Exactly 10 years ago from now, my whole world turned upside down, quite literally actually.
I was a happy average child in South Korea, only to discover that I will be moving to the other side of the planet to study abroad. At that age, I have never heard of Australia or South Australia, and especially not Adelaide. Years later when I asked my parents why they chose to send me to school in South Australia, they expressed how its nature, security, and multiculturalism led them to elect here above all the other options.
The same boy who once felt intimidated and petrified by the new environment ended up falling in love with it and miserable to head back home.
The new world and the new experience opened up the vision that I have never seen; hence led me to realise how the education system in South Australia was truly the only system that I could maintain a genuine level of passion towards both education and other extra curriculum activities which would work in cohesion for me to develop myself as a proud mature individual.
Such belief resulted in my arrival back to Adelaide in 2012; it has been six years and I thank god that I made the right decision.
Schooling in Glenunga International High School (a Government school in South Australia) provided me more support and knowledge than I ever would have anticipated. I was never alone – from Buddy system to Peer Support and International Connect, all of which are programs specifically designed for international students to feel more relaxed and protected throughout their time in GIHS.
On top of that, I can confidently say that my time in homestay remains as one of the most precious memories of my life. I was treated equally with their own children and made me feel like home. Even though I no longer live with them, they remain as my second parents whom I cherish and always meet up as much as I could.
They say that there are two kinds of happiness. One kind of happiness you only know after the moment has passed, and the other you feel in the moment.
The happiness you feel in the moment is so precious that they say that the memories of this kind of happiness can stay with you and enlighten your life. My high school experience was the latter kind that will continue to remain with me and now my goal is to give such happiness back to the students and be the support that once nourished me.
For this reason, alongside my tertiary studies at the University of South Australia (UniSA) studying Bachelor of Design (Communication Design), I returned to GIHS and now support international students both academically and mentally, ensuring content and successful outcome for all those in need.
You can learn more about Daniel on his website.
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