Thin Ice: An Exchange Student Implodes

by Alex Law

In 1979, a small-town South African schoolboy succeeded in becoming an exchange student. The plan was to spend a year with four different host families in whichever country he was allocated to, which turned out to be Australia, and Sydney in particular. His secret motivation was at odds with the programme’s goals, as he hoped to use the opportunity to emigrate. He had not expected the drudgery of long school days, extended by lengthy commutes, for no real purpose … He overestimated his talents and resources, and things started to go wrong in the life he had planned to leave behind in South Africa. He found he wasn’t as resilient as he had hoped. Too proud to accept he was struggling, and without people close enough to notice he was not coping …

679 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 17, 2025