St George's Superstars

Holly and Tahala: Year 10  

This week’s Superstars are our two inaugural Beyond St George’s exchange students! 

After hosting fellow Year 10 students from Cathedral College Wangaratta earlier this year, it was recently Holly and Tahala’s turn to walk in their visitor’s shoes! Here, Holly shares a glimpse of what it was like to go to school for a fortnight at a sprawling campus in a rural destination.

I am so glad and grateful to have participated in the first Beyond St George’s exchange program with Cathedral College, Wangaratta. It meant travelling to Melbourne and beyond – in an experience that allowed us to see what it is like living in a rural country town while exploring a bit of Australia in a unique and special  way. 

I lived with Sophia and her family whilst in Bright and, although it was strange at first adjusting to living in a different house, I loved getting to know her and her family - they made me feel so welcome. 

I also experienced life as a student at a big campus school, trying new subjects such as Food Technologies – where we made dumplings, tea cakes and fruit salad. I met lots of new people and even went to the snow. Skiing was so much fun and the absolute highlight of my trip. 

Being on exchange was a big change, coming from city life to a small country town, but it was good to have fellow Year 10 exchange participant Tahala there with me as we helped and pushed each other out of our comfort zone, enabling us to immerse ourselves in the experience and grow fond of how Cathedral College do things differently to us here at St George’s.

Bright is a small town and base for exploring the peaks of Mount Buffalo National Park and Alpine National Park as well as Mount Hotham. It was a scenic place to live and I went on the most amazing walks. 

Being on Exchange allowed me to make so many new and different friends, as well as appreciate and value the friends I have here too. I will continue to keep in contact with these friends and have come away with so many memories that will last a lifetime. If you get the chance to go on exchange, do it as it's an amazing adventure. 

Holly Evans, 

Year 10