Letters From Home

Amanda Ferrari
  • 5.0 (13)
  • Parenting
  • Updated Weekly

Welcome to Letters from Home, a podcast dedicated to Australian boarding families. Hosted by Amanda Ferrari, the show explores all aspects of boarding life - from packing for the first time to life as a boarder & beyond. Amanda interviews graduates who share how boarding shaped their lives, with families about their journey to and through boarding school, speaks with schools about their unique programs, & hosts an annual "Nailing Homesickness" miniseries to help new boarders. Our podcast is essential listening for boarding families and staff, we welcome your feedback, reviews, & ratings.

  1. 5 days ago

    When Choosing Isn't Easy: A Rural Principal Reflects on the Freedom to Choose

    Can a rural school principal believe deeply in country education while also choosing boarding school for his own children? This week, Amanda sits down with Brett Wilkie, principal of a small rural primary school in Western Australia, to explore one of the most complex conversations facing rural Australia. As both an educator and a parent, Brett shares the emotional reality of weighing up educational opportunities, community commitment and family sacrifice. Together they discuss teacher shortages, access to specialist services, the pressure many families feel to justify their choices and why boarding school should never be viewed as disloyalty to a rural community. This is not a conversation about public versus private education. It's a conversation about access, equity and the freedom for every family to choose the pathway that's right for their child. In this episode • Why two passionate rural educators are considering boarding school for their own children. • The emotional burden of choosing differently in a small community. • Teacher shortages and the realities facing regional schools. • Why access—not loyalty—is at the heart of many educational decisions. • How boarding school can help families remain living and contributing to rural Australia. Further Reading Read Amanda's article: Are Rural Families Allowed to Choose? - The Boarding School Collective (The original Mamamia article that sparked this conversation is linked at the end of Amanda's article.) Connect Follow The Boarding School Collective for resources, events and conversations supporting rural, regional and remote families considering boarding school.

    When Choosing Isn't Easy: A Rural Principal Reflects on the Freedom to Choose

  2. 15 July

    The Country Girl Who Had a Crack

    Growing up in the small Queensland community of Condamine, Maddie Morgan always knew boarding school would be part of her story. What she didn't know was how profoundly those years would shape her future. Today Maddie is an agribusiness lawyer specialising in succession planning, estate planning and tax structuring. She works closely with farming families across Australia and is passionate about helping agricultural businesses navigate important transitions. She's also the co-founder of Women in Ag, a thriving network connecting, supporting and inspiring women throughout the agricultural sector. In this episode Amanda and Maddie discuss: • Growing up in a tiny rural community • The transition from a one-teacher primary school to boarding school • Independence, discipline and confidence • Lifelong friendships formed through boarding • University and career pathways • Agribusiness law and succession planning • Why country kids often return home • The story behind Women in Ag • Advice for young rural women building their futures Connect with Maddie Hamilton Locke (Agribusiness Team) Hamilton Locke Women in Ag Instagram @womeninag.au Follow Letters from Home Hosted by Amanda Ferrari and proudly produced by The Boarding School Collective, supporting rural, regional and remote families navigating boarding school and educational opportunities across Australia.

    The Country Girl Who Had a Crack

  3. 7 July

    When Paradise Isn’t Enough

    We'reWatching You: A Coastal Family's Boarding School Journey When Katie and Dan Toney left careers in television journalism to run a holiday park in the tiny coastal community of Seal Rocks, boarding school wasn't part of the plan. In fact, it wasn't even on their radar. But as their children approached high school, long daily bus journeys, limited local options and a growing realisation that their children needed more than what was available locally forced them to ask some difficult questions. In this episode of Letters from Home, Katie shares how a series of conversations changed everything. From holidaymakers planting the first seeds of possibility to spending time west of the Great Dividing Range where boarding school was simply part of everyday life, Katie's story highlights the power of keeping an open mind and exploringopportunities you never imagined for your family. This conversation explores perceptions of boarding school, the realities of regional education, the emotional challenges of making big parenting decisions and the ripple effect one family can have on an entire community. In this episode we discuss: •          Why living on the coast doesn't always mean easy access to education •          The four-hour daily bus commute that prompted a rethink •          Challenging perceptions around who boarding school is for •          Finding the confidence to ask questions and explore options •          The role conversations play in changing family decisions •          Why boarding school allowed their family to stay living in the community they love •          Watching children find their people, opportunities and confidence

