Daly College Indore

There was a lot of excitement on the 25th of Jan,2009 as the six of us- Prithika Acharya, Vasudha Jhaver, Gaurav Rawat, Sarvesh Samvedi, Siddhant Karmarkar and Vedant Kedia… boarded the M.P. Tourism Coach ,with our escort Mrs Avril Birdsturgeon. We were going to Sanskar Valley School, Bhopal, on a five day exchange programme. The four hour journey flew by on wings, as we entertained ourselves singing and playing games. We stopped at Dodhi for Breakfast. When we reached Bhopal, we got into an Innova, which was arranged for us by Mr and Mrs Kedia, to be dropped off at the school. The approach to the school was fantastic . We were really impressed with the buildings and well laid out gardens. It reminded us of a hill station.

We were welcomed by the Head Master, Mr.Amlan Saha and our own Mrs Rashmi Ahuja, now Head Mistress of the Junior Wing. After having a quick wash we were taken to the fete which was going on in full swing. Here we were introduced to Mrs Pratibha Lalwani, Dean of Activities, who introduced us to the parents and students there. It was a Dhoom Dhamal Day, and everybody was enjoying the food, games, music- songs presented by anyone who wanted to sing on the stage, and the grand finale- the masquerade- anyone could join in the procession and follow the dragon and others who danced to the music being played by the teachers of the music department. This reminded us of the carnival of Goa and we enjoyed every moment there.

The next day was Republic Day. We attended the Flag Hoisting with the boarders and the teachers living on the campus. Then we had breakfast and boarded the bus for a trip to Bhojpur. At Bhojpur we visited the Shiv Mandir and then climbed down the rocks to see the caves . We enjoyed a Chinese lunch in New Market before returning to school.
After two days of fun, we didn’t expect to be attending school for the next three days. We attended classes in the morning and our routine was the same as the boarders whom we were staying with. We were divided into pairs and sent to different sections of class 5.

After the first two periods we went for breakfast. Then we attended Assembly. It happened to be the Jr.School assembly day. The Class 2 children put up an item which showed how the constitution was formed and the leaders who helped in India becoming a Republic. It was a well presented play and ended with everyone singing, Saare Jahan se Acchcha. After this they called us on the stage and we sang India is my Motherland, which was very appropriate for the
occasion. Assembly over, we attended two more periods and had a ten minute break. There were two more periods before and after lunch.

We had a short nap before we went for games and then for tea.
The next two days were really hectic. On the 28th we visited the Manav Sanghralaya, went boating on the upper lake and visited the handicraft mela. On the 29th morning we went for the heritage walk. This was very interesting as the guide told us the history about the Kamlapati Mahal, the dargha in the Kamala Park and also showed us the Hammam, which is like a modern sauna. In the afternoon we took part in the Digital Elocution Competition organized by Reliance. This was some thing different from the usual elocutions we have taken part in. Here we had to sit in front of a web cam and speak. In the evening we attended a Robotic workshop. The most enjoyable of all was our visit to the Big FM where we were shown around the studio and even got to meet Garima didi, who took our interview. We couldn’t believe we were live, on air. Thanks to Pratibha Mam for organizing a funfilled five days for us. We enjoyed every moment of it . We will not forget the lovely friends we made, both in the hostel and in school. Nor the lovely teachers and the House Staff who made our stay such a comfortable one. Neither can we forget Thapaji’s mouth watering food which we looked forward to each day..
30th Jan 2009 was a sad day , we had left our friends sleeping, as we had to leave early in the morning to board the bus for our return journey. This time our conversation was all about the friends we had made and the things we had learnt. We had a lovely experience of boarding life and thank everyone who gave us this wonderful opportunity of interacting and learning.

The students of class 5
The Daly College
Indore

Hansu Nahar (L'Ermitage, France) : (Click here to expand)

Ever thought why people are so passionate about Paris? Why this city has so much pulse? How would it feel to stand beneath the Eiffel Tower? Why is there a saying that eternity to life is to sip coffee at the Avenue de Champs Elysées? How can the air in France make you feel just so romantic and can you really hear music in its air? Well. Even I thought the same and as and as I was breathing in Paris, I could feel the answers come automatically to my heart.

