Letters From Home

Amanda Ferrari
  • 5.0 (12)
  • 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. Lisa Green - Just Go and Ask the Question – A Dubbo Mum’s Boarding School Journey

    3 DAYS AGO

    Lisa Green - Just Go and Ask the Question – A Dubbo Mum’s Boarding School Journey

    While we’re travelling across regional Australia for our face-to-face Boarding Schools Expo events, we’re opening the vault and revisiting some of our favourite past conversations - the ones that still offer reassurance, perspective and encouragement for families considering boarding school. This week’s episode with Lisa Green from Dubbo is one of those conversations. When Lisa first joined me on the podcast, she and her daughter Ellie were standing right at the beginning of their boarding school journey. Lisa could see clearly that Ellie was a curious learner, hungry for languages, the arts and wider opportunities. But as a single parent, boarding school was only possible if scholarships or bursaries could help make it work. So Lisa did something many families quietly wonder about but aren’t always sure how to do. She came along to the Boarding Schools Expo and asked the question. What followed was a thoughtful process of exploring schools, comparing options, sitting scholarship exams and ultimately finding a place that felt like the right fit for Ellie’s learning, wellbeing and future independence. Since this episode was recorded, Ellie has settled beautifully into her new school and is embracing every opportunity that comes her way. And we are absolutely delighted that Lisa is now joining our Dubbo Expo concierge team this year, welcoming families as they arrive and offering the same reassurance she once needed herself. This conversation is especially meaningful for single parents and families who are unsure whether boarding school is financially possible. It’s a reminder that sometimes the first step is simply walking through the door and starting the conversation. https://boardingschoolco.com.au/

    33 min
  2. When Schools Travel the Distance Too - Why Access to Education Matters in the Bush: with Angie Nisbet

    30 APR

    When Schools Travel the Distance Too - Why Access to Education Matters in the Bush: with Angie Nisbet

    As we hit the road again for our face-to-face Boarding Schools Expo events, we’re dipping into the vault over the next few weeks to share some of our favourite past episodes - the ones that still speak so clearly to why we do this work and why these conversations matter. This week’s episode is one of those. It features Angie Nisbet, who many of you will remember from our Mount Isa event in 2024. Angie was such a genuine and generous supporter of that event, and since this conversation was recorded (actually just a few weeks ago) she has deservedly been named Queensland’s Rural Woman of the Year. We are so proud of her and thrilled that she’ll be returning to Mount Isa this year to host our Live Q&A panel. I wanted to bring this episode back because it captures so much of the heart behind our Boarding Schools Expo events. In this conversation, Angie and I talk about distance, about what it really means for rural and remote families trying to access educational opportunity, and about why it matters that schools travel too - meeting families where they live rather than expecting them to navigate unfamiliar cities and systems on their own. That is such a big part of our why. This episode also reflects the themes we explored at our Mount Isa event last year - connection, access, equity and the importance of creating spaces where families can ask questions, gather information and feel seen. If you’ve ever wondered what sits behind this work, or why we care so deeply about taking these events into regional and remote Australia, this conversation explains it beautifully. It is thoughtful, encouraging and a very worthy listen. Links mentioned: Married To The Land Podcast FarmHer Hands Agrifutures Rural Women's Award ICPA Queensland

    58 min
  3. After the Drop-Off - What Term 1 Really Feels Like (and Why It’s Normal) & What to Expect for Term 2: with Kirsty Wiggins

    23 APR

    After the Drop-Off - What Term 1 Really Feels Like (and Why It’s Normal) & What to Expect for Term 2: with Kirsty Wiggins

    Over the next few weeks, while we’re out on the road for our face-to-face Boarding Schools Expo events, we’re opening up the vault and sharing some of our favourite past episodes with you - conversations that still hold so much value for families researching, preparing for, or living through the boarding school journey. This week’s past episode is a really special one. Many of you will remember the beautiful conversation I recorded with my friend Kirsty Wiggins early last year about the grief that can come with the boarding school drop-off. It struck such a chord with listeners because it gave language to feelings so many parents carry quietly - the sadness, the worry, the ache of sending a child away, even when you know it is the right thing to do. This follow-up conversation was recorded at the end of Term 1 last year, and that is exactly why it feels so timely to revisit now. By this point in the year, the dust has settled a little and the reality of boarding life has started to show itself. Kirsty speaks with such warmth, honesty and generosity about what that first term can really feel like for kids and parents alike. We talk about how exhausting that first term can be, the pressure of new routines and expectations, the challenge of living in a busy shared environment, and the way some children come home carrying more than they can easily express. There is so much gold here, especially for families who are new to boarding school and still making sense of what their child might be feeling. It is practical, reassuring and deeply real. If you are looking for a conversation that reminds you to go softly, stay connected, and be that soft place to land, this one is well worth your time.

    27 min
  4. From the Archives: Peter Debus - The Very Personal Decision of Choosing Boarding School

    16 APR

    From the Archives: Peter Debus - The Very Personal Decision of Choosing Boarding School

    Peter Debus is the Managing Director of PrincipleFocus, a financial management and advisory business based in Dubbo NSW with branches in Sydney and Warren, servicing clients all over Australia. We're bringing this one back from the archives because honestly, it's just that good! When we first sat down with Pete, I wanted to talk about the decision he and his wife Virginia made to send their three children to boarding school from a regional centre that already had plenty of educational options on offer. What unfolded was something much richer. Some of Pete's responses really speak to an invisible pressure that many families carry - that feeling of obligation to repeat the opportunities their own parents gave them. We also got into the financial side of choosing boarding school (of course we did - Pete's an accountant!), and the very real conversations you can have with schools about what's on offer. Pete is an engaging sort of guy. Full of relatable stories. We covered visions for your children, cultural diversity, a place to call home, boarding school communities, and practical options for financial management through the boarding years. If you haven't heard this one yet, you're in for a treat. And if you have, it's worth another listen.

    31 min
  5. From Boarding School to Womn-Kind: Ruby Riethmuller Is Changing Lives

    9 APR

    From Boarding School to Womn-Kind: Ruby Riethmuller Is Changing Lives

    Ruby Riethmuller grew up on a farm outside Wagga Wagga and like many country students, the path to opportunity eventually led her to boarding school. In this episode of Letters from Home, Ruby reflects on those years and how they helped shape the person she would become. From discovering new passions and leadership opportunities to building the confidence to step outside her comfort zone, boarding school played a powerful role in opening doors she never knew existed. But it was years later, in conversations with friends about the pressures and struggles they had faced as teenagers, that Ruby realised something important - so many young people were carrying the same worries but felt unable to speak about them. That realisation led her to start Womn-Kind, an organisation supporting girls and gender diverse young people through school workshops, mentoring and a growing digital community. Today Womn-Kind has supported more than 35,000 young people across Australia, with more than 65 percent of their work delivered in regional, rural and remote communities. In this conversation Ruby shares her boarding story, the inspiration behind Womn-Kind and the powerful role schools and communities can play in helping young people feel seen, supported and confident in who they are. If you are an educator, school leader or parent who would like to bring Womn-Kind workshops into your school community, you can find Ruby’s contact details and website below. You might also enjoy listening to our episodes in “Nailing Homesickness”, where students share their own experiences of navigating the emotional side of boarding school life. Womn-Kind : Phone: +61 402 345 484 Email: ruby@womn-kind.com.au Website: www.womn-kind.com.au

    44 min
  6. When the Local Fit Isn’t the Right Fit: with Tina Clifton

    2 APR

    When the Local Fit Isn’t the Right Fit: with Tina Clifton

    A Gunnedah mum’s honest story of school refusal, confidence, and why regional boarding became the circuit-breaker. Tina Clifton is a Gunnedah mum of two boys, raising them on the land with horses, cattle, sheep and mixed cropping at the centre of family life. She’s also a veterinary surgeon, whose career has evolved from mixed practice, to intensive poultry industry, and now into a government role focused on technical and policy work. In this episode of Letters from Home, Tina speaks candidly about the reality behind a schooling pivot: the social mismatch that can happen even in a great town, the quiet kid whose confidence takes a dive, and the pressure that builds into school refusal and daily conflict. What follows is a moment many parents will recognise - a turning point, made quickly and with love. At our boarding school expo event in Tamworth, Tina and her husband handed their son something powerful: choice. From there, regional boarding became a “not too far, but far enough” solution - close enough to maintain strong ties to home, horses and campdraft weekends, while giving the boys the structure, discipline and peer group where they could belong. Tina also shares the part people don’t always say out loud: the unexpected grief of becoming an empty nester early, the shift in a household when the boys - and the farm helpers - are suddenly gone, and the emotional weight of phone calls that come at the end of a long day. If this conversation resonates, we also recommend listening to our episode with Dr Lisa Fahey, where we explore the emotional side of boarding transitions and how families can support their children - and themselves - through the change. Listen here! It’s an honest, practical and quietly emotional conversation - and one that will resonate with families navigating big schooling decisions.

    47 min
  7. When Education Opens the Gate: with Duncan Taylor

    26 MAR

    When Education Opens the Gate: with Duncan Taylor

    Duncan Taylor knows firsthand what it means to leave a small rural town in pursuit of education - and what it means to come home again. Growing up on a sheep and cattle property in Nimmitabel on the Monaro, Duncan headed away to boarding school at just nine years old. Like many country children of that era, the experience felt confronting at first. But over time it shaped his understanding of institutions, community and the skills young people need to thrive beyond the farm gate. Years later, Duncan and his wife Bronnie found themselves navigating the same journey as parents when their own daughters went to boarding school. In this conversation, Duncan reflects on what it’s like to support children from afar and the balance parents must strike between protecting their children and allowing them to grow. Beyond his own family story, Duncan has been deeply involved in advocating for rural education. As a former President of the Isolated Children’s Parents Association of NSW, he worked to improve access and support for geographically isolated families. Today, he is helping lead one of the most exciting developments in regional education - the growth of Country Universities Centres across Australia. These community-led facilities are giving rural students access to university study closer to home, with technology, support and a learning community designed for regional life. It’s a conversation about opportunity, patience, community leadership and why education remains one of the most powerful tools for strengthening rural Australia.

    39 min
  8. From ‘Not Us’ to ‘Why Not?’: A Family’s Unexpected Boarding Path with Robert Bevern

    19 MAR

    From ‘Not Us’ to ‘Why Not?’: A Family’s Unexpected Boarding Path with Robert Bevern

    What happens when boarding school isn’t in your family “DNA”… and then suddenly it is? In this episode of Letters From Home, Amanda sits down with Robert Bevern - a NSW Police dad whose family story is a powerful reminder that sometimes the biggest decisions don’t begin with a grand plan. They begin with a simple moment of curiosity. Rob is a born-and-bred Northern Beaches local. His wife, Traci, grew up on a property outside Casino in northern NSW. Their policing careers brought them together in Sydney, and later a promotion took the family to the Central West - what was meant to be a three-year posting turned into ten years in Dubbo, and a country lifestyle they’ve grown to truly love. And then came one cold, wet Saturday in 2023. With netball done for the day and nothing much planned, Rob and Traci took their girls along to the Dubbo Boarding School Expo “just to have a look.” They didn’t have questions prepared. They didn’t think it would go anywhere. Their eldest, Lilli - then in Year 6 - was adamant they weren’t sending her away. But as they walked the aisles, spoke to schools, and began to understand the options, something shifted. They realised that if Dubbo’s secondary options didn’t feel like the right fit, they wanted a Plan B - and for Lilli, a strong swimming program mattered. From there, tours followed, and the decision became real in the most unexpected way: a phone call from St Catherine’s swimming coach, who had been tracking Lilli’s times and wanted to know how her application was going. Rob shares the emotional reality of that “snowball” moment - the tears, the long conversations, and the importance of letting Lilli have a genuine voice in the choice. He also speaks honestly about what helped her settle: routine, opportunity, and getting involved from day one. If you’ve ever thought, “Boarding school isn’t for us,” this one will leave you with a simple, reassuring message: keep an open mind - and go and have the conversation. Also in the show notes: a related listen on choosing the right fit - “Big or Small? Finding the Right Boarding Fit with Nonie Ayling.”

    46 min
See All (118)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
12 Ratings

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
    118
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Amanda Ferrari
  • Show Website
    Letters From Home

You Might Also Like