Linnea, who has been welcomed into Braidwood Central School, is beginning to settle into the Australian way of life and already has some stories to tell about first impressions of Australia, comparisons between school-life in the two countries and new activities she has tried.

The Bartell family have extended their hospitality to Linnea on a voluntary basis, accepting her as a new family member whilst enjoying learning about another culture without having to leave home.

Linnea is one of 280 international students who arrived in July on a cultural exchange program organised by Southern Cross Cultural Exchange, which since 1984 has exchanged more than 9000 students among 20 countries. For further information on either hosting a student or on travel opportunities for a child aged between 15 and 18 years, people should be referred to SCCE at 1-800-500-501 or www.scce.com.au