    When Paradise Isn’t Enough

  4. 1 July

    "You Just Make It Work" - One Mum's Journey Through Loss, Boarding School and Bush Resilience

    You Just Make It Work - OneMum's Journey Through Loss, Boarding School and Bush Resilience What happens when the life you planned changesin an instant? For Sophie Elliott, the answer has been onestep at a time. Born and raised on a cattle station outsideWinton, Sophie grew up learning through the School of Distance Education beforeheading away to boarding school herself. Years later, she found herselfteaching her own children through distance education while living remotely withher young family. Then tragedy struck. When her daughter Peggy was just three yearsold and her son Kip only fifteen months, Sophie's partner died suddenly,leaving her to navigate life, motherhood and the future on her own. In this heartfelt conversation, Sophie reflectson rebuilding life in Winton, the challenges of educating children remotely,and the boarding school journey she is now experiencing as a parent. Together, Amanda and Sophie explore: •          Growingup on a remote cattle station and learning through School of the Air •          Therealities of being both mum and teacher in distance education •          Howrural education has changed over the past two decades •          Thegrief of sending children away to boarding school •          Whycommunity matters when life takes an unexpected turn •          Thefinancial realities of boarding school for rural families •          Whatcommunities lose when families are forced to relocate for education •    Whyconfidence, independence and opportunity matter just as much as academicsuccess   Sophie's reflections on the future of ruralcommunities are particularly powerful. She shares why financial support forboarding school can help families remain living and working in regionalAustralia, strengthening the towns and industries that depend on them. This is a conversation about resilience,motherhood, opportunity and the enduring belief that sometimes the hardestchoices are also the most worthwhile. If you've ever wondered whether boarding schoolis worth the sacrifice, Sophie's story offers a deeply personal perspectivefrom someone who has lived both sides of the journey. Listen now on Letters from Home.

    "You Just Make It Work" - One Mum's Journey Through Loss, Boarding School and Bush Resilience

  5. 24 June

    What My Daughter Never Told Me About Boarding School Part 2

    In Part Two, Amanda and Annabel continue their conversation, exploring academic struggles, learning support, friendships, confidence and the lessons boarding school taught that continue to shape Annabel's life today. Now a paediatric occupational therapist and business owner, Annabel shares practical advice for parents and new boarders, along with insights into how children process change, uncertainty and big emotions. A must-listen for families preparing for boarding school or supporting a child through those early years. Follow Annabel:Instagram: @theotcollective_tamworth

    What My Daughter Never Told Me About Boarding School Part 2

  6. 17 June

    What It Really Feels Like to Leave Home at 12 - The Boarding School Conversation We Never Had - An honest conversation with my daughter Annabel Ferrari.

    Over the years I've interviewed hundreds of parents, educators, boarding staff and former boarders. I've spent countless hours talking about homesickness, transition, resilience and what it means to send your child away from home. But today I'm sitting down with someone whose story I've never really explored. My daughter, Annabel. Now that sounds a bit ridiculous when you say it out loud. After all, Annabel is twenty-nine years old. She's a paediatric occupational therapist, she runs her own business, she's about to get married and we've shared a lifetime of conversations. And yet, as I prepared for this interview, I realised there are some conversations we've never actually had. We've never really talked about what boarding school felt like from her side. We've never talked about the uncertainty leading up to it. We've never talked about the fact that my mother was dying in the year before she left home. We've never talked about my last-minute decision to change schools. We've never talked about what she was feeling while I was so busy managing my own grief, my own fears and my own determination to somehow get everybody through. As parents, we often carry a version of these stories. We remember the drop-off. The tears. The phone calls. The holidays. The milestones. But what I've learned over the years is that our children often carry a completely different version of the same story. So today, we're going back. Back to twelve-year-old Annabel. A shy little country girl from Trangie who was excited to go to boarding school, terrified to leave home and about to face one of the biggest transitions of her life. And if you're a parent preparing to send a child away, if you're in the thick of it right now, or if you're like me and occasionally find yourself looking back wondering whether you got it right, I think you'll find something in this conversation. Because what unfolds over the next hour isn't just Annabel's story. It's the story of what happens when a mother and daughter sit down eighteen years later and compare memories. And some of what we discovered surprised both of us. This is Part One of my conversation with my daughter, Annabel.

