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Forty-five
visitors from Japan came to the Comox Valley this past weekend
and participated in a full agenda of activities. Our visitors
were adult Japanese students who have come to Canada to work and
study After the welcoming ceremonies and group photos outside the Courtenay Museum, the students went to Snookers Lounge in the Best Western Westerly Hotel where Andrea Wagemaker had arranged appetizers and billiards for the group of 45. They enjoyed the time to relax and visit at the Westerly before heading to Thrifty Foods for last-minute supplies for their night Mount Washington. Washington Way Chalet’s donated enough accommodations for the whole group to stay up the mountain, including a penthouse suite. The group was awestruck by the beauty of Mount Washington and they were very happy to be there despite the frigid alpine air. After a few burger-flipping lessons, the visitors enjoyed a barbeque dinner, Canadian style, in the penthouse suite. Mt. Washington graciously provided an opportunity for the students to try tubing on the Ozone, but the fun at dinner outlasted the time available. Instead they enjoyed a very satisfying snowball fight, followed by a tour of the Alpine Lodge before heading back to the suites for the night. Sunday morning brought a pancake breakfast with unofficial chef Pauline Stevenson before heading back down the hill to visit Excel Career College’s Comox Valley campus. The group went to Quality Foods for lunch on the go and explored Goose Spit and Downtown Comox before heading back to Nanaimo.
Excel Career College wishes to thank the many local businesses that donated services and prizes for the weekend’s events, including Canadian Tire, A.J. Banting Services, the Kingfisher Resort and Spa, Crown Isle, Sid Williams Theatre, Washington Way Chalets, Comox Valley Kayaks, and The Best Western Westerly Hotel. Introduction to Excel Career College and the Comox Valley in Japanese
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abroad.
Working with Miwa Csuka from West Coast International, an agency
in Vancouver, the group came to experience the beautiful, welcoming
Comox Valley. Many of the students have been living, working,
and studying in Vancouver but seek the small town appeal of the
Comox Valley. The weekend tour took the visitors to many of the
valley’s businesses starting with lunch at the Kingfisher
Oceanside Resort and Spa. Following lunch 12 of the visitors were
scheduled to go kayaking, courtesy of Comox Valley Kayaks but
unfortunately the Dam release caused a change of plans. The remainder
of the group proceeded to Crown Isle Golf Resort where they had
a chance to tour the facilities, including the Antique Car Museum,
and test their skills on the driving 
range,
thanks to Crown Isle. The cancelled kayakers were instead able
to have a excursion to Timm’s Fine Art Gallery, Sid William’s
Theatre, and Downtown Fifth Street, where they met many friendly
merchants and enjoyed the scenery. The groups met up again at
the Courtenay Museum where welcoming ceremonies were held, with
Pauline Stevenson, President of Excel Career College, the Honorable
Stan Hagen, Mayor Starr Winchester, Leah Taylor from the Job Shop,
and Jonathan Brenner from New Horizon’s Care Facility in
Campbell River. Shaw Television filmed the event, interviewing
Pauline Stevenson and Miwa Csuka for a segment to be aired early
this week. 
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