Germany awaits Tayla

SECUNDA – Friend of South-Africa (FSA) has chosen Tayla Nicole Swart for a student exchange programme.

She is one of three pupils from Mpumalanga who was selected to participate in the FSA Cultural Youth Student Exchange Programme between Germany and South Africa.

Tayla is a 15-year-old Grade 9 Hoërskool Secunda pupil and applied for the December to January four-week programme.

The first time that Tayla wanted to apply, a teacher told her she was too young and she had to wait until this year.

She was excited and decided not to let go of her dream.

“That was exactly what I did! I waited for a whole year to apply.

“I went to the same teacher in June and asked her for an application form.”

Her parents motivated her and told her to accept this opportunity, because it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

“After emailing my application, I received an email a week later in which they told me that they were busy with their July programme.

“I thought it was their way of telling me that I was not accepted, but a few days later I reread the email and realised what they actually meant.”

At the end of July, she received her first assignment and circular bundle.

The circular bundle gives more information about the exchange student programme.

“For the first assignment, I was asked to list all my sport, cultural, non-academic and leadership involvements of the past three years and I had to get it signed by a teacher and my assignment stamped by the school as proof.

After she submitted her first assignment, she received a second circular bundle which gave her more detailed information about the trip, mainly preparation for example how to read a German train ticket when switching trains and living with a German host family.

“Assignment two was a multiple choice questionnaire that tested my general knowledge about Germany and South Africa and it tested my personality.”

In a third and final assignment, Tayla and her parents had to write individual letters to the future host family, thanking them for their hospitality and telling them more about herself.

“Bare in mind that at that stage, my future host family was still unknown to us and we did not even know if I was accepted or not, but the assignment stated that if I was accepted for the programme, these letters would be sent to my future host family.

“I also had to attach photos of myself, my parents, my family and a few of my school friends.

“I did that and that was the final phase.”

She received an SMS from the FSA on 15 September telling her that the list of successful applicants would be notified the following day.

“I hardly slept that night because I was very nervous.

“I began losing hope, because I did not receive any emails or messages.

“My friends were very supportive and positive and I am very grateful.”

Tayla later received an SMS from FSA, congratulating her on the fact that her application was successful and she was on her way to Germany.

When she read the SMS, she dropped her phone because she was shocked and excited at the same time.

Tayla is leaving for Germany on 16 December.

Though she has received some financial support and sponsorship, there are still many costs.

If you can help her in any way, you can contact Ms Nicky Reid at 076 060 3090.

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