What our students say about our study tours

On our recent study tour of France and England, I saw the most amazing buildings, ate the yummiest food, and my language skills improved so much. The memories from this trip will stay with me forever.

International Opportunities

World experiences to last a lifetime

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A Fintona girl is a tolerant world citizen. She is provided with a range of opportunities and experiences to develop an appreciation of world issues, cultures and customs, while, at the same time, forging stronger friendships with her peers. Through overseas study trips, cultural exchanges and special interest trips like World Challenge, our girls often remember the time they had while overseas, often considering these trips as a once in a lifetime experience. Fintona provides a variety of international opportunities.  These include:

Exchanges and Study Tours

At Fintona, language students have opportunities to travel or live overseas for short periods. Such trips enable them to build their linguistic ability and develop a heightened sense of cultural awareness. Fintona has established relationships with schools in Japan, Indonesia and France and students are able to participate in exchange programs by hosting students and living and studying in the country of the languages they study.

Lycée de la Salle, Rennes - French Reciprocal Exchange Program

Fintona has recently established a relationship with Lycée de la Salle in Rennes, Brittany, an internationally minded school with a management/commerce focus. The school prides itself on offering its students a broad range of overseas opportunities. Fintona students in Years 10 and 11 have the chance to participate in an exchange to Rennes over the summer holidays for 6 to 8 weeks. Opportunities at other times of the year are available by negotiation with the school. Students stay with a host family, attend school and experience living in the unique region of Brittany. The time in France allows students to develop their aural comprehension skills and to use their French in authentic situations on a daily basis. They gain great confidence from being able to converse and make themselves understood in a French-speaking environment. The relationship with Lycée de la Salle is reciprocal; hosting opportunities are available for Fintona to welcome students from Rennes.

France and England Study Tour

A French Study Tour has been a part of language learning at Fintona for many years. Every two years, girls in Years 10 and 11 experience the culture, history and food of France. The tour takes in the northern regions of Brittany and Normandy and then the wonderful châteaux of the Loire Valley. The girls spend a week in one of the southern areas of France, such as the Dordogne or Provence, and finally, spend a week in Paris. In 2009, we have changed the focus of this trip to include aspects of English history and literature and instead of spending time in the south of France the girls will visit Stratford-upon-Avon, Oxford and London.

Yokohama Eiwa Girls School, Yokohama - Japanese Sister School Reciprocal Exchange Program

Since its inception in 1996, Fintona has enjoyed a very successful sister school relationship with Yokohama Eiwa, a reputable independent girls' school situated in the picturesque harbour city of Yokohama. Not dissimilar to Fintona in its 130 years of history, educational values and Christian principles, Eiwa distinguishes itself on its vision to produce globally minded young women. The Japanese curriculum at Fintona offers a diverse range of programs involving Eiwa for all students studying Japanese from Years 7 to 12. Understanding the language, culture and people of Japan through numerous opportunities, such as exchanging letters and photos, hosting Eiwa students and participating in various activities and excursions during their two annual visits, forms an integral part of their learning. Every year in July, we welcome eight selected Eiwa girls for a two- week home stay. In November, more than 100 Eiwa students and staff visit Fintona for a day as part of their Year 11 Australian Tour. Fintona's senior Japanese students have a further opportunity to participate in an individual exchange to Eiwa during the summer holidays. The time in Japan allows them to improve their language skills and to gain valuable insights into Japanese home and school life.

Japan Study Tour

The Japan Study Tour is run biennially for Years 10 and 11 students during the September holidays, giving an excellent opportunity to see Japan first hand and to use the girls' language skills to interact with people in authentic situations. The itinerary includes a wide range of activities in Tokyo, Hiroshima, Kyoto, Nara and Yokohama, allowing students to appreciate Japan's ancient past and the ultra modern society that it is today. Alongside numerous sightseeing and shopping expeditions, a day at Tokyo Disneyland always proves to be very popular, while a visit to Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum offers a harrowing yet thought provoking experience. The highlight of the tour, however, is the last four days spent in Yokohama. During this time, students are billeted individually by Eiwa families. They enjoy the weekend with host families and attend school with their host sisters to participate in various classes and activities. They are warmly welcomed by the Eiwa community and are able to establish long lasting friendships with their new found Japanese friends.

The Wilderness School Reciprocal Exchange

Each year, two students in Year 9 are given the opportunity to spend a week at the Wilderness School, Fintona's sister school in Adelaide. They live with a family and attend classes at Wilderness and, in turn, host their exchange sister from Wilderness for a week at Fintona. This provides an opportunity for students who do not want a long exchange or who might not wish to go overseas, to experience the benefits and excitement of participating in an exchange.

Krida Nusantara, Bandung - Indonesian Exchange Program

Fintona's exchange program with Krida Nusantara began in 2009. Krida Nusantara is one of the most prestigious schools in Indonesia. Located not far from Bandung, it is a school known for its international program and its rigorous approach to the pursuit of excellence. The program adds another dimension to the study of Indonesian. Visiting Indonesian students provide authentic interaction for our girls and enhance relationships between the two countries on a personal level.

Malaysian Study Tour

For students of Indonesian, a Malaysian Tour is held biennially. This is an excellent opportunity for girls to immerse themselves in a culture that is very similar to that of Indonesia. The ability to speak Indonesian means ability to understand and communicate in Malaysian. Students will be able to gain some insight into the culture of Malaysia and develop their language skills. The various destinations will foster students' understandings of some of the topics they study in VCE Indonesian.

The duration of the Study Tour is around 11 days. Kuala Lumpur and Taman Negara (130 million year old tropical rainforest) are the focus of the first few days, including 2 nights' accommodation with Banghuris Home Stay in Sepang. This is designed to provide students with invaluable opportunities to use their language skills in authentic situations beyond the classroom. The visit to Kuala Gandah Elephant Conservation Centre and to the Orang-utan Rehabilitation Centre is also an exciting part of the trip.

World Challenge

World Challenge is an organisation that has established educational programs giving students the opportunity to visit third-world countries. Fifteen Fintona students embarked on a World Challenge expedition in 2008 which took them to remote areas in India. The girls painted rooms in a Primary School, trekked in the Himalayas, walked through forests, viewed amazing glaciers and tramped through snow. This rigorous and inspirational expedition allowed our girls to build strong friendships and gain confidence - all while having the time of their lives! In 2010, a group of Fintona students and their teachers will be embarking on a World Expedition to Madagascar.