By Ethan McKay ‘30 and Justin Chung ‘30
From September 9th to October 2026, seven Australian exchange students arrived on the St. Mark’s campus, trading the sunny weather and familiar faces back home for New England fall weather, American school food, and life at SM. During their stay, the students got to experience what it is like to live and learn at St. Mark’s, while giving the rest of the school a chance to learn a little more about life down under. But naturally, we had some important questions. Do Australians actually eat Vegemite? Do they really call flip-flops “thongs”? And, perhaps most importantly, what do they think of our food?
One of the biggest adjustments for the exchange students was, unsurprisingly, the food. American food has a reputation for being big, greasy, and, according to some of our visitors, a little too oily. When asked about the biggest difference between food in Australia and food at St. Mark’s, one student pointed out how “fat and oily” American food can seem compared to what they are used to back home. Of course, this raised another important question: is Vegemite actually as popular in Australia as Americans think it is? For anyone unfamiliar with this Australian classic, Vegemite is a dark, salty spread that Australians commonly put on toast. To Americans, it can seem like an acquired taste. To Australians, however, it is practically a national institution. When asked whether they actually eat Vegemite, most students—if not all—said yes, and liked it.
Food was not the only source of confusion. Australian English comes with its own vocabulary, and some of the differences are enough to make an American do a double take. For instance, it’s common in Australia to say “G’Day” as a way of greeting. While Americans might associate Australian slang with movies and television, the exchange gave St. Mark’s students a chance to hear these expressions firsthand. It turns out that even though Australians and Americans both speak English, we do not always speak the same kind of English.
Beyond the food and the slang, the exchange students also got to experience the daily routine of a boarding school in Massachusetts. From classes and homework to dorm life and campus traditions, their time at St. Mark’s offered a look at a school culture that may be quite different from their own. For the Australian visitors, even ordinary parts of the school day provided opportunities to compare experiences and learn something new. Many Aussies noted the differences in classroom environment between St. Mark’s and the schools back in Australia. The first “obvious difference” pointed out by the Aussies was the class size. Here at St. Mark's, class sizes can range from 6 to 14 students depending on the course, yet in Australia it is common for classes to go up to 40 students per class. Additionally, a lot of them noticed a different dynamic between teachers and students, specifically in that there is a lot more communication and interaction at St. Mark’s compared to schools in Australia.
Ultimately, the exchange was an amazing opportunity that provided both SM residents and Australian students a glimpse into what it’s like halfway around the world!