These past six weeks have taught me so much about different lifestyles and in ways I couldn’t have imagined before going on exchange. As I started settling into school, I noticed major differences in the way Athenian and Westminster operate. One of the biggest ones was behavior in class. In most classes here, people aren’t listening to the teacher or are talking over them. I realized that Athenian has an environment where there is mutual respect in the classroom. It has also taught me to appreciate how much Athenian values education and helps students to reach their full potential. Through these experiences, I have come to appreciate that even though Athenian is regarded as a “hippie school,” it provides an amazing environment in all ways for its students.

At Westminster, they have a “tutor” session, which is just like advisory, but it happens for fifteen minutes every day. I was surprised by this because at Athenian we only have advisory once a week, while students here have an opportunity to meet up every day. During this time, I also got to sit in on the all-school assemblies that they have every Wednesday. Learning how to get to my locker between classes was also something I had to adjust to. At Athenian, everyone just has their backpack with them and takes it to every class.

A refreshing change for me was how most people here come together at one common place during lunchtime. At Athenian, everyone spreads out across campus. At Westminster, most people have their lunch on the “oval.” You can always find groups playing footy or just talking and enjoying each other’s company.

Westminster also has their version of AWE called Westventure. Groups go for two weeks on an outdoor excursion in which they hike, kayak and run. Even though it’s for a shorter duration than AWE and it’s focused more on outdoor activities, it reinforces an appreciation for the planet and maintaining a relationship with nature just like AWE does.

Rebekah’s birthday was during the time I was here, so her parents took us to Melbourne for the weekend. Melbourne was named the world’s most livable city and I quickly learned why. As soon as we started exploring, I instantly fell in love with the city and how nice it was. The people were friendly and there was good energy in the air. There were so many things to see. They had tons of alleyways, which boasted eye-catching street art and were filled with restaurants and shops. You could always find performers on the street, whether it be singing or painting. Melbourne also has an enormous open-air market called The Queen Victoria Market that dates back to 1878. While we were there, I got the opportunity to see two Australian-rules football games. After 4 weeks, I finally understood how the game works. It was so fun to be a part of the crowd cheering the team on and to see what football culture is. Melbourne offers multiple birds’ eye views of the city. You can go on the Melbourne Star, which is a huge, brightly lit up Ferris wheel, or go to the absolute top of a building which has a glass elevator that pushes you out to 1000 feet above the street. These provide you with a breathtaking view of the city and are especially stunning at night. I also was treated to holding a koala and even got to pet a kangaroo!

While I am excited to return to California and meet my friends again, a huge part of me is already missing all the close friends I’ve made here and the school. I stayed in Westminster’s Girls Boarding, which was a whole different experience in itself.  I have had such a good time. I found a new family instantly and always have someone to talk to. My time here has flown by and I feel like I could stay at Westminster for a lot longer.

Going on exchange was once of the best decisions I’ve made and I’m so grateful that I was given this opportunity. For anyone thinking about going on exchange, I highly encourage you to go. Before I went on exchange, I had prior expectations and they turned out to be completely wrong as soon as I started attending school here. I would just like to thank the Forrest family for hosting me and to Westminster Girls’ Boarding for being so welcoming and for providing me with a second home. I loved my time here and wouldn’t trade it for the world.

 

During the entirety of my six-week exchange in Australia, I didn’t see a single kangaroo. Not one. It wasn’t until the drive down from my exchange’s house to Sydney on the last day of my exchange that I saw a small group of them sitting peacefully on a golf course. I only got a glimpse of them for a split second–a quick infinitesimal blur in comparison to the duration of my exchange. This short anecdote is representative of my exchange experience as a whole. Immediately after I met my host family, preconceptions and expectations I had formed in the months preceding my exchange were proven wrong. My experience was completely different then I had ever imagined. I believe it to have been quite unique compared to some of my peers’. Similarly, one of the most well-known characteristics of Australia is its kangaroos. When I didn’t see them immediately after my plane landed I was in a little bit of shock. At the beginning, I found it a little difficult to converse and bond with my exchange, Jenna. Having seen all of the other exchange buddies at Athenian and seeing how close they were, I simply expected to become best friends with Jenna. Obviously, this isn’t how any relationship is formed. Yet I had that preconceived notion locked in my brain. In the end, Jenna and I have become exceptionally close friends, and saying goodbye to her family earlier today was extremely difficult.

