Hudson Park pupil off to Germany
HUDSON Park High School pupil Adriaan Jordaan will represent the Eastern Cape as an exchange student in Germany for a month after he came first in the province and 15th in the country during the Friends of South Africa (FSA) youth exchange programme this year.
Jordaan, 17, the only representative from the province, jets off tomorrow to Hamburg to attend school, live with a German family, learn to speak German and teach hosts about South African culture for a month.
Jordaan was awarded 86% – the highest mark in the province – during the competition.
The Grade 11 pupil was one of 67 participants in the competition. Pupils were required to send motivations and write three assignments on why they deserved to spend four weeks in Germany as ambassadors.
“I took it very seriously and I made it very easy for the judges to understand my motivation.
“I have always wanted to go on the exchange programme and I know this will benefit me in the future,” he said.
Jordaan, who aspires to become an ambassador and multinational businessman, said he was very happy to be given permission by his school to partake in the programme.
The FSA Youth Exchange is non-governmental, non-political and non-denominational.
There have been 4 574 pupils who have taken part in the programme over the years.
Jordaan’s mother, Stephanie, told the Dispatch she was looking forward to her son’s journey and to see him return with lots of new knowledge.
“It is something he has always wanted to do. I know he will come back with a different view of life,” she said.
Hudson Park High principal Dennis Vorster praised Jordaan’s academic work and said they were proud to see another pupil from Hudson being selected for the programme.
Jordaan and other selected participants from across the country may also tour Switzerland or France during the final days of the programme.
The group is expected to return on the July 20. —