The fall exchange and Global Alliance for Innovative Learning (GAIL) fair was held on August 18 in the Quad during lunch.
Interested students asked questions and talked to students with previous exchange/GAIL experience.
The stalls were of exchange programs in schools across the world, including countries like France, the United States, Australia, South Africa and Jordan.
“The exchange fair reminded me of last year when I was just as excited as these students to go on exchange, ” said Shyla Robinson, Class of 2020, who went on exchange to South Africa in Spring 2017.
There was also a GAIL stall, with students who went for the conference held in South Africa this year during summer break.
Mr Luukkonen, the exchange coordinator, said, “The exchange/GAIL program helps students by giving them an opportunity to explore and see the world first-hand instead of learning about these cultures in a book, online or on television. It challenges students by removing them from their comfort zone and exposing their vulnerabilities, forcing them to grow as young adults. This is an opportunity of a lifetime, and I highly encourage students to go for it, leave their comfort bubble, and take that risk. They will not regret it and will come back a different person.”
Woodstock students also talked to students who are currently on exchange here at Woodstock from Kimball Union (U.S.) and Scotch College (Australia).
Currently, four Woodstock students are on student exchange. Veer Arya, Class of 2020, is in Scotch College (Australia), Janav Sher Singh, Class of 2021, is in Beaconhurst School (Scotland), while Visakuo Tsurho, Class of 2020, and Shreya Kulshrestha, Class of 2019, are both in Kimball Union Academy (U.S.).
The exchange application process for spring and the GAIL application process for next summer have been in full swing since August 21. The GAIL Conference is going to be held at Kimball Union Academy (U.S.) next year.
thewoodstocker.com 