The year 11 student grew up in the small town of Gørlev on the west coast island of Zealand, Denmark and had wanted to visit Australia since he was a young lad.
With his mother involved in a Rotary Club back home, and his older brother on an exchange program in Pennsylvania, USA, Aron became inspired to travel abroad on exchange.
“I've always been really interested in Australia,” he said.
“It's so different from everywhere else, like try explaining a kangaroo to anyone who doesn't know what it is.
“I just really found interest in the country itself, interest in the landscape, animals and the culture.”
Aaron spent the summer travelling around Australia, in the company of fellow exchange program students.
He visited Jarvis Bay in NSW and the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland, before exploring the Northern Territory.
The group started in Darwin then travelled to Uluru where he learned about Indigenous culture.
Aron said exploring the Great Barrier Reef was the highlight of his travels, as it was something he’d wanted to see in person since learning about Australia.
“For me it was really, really cool to see,” he said.
“I’d always wanted to explore the Barrier Reef, so it was amazing to finally do it.”
The first few months in Yarrawonga were difficult, as he readjusted to life, school and the weather down under.
“The school system is very different from back home, so settling into that took quite a while, but I got the hang of it before we went on summer break,” he said.
“When it became summer, the 40-degree weather was way, way too hot for me.
“I've never used 50 plus sunscreen before in my life, and I put it on six times when at Jarvis Bay, and I still got sunburned, which was quite a shock.”
Aron kept active by swimming and giving Australian Rules football a go.
He trained with the Mulwala Lions and took a liking to the Geelong Cats, who he saw play live at the MCG.
“I love AFL, I had no idea about anything about it before I came here, but my first host family introduced me to it and I really, really fell in love with the sport,” he said.
“I don't think I've enjoyed watching a sport as much as I do enjoy watching the AFL.
“My friends at school sort of convinced me to go for Geelong, and after I watched a few games I decided, ‘yeah, they are pretty good’.”
School, swimming, and Rotary were not the only responsibilities Aron had as he experienced hospitality work at Divine Goodness throughout the summer.
Now he says it feels bittersweet to finally return home.
“It feels like you're leaving home to go home, and that's really, really difficult,” he said.
“I don't feel quite ready to leave yet, but on the other hand, I'll get to see all my family.
“We have a four-week vacation planned once I’m back, and it will be great to tell my friends about the trip in person.”
Aron said the program helped him develop independence, comfort in his own skin, and curiosity to explore.
“I never lost contact with my parents, we have phones and contact each other daily,” he said.
“I really enjoyed and got used to living on my own, it’s something that I think is important everybody learns at some stage of their lives.”
Exchange councillor Ron Kennett said Aron was the club’s first exchange student since the Covid-19 pandemic, and saw the young man mature greatly throughout his stay.
“Aron has seen more of Australia than most Australians have,” Mr Kennett said.
“I can’t speak highly enough of him.
“He was a really good young man who had a fantastic time here.”
Aron finishes school at age 20 in Denmark and wants to study bioengineering or become a veterinarian.
Studying in Australia is a definite possibility.
“I’m sort of counting on that, I think I might, but I think I'll see how we go,” he said.
“It depends on where I find the university and what I really need, but yes I was debating coming back to Australia to study.”
Aron will continue to support Geelong from 16,000 kilometres away, and dreams to one day watch the Cats play in the Grand Final.
The Yarrawonga Mulwala Rotary Club encourages people to express their interest in completing a student exchange program of their own.
For more information, contact Youth Director Cate Febey on 0407 369 431
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