Languages 

AGTV-BJR Germany Exchange Program

Each year, a number of our senior students of German take part in the AGTV-BJR Exchange program to Germany. Over the Summer holidays, four of our students travelled to Bavaria and spent 10 weeks immersed in life in Germany. Our students have just arrived back to Australia and two of our Year 12 students and have shared their experience:

Anders F, Year 12

Servus alle!

If there is one thing, I think every human being should to, its travel. The AGTV 2024-2025 German exchange was a once in a lifetime opportunity to do just that. We headed off in late November and came back in late January. My experience of the exchange was overwhelmingly positive. My exchange partner was Leander, and I had the privilege of joining him, his parents and his sister in their home in the south of Munich at the “foothills” of the alps. I think what made the exchange so wonderful was all the small feelings. The feeling when the exchange group stepped out of the plane to see snow pouring down at the airport. The feeling of the first snowball fight. The feeling of actually having a white Christmas like the ones we grow up seeing in American and European films.

Another side of the invaluable experience was spending time in a German Gymnasium. Letting the language wash over me, embracing the feeling of being confused, but also seeing my own understanding grow in such a short time. The best way to learn a language will always be booking those flights and immersing yourself in the culture. And whilst the ‘Bayerisch’ slang and youth words won’t help you in front of your Oral Examiner at the end of year 12, it will help you to develop lifelong friends and make everlasting memories. In my short time overseas, I have opened more doors than I thought possible and made connections that may remain with me through my life. For such an experience, I would skip a bit of holiday homework anytime.

Celine S, Year 12

The exchange program to Germany was absolutely amazing. It was an amazing time where I could immerse myself in the Bavarian culture and language. I attended school there, and that itself was an experience - the style of the teaching, the free choice of clothing - it was a once in a lifetime experience. We also visited many Christmas Markets and had a white Christmas which was also beautiful. Since my exchange partner was living in a village on the border of Germany and Czech Republic, most of the population spoke a dialect of German, which was fun to learn. I made so many friends and memories there, and I highly recommend it for anyone wanting to do it. Not only do we get to know more about the culture, we also get to learn the slang, and words which don't necessarily have a direct translation to English. 

Five Vermont Secondary College students will be welcoming exchange students from Germany at the start of Week 3 as part of this reciprocal exchange program. They will then travel to Germany at the end of the year. We look forward to welcoming the exchange students to Vermont Secondary College and the opportunity to share our language and culture!

If your child is interested in taking part in this exchange program, please look out for expression of interest information, which we will share later this month. You can also find more information online here: https://agtv.vic.edu.au/students/agtv-bjr-student-exchange/

Stay tuned next week for further student experiences from their time abroad!