Now, I’m in the middle of my 14-hour plane ride home. I’ve never felt so many conflicting emotions at once. A large part of me already misses all of the friends I’ve made and the school I attended in Australia. Yet, in the back of my mind, I’m really excited to reunite with my family and my American friends. It’s all so surreal. I can’t even believe that I’m already coming home. The six weeks flew by. I feel like I could have stayed at NEGS for so much longer.

Having been on exchange, I feel so much more prepared for life after high school. Having gone to a boarding school, many of my fears surrounding college and leaving home have been confronted. After the first week I was already used to being away from home and living in a dormitory-style accommodation with 55 other girls. I feel much more confident thinking about college now since that aspect of life is a lot less daunting and unknown.

Thank you so much to the Goodfellow family for hosting me. My journey has been unforgettable thanks to you J

Over the course of my exchange at Scotch Oakburn, I’ve learned to be adaptable and resourceful, to appreciate different ways of life, as well as my own back home. Some aspects of Scotch, a Round Square school, felt Athenian-like, such as the value they put on multiculturalism and acceptance. Speakers came in to discuss how Australians should view the refugee crisis as an opportunity to help instead of as a cause for fear. The drama program emphasized the importance of LGBTQ+ acceptance through a play about a homophobic hate crime. In their classes, they discussed the importance of humanitarianism.  In chapel, they extolled value of being both spiritual and a believer of science.  Through annual camps, they instilled an appreciation for the natural world. I even noticed some education for democracy when students were invited to meet in groups with the Head of School and give honest feedback.

It was also apparent, however, that many teachers were more concerned with their students’ presentation than their performance. Students were chastised for wearing makeup, having shirts untucked, or wearing the wrong uniform jacket, but were allowed to slack in their academics. Many students skipped homework or behaved disrespectfully in class without consequence. Although it often made for an interesting and fun classroom atmosphere for me as an exchange, I can’t imagine trying to learn in such an environment. It has led me to appreciate Athenian students’ natural respect for teachers and classmates, as well as Athenian’s focus on academic rigor rather than superficial appearance. I have also learned how rare and valuable Athenian’s clique-less social culture is. This newfound appreciation and reinvigorated love for our “hippie liberal school” even has me a bit excited to return to Athenian for my junior year.

After six weeks in Tasmania, Amy’s family and I traveled to Sydney for my last weekend on exchange. Tasmania is absolutely stunning, with vibrant greenery and endless farmland; however, Sydney has the city wonders I am more familiar with. I repeatedly expressed my surprise at how clean, safe and beautiful the city felt. We shopped, climbed the Sydney Harbour Bridge at sunset, marveled at the Sydney Opera House, and swam at Bondi Beach. I loved watching the expanse of the city lit up at night. I appreciated the familiar sounds of cars on freeways, as opposed to Tasmania’s two-lane highways. Although we didn’t have much time in Sydney, I soaked in every moment before getting on the plane this morning.

As I sit in my aisle seat, ten hours away from LAX and then another hour from the comforting aerial view of SFO, I believe exchange has been a growing experience for me. I’ve had to learn how to live in a new household and adapt to a different dynamic. It has reminded me how hard it can be to be new. I’ll be sure to express the same compassion and open arms to the next round of exchanges at Athenian as the people I met at Scotch. My bond with Amy grows closer every day. It feels almost as if she is my slightly younger sister, making it exciting for me to get to show her how I live too. Exchange has humbled me and inspired me to be a more empathetic and friendlier person.

On a final note, I would like to thank Amy, her family and everyone in Australia who has been so kind and helpful to me (and Chloe) as we tried to make sense of a new place and new culture. A special thank you to Caitlin for her open heart and constant willingness to listen to all our rap music. And, of course, a big thank you to my family and friends back home for giving me a great place to come home to, one that I can appreciate more fully now. I can’t wait for Amy to experience all the diversity, entertainment, and differences from Tassie that California has to offer.

