Frida Skiaker touched down at the Port Macquarie airport on July 18, 2018 ready to embark on the trip of a lifetime and 12 months on she is sad to be leaving.
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Frida has spent the last year living in the Hastings taking part of a Rotary International Youth Exchange.
Born and raised in Norway she decided she wanted to get out of her daily routine and see something different - even if it was just for a little while.
"Norway is a pretty cool place to live but I wanted new experiences and to do something out of the ordinary," Frida said.
"Signing up for a youth exchange was probably the best decision of my life because I have made a whole new family on the other side of the world.
"After nearly a year in the area doing some awesome things and meeting some amazing people I am leaving one family and home to go back to another."
Frida has been hosted by the Rotary Club of Wauchope and has attended St Joseph's Regional College taking year 11 classes in 2018 and year 12 classes since school resumed in January.
She has also lived with three different host families first in Wauchope, then Beechwood and finally in Port Macquarie.
"My host families have been so wonderful to me and have made me feel so comfortable since the moment I met them," she said.
"I have siblings back home and and have always lived with my parents so it was a challenge living away from them but it was so good.
"When I first arrived I was told the year would go so quickly but I didn't really believe it. Now I am packing my bags to go back to Norway and it seems so crazy that the year has come to an end."
Frida said living by herself in another country she has gained confidence and independence and has been lucky to see as much of Australia as she did.
"I don't really feel like I have changed as a person but I do think I am happy in my own company now. For the last year I have had to live without my parents on the other side of the world and it has been so much fun.
"I have been to Darwin, Sydney, Queensland, Adelaide, Victoria and even Alice Springs travelling with my host families and other exchange students and it has just been so amazing.
"One thing I will say about Australia is I think Tim Tams are overrated but Vegemite is pretty good. I am going back to Norway at the start of summer but I think nothing beats an Aussie summer and spending days at the beach."
Frida heads back to Norway on June 18 and said she will definitely be back one day.
"I have had the best time of course I will come back one day. I hope to bring my family out and show them all the places I have been able to go."
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