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Thailand Beckons for College Student Hannah Sly

May 01, 2013 at 11:29 AM

We congratulate one of our Year 10 Leaders, Hannah Sly, who has been selected to attend a three week student exchange programme in Thailand from early June 2013.

As part of the Thai/NZ Language and Cultural Students Exchange Programme, Hannah submitted an application to the Royal Thai Embassy for the chance to be selected for a three week study programme in Thailand. From 130 applications across New Zealand, Hannah was shortlisted to one of 20 students to be interviewed at the Embassy in Wellington. The interview panel was very impressed with Hannah’s maturity, and her academic and sporting activities at Saint Kentigern. In her application, she wrote about her Ngai Tahu heritage. This was of great interest to the panel who questioned her about this and the Treaty of Waitangi.

To their surprise, Hannah’s parents were also interviewed so they too had a sense of relief when Hannah was selected as one of the ten students to travel to Thailand in early June!

Hannah will attend a Thai school and participate in a programme of visits and sight-seeing trips. Part of the intention behind the exchange is to provide the Thai students with an opportunity to learn and improve their English conversational skills through direct interaction with English speaking students. Students on both sides will benefit through enriching their intercultural knowledge. Once she returns home she is required to write a 3000 word essay about her experiences for the Embassy and also deliver a presentation to her peers at College. There is also an expectation that she stays in contact with her host family.

This is an amazing chance for Hannah to represent her family, the College and the teens of New Zealand. We wish her well in her travels!

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