I reached Charles de Gaulle International Airport, Paris and L'Ermitage was about 1 1/2 hour drive from the airport.

The school arranged for my stay in the hostel. I talked to the Round Square representative, Mr. Bouquillard and the boarding house in-charge, Mr. Spark who were both really nice and welcoming. They made me feel very comfortable and helped me in all the ways possible. In the hostel I met few students from the school. Apart from the French people, I was surprised to see that the boarding house comprised of people from all the different places like New-Zealand, Vietnam, China, the Caribbean etc.

The next day was my first day to school and it was freezing cold! And the worst thing was that the school was around 40 minute walk from the hostel. But it was a daily routine for all the students and soon became same for me too.

I attended classes with the local French students in the French medium which proved to be a shock to everyone. The education system was more interactive and practical compared to India. I was asked to talk about the Indian Culture in the economics class for which I had to prepare a presentation and speak for one hour in French. I never felt so proud: talking about India was really amazing.

The most daring thing I did was to taste some of the French cheese. Chèvre tasted of heavily salted preserved mushrooms; Camembert looked like vanilla ice-cream, smelled of dead fish and tasted even worse; finally, Roquefort was extremely strong and almost made me vomit. But I’ll miss croissants and baguettes (French breads) along with creamy onion soup which tasted heavenly delicious.

I made numerous friends and cherished some of the best moments of my life.

Before my departure, I was awarded the “Mansart” because of which we celebrated at my house at night. I also improved my French to a great extent. I would again like to thank my school for giving me such a golden opportunity... All I would say now is, do visit France once in your lifetime and you WILL feel the music in its air...

Riddhi Lunkad (L'Ermitage, France) : (Click here to expand)

New friends, new atmosphere and meeting students from different nationalities was fun. Everybody knew I was coming. Only an hour later I was flooded with questions on India and bollywood!

I enjoyed the 'no uniform' concept and freedom in dressing up. Within a few days I made loads of friends in my classes who were not only of my age group but also as small as 10. I had my own time table which included 14 hours of French in a week which really improved my oral skills.

On Wednesday’s, Saturday’s and Sunday’s I was at my host’s place which in itself was an amazing experience to see the French culture closely. My host’s parents were extremely loving and caring and they never made me realize I was not at home! Every weekend I was in Paris, learning about the city and visiting places I had always read about.

Though a vegetarian I had enough to pick up from deserts, cakes, croissants that I was never starving or hungry.

6 weeks just flew by and I could not understand whether to be sad or happy. Exchange to L’Ermitage would always be a lifetime remembrance and a great experience. Had I gone with my parents or if I ever go now I would never be able to enjoy as much as I did being an exchange. The liberty of being on my own, making new friends, meeting different people and representing India added the enthusiasm.

Sidhant Kuthiala : (Click here to expand)

Looking down from the plane all I saw was fields and a few settlements. It was pretty empty [I later learned I was sitting on the wrong side]. Collecting my luggage and walking towards the visitors waiting area, I felt something new. Something I hadn't felt since I joined Daly College. This something welled up in my chest till I thought I would explode. I hadn't seen a picture of the family [Comprising of my host father – Rick, my host mother – Ann, my host – Geoff & his face book addicted sister Jenni], but looking at the lady in front I knew she was Geoff’s mom.

My exchange was not something you could call glamorous, out of the world or even adventurous. It seemed to me a more emotional experience of being a part of a family. And that's funny because people come to India to stay and find place but that is how it was. I knew that it wasn't going to be easy to adjust and that I was going to have to be simply who I was.

I went to school, I hung out with friends, and I went for family dinners. See, nothing exceptional but then, that's exactly why it was so exceptional. I spent a lot of time with my family and they more than accepted me, they made me one of their own.

I remember when the results of the triathlon were out, Geoff came in 5th. I came in 9th. Everyone congratulated me. But it didn't matter, I had tried my best and when I got home; I told Ann (Geoff's Mom) the result. She was more than happy. There was pride in her eyes, it made me feel proud and special. She, Geoff and Jenni dropped me at the airport. I remember walking through the gate looking back. Her eyes held tears like for her own children. She was a mother I gained and will remember for the rest of my life.

