We have all had a great time coming to Abington Friends School and have appreciated the welcoming community who were willing to help us and answer our questions. While here, we have had many highlights and saw some notable differences between Australian and American schools.
One of our highlights at AFS was the Farmhouse, as it was fun to go each day and try a new snack that wasn’t available in Australia. Although it wasn’t the most financially smart, it was very exciting as our school canteen is set up very differently.
Another highlight for us was the structure of classes, as we found that the lessons were between 10 minutes and 60 minutes shorter, meaning you don’t get bored and can easily focus on a task. In Australia we have lots of two hour double periods, which are long and drag on, especially in subjects such as maths.
We would also say the cafeteria was another “unique” experience. We have a canteen–it is similar to the Farmhouse, with less selection–but it was interesting to see how a cafeteria works and try something new every day. It was a lot like the cafeterias we have seen on television, so it was quite exciting to see it in person.
During our time in the AFS community, many of us Australians made similar observations about how classes function here and the way students engage differently. We also noted several admirable qualities present in all AFS students.
While speaking to each other we were all surprised by the application of students in class. We found this really interesting and realized it definitely contributed to a positive classroom environment. Students at AFS are more engaged and driven to complete their work to their full potential, in and out of class.
Another positive experience we noted was teachers and other mentors being very supportive of students and making classes captivating. They allow for this by having a variety of teaching styles and adapting to everyone’s learning needs. The classes at our school are also a lot bigger so it was nice to experience smaller classes.
Two qualities we noted were the active engagement and willingness to learn in all students. In class, all students participated in activities and openly asked questions. Whenever students or teachers asked for volunteers, they had lots of people willing to assist.
Another desirable quality exhibited by many students was respect, when we entered the school community we were instantly welcomed. We were absorbed into the pool of kindness, compassion, and respect. It helped us adapt to the new environment and it has allowed us to have an amazing experience.
We all went our different ways after school and on the weekends, and had very different adventures. During this time a group of us visited a corn maze and a country fair which was very fun. Some of us also took trips to New York City which was very exciting. We loved seeing another state and seeing all the things we had heard about.
We have also had a great time looking around the city, shopping, visiting well known historic sights in Old City, trying delicious authentic food in Chinatown, and enjoying other food places like the historic Reading Terminal Market.
Another experience that we all enjoyed was seeing theatre productions like The Lion King, Hamilton, and of course the amazing Urinetown here at AFS.
A few of us tried new sports within and outside of AFS, some of these being horse riding, swimming and track. We loved being immersed among the teams and meeting new people.
Attending the Sneaker Ball was a highlight for us all, it was like something from a movie. Everyone was having a very fun time and enjoying the night, showing off their incredible dance moves.
In America, they have a lot of things here that we had no knowledge of and found to be a new experience. One of these is Halloween, as in Australia it is not a widely celebrated holiday. While we did know what Halloween was, we did not expect it to be as big as it was. We had lots of fun trick or treating, meeting new people, and hanging out with our friends.
Another new experience we found to be exciting, but also a bit nerve racking to be here during, was the presidential election. This was a completely different experience to what we are used to in Australia. As this was new to us, AFS was able to bring a member of the community in to explain to us how it works. We all found this fascinating and it allowed us to understand what was happening.
We were all super excited for Thanksgiving as this is not celebrated in Australia. It is another completely new experience and we have heard many amazing stories about the way it is celebrated by many different people.
As a cohort, we found the exchange program to exceed our hopes and dreams. We have had so much fun in America and at this school, as we feel we have grown into better people.
This program improved our independence skills, as not having a parent or close friend around made it so we had to go outside our comfort zone. It was so much fun meeting new people and making friendships that will last beyond our time here.
Along with this, the extreme change in food, culture and lifestyle gave us a better view on life and surprisingly opened our eyes to things we usually take for granted, or that we have never noticed were unique.
We were all nervous at first and unsure whether we wanted to apply or even go, but we gave it a shot and have never looked back, in fact we have all had a brilliant time.
If you ever get the opportunity, we highly recommend going on exchange, whether it is to Australia or somewhere else in the world. It is an amazing experience and we are very grateful to have been able to grow as people and make so many awesome new friends.
