As our brand-new group of 'Stipis' are just about to head for the departure gate, we take a look at a Sydney 'Stipi' from 2011 who is now based in Cote d’Ivoire advising several African national governments on health care. Paige Taylor went to Ratzeburg in Schleswig-Holstein on her SAGSE exchange. Upon her return to Sydney, she completed her Economics studies including stints in Berlin and at Harvard. Right now, Paige is planning a Christmas trip home to Australia before returning to her important work in Africa.
Year of exchange: 2011 / 12
Group Leader: Emily Cox
School: Wenona School Sydney
German Teacher: Frau Amer
Town / city of exchange in Germany: Ratzeburg
Economics (Honours) at the University of Sydney including 6 months in Berlin at the Humboldt University studying Economics and Finance. I recently graduated from the Master in Public Administration in International Development at Harvard Kennedy School where I was lucky to cross paths with two other Stipis, Eddie Cliff and Janet Egan.
I’m currently working with the Clinton Health Access Initiative advising governments on public private partnerships in the healthcare sector in sub-Saharan Africa. I’m based in the Cote d’Ivoire office but currently working with governments in a few countries in Southern Africa to develop and finance plans for electrification of health facilities.
In the very near term, coming back to Australia for December which I'm really looking forward to. I'm looking forward to continuing to explore the different countries in the region when I come back next year (keen to visit Namibia next to practise some German). There are so many amazing places to discover and an incredible amount of variety across different countries in the region, from language to landscape to history and culture and food. Let me know if you're ever looking for travel tips!
I have such a strong memory of looking out the plane window over Germany and feeling completely awestruck about being in a whole new part of the world, and since then I’ve loved exploring new places and learning about different cultures. I absolutely have SAGSE to thank for giving me the confidence to move to a new country with very little knowledge of the language like I did in January when I relocated to Cote d’Ivoire hoping some Year 9 French would come back…
Beyond that, I’ve had a lifelong love for and fascination with Germany, going back to Berlin during exchange and multiple times after that (ask any German I have subsequently met who has had to listen to my unsolicited raving about my time in Schleswig-Holstein…). I’ve loved staying in touch with my host family, who recently visited my parents on an Australia trip that they’d been talking about way back in 2011.