My host family even got me on a horse. It was a strange experience. It wasn't the best job but I enjoyed mocking out the stalls and cleaning the horses.

It wasn't a very different life from what I would had at home but being there & doing it made it all the more special and that's why I think my exchange was fruitful.

Arun Varghese (California) : (Click here to expand)


From 1000 feet above, the view of a place full of dreams, entertainment, love and passion seemed captivating as I sat on my seat imagining what exactly I would feel for the next month and a half. After an hour long wait at customs, I headed to the visitors' receiving area to finally meet my hosts, my friends, and my family. They 'The Moras' treated me like their very own; I was already a cherished member of the family. The feeling of being at Chadwick School, California was something out of the world, something un-expressible in words. I easily adapted and adjusted to this environment but also different surroundings. The love and affection given to me was very warm and welcoming. The place which made me ponder a lot about the quality of life was an unusual choice, the beach. This self sustained, wild but yet a place of solitude with its desirable beauty was a place of relaxation, a place that delivered in me peace and satisfaction.
The passion and spirit while watching a Lakers or Dodgers game with family, expressing ones most intimate feelings without hiding it, discussing all problems within discussions made me realize the emotional value in a family. My brother, Sander and Agustin Mora showed what brotherly love actually felt. Like sharing chores, sharing rooms, riding together.....My Brothers! My American parents caring and parental love were differently touching leaving unforgettable memories, from basketball mornings to family barbeque nights.

Israel Mora (my American dad) dropped me at the airport even after four hugs. I just did not want to accept the moment. That's when I realized what they and this experience truly meant to me.

Nishith Maheshwari (Thailand) : (Click here to expand)

Inside the plane, thinking about the new place I'm going to a place I've never been before, I felt all lonely and scared. Scared of what people may think about me and whether I'll be able to adjust with them. But then I thought of myself and what I'm capable of doing. That was when a strong feeling of determination went through me. I felt determined to prove myself.

The moment I stepped on the Ancient land of Thailand, I knew that this trip would change the way I look at the world and the way the world would look at me. I knew that nothing would ever be the same for me.

When I arrived at the school, I didn't know anyone. I was shy and nervous for sometime, but then I realized that it was me who has to open up. And within a day or so I saw friends coming to me.

On a normal day in the school I used to attend classes, go for different activities in the afternoon, have fun with friends and not to forget, football in the evening.d

I went for various trips to Pattaya, Water Park, Ancient city – Muang Boran, Safari World Bangkok etc.

I never ever thought that I can mix up with people so easily. Within a week's time I was the member of the school's student guild, Rotary Club and a part of the junior school helping staff.

I still remember selling T-Shirts and cold rinks for Koh-phi-phi project and looking at the pile of food collected for Myanmar relief.

During this trip I made many friends, visited various places and had lots of fun. So, whatever people may say, I think and feel that I've proved myself.

Palak Agrawal (Peru) : (Click here to expand)

Hola! It is a way to greet people in Spanish. I visited Markham College, Peru as a Round Square exchange student. From Bombay airport I reached New York and them Lima after twenty six long bearable hours. Susan Xu, my host came to pick me at the airport. We were very excited to meet each other after 4 months. Markham College, Peru is located in the capital city Lima. It is a laptop based day boarding school. Studies there were more practical and internet based. We were very excited when we got a laptop instead of a note book in the class. I also made many friends at Markham.

We went to visit one of the 7 wonders of the world. "Machu Pichchu" it is a hidden city made by Inco's to hide from Spanish people. We also visited Arequipa the hometown of my host family. Arequipa is the city of Volcanoes. We went for a service project to Chincha where we constructed a community centre and a medical centre. We also attended the Round Square food fair where we made Badam ka Halwa and served it with ice-cream.

The last day of my exchange was the most unforgettable day of my life. My friends back at Markham gave me a surprise farewell party. The next day I had to leave for India. I really miss my stay at Markham.

Archit Kothari ( Peru) :(Click here to expand)

Hola Como Estas? Mui bien gracias. . .

