As the newest delegation gets ready to leave for Muroto in Japan in April, one former guest to Port Lincoln is back and once again settling into the community.
March 27 will mark the 28th anniversary since the Friendship Agreement was signed between Port Lincoln City Council and the City of Muroto in 1991.
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During that time about 780 people had travelled either north to Muroto or south to Port Lincoln as part of cultural exchange delegations.
One of those people has been Waka Ueta, who had travelled to Port Lincoln twice, in 2007 and in 2010 as a 14 and 17-year-old student respectively.
Miss Ueta said she remembered being nervous as she was young and could not speak much English, but her host family and friends helped her speak small sentences and become comfortable.
She said she became more comfortable during her next trip and had gone on to study English for four years.
"I gained employment using my skills in a company that exports Japanese green tea," she said.
Miss Ueta is also connected to the Friendship Agreement through her father, Soichiro Ueta who was a part of the 1996 delegation that brought the mikoshi now displayed in the Port Lincoln Civic Centre.
Mr Ueta was elected mayor of Muroto last year.
Miss Ueta is back in Port Lincoln for three months and has been assisting local schools in teaching Japanese before moving on to travel Australia.
"I'm very happy to be back after so many years, some of my friends still live here," Miss Ueta said.
The newest Port Lincoln delegation will depart for this year's Muroto trip on April 11 and travel to Tokyo, Kyoto and Hiroshima before arriving in Muroto on April 17.
Friendship group secretary and treasurer Chris Mantle said preparations for this year's trip had been happening since September.
Mr Mantle said this year the gift Port Lincoln delegation would gift a banner to Muroto.
"The committee had made up a banner for Port Lincoln to use and decided to create one with Japanese language on it for Muroto to use," he said.
Mr Mantle said the banner features photos from past cultural exchanges, which include photos featuring Miss Ueta and one with her father.
For this new delegation departing on April 15, Miss Ueta said the members should enjoy themselves and "just go for it mate!"
