Exchange Experiences

Montpellier exchange

Late last year, I spent four months on an exchange in Montpellier, France, living with a French family, experiencing the culture, and practicing my French. My host family was incredibly welcoming and made sure I felt at home throughout my stay. I got to experience life in a French school and built friendships I know will last a lifetime. While I sometimes found it hard to be away from my family for so long, this exchange gave me the chance to fully immerse myself in French life and language and was overall a great experience. Not only did my French speaking skills improve greatly, but I also became more confident in myself. Going on an exchange to France is a privileged opportunity, and I would strongly encourage anyone considering it to take it.

Sebastian Sweeney

At the beginning of term 4, I was chosen to attend the Earthwatch Student Challenge at Calperum station in South Australia. The camp allowed me to experience the station’s unique landscape through a lens of ecology and conservation. I was given the opportunity to immerse myself in the reality of conversation science working with the ecology team at the station to help gather data for ongoing projects in the area, while working and connecting with likeminded people from across Victoria and South Australia. The Earthwatch team was incredibly supportive and allowed us the chance to experience the landscape and its wildlife firsthand, fostering an environment in which we could learn through hands-on work with ecologists and local indigenous elders. This program was a pleasure to be part of and is an incredible experience for anyone interested in conservation, science or who simply enjoys spending time in the natural world.

-Enelsa Frankel