The Exchange Experience: Learning Without Borders at Kinross Wolaroi School

As part of our Round Square program, Kinross Wolaroi are proud to offer our Student International Exchange Program (SIEP) - providing students with the rare opportunity to live and learn alongside peers in our partner schools around the world. It’s more than travel; it’s about curiosity, cultural immersion and community connection, shaping students in ways that go far beyond the classroom.

In 2025, our students stepped into environments vastly different from home - learning new routines, sharing meals, navigating trains, playing in orchestras, and building friendships that will outlast the flights that took them there.

Here are reflections from some students who took part in the 2025 exchange experience.

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Oscar Zielinski - Japan

Travelling to Japan in October, Oscar spent one month fully immersed in high school life at Tosajuku. “The differences were huge - but in the best way,” he reflected. Oscar noticed the quiet discipline of Japanese classrooms (no chatter, even when teachers stepped out), no scheduled recess, and short ten-minute breaks between each period. Senior students could utilise many school clubs after hours, from tea ceremony to badminton and volleyball. “Doing English teaching sessions at school was how I made most of my friends,” Oscar says.

Even navigating train lines solo became part of the learning curve, building confidence one station at a time.

“Oscar’s advice? Don’t just watch what’s happening - jump in and try everything.”

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Minnie Whittle - South Africa

For Minnie, exchange was personal growth 30,000 feet in the making. A self-confessed home-lover, leaving family for seven weeks was a brave leap - one she is grateful she took.

Minnie boarded at South Africa’s renowned girls' high school St Anne's Diocesan College. “I was terrified at first, but the boarding house became my family away from home,” Minnie said. School days finished by 1pm, leaving afternoons open for connection, sport, and community. Phones were limited to two hours daily, which helped build stronger, more genuine friendships. A bucket-list weekend safari and hockey training (serious, sweaty, and full of laughs) were among her standout moments.

“Biggest advice? Just do it,” she inspires. “Be yourself, make friends, join clubs, and you’ll have the best time ever!”

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Lotte McLeod - Scotland

Lotte travelled to Strathallan School, Scotland for five weeks. Boarding during the week and exploring historic cities on weekends gave her the best of both school community and family life. Her days began with breakfast alongside senior 6th formers, roll call in the house common room, 50-minute classes, orchestra rehearsals, gym visits, cadet training, badminton matches, and long lunches shared in dining halls.

Iconic weekend destinations, including Edinburgh Castle and the mesmerising Falkirk kelpies, brought textbook learning to life.

“Go in open-minded.” she advises. “Try everything you can, and make friends wherever possible - the experience is what you make it!"

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Conclusion: Your Turn to Say Yes

The Student International Exchange Program isn’t just a trip - it’s an experience that transforms. Students return with greater independence, resilience, and empathy, having navigated new schools, cultures, and communities. They develop lasting friendships and a renewed sense of curiosity about the world around them.

At Kinross Wolaroi School, these exchanges give students more than memories; they give perspective, personal growth, and a sense of what it truly means to be part of a global community.

For any student considering the journey, the message is simple: say yes, embrace every moment, and watch yourself grow in ways you never imagined.

It’s not about being ready… it’s about going.

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