New Caledonia Tour

During the first week of the holidays, some students from our school went to New Caledonia on an exchange trip. We all met at the airport early in the morning, and flew to Noumea, the capital of New Caledonia. The flight was really fun because we got to sit with all of our friends on the plane. When we arrived, we got picked up by our host families. My host family was really nice and welcoming, because they were friendly and inclusive and they made me feel at home. They took me to do all sorts of fun activities, such as snorkeling with turtles on a tiny island, which was really beautiful, and hiking up a nearby mountain which was difficult and tiring, but we made it to the top, giving us a majestic view of the city and ocean. Also, we got to participate in the unique New Caledonian school experience, which was nine hours long, but we were having fun the whole time. It was difficult understanding people there because they all speak French, but it was a good opportunity to practise. I got along really well with my exchange buddy, and we hope he can come and visit us next year. I will remember this experience for the rest of my life.

Alfie 9C

On our recent trip to New Caledonia I made a bunch of new friends and memories I will never forget. Being one of the lucky students chosen to participate in this school trip was a blessing no one could have prepared me for. The plane ride there was so exciting, from talking about the days to come to the landing and realising we were actually in another country with our classmates, no conversation could have gotten us ready for the experience we were about to have. I was greeted by my host family by an immediate car ride to a concert on the beach. When I arrived home for the first time I was blown away by their house. The next few days were spent walking on the beach and snorkelling on different islands, accompanied with boat rides. After I’d settled in with the tropical environment it was time to start attending school. The next few days were the most exhausting days of my life, but the activities didn’t stop there… On the Thursday I went to one of my correspondents friends' sweet sixteenth birthday party and made a bunch of new friends and memories. During the last two days there I focused on appreciating the culture in New Caledonia by visiting the local culture centre with the other students. As the trip came to an end, I chose to spend my last night with my host family by the beach watching the sunset. Overall I would recommend this experience to anyone looking to really immerse themself in New Caledonian culture.

Alika 9C

The morning of our flight was like nothing you could imagine. The empty streets and highways, the adrenaline rushing through your body, the drowsiness trying to close your eyes. And then you get to the airport, yawning while looking at the 3am on your phone. You see your friends, you see your teachers and you see students you’ve never talked to before. You say goodbye to your family, and then three hours later you're on a plane, flying to the biggest adventure of your life. It’s a morning I’ll never forget. 

Later that day we were greeted by our host families and taken to their houses, where we spent the next 2 days there doing all sorts of things. The highlight for me however was the school. It was the first time we could all see our Australian group, and we had many many stories to exchange. There, we were welcomed by all the students, who were dying to meet us. My strongest memory was in the yard, me and my friends would stand still for 20 seconds, and we’d have a group of New Caledonia students surrounding us and bombarding us with questions in French.

On the final day of our trip, most of us were sad to leave, but excited to come back home. There were hugs, tears and “au revoirs” everywhere. Overall, even if the trip was not wholly positive, I came back more resilient, patient and grateful then a week earlier. I would absolutely recommend this trip to anyone who is wondering whether or not they want to go next time.

Daniel 9C

Going to New Caledonia was a really great experience. The moment we all got on the plane, I had a strong feeling that the trip was going to be amazing… and I was right! Our host families had taken us deer hunting, deer eating, fishing, swimming and so much more. From going to the beach and getting crêpes after school on a Wednesday, watching the sun set while sitting in the back of a boat that’s bouncing up and down with the waves and having a dinner of carbonara and oreo tiramisu (not together, obviously) to jumping up and down (and upside-down) on a trampoline while playing with my host family’s many pets (7 dogs, 5 puppies, 2 cats, 5 hamsters and a parrot), life in New Caledonia feels really relaxed. That is when you’re not waking up at 6am to go to school from 7am-4pm and getting repeatedly swarmed, encircled and questioned/weird statements by the students there. Not that relaxing. However, it was a great 8 days, which I think is proved by one day when we went to a resort island. I loved the place so much (and so did somehow pretty much every GEC kid that went to New Caledonia who’s host families decided to come here) that I joked about wanting to stay at that resort the next time I came to New Cal - and my mum surprisingly agreed. I’m coming back, New Caledonia.

Avyaan 7B

The trip to New Caledonia was a really great experience! I got to practice speaking French with my host family, which was an incredible opportunity. It was also really cool to go to a French school and see a different way of life. With my host family, I got to swim with turtles, see different parts of Noumea (such as the city centre and some markets), and go to the zoo, where I saw birds and animals native to New Caledonia. Because school ends early on Wednesdays, I also got to go to the beach after school with my host student and some of the other Glen Eira students, which was really enjoyable. We played soccer, went shopping, and swam (the water was so much warmer than in Melbourne!). After having been a host student last year, it was really nice to be able to stay with the student that I hosted and experience her way of life, which I found interesting. I definitely learnt a lot and made so many amazing memories from this experience!

Emma Year 11