Did you get what I said ? It’s a bit of Spanish that I learned on my exchange.

Meaning Hi how are you? I am fine. Thank You!

I visited Markham College Peru as a Round Square exchange student.

From Delhi airport I reached Amsterdam then Lima after twenty long bearable hours. I stayed with Joaquin Garcia Calderon Mendosa Del Solar . Don’t mistake it for the whole family’s name it’s just the name of one person, my host. He so eagerly wants to come back to India after his exchange to India. I was put up in a palatial set up; my host family was the owner of two palaces out of which one was open for the tourists. Peru, a country of pre Inca and golden empire with Lima as its capital.

Markham College is a diamond in the city of gems Lima, with a thousand students and British teachers. This laptop based school is a day boarding one. Studies here are more practical and internet based. We were so enthusiastic with our new laptops and e mail ID’s of Markham. There we were nine exchange students.

Weather always favoured us. We flew to Cusco to visit a wonder of the new world, Machu Pichhu, it’s a hidden city in the Inca Mountains like our Taj Mahal which in Peru is called Taar Mahel.

I stayed at Markham for around two months and its true” Time flies. . . . . “I made loads of new friends and I have innumerable memories and unforgettable experiences which will surely leave there footprints in the sand of my lifetime.

My exchange was a phenomenal success.

Peruvian culture and dances one must never miss in his life, with Lama as its national animal and a variety of fruits and vegetables including Chicha a black corn. Currency is Soles equivalent to 15 Indian Rupees.

We also had an opportunity to help in the Round Square service project at Chincha, an earthquake stricken place. Living in tents and camping was a great experience. We also flew to Arequipa where night parties were phenomenal .

The last day was unforgettable, I was about to leave Peru which neither me nor any of my friends wanted. They gave me a surprise farewell party, which was the most touching moment of my stay at Markham.

Shashwat Shekhar & Leonard Henry : (Click here to expand)

I, Shashwat and our teacher escort Mr. K.K.Soni were on an exchange programme to the Assam valley school, Balipura (Assam) we arrived at AVS on 27th April at night.

We were shown our boarding houses and afterwards we were too tired to do anything else and at midnight crashed into our beds. The next day started off pretty well as we met the aviators and not to forget specifically our roommates who we hope were not disturbed with that horrible crash of ours. With not that much of enthusiasm we went to attend our classes. In the evening, we had a tour of the school campus.

We were looking very much forward to the trip to Kaziranga national park which we went the next day but our desire to watch a rhinoceros closely was not fulfilled. After an adventurous day, we went back to our dens. We also extended our hands for the J.R.C. (the Junior Red Cross). We were taken to the nearest charity home. There we met physically and mentally challenged people and also left alone kids who were being treated and taken care of. After meeting those people we thought that life is not that easy to live.

We also visited a tea estate and thereafter a tea manufacturing factory. There we were shown step by step how tea leaves undergo different processes after being plucked by tea estate workers and at last being packed for expert purposes.

We also contributed to the social service league. For that we were taken to a nearby village. There we were told to survey the problems faced by the villagers and try to find a solution. We also visited a local school in the village where we met the students and asked them about the difficulties which they were facing while studying. With that conversation we came to know that how children really struggle to get education.

Therefore, we also witnessed Bangla Fusion festival and the rock concert which we awaited the most.

This exchange was truly a good experience for both of us. Whatever we did during those days is very hard to forget. It helped us learn socializing up to a great extent. This exchange certainly was a memorable one for all of us and thus will lay in our hearts forever.

Hirni Desai (Germany) : (Click here to expand)

The day my plane took off from Mumbai airport I was filled with excitement, fear and apprehension, which did not decrease as the hours to my arrival in Germany did. But as I was coming out of the airport I decided that come what may, I would enjoy these 2 months as if they are the last holidays ever. And believe me I did just that. I was met at the airport by Mrs.Donovan-fauth my exchange coordinator. After a 2 hour drive we arrived at the school Stiftung Louisenlund. It is situated in a little Guby and the nearest big city is Hamburg. As we entered the school I was amazed to see such a beautiful campus. Their main building is called the castle, In front of which is the Schliea lake which is used for sailing and water sports.There were also some more exchange students from South Africa, Australia and England.

