Christ Church Grammar School Exchange 2017

Week 1: After a grueling travel of over 24 hours, we arrived in Perth, Australia at 11am on Monday June 5. We were greeted by our host families at the gate and taken to our respective homes. Although suffering from a bit of jet lag due to the 13 hour time difference between Perth and Nashville, we were taken straight into activity and was taken to the beach to swim and throw “NFL” on the beach. Right away we connected with our host brothers. The next day we started our school experience by going around to classes with our respective host brothers in the younger year 10, which proved to be a nice easing into the school routine. Along with experiencing many classes from global perspectives to physics, we got to teach a year 10 PE class how to throw a football and even switched off playing a full field game as quarterback. That weekend our host families took us on a ferry over to Rottnest Island, a small island off the coast of Perth, to hang out and explore. We ate some great food, rode bikes around the island, and played a round of putt putt. My family and I (Jack) spent that night in a villa-like house and kicked the “footy” around on the beach.

Week 2: With the year 11 exams over, we got a new schedule with new classes to be with kids our age. Our schedules included math, physics, chemistry, psychology, economics, English, and PE. With the school being on a block schedule consisting of six 50 minute periods during the day, we got to experience different subjects each day and even had 3 classes a day together. That Thursday we got to experience an Australian Football League or “footy” game in which the West Coast Eagles (team from Perth) beat the Geelong Cats. That weekend we went to a nice public golf course and hit on the range. We were also able to go out and explore part of the city by walking around and enjoying the different views.

Week 3: The third week consisted of another normal week of school in which we had become comfortable with the routine of school life. As the week ended, we went with our respective families “Down South” to Dunsborough which is a little coastal vacation town about 3 hours south of Perth. We spent the weekend mountain biking, playing golf, and hanging out and watching the Eagles footy game Saturday night. After returning home Sunday afternoon, we took a day off of school on Monday to go visit a wildlife park and see many native Australian animals. We got to hold koalas, hand feed kangaroos, and see dingos roaming in their enclosure. The long weekend culminated with us adventuring into the city that Monday afternoon with our host brothers to walk around and buy some Australian souvenirs.

Week 4 and end thoughts: The last week was another good week of school and hanging out with friends. We got to strengthen even more relationships with some really cool people in and out of school. On the last morning we got up at sunrise to go surfing in the Indian Ocean. Neither of us had ever surfed so it was tough, but we had a great time trying to get up and catch a wave. The experience was very impactful on both of us and we are so grateful for being given the opportunity to go on such a once in a lifetime experience. To anyone looking into applying for any exchange, we would highly recommend it. Please feel free to talk with either of us about our amazing trip. We would like to thank Mr. Gioia, Mrs. Scholer, and the Warner family for allowing us to represent MBA in Perth.

Michaelhouse Exchange 2017

Michaelhouse Exchange, South Africa: Zach Smith and Matthew Stagg

Host families

We arrived on August 9th and spent the first week with two host families. The first host family, the Hendersons, lived on a farm near Ladysmith. While there, we enjoyed seeing the countryside, rode around in the bakkies, and even burnt fire breaks with the farmers to prevent wildfires. We them traveled to Johannesburg, where we stayed with our second host family, the Madodas. While there we explored the city and saw Nelson Mandela’s house in the township of Soweto. Both families were very welcoming and we enjoyed discussing our respective cultures.  

Game Reserve

During our stay at Michaelhouse we took three days and went on a safari at the Nambiti Game Reserve at the N 'daka lodge. We went on four game drives and saw a ton of beautiful animals including elephants, buffalo, black and white rhino, lion, impala, kudu, zebra, giraffe, and hippo. We also ate delicious food on the trip to Nambiti.

School

Our time at school was also very rewarding. We met many wonderful people and enjoyed getting to know them. The experience of staying at a boarding school was much different than being a day student at MBA. Zach stayed in Founders House and Matthew stayed in Farfield House. We took interesting classes while Zach enjoyed drama and economics, and Matthew enjoyed history and economics. We both played soccer and Zach played golf and got second in the Founders House golf tournament with his roommate. It was a wonderful experience on a beautiful campus and we made memories we will never forget.

Zach and Matthew with the two exchange students coming to MBA, James and Hamish

Front of Michaelhouse

Zach and Matthew in Number Ones

Cape Town

We were able to take three days off from school to visit Cape Town. It was a beautiful city built around Table Mountain. We hiked Table Mountain and had a beautiful 360 view of the city. We also visited Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 18 years. Lastly we went to the Cape of Good Hope, the most southern point of Africa where the Indian ocean meets the Atlantic. The views were breathtaking. We even got to see African penguins along the way at Boulders Beach. We also connected with Charlie Ma who was on exchange at Bishop's School in Cape Town. It was fun to compare our experiences and see Table Mountain together. We stayed with the principle at Bishop’s School, Guy Pearson. He and his wife were wonderful hosts and helped to make Cape Town a highlight of our trip.

