Rohan was one of 10  scholarships awarded in NSW by the Scholarships for Australian-German Student Exchange (SAGSE), which saw students travel to Germany, live with a local family and experience life in the Western European country.

“It was amazing,” he said.

Now settled back into school life, the teenager said it was hard to single out one experience as a highlight.

“Everything was really good,” he said.

As well as spending time with his host family and attending school he also got to travel to Italy.

“It was pretty cold when we were over there, a far difference from the heat we usually experience here in Australia over Christmas,” he said.

“We didn't have snow at Christmas but it was very cold, about minus 5 degrees.

“I did get to see snow for the first time in Italy when we went skiing.

“Really it was the trip of a lifetime.”

It was the first time the teenager had  traveled overseas.

“We visited Berlin which is very historical. Strangely it is also very covered in graffiti. There was lots to learn there,” he said.

“We saw what remains of the Berlin Wall.

“Europe is just totally different to Australia. Everything is so old; its history goes back thousands of years.

“We visited a cathedral in the Netherlands which was 1500 years old. It was incredible.

“Colonge was also very special. The cathedral there was one of the most amazing buildings I have ever seen. It was so detailed.       

“We managed to get up the top and you get a full 360 degree view over Colonge which was amazing.”

He said the German education system was intense.

“I wouldn't say they're smarter than us but they certainly attend longer school days,” he said.

A typical school day started a 8am and finished at 3.45pm.

“We had about half an hour for lunch, so they were much longer days,” he said.

“I was at a private catholic school and everyone was very dedicated to their studies.”

He admitted his adventure had spurred the travel big and when he completes his HSC later this year he intends to go to Malta where he will visit and stay with family.

And then it will be off to university where he wants to study a bachelor of business or accounting.

Rohan’s next goal is to try and arrange host families for 27 German students who will be travelling to Australia and New Zealand later in the year.

“Being an exchange student is a great experience and I would encourage others to do it,” he said.

“But also to host students from other countries.”

The exchange would last for 12 weeks and if you are interested you can contact Rohan at Nowra High School.