Sydney is rated the second friendliest city on Earth, and I truly believe it. Aussies are some of the most selfless and helpful people I’ve ever encountered. That became crystal clear on my very last day in Sydney. I took the bus alone into an unfamiliar neighborhood to get to a limited time, limited supply, limited location Pablo pop-up store (yes, that’s the Kanye store) in Bondi Beach. After waiting in line for hours, it became clear I wasn’t going to be able to get in before needing to return to Amy’s family in time to get dinner, go to the hotel, and eventually get to the airport. Defeated, I gave up my spot in line and decided to just peek in, when I saw a guy walk out with bags and bags of clothes. Jokingly, I asked if he would sell me one. He responded by calling his friend, who was still inside the store, and arranged for him to buy me one of the last shirts available in my size. He trusted me to run to an ATM to pay them back in cash. They didn’t want to resell it to make a profit and they had no ulterior motives. They just wanted to spread the Pablo love and help out a slightly disoriented, underprepared tourist. Already feeling appreciative and excited, I got several messages and Snapchats throughout the day from my friends at Scotch, wishing me safe travels and goodbyes, as well as mutual appreciations of Frank Ocean’s new album, which I had told them to anxiously await. I am so glad I was able to have this experience, to bond with people from all over the world, and to see it from a new perspective.

I am currently attending Colegio Anglo Colombiano, or The Anglo, in Bogotá, Colombia. I have been here for a little over two weeks, and my time here has been absolutely incredible.

I arrived a week before school started, which was a great opportunity to really explore the city and settle in. Living in Bogotá is a lot different than living in Danville, and I have grown to love life in the city. There are restaurants, parks, and a supermarket all within walking distance our apartment, and even more fun things to do just a few miles away. During the first week, Isabella took me to see many of Bogotá’s landmarks. We first went to Monserrate, a beautiful church located on top of a hill, with an amazing view of the whole city. We also got a chance to go to the Gold Museum and the Botero Museum, which feature beautiful artwork from across Colombia. Arriving early also allowed me to meet some of Isabella’s friends before school started, which I really appreciated. When I started school I already knew some familiar faces.

Everyone at The Anglo has been super welcoming and friendly, something I noticed on my first day at school. I’m used to just saying “hi” to people I meet for the first time, and greeting my friends with a hug when I haven’t seen them for a while. Here, you greet everyone, including people you just met, with a hug and a kiss on the cheek. It took a couple days to get used to, but now it just feels normal to hug and kiss everyone hello and goodbye.

Life at The Anglo has been both similar and different to life at Athenian. Similarly to Athenian, there is a strong focus on academics, especially because this is the first year of the IB diploma program, an academically rigorous international program. The daily schedule is also very hard to keep up with, classes are at a different time every day for different lengths–and sometimes they even switch classrooms. It is also different than Athenian. The biggest different is the uniform. Before I started school I was not looking forward to wearing a skirt, button-down shirt, and sweater every day to school, but now I really like it. Wearing the uniform helped me blend in with the rest of the students, and it’s actually nice not having to decide what to wear every morning. Also, unlike Athenian, almost everyone here has been in the same school since kindergarten, so everyone is very close and knows each other really well.

My exchange has been an amazing experience so far, and I am excited for the next two weeks! If anybody is considering going on exchange, I would 100% recommend it. It is an incredible opportunity to live somewhere different, meet new people, go on adventures, and learn more about yourself.

These past few weeks have been jam-packed with excursions throughout Victoria and Alpine Camp, a weeklong AWE experience with snow.

I spent the weekend before Alpine Camp in Ballarat and Bacchus Marsh. I enjoyed walking down Ballarat’s main strip, Sturt Street. Ballarat has a lot of beautiful architecture. The stunning Victorian architecture is due to Ballarat being one of the most important cities of the Australian gold rush.

