”I’m Briohny and I’m 16 from Perth, Western Australia.
I decided to go on exchange so I could see the world more and immerse myself in another country’s culture while sharing my own. Also and excuse to really try learn a new language. Leaving home and my friends was obviously scary as it’s my first time in Europe but it was an exciting yet long journey.
Deciding on a country to be my new home for a year was a tough decision but one of the best ones I’ve made is choosing Finland. It’s so different to Australia yet also with so many small similarities I’m seeing now that I’m here.
I’m hoping to make some life long friends during my stay here and hopefully be able to speak more of the language by the end of it. The exchange has definitely already benefited me greatly with my independence and how I get to see the world.
Back in Australia my free time consisted of playing music or playing some sort of sport but mainly soccer. Now I get to catch up on my reading, try out new hobbies and learn about Finnish culture.
I have two photos of me back in Australia, one is of me dressed up for a formal school event, and the other is a photo that my brother took of me at the beach just a few days before I left when we went for dinner watching the sunset.”
