The Student News Site of Malvern Preparatory School

Friar's Lantern

The Student News Site of Malvern Preparatory School

Friar's Lantern

The Student News Site of Malvern Preparatory School

Friar's Lantern

Australian exchange students come to campus

Australian+exchange+students+come+to+campus

International guests want us to know that they don’t all play rugby.

Being 9,864 miles from their home might seem daunting to some. However, the Australian students that visited Malvern Prep for three weeks this fall were able to overcome any fear.

Students Woody Sassen, Mark Bourke, Bradley Jackson, and Jimmy O’Brien traveled from St. Augustine’s College in Sydney Australia to stay with Griffin Delaney ’18, Sam Rose ’17, Tommy Pero ’17, and Luke Stratton ‘17 respectively.

While Malvern’s students just went to visit the Australians this summer for three weeks, the Australian’s trip was more extensive.

Their first stop on their journey was Ireland where they took in the sights and culture of the Irish while attending boarding school there. Then it was off to the land of the red, white, and blue.

In America they traveled to the cities of New York and Washington D.C. and experienced the culture of both Malvern Prep and the area surrounding Philadelphia.

While they were still here, we were able to sit down with three of them to discuss their experiences.

What is the biggest difference between your school in Australia and Malvern?
Woody Sasson: School in America is a lot more serious.
Mark Bourke: Kids in Australia mess around in school.
Bradley Jackson: The class times in Australia are the same every day.

What’s the best part about America?
WS: Monday Night Football and Wawa.
MB: The American Flags everywhere that gracefully blow even when there’s no wind.
BJ: Not all the food here is nut based so I can eat more because of my nut allergy.

What is your favorite thing to do outside of school?
WS: I love playing basketball with my friends
MB: Playing basketball
BJ: I like playing on my computer.

What is your favorite food in America? Australia?
WB: My favorite food in America is a Chick-Fil-A sandwich. My favorite food in Australia is Hungry Jack’s (Burger King is called Hungry Jack’s in Australia).
MB: A Philadelphia cheesesteak was the best food I had in America. My favorite Australian food has to be crocodile.
BJ: The cup of Crab Fries I got from Chickie’s and Pete’s was the best food I had in America. My favorite dinner that I have at home is scampi.

What was the most memorable thing about your time in Ireland?
WS: Father Cuthbert
MB: Jimmy breaking a chandelier.
BJ: Seeing the Irish school and living there.

What’s it like to leave your family and get on a plane by yourself for a few weeks?
WS: Easy
MB: It was honestly nice to get away for a few weeks.
BJ: I was nervous I would mess up going through customs or miss my flight.

What’s one commonly told lie about Australians?
WS: We don’t all play rugby.
MB: We don’t ride Kangaroos to school.
BJ: Not everyone has the same slang, it differs from state to state.

What’s one thing America should have that Australia does have?
WS: Better beaches and better drinking water.
MB: Frozen coke, kangaroos, and just better animals in general.
BJ: America should have more kangaroos.

Leave a Comment
More to Discover

Comments (0)

All Friar's Lantern Picks Reader Picks Sort: Newest

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *