MATES overseas provides students with the opportunity to immerse themselves into other cultures for an extended period of time. Students live within the 'new' society and culture working alongside the local peoples in all aspects of their normal day. Students are invited to look, to listen and to learn. This immersion allows participants and the College to come to an experiential understanding of the global village in which we live - and our place and responsibility to take an active role within it.

Some examples of our current involvement include:

• Salla Lavalla - Cambodia
• St Dominics Rural Training School, Vanga Point, Solomon Islands
• St Joseph's High School Tenaru, Solomon Islands
• Fiji

Through global initiatives, the College works towards our vision of a society which works together to build a community where there is mercy, peace, justice, freedom and integrity for God's creation. In working together to bring this to life "we take good scholarship, the love of learning, independence in thought and action and the readiness to take responsibility for one's own formation. To these ends we promote ... "the provision of learning experiences that are engaging, relevant and forward thinking" (College Mission Statement)

Yr 12 student JONATHON GIBSON IMMERSES HIMSELF IN Cambodia.