Zach and Matthew with Charlie Ma on Table Mountain

View from Table Mountain

Final Thoughts

Our time in South Africa was a truly unforgettable and once-in-a-lifetime trip. We got to experience so many different areas and ways of life, from city to town to farm, all while journeying through the scenic countryside. We met so many wonderful people and loved our stay at Michaelhouse. We definitely recommend this exchange!

Thank you to the Warner family, Mr. Gioia, and Mrs. Scholer for this amazing experience.

Christ's College Exchange 2017

Christ’s College Exchange by Blake Robison, Thomas Carr, and Isaac Wills

First of all, we would like to extend our gratitude to the Warner Family as well Mr. Gioia and the school for providing us with the means to this international exchange. Our trip to Christ’s College in Christchurch, New Zealand was truly amazing.

We arrived in Christchurch during a school break, so we had nearly two weeks in the country to travel and experience the culture. The majority of this time was spent on a trip to Queenstown that all three host families had planned and coordinated. Our time in this beautiful city was filled with many activities, sightseeing, and excitement. For several days, we experienced the beautiful skiing at Coronet Peak, one of the top ski mountains in the South Island. The snow was ideal, and our time on the slopes was memorable.  

More activities in Queenstown included thrill rides such as bungee jumping, a ride on the Shotover Jet, and Luge racing. In the evenings, we had time to walk around the tourist city and see all that Queenstown has to offer.  On the final day, we took a gondola to the top of a nearby mountain and saw the city from above.  It was an unbelievable experience.

Our time at the school was great as well. During our three weeks in class at Christ’s College, we attended classes with our host students and eventually selected our own course schedule. The classes and teachers were all very interesting. The small class sizes and the dynamics of the classes resembled MBA in many ways. One big difference between the schools, however, was the way in which grades were structured. Students at Christ’s College were given less homework and more large projects. These projects were graded based on a set academic criteria by the New Zealand Education Board. Also, students in New Zealand schools tended to dress more formally. The advisories at Christ's College were much bigger and existed in physical houses such as the one depicted in pictures below. We enjoyed the house as a place to both work and relax. The house environment was productive and brought students closer. Moreover, competitions between houses in activities such as basketball added to the camaraderie of students each week. Overall, many of the students and teachers reminded us of those which we work with at MBA.

All of the host families were excellent. They planned activities and trips to provide us with the full Kiwi experience. We each plan on keeping in touch with these families as well as friends from our time in New Zealand. Several of the students have even communicated an interest in returning to Nashville. It was a true “exchange” in the sense that the students from each school

Once again, we would like to thank the Warner Family as well as Mr.Gioia and Mrs. Scholer for providing this unique opportunity to us and each of the other exchange students in the class of 2018. Roll Red!

Melbourne Grammar School Exchange 2017

From Watson Dill's Perspective:

The Warner Exchange to Melbourne Grammar School was an experience I will never forget. Flying around the world to see a culture that is so distinct from ours is something not many students around the world get to experience while in high school. The trip started off with me landing in Melbourne early in the morning and despite my jet lag, I was greeted by my host family, the Kristof’s and we toured the city, getting to see some of Melbourne’s most famous landmarks.

*View of the South Yarra River with the Melbourne Cricket Ground in the back.

As the weekend grew to a close, I collected my uniform and got ready for the first day of school on Monday.

*Me with Jackson Kristof for our first day of school

Throughout my time at the school I was able to take part in some unforgettable moments. For example, I was able to take part in the chapel choir where we sang in their  on-campus chapel every Friday morning. Also, I played on one of their six soccer teams where I was able to play three soccer games throughout the city of Melbourne. What I found most surprising about their culture was how inclusive they were. The choir and soccer team took me in and wanted me to experience life at their school.

*Picture of Ian and l at the front of the school

The next week was filled with adventure as I got the opportunity to attend two AFL matches which contained some of my favorite moments of my trip. The game was so fast paced and the fans were very invested in their respective teams. Next, I went to Healesville Sanctuary. Here I got to pet kangaroos, see the biggest pelicans I had ever seen in my life, koalas, and so many other animals that we do not get to see very often. The week ended with host family taking me up to see some of their family friends on the coast where we enjoyed walks on the beach and a BBQ by the fire.

