They come from opposite sides of the world, but for the next three months Summer Gleeson and Seina Ito will be living together in Blenheim as sisters.
Seventeen-year-old Seina is one of a group of 15 students from Tezukayama Gakuin, a senior high school in Osaka, Japan. She will spend the next three months studying at Marlborough Girls' College.
The girls will live with host families for the exchange, which was initiated with the school in Japan last year. It means the students can experience the Kiwi lifestyle.
Summer will be her host sister until the group returns to Japan on November 26.
Seina has only left Japan twice – an English language trip to Canada and a family holiday in Italy – and the three-month stint in New Zealand will be her longest time away from her home and family.
Girls' College director of international students Chris Bamber said the focus for the trip is to both improve the girls' English language skills and to provide experience of life in New Zealand.
"They really want to find Kiwi buddies, they don't really want to stick together [with other girls from the school]," she said.
The group spent some time in Picton on Monday and also met Mayor Alistair Sowman, which was a big deal for them, she said.
The teachers from the school arrived with the students on Sunday morning and will stay for about 10 days to make sure the girls settle into their new lives.
Summer, 14, said her older sister was learning Japanese and her family had hosted students from Japan before.
The family was determined to give Seina the best experience they could, she said.
Besides improving her English, Seina said she looked forward to learning about the Maori culture, sightseeing and shopping.
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