By: Maddie Walton '28
Over the summer, a few Cate students got the unusual opportunity to be exchange students and partake in daily life while attending school at other Round Square schools in different countries. Madeline Losey ‘26 got the chance to be an exchange student at Bridge House School, an independent day and boarding school in Franschhoek, South Africa. It also helped immerse her in the culture, helping her “experience Bridge House to the fullest.” Madeline stayed in a dorm called the “waterfall house” with three other roommates.
She was able to go into town and experience the day-to-day life of the boarding students there. One event that struck her was when she did a 5k in downtown Franschhoek with her dorm. The 5k was a unique opportunity to explore the lush town with its majestic sights and scenic news. Franschhoek is a town on the West Cape of South Africa with serene mountains and vibrant vegetation. It is surrounded by draping vineyards and majestic wildlife that extends as far as the eye can see. Madeline shared, “It was really fun to explore the natural area of Franschhoek cause it was beautiful; it was lush and green, and the town was beautiful, and just to walk around it with the friends I met was a really fun experience.”
Another remarkable experience Madeline remembers from the trip was Bastille Day, the holiday celebrating the national French day. Bastille is typically celebrated by spending time with family, military parades, parties, fireworks illuminating the sky, and much more. Franchock also celebrates this day because of the influence of French settlers on the town. “We went into town, and there was a festival and flags everywhere,” shares Madeline.
Although Bridge House has fewer borders than Cate and a required student uniform, students' day-to-day lives are similar to those of Cate students. A typical day usually consists of waking up in this verdant place to attend classes, hanging out with friends, exploring town, and studying. Madeline expressed, “I kinda went in expecting to find more differences than similarities.” However, once her experience had come to an end, she found that, at the end of the day, “people are people… you can go and be anywhere in the world, but it’s... still going to be people”. Most places people go, they expect their lives to be vastly different from those of wherever they are visiting. However, despite the difference in environment, languages, time zone, or weather, most people have similar routines.
One of Madeline's favorite parts about the whole experience was that she didn't feel like she was an exchange student because she was treated like a regular student who would be studying there long term. This helped her take full advantage of the experience and build close relationships. She cherishes these extraordinary experiences and new friendships. This experience has helped her realize how similar and interconnected our lives are to people worldwide, and has allowed her fantastic opportunities to immerse herself in South African culture.
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