*Picture of the MCG

                                    

*Pictures of the kangaroos and pelicans at the Healesville Sanctuary

*View of the beach in Sorrento

As my trip drew to a close, we spent the last few days playing intense matches of ping pong, went bowling, and ate at some places that serve some of the best food I have ever had. I would like to thank the Kristof family and Jackson Kristof for making my trip so memorable and for filling my trip with laughter, joy, and great memories that I will hold on to for the rest of my life. I would also like to thank the Warner family, the Whitson family, Mrs. Scholer, and Mr. Gioia for allowing to me have this amazing experience.

*Picture of the Kristof’s taking pictures behind my back as I bowl.

*Picture of the Melbourne skyline

From Ian Beyer's Perspective:

My time at Melbourne Grammar School was full of new experiences, friendships, and unforgettable moments. Because I was not only a Melbourne Grammar student but also lived with a host family, I was able to experience the life of a Melbourne citizen for an entire month.

After driving my car to school for the past few years, I learned to commute how people in a city the size of Melbourne do everyday. Instead of a car, I independently used the tram and train of the city. I enjoyed figuring out the system even if I had no idea where I was going.

At Melbourne Grammar School, the classes, teachers, and students are very similar to MBA. Unlike some exchanges, I could choose the classes that I found most interesting. All the teachers and students asked many questions and loved hearing about MBA and Nashville. I never felt uncomfortable in any class because everyone was so engaging and welcoming with me. I felt as if I was going to school with friends I had known my entire life.

Some of my best times in Melbourne included exploring the city on the weekends. I visited the most popular museums and sports stadiums, traveled to the top of the tallest building, and walked down the crowded streets full of various stores and restaurants that brought more life to the already vibrant city.

The most memorable moment on my time abroad was the first night. Although I was suffering from extreme jet lag, my host family took me to an Australian Football League Match that included their favorite team, the Essendon Bombers. I loved learning about and watching a sport I had never seen before because of its uniqueness in style and passion demonstrated by the fans for the game. From that moment, I knew I was going to love my time abroad with my host family because of their compatible and warm spirit.

I would like to thank the Warner Family, the Whitson Family, Mr. Gioia, and Mrs. Scholer for making this whole exchange possible.

*First night in Melbourne at an AFL Match with my host brother, Leonardo

*Me in Melbourne Grammar’s uniform

*Federation Square in downtown Melbourne across the street from the main train station, Flinders Street Station

*My visit to the Melbourne Cricket Ground or “The G” for a AFL Match between two local football clubs

*Koala Bear sleeping high in the tree at Healesville Sanctuary during a school field trip

*Statue representing the first game of Australian rules football between Melbourne Grammar School and Scotch College

*The student section of Melbourne Grammar before the historical game between their main rival, Scotch College

*Beautiful view of Port Phillip Bay, an hour drive down the coast from Melbourne

*My host family, friends, and myself going to a broadway show in the city one night

Lindisfarne College Exchange 2017

First and foremost, we would like to give a big thank you to the Warner family, Mr. Gioia, and Mrs. Scholer, who gave us the opportunity to travel to New Zealand this past summer. After over 24 hours of travel time and time traveling 18 hours into the future, we arrived in Hawke’s Bay on the North Island.

The school life at Lindisfarne was similar to MBA in many aspects, and different in others. Unlike MBA, Lindisfarne had a block schedule and a different way of grading their “internals” (similar to our projects and tests). Also, there was a tightly-knit brotherhood similar to that of MBA, most likely due to the fact that around three quarters of the students are boarders, so most of the boys live together.

Within a few hours of arriving, we went to lunch and were able to experience a classic New Zealand drink, “L&P”. After taking a sip of what tasted like a carbonated lemonade, we both realized why it was so famous across the country (Ben actually ended up smuggling back two 2 liter bottles in his checked bag). After lunch, we were given a short tour of the surrounding area and drove up to Te Mata Park (pictured below on the right) and were given an impressive 360 degree view of the surrounding Napier area.

Several days a week, Ben worked hard playing on the school’s rugby team, and even got to play a match against Napier Boys, a local rival.

 

During our holiday break from school, we were able to visit three large cities on the North Island: Wellington, Rotorua, and Auckland. We were also able to visit a Marae, the sacred grounds of a Maori tribe; Mount Ruapehu, one of the major ski mountains on the island; and Lake Taupo, the largest lake in New Zealand, which is approximately the size of Singapore!

Again, we want to say thank you to the Warner Family, Mr. Gioia, and Mrs. Scholer for giving us the opportunity to visit such an amazing place. The experiences, memories, and friendships will last a lifetime.