Student Exchange

Thursday, 12th November 2026 at 8:00am

Following their NCEA exams, on 5 December, Green Bay High School students Sophie Olney, Evangaline Atkin, Nora Vastag, Cooper John, Charlotte Malone, and Avisa Asghari will be heading to Germany for an exciting two-month exchange experience.

They will spend Christmas and New Year with their German host families, attend school alongside their German exchange partner, and experience what everyday life is like in Germany. They will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in German culture, discover new traditions, practise their language skills, and make friendships that cross continents.

In March next year, the exchange will come full circle when the students welcome their German exchange partners to New Zealand. Their visitors will stay with their Kiwi host families and attend Green Bay High School, experiencing our school, community, and way of life.

“An exchange is so much more than learning a language in the classroom," says HOD Languages, Nicole Polke.

"It’s about stepping outside your comfort zone, becoming part of another family, experiencing a different culture first-hand and discovering the world through another language. The friendships, confidence and memories students gain from an experience like this are truly invaluable.”

We look forward to hearing more about the exchange when our students return, and welcoming exchange students from Germany next year.