About VS Oceania
Since our establishment, we have helped many young students from Japan and Australia to experience life in a foreign culture. The VS Oceania Management Team are passionate about developing inter-cultural communication between everyday people of different cultures and it is from this passion that we draw our strength and core principles.
From our origins as a small operation, we have grown into a strong and stable company, with each program tailored to the specific needs of each of the study-tour groups we co-ordinate. It is our hope that every student who participates in our cultural exchange programme goes away with a memorable experience of the Australian way of life and a greater understanding and appreciation of cultures outside Japan.
Hi my name is Nikolas, I’m one of the Homestay coordinators working at Vs Oceania. I look forward to introducing all families to their exchange students. I hope and pray for a memorable experience for all. I love staying in touch with all host families and students. I look forward to hearing from you all.James Copland
G’Day, my name is James. I have worked with VS Oceania for many years at many prestigious schools throughout Sydney as both an English Teacher and Coordinator. I take great pride in my dedication to provide the utmost quality of service to the students, teachers, and host families under my care. My English classes are enjoyable and down to beat with the students, and my coordination has a long and pristine record of many, many happy students who all had a time of their lives.
Lesley-Ann Stone
Hello, I am Lesley-Ann Stone. I have been working with VS Oceania for many years assisting as an E.S.L.Teacher. I love teaching my students all about life in Australia and incorporating games and activities into our lessons to make them memorable. I also host Japanese exchange students in our home. My family and I look forward to hosting more students in the future. We hope you stay safe and look forward to seeing you soon in beautiful Sydney.
Danny Rook
I visited Japan at Christmas in 2018 and fell in love with the culture and its people. Since then I have dedicated myself to achieving my goal of teaching English in Japan.
I have completed a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, Bachelor of Arts in History and my CERT IV in TESOL. I am currently studying for my Bachelor of Education (K-12). I have been involved with VS Oceania for about 5 years, hosting students from Japan. I have also taught these students English on a number of opportunities. I keep in touch with my students on Instagram and try to assist them when they return home. I believe that good teaching comes not only from studying but also from experience. The greatest learning coming from the mistakes we make. Therefore I try to create an environment where students learn that making a mistake is not a bad thing. I also strive to incorporate the students’ culture and experiences into my teaching to make it more inclusive and interesting to all. I cherish all my memories of Japan and the students and I can’t wait for my next trip.
Hi, my name is Richard. I have been teaching and instructing young people since 1982 in all aspects of life. I am a volunteer at a very large Youth Recreation Centre near my home. I have organised and coached at sports, i.e. Basketball, Soccer, Tennis, Table Tennis etc. I have also worked closely with our local primary school helping students that were behind in their reading to improve their reading ability and teaching older students how to properly address a congregation/meeting.