By PAT NEWMAN
Staff Writer

Glenn Gresham, 16, of Peachtree City is preparing for the experience of a lifetime.

This week, he took off for Australia as a participant in World Learning's Experiment in International Living, a 65-year-old program that places students in work and home-stay situations. He is one of 20 students from the United States traveling to the “land down under” to stay with a host family and work a stint on a sheep ranch.

Following stays in Sydney and Cairns, Gresham will snorkel at the Great Barrier Reef.

Why Australia? “When I was younger, I had a great fascination with the Orient. I found Australian culture interesting, especially during the British colonization. The country is kind of laid back, and it's close enough (in language and culture) to feel comfortable,” Gresham said.

The Experiment in International Living annually places students in 30 types of programs in 18 countries. Participants “learn-by-doing,” living with a family for couple weeks and working alongside the country's inhabitants, in Gresham's case, on a sheep ranch.

He has earned a portion of his money for the trip through his business, “Pet Minders.” Gresham has taken care of dogs, birds, cats, hamsters and an iguana or two as a pet sitter. He also was awarded a $2,000 scholarship from Readers' Digest.

His mother, Sue, has no qualms about her only son traveling half way around the world for the summer. “He's traveled a lot,” she said, ticking off a list of places Gresham visits in the course of a year. He has regularly participated in several mission trips with his church, Peachtree City United Methodist, as well.

To prepare for his journey abroad, Gresham has kept in touch with his team leader via the Internet and has read about Australia from the reading list recommended by the sponsoring group. Upon his return, he is required to relate his experiences in a report and share what he has learned informally.

Gresham is a rising junior at Starr's Mill High School.