We became friends very quickly. The school is about half a century old & has a student strength of 300 out of which 98% are boarders. My host family were the most kind and helpful people I could ever ask for. They treated as their own daughter and I was allowed to do whatever I wanted to.

I got a chance to do and learn many new things like wakeboarding, sailing, horse back riding, uni hockey etc. And oh! not to forget how to feed a horse which I can tell u is not the best of pastimes. On the weekends we used to go to Hamburg or Ekenfrode for shopping, watching movies, eating ice creams, parties or just to the beach. The students and the teachers at Louisenlund were very kind and helpful.

My friends and I had an awesome time watching the Euro cup and cheering the German team over pizza parties and sleepovers. I was lucky enough to be in Keal which is also a city in Germany where one of the world’s biggest sailing competitions was going on.

I also attended the "kelovokha" which is a world festival for the people who had come for sailing. Given the opportunity I would love to go back and meet my friends there. After I came back I realised I had become a more independent, patient & looked at things with a new perspective.

Anupama Trivedi (The RSIS Laddakh) : (Click here to expand)

The Round Square International Service Project at Ladakh, 2008 attended by me from 2nd July to 27th July began when I met the RSIS group at Delhi. The next day, we landed in Leh, which is a small town with impressive scenery. Our acclimatization to the altitude included a visit to the nearby places, before we started the construction work.

The goal for this project was the construction of a dormitory at Lahious Model school, Thiksay, which is a small village near Leh.

At the school, we were welcomed in an extremely pleasant manner with almost 80 kids performing for us. Which felt like me were the guest of honour there. In high spirits, we started the construction work on the very some day as we reached. The Ladakhis are extremely hard working and the place is very peaceful.

Talking about the work, we spent 6hrs. each day working in the hot sun! on the 12th of July, we went to the Henris festival, for which Ladakh is famous all over the world. The event features a series of mask dances performed by the monks and the abbot . During the construction we had to face many difficulties, like carrying bricks of 8 Kgs. Mixing and supplying the mud etc. we , also visited the Pangong lake, which is a salt water lake found at the height of 4500 m above sea level. Which is exceptional; we had completed the construction on 22nd . The project was a huge success on account of two reasons- Firstly- this was the largest building ever constructed in the history of RSIS project at Ladakh. Secondly – the strength of our group was only 20 students, Rest are !

From 23rd to the 27th, we had gone for a trek which was highly enjoyable and entertaining. After that we went back to Leh and were more than happy to actually name a proper rooms after 3 weeks in tents! On the last day, we were given a farewell dinner by the teachers and kids of the school, for whom we had constructed the dormitory, which made me realize that this astounding tenure had finally come to an end. This project has highly enriched me and is surely one of the most memorable times of my student life.

Disha Gurshhanay (Australia) : (Click here to expand)

I had the best 8 weeks of my life this summer in New England Girl's School ( NEGS), Armidale, a small educational town in NSW, Australia. It was a wonderful experience for me. I gained immense confidence and the will to always try something new.

The best part of my exchange was the way the girls and the staff took care of me, they were very kind, helpful and friendly. I had some great times with my now life long friends. From making noises late in the night in the boarding house and disturbing everybody including the house mistress, fighting for the biggest piece of fish in the dining room, dancing all afternoon with music to the highest volume. Everything was so much fun !!

From collecting money for Red Shield, cheering for the netball teams every Sunday -10 0 mornings. Giving speeches about India almost every week riding horses at the same time being super scared cheering for Queensland in the state of origin Rugby matches top pins in all classes, teaching people Hindi seeing Koalas and Kangaroos, clicking a 1000 pictures making Indian butter chicken for everybody. Playing dodge ball in P.E. doing the bible reading in church, learning Kungfu, dancing with every person on the dance floor at the NEGS Dance and so much more. All I can say is its been one of best experiences of my life. It was truly a memorable one ! I advice all of you people to try for an exchange and if its NEGS, its ever been better !!

