Swiss student Martina laps up relaxed lifestyle in Aus
FROM the city streets and stone houses of Zurich, to the balmy Land Down Under, Martina Steiger is lapping up the Aussie lifestyle at the Reid residence.
Sixteen-year-old Martina came to Warwick in July last year on a student exchange with Student Travel Schools Student Exchange program and said she could not have been happier with her decision to spend a year abroad.
"It's really great, I like the whole experience," she said.
Martina said it was the good old-fashioned country service that stood out the most.
"The people are really friendly here and when you're at Woolies or wherever they talk to you and people don't do that at home. They just (bark) '$2.50'," she said.
Not being able to jump straight on the train and flit off to various places around town was also something that Martina had to adjust to.
"And they get up really early here - I sleep in - but not anymore!" she said.
For Martina's host family Annette and Steve Reid and their children Daine, Codie and Jake, this is their second exchange student to share their home, and Mrs Reid said they loved the cultural experience.
"It's really opened our eyes a lot having Martina here," Mrs Reid said.
"Codie has even decided to head overseas for a university exchange to Scotland. That was inspired by Martina's visit."
Martina will head back to Zurich in early June.
