Five Tauranga families are preparing to shed their share of tears as they farewell their teenagers in January.
The five high school students have been selected to take part in the year-long Rotary Youth Exchange Programme.
Georgia Healy, 16, has been furiously learning German since she found out her home next year would be in Willich, Germany.
"It's a little rough at the moment," she said. "I'm excited but I'm nervous at the same time."
The Otumoetai College student will complete her final year of school in Germany and stay with three different host families during the year she is there.