Dhruv Premani (Australia) : (Click here to expand)

During these summer holidays, I got an opportunity to to on a student exchange to the Armidale School, Australia. I stayed in the boarding house over there which I felt was really very homely being the first student from DC to the TAS was a wonderful and fruitful experience for me. My stay over there was for two months.

The school was fantastic. The people were very friendly and loving full. Teacher were very encouraging and caring. ‘the weather there was very cold it was the first time I experienced snowfall.

It was just 3 days of school and I was sent off on an excursion trip to Canberra, Which was awesome. I saw the Australian Parliament House , Australian War Memorial, Defense Force Academy and also went for trekking and rock-climbing. My 7 days stay at the Australian capital was unforgettable.

Rugby for Australians is the same as cricket for Indians and I had a chance to watch a ruby match there which was completely new game to me. I even did different adventurous activities like absailing, trekking, surfing , lifesaving with other students. My friends were very helpful. They never let me feel home sick.

I was also amazed to see the beaches in Australia. They were so clean. My exchange buddy Sunny also took me to Danger falls and to an Indian restaurant.

This exchange has really helped me to improve my confidence and enhance my reasonability . It has given me wide exposure to different people and their culture and lots of unforgettable memories.

During those 2 months, I spent some of the best moment of my life. Today I look at things with a different perception and a renewed confidence.

Aman Jain (Dubai) : (Click here to expand)

Back after the end of a truly wonderful exchange. A group of two teachers and 2 students visited the Indian High School, Dubai for an exchange lasting approximately for 35 days.

The Indian High School is situated in the heart of the city, equipped with all the ultramodern facilities. It is fully air conditioned as survival in Dubai without an A/C is near to impossible. The school is a day boarding school with buses running as for as Sharjah, a nearby city.

On our first day at school, we were shown the whole school. Area wise the school is very small as compared to ours, but even then it is one of the largest schools in Dubai. There are 8000 students studying in the school the morning shift for girls and afternoon for boys. The school has a soccer ground in the centre of it s campus and the sports complex which has the indoor sports facilities . There is a library which is good with all the best known literature. The Sheikh Rashid Auditorium is huge with a seating capacity of almost 1200 people. The two students and my friend Akash Jetwani & I were placed in a Science section as per our choice.

The teaching pattern is very much like ours. Thus we felt no difference on that part. Mrs. Khar and Mrs. Makkar were the 2 teachers accompanying us and they were given their duties as well. Mrs. Khar taught Chemistry for grade 11 and 12 girls whereas Mrs. Makkar conducted a highly successful workshop for the girls.

One of the best things in the school was a thing called Recess Radio. The Recess Radio is a radio network across all the blocks in the school. It is hosted by a group of RJ's who are selected by the teachers. It is used for entertainment purpose as well as for educational purposes and is also used to make announcements and live interviews of dignitaries visiting the school. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay in Dubai and in the school.

We visited a whole lot of places in and around Dubai. On our first outing we visited the Mall of the Emirates which is one of the biggest malls in the world. Weekends are on Friday and Saturday with Sunday as a working day. Then we visited a lot of places on the following weekends, we visited the Tumeirah Beach, which is very clean. Next we went on a cruise on the creek.

Dubai is divided into two parts separated by a creek. We also visited the Abu Dhabi which is 175 km. away from Dubai but took us a mere 1 hour 45 min. to reach there which is approximately the same distance between Indore and Bhopal which take 4 hours. We saw the splendid Presidential palace in Abu Dhabi. We next visited the Ibn Buttutah mall which is one of the best malls I have ever seen. It is divided in courts which symbolize the countries where the medieval explorer Ibn Buttutah went. The architecture in the courts is like the architecture of their respective countries which also included an Indian court. Now it was the time to bid farewell to our hosts, we left Dubai on the 6th of June and reached Indore the next day.

Harshveer Jain (Australia) : (Click here to expand)

When I first entered Australia, I had never imagined that I would never want to come back to India.

I can still recall my first day in school when I was waved at and talked to by the students as someone whom they have known for months. I never felt that I was in a different community. In the school, the place which I loved the most was the riverside. Apart from the scenic beauty, the studies here were more fun and practical than in India. I stayed in a boarding house and I can never forget it, my summer home out-of-India.

