Every year for the past 15 years, Ohkuma in Japan sends a group of school students to be hosted in Bathurst homes in Central West New South Wales, as part of the sister city relationship that has grown between the two cities. And for several years now those students take part in intense English language courses at Charles Sturt University (CSU). CSU education lecturer Dr Pauline Jones describes it as a “community collaboration. Because of the long-standing relationships we are now seeing younger brothers and sisters of the original students, so we catch up on all their news.” Dr Jones says the lecturers like to trial and evaluate their TESOL programs during the intensive English classes, and the Japanese students English language development is dramatic because as well as the lessons at CSU, they are also speaking English with their Bathurst host families.