Exchange students shine
2007-07-05
Lise Beyers
THOUGH South Africa is not able to compete with the world-class chocolate of Switzerland, it shines in cultural diversity.
This is the unanimous opinion of two exchange students from Switzerland who have spent a year in South Africa.
Lucas Shaka (17) and Lidia Peters (18) came to the country last year through the Youth for Understanding exchange program.
“My father was born in Kwazulu-Natal and when the opportunity arose to become an exchange student in South Africa, I grabbed it,” says Lucas.
His adventure started in Tzaneen in the Limpopo Province.
“Here I went to school amongst the Tsonga people for nine months.
“It was an eye-opener as their culture is so different. I also had to get used to a diet of mielie-pap, meat and mopani worms.”
Lucas said that he could only speak a little English and he had to quickly learn to converse in Tsonga.
The past three months have been spent amongst the vineyards and mountains in Paarl, at Klein Nederburg Secondary School.
“Paarl is a beautiful town and the culture is very rich and exciting.
“Here I once again had to battle with the language, but at least my English has improved a lot and most people speak it here.
“This has truly been the best thing that I have ever done with my life.”
Lidia again, has spent her entire year in Paarl East, also at Klein Nederburg High.
Not only will she be leaving many friends behind, but a boyfriend whom she has grown very attached to.
“The school system is very different to ours back in Switzerland, but once I got used to it everything, was fine.
“After a year I have learnt to speak quite a lot of Afrikaans and I can now understand everything that I hear.”
One of Lidia’s highlights has been a close encounter with elephants at the Addo Elephant Park near Port Elizabeth and reaching the summit of Table Mountain.
“I was very nervous when I arrived in South Africa because I had never been away from my family for a long time.”
Both Lucas and Lidia agree that the South African people are extremely friendly and willing to help foreigners as much as possible to make them feel at home.
But, what is the first thing that they are going to do when they get back to Switzerland?
“Eat chocolate and lots of it.”
Apart from these two Swiss youngsters leaving our shores, a learner of Klein Nederburg will in turn be spending a year in Lucerne, Switzerland.
Joanne Jones (15) has wanted to travel ever since her father spent a year and a half in the USA.
“He came back with such wonderful stories that the travel bug bit me. I applied for a scholarship through Youth with Understanding and was thrilled when I was eventually chosen.
“It is an opportunity that I cannot miss, and even though I will be leaving my friends and family behind for a year, it is going to be wonderful.”
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