Over the Summer, three students in the Fifth (Year 10), Didi, Zara and Harriet, visited Australia for a bustling three weeks as part of an exchange with Firbank School. During the Autumn Term, they returned the favour welcoming Firbank students Emily, Lara and Pippa to Benenden.
The Benenden girls had a thrilling few weeks experiencing much that was on offer with their Australian host families.
“When I arrived from Melbourne airport,” Zara said, “Ms Turner from Firbank met us with a massive smile and a goodie bag. We were then greeted by our host families and taken home.”
When Firbank students Lara and Pippa were occupied by rehearsals for their school musical Frozen, Zara and Harriet had the rare opportunity to enjoy an Australian football match, a treat provided by Pippa’s father. After that, they enjoyed a bit of shopping before meeting the other students at the Botanical Gardens for a light show. Zara said: “It was so beautiful, and a great way to get to know everyone!”
The next day, the students enjoyed their first day at an Australian school. Reflecting on her school experience, Didi said: “I met all of Emily’s lovely friends and they were so nice to me.
“All the time I was at school I enjoyed learning all the different things that they were covering in class. All of it was pretty much like what we learn at Benenden, but it was just good to have another insight on the other schools in other countries.”
“I also went to early morning rowing and netball, as well as choir,” Zara said.
Noting a few differences in the Australian curriculum, Harriet added: “I had loads of lessons and a few I have never tried before, like Food Tech, where I made a kangaroo burger, or a Dance lesson where I got to learn a group dance with all my friends.”
On Zara’s first weekend, she visited the Phillip Island Wildlife Sanctuary. “I saw koalas, and even fed kangaroos,” she said. “This was such an amazing experience, as I had never seen koalas or kangaroos before!”
On one of her weekends, Didi noted a particularly exciting trip away: “We flew to visit Emily’s grandparents in Sydney. We took a ferry to see the different landmarks, including the Harbour Bridge, the Rocks Market and the Opera House.
“I will never forget completing the Harbour Bridge Climb which allowed me to view Sydney from the top of the bridge which is 140 meters tall.”
Reflecting on her experience overall, Zara said: “I will be forever grateful for this amazing opportunity provided by Benenden, Firbank Grammar and my host family.”
Didi added: “I loved my exchange experience and all of the amazing friends I have made along the way. I would do it again in a heartbeat.”
Harriet said: “I had such an amazing time and I miss all of my friends so much.”
The students were delighted when they were able to welcome their new Australian friends to Benenden in September, where they enjoyed attending matches, getting stuck into GCSE classes, joining a trip to the theatre and a whole host of other activities.
Firbank student Emily said of her time at Benenden: “I could not be more grateful to have been able to experience what it is like to board at a school like Benenden, where I truly felt welcomed into a community and environment like no other.
“While I adore school at Firbank, it only takes up part of my life and I find a lot of my enjoyment and connection outside of my school life, but it wasn’t like this a Benenden. The boarding houses were unbelievably homey, the bonds between friends were beautifully close and almost sister-like.”
Her schoolmate Lara reflected on her experience of the exchange, saying: “Hosting Zara gave me the sister I never had. Through going to classes together, riding our bikes to the beach, and simple things like making snacks in the kitchen, we became the closest of friends.
“A highlight was learning about life in the UK, making the traditional ‘Toad in the Hole’ dish. I especially loved showing the girls Firbank and all of our Australian culture. We went all over Victoria, from watching rainbow sunsets at Brighton Beach to skiing up at Mt Buller. I will never forget the experiences that we shared together and will cherish the bonds that we made.”
Finally, fellow Firbank student Pippa added: “Going to England has to be one of the best experiences of my life. While I was there, I really embraced what it was like living at a boarding school.
“One of the main things I noticed while I was at Benenden was the beauty of friendship. Many of the girls there were practically sisters and had such strong bonds. During my stay, I valued the idea of friendship and had many opportunities to meet such amazing girls at Benenden that I still keep in touch with today.”