Society of Australian German Student Exchange (SAGSE).
Our involvement with SAGSE (Society of Australian German Student Exchange) began when we hosted three German students for a total of 10 weeks in the middle of last year. After a rigorous selection process, we were notified that we had been selected as scholarship recipients and were overjoyed. The SAGSE Award Ceremony officiated our achievement and it was an amazing night where we met the rest of the awardees and Alumni of the community as well as our sponsors. Celina Chear, a past MacRob student, is on the SAGSE committee and held the Secretary title for some years. She had her exchange in 2029/2020 and is still very involved in the community by organising and taking part in the many events of SAGSE/GDANSA (Gesellschaft für Deutsch-Australisch- Neuseeländischen Schüleraustausch).
Ms. Barbara Hohmann, German Language Teacher
Jahziel’s Highlights.
My favourite memories on the exchange were mainly the bite-sized moments where I really felt at home knowing I was in a completely different environment. For example, when I would spend time with my family at the dinner table and discuss a range of topics or when I went ice skating and sledding with my host sister. These moments were filled with belly-aching laughter which I find myself often reminiscing months after.
The most valuable lesson I learnt during my stay was to push myself out of my comfort zone. Like when I went ice-skating, as soon as I took the first step, I instantly wanted to get off the ice. But my host sister and I persevered and though we fell many, many times (holding hands leads to a domino effect, trust me I have been through this) it was ridiculously fun. It’s like a lesson in life: keep persevering through the qualms of life, break through the barrier of comfort because it makes you a stronger person and you might as well have fun while you’re at it. Many times during my exchange I willingly crossed the boundaries of my self-confidence, and it was extremely rewarding, e.g. participating in a class discussion in German or having a conversation with a shopkeeper.
Another special thing is that we were in Europe, so travelling to another country was super easy, it was just a few hours drive to get from Nordhausen to Prague! A student exchange is a really life-changing experience. I seriously believe that everyone at least once in their life should be immersed in a different culture than theirs. Take the opportunity for this exchange to Germany because though there are nuances, across different families and cultures, some things are universal. Not only can you connect with similarities, you can connect through sharing differences.
Ava’s Highlights.
Going on exchange is no easy feat. You must suddenly learn how to fit into a brand new life that is in every way different from the one you have grown accustomed to. New routines, new friends, new school, new family, new responsibilities. All of this while navigating a language that you can barely grasp as the natives speak at lightning speed among themselves and sometimes even at you. But with great challenge comes great reward. I was able to have so many life-changing experiences, meet so many wonderful people and experience moments that I will cherish forever.
One such moment is walking a trail along the crystalline Mediterranean in France, eating baguettes and oranges and camembert while basking in the comparatively warm weather. I was lucky enough that my host family took me there for a quick vacation over new years, as I was staying in Landau, 30 minutes northeast of the French border anyway and the exchange allowed us to visit anywhere within Europe so long as we were with our host. It was here I felt deeply reflective and grateful of the luck I had to be given the scholarship that allowed me to go on exchange.
Another experience which embodies the spirit of the program is ‘free travel’, a week long group trip without any guiding adult, where you and your group must create plans, book hotels, feed yourself and look after each other. In spite of the immense responsibility we undertook, it was one of my highlights, visiting different places of significance such as the highest point in Germany, Zugspitze, concentration camps, museums, restaurants, even crossing countries into Austria and participating in The Sound of Music Tour. The group I was with developed a strong bond, always having each other’s backs, whether it be through sharing locations, bringing someone food when they rested, looking after a person who fell sick or falling asleep on each other on the hours long train journey.
If I had one piece of advice to give anyone wanting to go on exchange I would say do it, even if you're scared or nervous as it’s one of the most rewarding experiences one can ever endeavour upon.
Lucy’s Highlights.
My exchange in Germany was a genuinely life changing experience, and what was most valuable to me from my time was the connection I made with my host sister and her friends. They encouraged me to try every experience, participate in every class and speak as much German as possible, and had so much fun showing as much of German culture and teenage life to me as they could.
It was really hard at first, putting yourself out there and meeting new people entirely in a different language is definitely not an easy thing to do, but after only a couple of weeks, Wuppertal, the city in Germany that I was staying in, felt like another home 16,000km away from Melbourne, and there were many tears when it came time to say goodbye.
The holiday season, and eating warm food surrounded by the lights and busy streets of Christmas Markets in the cold German winter throughout December was another amazing new experience, as well as being able to see snow for the first time, and although it was hard to have Christmas without my family, exchanging gifts and baking christmas desserts with my host family and friends is something I’ll never forget.
The week of free travel was definitely another highlight for me, and I loved being able to travel so independently with my friends, and see so much of Germany. We went vintage shopping in Hamburg, visited the Zugspitze, Salzburg in Austria and went to so many museums and churches. It was also great for building independence and responsibility, as well as working with other people, as it was definitely hard to make sure that we fit everything we all wanted to do in such a short amount of time.
My friends in my group were just the best, we had such an amazing time exploring a new country together, so many long train rides, treks through the snow with our bags, and amazing food and sights.