Coming out of the school, we went to the beach, the theme parks, the malls, collecting money for Red Shield, we went sailing, we made our own boat out of plastic bottles, we went to dances at the sister school, we ate the delicious food at the mess, we learned and played rugby and we went crazy over all of it.

This was an exhilarating experience for me .The beauty of the country, my experiences in the school, the things I learned, the friends I made and the love I got are unforgettable.

Shantanu Karmarkar (South Africa) : (Click here to expand)

My first step as a global citizen, my exchange to South Africa. I went on an exchange to the St. Stithian Boy's College, Johannesburg. St. Stithian is an integration of 5 institutes - the girls college, the girls prep, the junior prep, the boys prep and the boy's college. The administration of all these bodies is completely independent.

The RS Rep, Mrs. Wendy Carr was indeed happy to have the first exchange student from the Daly College.The education pattern of South Africa was quite different. To quote an incidence when we were studying motion in one dimension we spent just 2 days noting down definitions etc. and the rest of the week was spent on the fields, making our own problems and solving them. This interactive approach towards the subject enabled the students to learn the topic easily.

Geography, which I did always find interesting, was more fun than ever. When we were studying erosion by rivers, we had to actually swim in the river, get down to the base, take depths, note these stats and then determine the course of the river.

In South Africa, I had the first hand experience of community service. Spending time with small poor children who didn’t know a word of English was real fun. Some of you might question my sanity but believe me the peace of mind and contentment that you get is beyond the definition of words.

As for my host family, they are my family now and their house my home. I can never forget the caring nature of Mr. and Mrs. Shires, my host parents. Her asking for not chocolate when I felt cold at night, her always checking if I was missing my peers. The brotherhood of Michael and Mathew who treated me like brothers. The sisterly behaviour of Emily who though being 2 years elder to me treated me as a brother.

In the end I can proudly say that I did have a TRULY SOUTH AFRICAN EXPERIENCE.

Exchange to Bishop's College School - Nikhil Kela : (Click here to expand)

This summer, I flew to Canada to Bishop's College School (BCS) for my eagerly awaited Round Square exchange. I was received by Odre at Montreal and spent my first day at her house to get familiar with her family. Her house is extremely beautiful and has a lake, a pond, a stream and endless forest.

The next day, I shifted to the boarding. It was easy to make friends as everyone was warm and friendly. There were students from over 25 nationalities. I quickly learned a great deal about the school, the schedule and explored the sprawling 350 acre campus.

Studies at BCS were altogether a completely different experience. They were laptop based and were more practical. Also, there was a very close and friendly relationship between teachers and students which was amazing. There were 5 exchange students in all from Germany, Australia, South Africa and Canada.

On my second day, my exchange's family took me for a thrilling trip to Quebec City for skiing and snowboarding.

Quebec City is one of the oldest cities in all of North America and is extremely beautiful. During these 45 days at BCS I attended school, took part in games and all other school activities I could lay my hands on.

I made loads of new friends and have many unforgettable experiences. During the last few days of my exchange, the whole school went to Quebec City for a trip where we did sight-seeing and celebrated its 400th anniversary. I attended the end of term dance and casino night.

These 45 days were truly the best days of my life. I was officially bid farewell in chapel. Later we had a pizza party at my house.

This exchange has changed me greatly. Now I have a much more positive approach to all aspects of life. I would like to thank all those who gave me this opportunity and recommend everyone to lookout and make use of such trips.

Shreya Surana -My unforgettable days at Appleby : (Click here to expand)

It was 18th of April, 2008 and I was waiting anxiously for my flight to take off from the Mumbai Airport. I had butterflies in my stomach! It was to be the beginning of an unknown journey.

All throughout the flight, I kept wondering about the school and the people I was going to meet and be with for the next 8 weeks or so. Finally after a long and tiring journey, it was most relieving to reach a very comfortable and homely destination.

