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Student exchange programmes are all about experiencing new cultures, learning new languages, living i new places and understanding the world around you. Shreyashi Dasgupta peeps into the lives of a few exchange students

There was a time when schools and various organisations organized exchange programmes to promote inter-country exchanges but of late intra-country, interregional and rural-urban exchanges are the new trend. The main aim of such programmes is to broaden childrenʼs horizons. Sahali Singh, a parent says, “It changes the way the child looks at life. I feel my child has learnt a lot after he came back from his exchange trip.”

So, what is an exchange programme all about? A student exchange programme is one where the child lives in a different city or country in a new environment, without his or her family around. Students have to live with host families and are exposed to new ideas and cultures.

Last month, the Mahatma Gandhi International School (MGIS) in Ahmedabad had an exchange programme where they welcomed 13 students and three teachers from Mercedes College, Australia for a stay of 14 days. The students of both schools organised an exhibition of their culture-specific traditions such as rangoli, tie and dye, rugby and so on to create intercultural awareness. They also organised several sessions on the comparative study of recycling and preserving resources and heritage.

Harsimran Kaur, a 15-year-old from MGIS says, “Two Australian students are staying with my family. This is the second time I am hosting exchange students. I really like introducing them to my city and culture. I have taken them on autorickshaw rides and done things they would never even imagine. Itʼs a great experience and there are so many new things to learn in the process.”

We asked Alex Ryan, a 15-year old from Mercedes College, if living in India was a different experience. He says, “It was a completely new experience. Having stayed here for few days, I donʼt feel like going home. People here are friendly and affectionate.” Laurence Lacoon Willianson, a 15-year-old from Mercedes College adds, “I enjoy the tasty and authentic food, especially the masala tea.”

Minoo Joshi, a teacher and middle year programme coordinator at MGIS says, “We have had an exchange programme with Mercedes College since 2004. Itʼs amazing to see a combination of cultures and students brought together through sharing, collaborative teamwork and interactive learning. I feel we all are intrinsically the same as human beings and yet we have our differences. Thatʼs really one of the most exciting faces of these exchange programmes, celebrating our differences as well as enjoying our similarities through a healthy platform of exchange.”

The Rotary Club also organizes Youth Exchange Programme for students between 15 and 18 years of age. Farhat Jasani, President of the Rotary Club says, “Our exchange programmes make sure that the students learn some skills or knowledge during their stay in a different country. Itʼs a long process which starts right from the time the Rotary helps them to find a place, to giving students guidelines before they leave the city.” The club has a successful record of conducting exchange programmes every year.”

Of late, exchange programmes have taken on a different twist as in the case of St Xavierʼs School, Mumbai. They have offered students a programme where students get an opportunity to experience what it is like to study in a village and in exchange children from the village will study at St Xavierʼs School. Fr Errol Fernandes SJ, Manager of St Xavierʼs School says, “Most of our urban students donʼt know where our food grains come from. One must be exposed to the real India and this is a step to bridge the rural-urban gap.”

Students of classes 7 and 8 will be able to take part in this exchange programme beginning in April 2010. The Billabong Group of Schools has also organised interregional exchange programmes for all of their 13 branches across India.

More than just a learning process, we think these exchange programmes help bind the world together.