Exchange student madness:

So every year Rhodes University offers places for exchange students to come spend one semester here at Rhodes. Since Beit house is a lower campus res we usually get about two or three exchange students per semester. So by the end of second year we have experience four sets of exchange students. We get students from all over and in Beit House allow we have had French, Swiss, Finnish, and American.

Roxanne. Ilyssa and I in front of our dinning
hall

Being friends with exchange students have always been a very enriching experience for me, because their presence in my life reminds me about how wonderful my own country is. I have loved exposing the beauty of my life here in South Africa to them. The culture shock will always be surprising to me. I have very lucky to make friends with some amazing people. Ilyssa, for example. Ilyssa was an exchange student from Boston collage who stayed in Beit House with us in the last semester of 2012. Ilyssa very quickly became friends with us and I miss her fiery spirit around here. Siina, our exchange student from Finland also has a very special place in our hearts and I still talk to her occasionally.

Last year, under Ilyssa instruction, we became friends with a number of other exchange students from Boston Collage. I feel so lucky to have met all of them, and others from across the globe. I sure did shed a tear when I had to say good bye.

Internationals at the rugby

Megan, Rox and I with Lauren and Erica from Boston

Patrick from America! 

I’ve felt so blessed to get to know so many of the internationals this year.  Just by spending a little time with them I get to learn a little more about their home countries and their cultures. I have seriously caught the travel bug! Hopefully I’ll have a few homes to stay at when I do end up travelling!