Exchange student embraces Durban culture with Glenashley host family
The teenager returns to Germany in a few days but is making the most of the time she has left in Durban.
A ROTARY exchange student from Germany says she plans on spending her last two weeks in Durban by visiting the Drakensberg and pampering herself with a haircut and manicure, which is something that isn’t cheap back home.
Elena Borgmann (16) has found herself right at home with the Hulett family in Glenashley, whom she described as kind and hospitable.
Also read: Sunningdale resident makes bodyboarding history
“My host family is really great. It’s been a learning curve for me. For example, they enjoy spicy food and asked me to try. It took me some time to get used to, but I enjoy it. I don’t have any brothers but with my host family, there are two boys, so I got to experience what it would be like living with brothers,” she said.
Being her first time in South Africa, Elena said she loved the ocean and the culture, but felt the city could be a lot cleaner. She also surfed for the first time, something she thoroughly enjoyed, and had a domestic worker clean and do chores, something which is rare in Germany.
“At home, we do our own chores and cleaning as having a housekeeper or cleaner is expensive. Beauty treatments are also pricey. A simple manicure with a basic paint costs about €60. Even a haircut is expensive, so I plan on doing that here in South Africa before I head back home,” she said.
Elena has toured to the North Coast and visited Cape Vidal and Hluhluwe with the highlight of her trips being the animals she saw during the game drives. She also experienced eating a bunny chow and did voluntary work with The Seed Foundation.
“I attended Danville Girls’ High for a few days which was slightly different for me. Everyone wore a uniform so it was difficult to tell what their personalities were. Clothing and accessories are an expression of one’s self, and it was difficult to read people because they all looked the same.
“We have one classroom in Germany, and the teachers come to us. We also work off iPads mainly, and there are no prefects, ” added Elena.
“South Africa is diverse in culture, and it’s great to learn about it. I battled to understand the accents in the beginning and the lingo. Also, people here speak really fast. One of the words I learnt was ‘yasis’. People use that a lot here,” she said.
Elena thanked Rotary District 9370, her host family and everyone involved in making her exchange happen.
If you would like to learn more about the Rotary Youth Exchange programme, contact Hilary Augustus from the Rotary Club of Durban North at 082 556 0299 or aug@iafrica.com.
For more from Northglen News, follow us on Facebook, X or Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok. Click to subscribe to our newsletter – here
