Iris Brkic at the Great Wall of China


Iris Brkic eating cake with chop sticks

Not only was 2006 the year Rio Tinto Iron Ore celebrated 40 years since the first shipment of iron ore left our Pilbara shores for Japan - it's also the year that marked the 30th anniversary of the signing of the 'Basic Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation' between the two countries.

In recognition of these two important anniversaries, Pilbara Iron boosted its support of the AFS Scholarship program to the value of $27,000, helping to send two lucky winners to Japan on exchange for a year.

AFS Intercultural Programs is one of the world's largest not-for-profit community-based volunteer organisations offering intercultural exchanges. Opportunities for language learning, cultural immersion and personal growth are at the core of an AFS exchange experience.

Joel Arvidson from Tom Price Senior High School and Roslyn Stephens from Murdoch University won scholarships valued at $15,000 and $11,200 respectively.

Joel, coincidentally, is also the son of Pilbara Iron plant operator Lon Arvidson.

He says he was thrilled to win and describes it as a 'once-in-a-lifetime' experience.

"What this means for me is that a whole window of opportunity has opened for the future and it's really broadening my horizons," says Joel.

The Year 11 student, who left in March this year, is enjoying learning more about the Japanese culture and ways of life and lives with an exchange family.

Having studied Japanese since he was in Year 3, and having visited Japan once before, he says he already knew a bit about Japanese culture.

"They are really clean and tidy people and generally there is no litter on the streets. Even the taxi drivers keep their cars spotless and wear white gloves," he says.

Community Investment Advisor Laurie Ball said the scholarships are a good way of encouraging the development of people in WA who understand the culture of Pilbara Iron's major trading partners, like Japan and China.

"The benefits of having a pool of young graduates who have lived in places like Japan and China and are fully conversant in the languages are enormous," she says.

In 2005, one scholarship supported a high school student to go on exchange in China.

"China has, and will continue to be, an extremely important partner for WA and the mining sector in the years ahead," says Laurie.

2005 scholarship winner, Iris Brikc from Mt Lawley Senior High School, visited China and told Pilbara Iron she had the time of her life!

"I learned so much about the Chinese culture and way of life. There are always new and different things to do in Beijing and everyone was so warm and friendly," she says.