Set up by the Sister Cities Association during the month of October, Hope Eley and Aiiie Frost, two

students from Forres Academy, took part in the annual student foreign exchange trip to Mount Dora, Florida shortly after two American students entered sunny old Scotland for a month. The value of secondary school student exchange between foreign families is an opportunity and experience of a lifetime. The mixing of culture and backgrounds provides young people with an unforgettable awareness and interest in a way of life they have not experienced first hand before, leaving Hope and Ailie with a new understanding of an unknown culture and its people. This annual exchange allows the lucky students involved to gain invaluable skills such as improving communication, developing their maturity and confidence that will benefit them in all aspects of life in the future. Oh, and ot course, not forgetting the relationships they form from one country to another along the way. Ailie joined Erik Hermes family for four weeks whilst Hope settled into the house of Samantha Sump, as they embarked on their journey within the life of an American high school student. Not only did they attend school but were also taken to famous Florida landmarks such as Fort Myers Beach, where they spent the weekend relaxing in the sun, parasailing and jet skiing whilst also granted the opportunity to 9 many theme parks such as Universal Studios and Sea World. During their stay they attended the local high school, shadowing their counterpart, participating in many classes such as American Sovernment and American Web Design. They found that there were many differences between the two countries "They ate out on a regular basis, practically daily, they have an extreme lack of roundabouts on their over-sized roads and once the pupils are on the campus of their high school, they are locked in and unable to leave until the end of the day". When asked about their trip as a whole, both concluded that it was such a memorable experience, encouraging future sixth years to grab the opportunity with both hands. Determined to keep in touch with Samantha, Erik and everyone else they met out there, this trip highlights the importance of such exchanges and the priceless experience, broadened outlook and flourishing relationships they took away with them when they stepped onto the plane, back to familiarity, with a strong sense of what they Samantha Sump A Eric Hermes had experienced and, of course, what they were first day in Forres leaving behind.

o'WK...

^^^^^^H

Written by Martha Shardalow, S6 pupil