village in Western Highlands recently to live among the people and learn more about their language, culture and way of life.
Their visit last month to Kunguma village, a half-hour drive out of Mt Hagen, was funded through the Australian government’s New Colombo Plan.
It offers Australian students the opportunity to study and learn more about neighbouring countries.
Student Melisa Scalon said: “This experience has shown me how hard working the people in Kunguma village are in dealing with their day-to-day development challenges.
“They have beautiful hearts and have been welcoming and warm and protective to me and the other students.”
Local Bernadine Danomira said: “The most important thing for me has been to share and showcase our culture to the outside world.
“I want to have an exchange where students come here and tell us a little bit about themselves and our community learns about them, and they can also learn about us.”
Professor Rosita Henry, who accompanied the students, said the visit helped them to gain a better understanding of the country which they would cherish.
She said it would set the groundwork for potential future business relations, political and diplomatic ties and cultural engagements between the two countries.