International Opportunities
German Exchange Program
Wollondilly Anglican College has a great sister school in Germany called Firstwald EvangelischeGymnasium which is near Stuttgart.
Our students have the opportunity to host students from our sister school or go on a three month exchange to Germany. In addition our students have the opportunity to travel to Germany and other German speaking countries, as part of a three week tour.
Germany Tour
For three weeks in September–October students from the College embark on a tour of Germany and countries close by including Austria, Liechtenstein and Switzerland. The students are treated to a huge range of experiences, including: Schönnbrunn and Hohenzollern castles, several amazing cathedrals, the Innsbruck Olympic Ski Jump, Obersalzberg salt mine, Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest, Hitler’s bunker, an Austrian folk show, Europa Theme Park, a Sound of Music Tour, cable car rides, a funicular railway, a lake cruise, walking tours, the Mercedes Benz Museum, snow fights, a visit to our sister school in Germany, a home stay, a chocolate factory visit and several shopping trips.
The trip is probably best described by our students.
“I really enjoyed staying in Mössingen. The homestay was probably one of the best parts of all my time in Germany. Everyone was very welcoming and hospitable to me and all my friends. I loved going to the Ritter-Sport chocolate factory and making pretzels in Tübingen.”
“Being able to use the German language in everyday life, effectively, has been such a rewarding experience and it is cool to realize how different and unique different countries can be.”
“I came to Germany to learn about the culture, also to try new food and most importantly to improve my German speaking. I feel like I have done this because I have had heaps of German foods and spoken in German a lot of the time… Staying with my host family was one of the best parts of the trip and was a great experience.”
“My favourite part of the trip was taking a tour of the Reichstag building and being able to look over Berlin. I also enjoyed discovering Rothenburg ob der Tauber with a ´night watchman´ and going to the Christmas store. The castles in Germany are magnificent, my favourite being Neuschwanstein Castle. I have also loved the homestay where we have had many day trips including going to Switzerland and Europa park.”
Humanities Tour of Europe
Fieldwork and site studies offer students valuable opportunities for deep and rich learning. With this in mind, the College has worked with an Australian-based company specialising in school group tours to design a Senior Humanities Tour of Europe.
The 15-day itinerary visits Paris, the Western Front (Somme Valley, Ypres, Passchendaele, MeninGate), Berlin, the Bay of Naples and Rome (Pompeii, Herculaneum, Mount Vesuvius, Colosseum). The focus is on sites relevant to the HSC Ancient History, Modern History and Geography units of study.
The tour is hosted by College staff, as well as a Tour Manager, and is supported by academic experts and local guides. The opportunity to run this tour is subject to student interest and other College priorities.
