Austrian exchange student returns to Deni

The Deni visit is part of an extended holiday to Australia with boyfriend Florian Zamazal, to share some of her formative experiences in our community with her partner.

And they’ve had more time to explore locally than first thought, after their flights home were delayed due to the crisis in the Middle East.

Katie, as she is more commonly known, came to Deniliquin for the first half on the 2017 school year as a Year 10 student.

Her stay was organised through an exchange group, and she said she enjoyed her time here.

Having now graduated from university, Katie and Florian have been on a four-week visit to Australia.

They visited Sydney, Perth and Melbourne before coming to Deni.

They were expecting to fly back to Vienna last weekend, before the flights were delayed.

And while it was an ordeal, they chose to spend their extra week here in Deni.

But with a Melbourne car company refusing to extend their car rental, it did mean a quick trip back to Melbourne and a bus trip back first.

When Katie and Florian caught up with the Pastoral Times at the Deniliquin & District Historical Society Museum on Tuesday, they were still awaiting advise about return flights this weekend.

But overall, Katie said the trip and return to Deni had been “great.”

“We’ve spent over a month in Australia now, and it’s the first time in Australia for him (Florian).

“We’ve loved it.

“There are still some friends around, but many have moved here, there and everywhere.

“It is great to see what has changed and what has stayed the same.”

Florian said the stay in Deniliquin has allowed for them to get the “full country experience.”

He also said they could see the positive side of their flight cancellations in that “there are definitely worse places to be stuck”.

Katharina has just finished studying journalism at university.

She has been interviewing for jobs with magazines in Austria.