Dave Marley and Richard Ronksley welcome Laura and Andrew back

Two Middlesbrough College students made a very long trip indeed to collect their results - they travelled over 6,000 miles.

Laura Fawcett and Andrew Craggs arrived at Middlesbrough College dragging their suitcases with them, having stepped off a train on the last leg of their journey from Tokyo, Japan.

Exhausted they may have been but any jet-lag disappeared as they collected their results.

Laura got four A Levels – English Literature, Psychology, Sociology and English Language – and is now off to Leeds Metropolitan University to study English Literature.

Meanwhile Andrew Craggs is starting the next year of his Advanced Diploma in Engineering course at Middlesbrough College, having already achieved three Diploma units after his first year of study.

The students had been in Japan taking part in a student exchange programme organised by the College. They were accompanied on their Far eastern adventure by another student, Sarah Ferguson, who has just completed the first year of a law degree at Teesside University. The students were based in Tokyo but had the opportunity to visit other places in South west Japan during their three week stay.

Both students were pleased with their examination results but were also still buzzing about their experiences in Japan.

‘That’s by far the best thing I have ever done!’, said Andrew.

‘It’s broadened my horizons so much. We built international bridges, made good friends and saw some amazing sights’, he continued. ‘

Laura was equally enthusiastic. ‘Japan is the best place I have ever been’, she enthused.

Andrew spoke for both of them when he said ‘I would recommend this student exchange to anyone – it has been an amazing experience!’