SAGSE 50th Anniversary 1967-2017

Where are they now? Three stories of the SAGSExperience – and beyond

Ben Fajzullin 1992–93 / 1997–98 Anglican Church Grammar School

Liam Ayre 1993–94, Pine Rivers State High School “As a 16 year-old who had never left Australia, the exchange opened up a new world for me and was a key experience in my life. The opportunity to experience Germany ‘from the inside’ for six weeks gave me language skills and cultural understanding that would be difficult to achieve in six months of independent travel. I returned with a good fluency (something I would never have thought could be achieved in such a short time) and can still clearly remember many experiences. My host family invested a huge amount of effort in advancing my German language ability and ensuring that I was well-introduced to German history and culture (with trips to concerts and the opera as well as Erfurt, Weimar and Berlin) and to life in Germany generally. They have remained close friends ever since: we are in regular contact, they came to my wedding and I also went to my host brother’s. “My SAGSE exchange experience led to an interest in German language and culture which continues to this day. I went on to study German language and history along with law at university and later moved to Germany where I worked for an international law firm in Frankfurt for more than five years. I’m now settled in London working as a lawyer for a Swiss investment bank, and speaking and working in German (sometimes the Swiss variety) remains part of daily life. I remain a frequent visitor to the German-speaking world both for work and pleasure. There is always something to draw me back – Christmas markets, skiing in winter, the Austrian lakes in summer and Oktoberfest in autumn. “Much is different to 1993, but the format of the exchange is essentially unchanged – and I have accompanied a number of SAGSE groups in Germany over the years. Communication with home and around the world is much easier in the era of smartphones and internet, particularly compared with my time when communication home was by letter and a weekly five minute phone call. The reaction of SAGSE students to their time in Germany remains very much the same – it is an unforgettable experience.”

After matriculating in Brisbane, Ben decided to pursue his goal of working in Germany. He began by teaching English to Germans, returning to Australia to work as the nightly newsreader on SBS. He left Sydney for Berlin to become Senior Business Editor for Deutsche Welle News. Ben reports regularly on various topics of interest from all over the world, reaching the global community and gaining many followers in the process. Ben is an inspiration to us all, especially for learners of German. “Taking an early interest in a foreign language was the best thing I did in school. The older you get, the harder it is to master one! And German grammar is a nightmare. But doctors say learning another language can do all sorts of wonders: boost creativity, stave off dementia, even make you a better negotiator. “German landed me a job as an international TV anchor. It’s what I always wanted to do as a journalist and beats having to cover stories about cats up trees! It was all thanks to SAGSE. After a year of German classes, I decided I’d travel to Germany once finished school, to try learning the language properly. And SAGSE took me on. “The exchange opened my eyes to a whole new world – a lot more than just the language. New ways of doing things, new ways of perceiving life, tolerance, travel, different food, opinions, endless opportunities and so much more than I knew existed. Six or seven weeks were definitely not enough. “After university I returned to Germany as a SAGSE committee member, accompanying a student exchange group. And after five years of work as a radio reporter and presenter in Australia, I jumped at the opportunity to move to Germany. That’s when the real adventure started – but that’s another story!”

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