    What It Really Feels Like to Leave Home at 12 - The Boarding School Conversation We Never Had - An honest conversation with my daughter Annabel Ferrari.

  7. 28 May

    The Boarding School Question So Many Rural Parents Ask - Amy Clark’s Honest Education Journey

    As we continue travelling throughout regional New South Wales and Queensland for our Boarding Schools Expo events, we’re revisiting some of the conversations from the vault that continue to resonate deeply with families researching boarding school. This week’s episode with Amy Clark is one of those conversations. Amy is a rural mum of three boys living between Walcha and Bendemeer in northern NSW. But unlike many boarding school families, Amy did not grow up in the boarding world herself. She grew up in Sydney before agriculture, nursing and family life led her to rural Australia. What unfolds in this episode is such an honest reflection of the questions many rural and regional parents quietly wrestle with. What happens when there actually is a local high school nearby… but you still wonder whether your children might need broader opportunities? How do you weigh up community loyalty, logistics, sport, subject choices, friendships and future pathways? And how do you navigate a boarding school system when you have no lived experience of it yourself? Amy speaks openly about the research process, attending boarding school expos, touring schools, trying to find the right fit for three very different boys, and the importance of connection, belonging and community within a school environment. She also touches on something many rural families understand deeply - the juggle of parenting largely solo during busy farming seasons, the exhaustion of long-distance logistics, and the reality that sometimes boarding school becomes less about prestige and more about sustainability for the whole family. This is a warm, thoughtful and incredibly reassuring conversation for families currently exploring their options. Especially those wondering if it’s okay to consider boarding school even when a local option exists.

    The Boarding School Question So Many Rural Parents Ask - Amy Clark’s Honest Education Journey

  8. 21 May

    Go Floppy - Sarah Ryan’s Very Real Guide to Boarding School

    As we continue our From the Vault series while travelling for our face-to-face Boarding Schools Expo events, this week we’re revisiting a conversation that feels especially meaningful in the lead-up to our Wagga Boarding Schools Expo. Sarah Ryan lives with her family on a Merino stud at Quandialla, not too far from Wagga, where she also runs her much-loved creative business, Quandialla Candle Co. In this episode, Sarah brings such a warm, honest and practical perspective to the boarding school journey, shaped by her own experience as a boarder and now as a parent of boarding school children. This conversation is full of the kind of real-life reflections that families researching boarding school often need to hear. Sarah talks about growing up in a small rural community, the realities of limited secondary options, long bus runs, the importance of keeping an open mind when researching schools, and why first impressions matter, but should not be the only thing families rely on. We also talk about the emotional side of parenting from afar. The first drop-off. The quiet house. The change in family dynamics when one child leaves for school. The way children grow through challenge, discomfort and learning to live alongside others. And then there is Sarah’s now unforgettable piece of advice for parents when things feel a little bumpy - go floppy. Not give up. Not stop caring. Just soften, breathe, work with the school, and resist the urge to turn every wobble into a crisis. For families in the Wagga region and beyond who are currently researching boarding school, this is a beautiful, reassuring and very real listen. It reminds us that the journey is rarely perfect, but with the right support, it can help our children grow in ways we might not expect.

    Go Floppy - Sarah Ryan’s Very Real Guide to Boarding School
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5
out of 5
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About

Welcome to Letters from Home, a podcast dedicated to Australian boarding families. Hosted by Amanda Ferrari, the show explores all aspects of boarding life - from packing for the first time to life as a boarder & beyond. Amanda interviews graduates who share how boarding shaped their lives, with families about their journey to and through boarding school, speaks with schools about their unique programs, & hosts an annual "Nailing Homesickness" miniseries to help new boarders. Our podcast is essential listening for boarding families and staff, we welcome your feedback, reviews, & ratings.

Information

  • Creator
    Amanda Ferrari
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    127
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Amanda Ferrari
  • Show Website
    Letters From Home

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