"Why send your child on an exchange?"
- The EWT Program was a very good idea as our daughter learnt to budget her money and gain a better understanding of its value.
- The trip allowed her to actually live with an American family.
- Great friendships were formed with fellow Aussie students and American host students.
- We were fortunate that our daughter stayed with a delightful family, who will remain in her heart forever. This was a major contributor to the success of her experience of staying in another country far away from home and her family.
- The EWT Program was well supervised allowing the group to have a reasonable amount of freedom to encourage them to feel like young adults.
- It was suggested that the trip would do wonders for the self confidence of the participants-and it did!
- I wanted my son to go on this trip so he could see how others lived and the way they do things differently to us.
- We saw it as a great educational experience to nurture independence, confidence, self-reliance and gain the ability to co-operate with other students and teachers in a non-school setting.
- We have only ever dreamt of going to Disneyland and here was the chance that we could afford for our daughter to go.
- We were concerned that our daughter would get homesick. However we ended up begging her to ring us!
- We can't wait for our next daughter to go!
And they also said this…
This program has benefited Cris in a number of ways, most evident in his obviously improved appreciation of differing lifestyles and environments.
Importantly, the benefits were not just the trip itself. The period leading up to the departure day brought with it a number of pluses.
- enforced savings(money management skills)
- planning and time management skills to ensure that school work and other matters were not upset during the visit developing self and family profiles
- a focus on what it is like to be an Australian when developing self and family profiles
Benefits arising from the trip itself include:
- the experience of socialising with people he knew very little about.
- needing to fend for himself in a different country
- learning about other cultures and lifestyles
- visiting and seeing sights and places only previously dreamed of
- being able to purchase gifts for family, friends and himself not usually affordable
Post trip benefits improve:
– Ken & Barb Winsor
- retaining memories that have broadened his outlook on life
- having achieved something that others now wished they had undertaken
- knowing how much effort and planning is needed for future trips overseas
As the parents of Joanne we were very pleased to be able to give her the opportunity to go to America. We knew that she would be looked after and also hoped she would learn something along the way.
She has always had quite a strong personality but since the trip she has shown maturity in a few decisions she has had to make. I think this is because for 3 weeks and a lots of miles from home she had to think for herself and make decisions without pressure from her parents.
We think this was an excellent trip which taught her about another country and lifestyle but also involved the 11children in many fun things.
– Mr & Mrs Fogarty
Wow, excitement plus when the travelers were leaving, the airport scene and the final farewell.
The long wait for some message from the "other side of the world" and the relief when you did finally get the phone call and all was "cool" and missing home was not on the agenda! Who had time for that!?
Sunday morning, last time seeing the house and home neat and tidy, stock the fridge and get on out to the airport in great anticipation of the arrival home of weary travelers laden with purchases. The long wait outside of the customs hall and the appearance, at last, of the one you sent off to California with a big smile on his face and who returned with even bigger smile! A trip back to Glen Waverley with so much to tell, so many questions from those who did not go and with everyone caught up in the excitement of the whole experience.
I felt perhaps the time being hosted might have been a bit lengthy, but as it turned out it was certainly one of the highlights.
Many thanks to John and Gerry for their great organisation and taking on such a trip, and bringing back so many happy, smiling, culturally attuned students who will remember this forever! The families who hosted these Aussies also deserve some recognition for taking on a stranger but saying farewell to a friend.
– Lauri McFarland
Robert was very keen to be involved in G'Day USA as soon as he heard about it. After weeks of discussion we decided he could take part. From that moment on we never looked back!
The meetings organised for the students were informative and accurate as far as possible. The last meeting we attended was excellent and put everyone right in the picture of what would occur. Advice was extremely helpful.
Robert left for the USA and had a trip of his life. He is still talking about it. Places he saw, people he met and the shopping he did. The time went only too quickly. Two very committed people, John and Gerry ensured the kids had a fantastic experience.
Thank-you
– Ross & Anna Marletta
This is a fantastic opportunity for your child.
