We received a flyer requesting homestay families for international students attending Collyers. Pretty soon we had Jacqueline.

Jacqueline is from Hong Kong, is 17 years old and plays the harp professionally. I was really excited to have a Chinese friend living with me! She wants to go to university in England and decided to come early and do A-levels here as well. I was really surprised when I first met her, and I’m sure everyone else was, at how good her English is, she told me that she went to a trilingual school from a young age learning English, Cantonese and Mandarin.

I was worried that it might be difficult for her adjusting to our culture but she said because of our history with Hong Kong being part of the British Empire, there are lots of existing English cultures in Jacqueline’s city so it was easy for her to adapt.

She is studying A-level Biology, Psychology and Mathematics. Jacqueline misses the big noisy streets of her city and the living environment. Not to mention the difference in our foods. She said her favourite part of staying here was living with girls that were of similar age as she doesn’t get to live with her sisters when she is abroad.

I think international students coming to England for their education is challenging as they have to move away from your family and change your surroundings, but I love having one as she is a friend, a mentor and a big sister.

Lara Mitchell, Millais School