Texans arrive at college
Students on exchange from Dallas
ST URSULA’S College girls greeted their exchange student buddies like friends instead of strangers when they arrived from Dallas, Texas.
The girls had been getting to know each other on social media for weeks before they arrived at the school yesterday as part of a two-week tour of Australia.
Screams, hugs and hand-made signs awaited the 17 girls from the Ursuline Academy of Dallas who will spend about a week in Toowoomba.
“We are here on a school delegation, so it’s kind of like an exchange program type thing,” Ursuline Academy senior Gabby Sharpe said.
It was an eventful trip for the girls, who were supposed to fly into Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport but missed their flight. They flew to Brisbane and took a bus to the city instead.
“Oh my gosh I love it,” Gabby said of Australia.
“The accents, there is just a lot of greenery and nature.”
Gabby will stay in Toowoomba with St Ursula’s Year 10 student Eve Beattie-Zarb.
“I am so excited, I have been excited since, I don’t even know, the start of the year when I found out about it,” Eve said.
She had even made a sign to greet Gabby as soon as she stepped off of the bus at the school yesterday afternoon.
St Ursula’s College principal Ann-Marie Pawsey said the visit was because of a worldwide Ursuline exchange program.
“A few years ago we started talking to the Ursuline Academy in Dallas and they showed interest in building an exchange program,” Ms Pawsey said.
“We have already had a group of girls in 2016 visit Dallas and so this is the first time that the Dallas girls have actually visited us.”
The school will welcome more exchanges through the year, with groups also from France, Japan, South Africa and another American school in Delaware.
St Ursula’s students will also return the favour and visit Dallas at the end of the year.