Pauline Vukelic at her Japanese “kanreki” celebration (2017) of Fukuoka Futaba Girls School class of 1975. Source: Pauline Vukelic
Ms Vukelic has a English father and an Australian mother. Even the Vukelics didn't have any connection to Japan nor Asia, Ms Vukelic found herself getting more and more interested in Japan and feeling relaxed when she is surrounded by Japanese culture and things.
In the audio, she explains about the upcoming The South West Festival in Bunbury and shares her experience in Japan.
Ms Vukelic kept studying Japanese at university in Japan and Australia. She is currently a member of the Bunbury International Relations Committee and president of the Busselton and Sugito Sister Cities Association.
The Japanese host mother who welcomed Ms Vukelic in 1974 has already passed away but the daughters of the host family and Ms Vukelic have been in touch - every day.
"They have five grandchildren and I have three. We exchange the photos of our grandchildren every day," Ms Vukelic said.
South West Festival of Japan
The South West Festival was started to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the sister-city relationship between Setagaya Ward in Japan and Bunbury in WA, Australia. This year's festival is the third one and will be the biggest.
The festival starts from Friday the 3rd and ends on the 11th, Saturday.
Ms Vukelic had been acting as president of the Bunbury International Relations Committee and, even now, have been actively promoting the sister-city relationship with Setagaya, as a member of the association.
This year, Ms Vukelic will be at the festival as president of the Busselton and Sugito Sister Cities Association, wearing a mascot suit of Sugipyon, the official mascot character of Sugito city in Japan.
Ms Vukelic is looking forward to a stage performance by a Perth-based Japanese drumming group Taiko On.
South West Festival of Japan in Bunbury 2021 Source: South West Festival of Japan