I was to stay at the boarding of Walker House. I was a new face to everyone; yet, it was wonderful how each one around me made sure I felt part of their family. And to my pleasant surprise I met another Indian exchange student hailing from Mayo College, Ajmer. We became friends almost instantaneously! It took me some time, but quite soon I had adapted to the school’s schedule and its environment

Appleby College is located on the shore of Lake Ontario. It is a blissful place and the serenity of the Lake is an endowment to the school. My friends and I frequented the lake shore in the evenings after school. The subjects I had selected at school were those of Science, Mathematics, History, Arts and Dramatics. The wonderful part was that I topped the classes in the Math and Science tests!.

I also did a History project along with a group of other students, in which we compiled a magazine on The Cold War. This was a completely new experience for me, and I enjoyed every bit of it. The school’s curriculum has in this way made many a subjects more interesting than they would otherwise be.

Another exciting experience was creating an animation movie during my art classes! Above all, it was my drama classes that most enthralled me. I participated in two drama performances during the ‘Arts Week’.

I also did Henna for several Appleby Students and this actually put me on that week's issue of the schools Newsletter! The Appleby exchange coordinator, Ms Connie Sera, specially took out time to take us around the city's tourist places. We visited the Niagara Falls, - a most beautiful and entrancing natural occurrence, and in contrast, also, the CN Tower, a man made wonder! After all this fun, my trip was near its end before I even realized it.

My words on the Exchange program would remain incomplete without special mention of Ms. Connie Sera and my Advisor Ms. Leila Angod both of whom helped me all throughout. I thank them a lot. Finally I can only say that I not only learnt mammoth from the experience, but, now, away from there, I truly miss my teachers, friends and other acquaintances at Appleby!

Parika - The Hotchkiss School, USA : (Click here to expand)

Imagine you are all alone, a thousand kilometers away from your home, in New York International airport, relaxing on the leather couch, with a slice of pizza in one hand and your favorite book in the other.. Believe me, it's the best feeling in the world! For me, it was a little more than relaxing, what with losing my I-20, having bitter maple syrup(!), drinking water with a straw, befriending the math professor of the Harvard University and almost missing my flight. I wouldn't be wrong in saying that my exciting adventure began even before I reached the school! The campus was truly an 832 acre royal beauty, complete with a forest, a farm, a beach, lakes and golf courses. One look at that and I fell in love with it. I'll always cherish every moment, whether it was the environment day, dress down days, a day of silence, rock climbing, movie making, farming, bake-sales, dorm treats or performing an Indian classical dance in front of the whole school. I attended a full fledged bi-lingual church service and was delighted by their serving of ice cream for breakfast. The best of all, was the hypnotist show. It was extremely scary not being able to unlock my hands though the rest was immensely entertaining. The education there is very different from what we find in India. Its practicality gave me the honour of meeting artists like Joe Schapira, poets like Barbara Hamby and the Nobel peace prize winner holocaust survivor Elle Wiesel!. In the end, all I can say is that it is impossible to describe 1700 beautiful, rich and unforgettable hours in a few words. I can't thank enough our Principal sir Mr. Sumer Singh, Vice Principal, Mr.Rajan Potty and Ms.Sarita Badhwar for giving me this opportunity and the best experience of my life.

Students on Exchange to DALY COLLEGE 2008-09



Claudia Peschiera Markham College, Peru	Liza Wrinklar Schule Birklehof, Germany	Amy Qingli Seo MLC School Sydney, Australia



Olivia Bailey MLC School Sydney, Australia	Jessica Martin Billanook Collage, Australia	Camille Hamilton Chadwick School, USA



Geoffrey Christopher Evamy Hill, Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School, Alberta, Canada	Sinamoana Horner St.Philip’s collage, Alice Springs, Australia	Janelle Marais Bridge House, South Africa



James Connally Bridge House, South Africa	Joaquin Garcio Calderon Mendoza, Markham Collage, Peru	Susan Xu Markham Collage, Peru



Ôdré Alexandra Lefebvre, Bishop College, Canada	Pit-Colin Buck Stiftung Louisenlund, Germany	Sunny Greig The Armidale School



Oluwamuyiwa Abolarin	Abbie Frances Buckman, The Hotchkiss	Max Rechberg