EXCHANGE PROGRAM Life at Cobham

On14 February 2023, my exchange program began, marking the first time I had to leave my parents for an extended period. I won’t deny that I was in tears as I took the yellow departure escalator at Brisbane International Airport, feeling overwhelmed with excitement and nervousness. I flew to Singapore with a layover at an inconvenient hour of the night before continuing to London’s Heathrow Airport.

Luckily, my uncle picked me up from the airport and allowed me to adjust to London time while staying with him, my aunt, and my two cousins. On Sunday, my aunt drove me to the beautiful countryside of South East London near Kent, where I arrived at Cobham Hall around 5.00pm on 31 February. The dorm mistress greeted me and gave me a tour of the dorm facilities. I was introduced to boarding routines and assigned a room, along with a recently dry-cleaned and pressed uniform to start school the next day.

Cobham Hall is a beautiful and historic school that reminded me of Hogwarts, as the original Ashes game was played there, and the ashes were made by the original owner’s wife in the library. The School is steeped in history, making my stay there incredible. The interiors rivalled those of a palace, and it was amazing to attend school in such a piece of history.

Meeting new people, being introduced to a new culture and a new way of schooling, was enriching. With just 30 students per year and an average of seven students per class, I was able to get to know all my peers in a short amount of time. I made some incredible friends from all over the world, with lasting friendships from Germany, Ukraine, China, and Thailand.

The access to teachers was fantastic, with individual help available at any moment of the day. I built strong relationships with all my teachers, something I valued greatly. With such small classes, it was easy to get to know them well. Many teachers even lived onsite in some of the historical accommodations.

My day started at 7.00am when my door was knocked on by the house mistress. Breakfast was at 7.45am, with waffles, pancakes, toast, and cereal on offer. I then headed to my classes, followed by lunch and then final classes. Dinner was at 5.45am, and then I had to head to the common room to study and do homework from 6.30 to 8.00pm. The curriculum was full, with Physics, Biology, and Chemistry all introduced in the same term.

Although my days were long, the experience was worth it. I met and engaged with people and groups I never thought I would have the opportunity to.

On weekends, I had the chance to go to the Blue Water shopping center and go on trips out of the school, including a beautiful day trip to Canterbury. One weekend, my boarding house held a bake-off, and on another, we went to see & Juliet in central London, experiencing live theatre at its finest. Boarding at Cobham was never boring.

This exchange was truly life-changing, and I would go back to Cobham tomorrow if I had the chance. I encourage any student to take advantage of this international opportunity as the world is not as big as it seems, and being based in Australia can create a sense of distance from the rest of the world. I am better for this incredibly life-changing experience.

Mia Scott Year 10 Student