Justi, 13, enjoyed the first day of a week-long school experience at the all-girls secondary school.
"I like it. The school is really nice, and clean, and the classrooms are big and beautiful. The teachers are very kind and funny."
She was following in the footsteps of her father, Bruno Rossi.
He attended Waitaki Boys’ High School for a year in 1995 as a 15-year-old AFS exchange programme student.
Mr Rossi has regularly visited Oamaru since, every four or five years.
In Argentina, Justi attends a bilingual school and studies in both English and Spanish.
The differences in the New Zealand curriculum surprised her, she said.
"Here you switch classes and subjects a lot. At home we stay in the class much longer."
Her assigned WGHS buddy, Catriona Schoneveld, had been "very kind and helpful".
Justi said she liked the subjects and uniforms at Waitaki Girls’ but preferred her home school lunches.
Her father had also attended WGHS in 1995, taking physical education there due to a timetable clash at WBH.
Mr Rossi, on a visit with his family last week, was happy to reunite with Di Roberts who is still the WGHS PE teacher.
They stayed with his original hosts, the Ludemann family.
Ele Ludemann said they had "struck the jackpot" when Bruno came to stay 30 years ago.
"Bruno’s family is now our family."
