School Exchanges â€` SA Leading Destination?

Source: SA Good News, 14/11/2017

This week I received a letter from Jackie Verall in the UK who runs
school exchange programmes.
“I was wondering if I could bore the pants off you with an editorial
or a blog about how my little UK company is cutting a swathe through
Europe offering high school experiences in South Africa. No, it’s not
a plug for my business but just to say how South Africa is booming in
Europe and kids are coming a plenty to study and experience the great
South African way.”
I came to Cape Town eight years ago, fell in love with it and deemed I
would expand my business, somehow, to include SA.
Dream achieved and it’s great
Importantly we are offering limited economic help for host families
and schools. This chain of my company doesn’t take any profit. After
everyone has been paid the residue goes to township and other worthy
causes.”
â€` Jackie Verrall ( jackie@englishlanguagehomestays.co.uk )
Chasing the Sunshine; the Language and the Surf!
Trends are a wonderful thing, especially if you are on the winning
side and, it would appear, that South Africa, or more particularly
Cape Town, is definitely on the winning side for European High School
students.
After doing a stint in the more mundane towns in England or, perish
the thought, America, the European kids wanted more. Not for them the
slightly chi chi places of New England or the robust landscape of
Brisbane. No, they want action; adventure; sunshine and surf.
So, whilst many countries throughout the World are noticing a downturn
in business due to the perceived terrorism threat, South Africa seems
to be experiencing a boom. What started off for us as a “side-line”
to our British High School programmes has now blossomed into an
expanding â€` often sold out â€` programme with High Schools throughout
the Cape.
Best of all these European students are simply embracing the South
African way of life and not only improving their English but taking on
Volunteering in their spare time; learning to surf; finding out about
the complex South African history and making new and lifetime
friendships from diverse backgrounds.
We started off working with one High School and now we have nine as
well as two Colleges. Our High School subscriptions start almost a
year in advance and we often find ourselves over-subscribed. The bonus
for South African families lies in the fact that they are paid, rather
well, to host these students which pumps money into the local economy.
The schools are also paid and added to this, the European kids come
and pay for excursions; Tours and lessons in anything they can that’s
South African…..