Another highlight of that weekend was getting an opportunity to attend an AFL (Australian rules football) game! My host father, Dom, is a die-hard Richmond Tigers fan, so he was keen on me barracking for the Tigs.  He even let me borrow a signed jersey of his. All of my friends know that football to me is like air to anyone else. I just can’t get enough of it. By the end of my exchange I have become quite keen on watching the AFL, however American Football will always be my favorite sport.

Like my NFL team, the New Orleans Saints, the Tigers aren’t that good, but the fans are die-hard. The matchup was between the Richmond Tigers and Collingwood. Both teams were bad. The game went back and forth, which resulted in a lively crowd–and even some brawls on the field.  As the end of the game approached, the Dunnes and I were happy to cheer on our Tigs as they gained a lead over Collingwood and won the game!

The day after the game I spent the night at my friend Grace’s birthday party. It was interesting to see how dressed up people get for parties compared to America. Dressing here, in general, is a lot stricter–even outside of school.  These norms made walking outside in sweatpants supposed “social suicide,” as you risk being looked at like a “bogan” (trashy, slob). This was very interesting to me, as back home I live in my leggings and sweats.  The experience allowed me to appreciate the lack of set dress norms in my life.

Grace’s party was great as it was so cool to see the many similarities and differences between parties in the U.S and Australia. You know you’re at an Australian party when there are meat pies and sausage rolls. Sadly, the music was very “Radio Top 10” and seemed to lack what people from the Bay Area would call “hype.” But it was great to spend time with people outside of school and a fun night.

After a relaxing weekend in Ballarat and Grace’s party, my host Millie and I were off to Falls Creek for Alpine Camp. Alpine Camp was the most challenging experience of my life. Maybe after AWE I’ll feel differently, but for now Alpine is at the top of my list. The camp was five days of cross-country skiing with a 70-pound pack on your back. The freezing climate was tough to say the least. What made the experience even more difficult was the fact that I am, at best, adequate at skiing.

The whole trip was a challenge, but I couldn’t be happier that I did it. Going into junior year, the Athenian Wilderness Experience [AWE] is a prevalent theme that is constantly in the minds of my peers and I. With this trip completed, I couldn’t feel more prepared to take on the Sierras or Death Valley–especially since neither contains snow. J

The trek had its positive moments such as: sleeping in a quinzhee (a Canadian Soft Snow Igloo) and having the warmest night of the trip; building a snow fortress as a kitchen (which included a fire pit!!!); and skiing without falling (which only happened once).

With the intense climate–8 degrees F was the highest temperature and there was lots of snow and rain–I was able to become a much stronger individual. I learned to live without feeling my hands and feet and without sleeping for three days. I also came to the realization that if I was in Game of Thrones I’d be unable to live like John Snow at The Wall (or even survive winter).

To any future exchange going to Ballarat Grammar, I’d recommend the camp. It was a fantastic experience that helped me learn a lot and grow as an individual. The camp allowed me to gain a close-knit family (my camp group) and the difficult situations made me both mentally and physically stronger. Even though the camp is demanding, Falls Creek is a stunning area and so while we struggled, we had a view!

After my week in the snow, the Dunnes and I spent a relaxing long weekend at the beach in Angelsea and ventured to Melbourne on Monday. We spent the day exploring the National Art Gallery of Victoria and surveying Churro and Chai Tea bars in a hipster suburb called Fitzroy.  I fell in love with Fitzroy and the abundance of hole-in-the-wall cafes, urban record shops, and parking garages filled with graffiti. After a delightful afternoon of hopping from one free art gallery to the next and visiting MANY churro bars, I was incredibly sad to leave. I now consider Melbourne a second home.

It’s surreal that I am at the end of my exchange. I am so blessed to have been able to make such amazing friends and have such a fantastic experience. I know the connections I have made here at BGS are genuine and ones that can last a lifetime.

Exchange has been one of the greatest experiences of my life. I am so thankful to have been exposed to a different lifestyle and have a newfound appreciation for my Athenian education and Bay Area lifestyle.

The goodbyes coming up will not be easy. It’s going to be weird not waking up in the same house as my host and best friend, Millie.; however, I know I’ll make my way back to Ballarat and Melbourne soon.

I’m so thankful for the chai, music, and memories that Australia has given me. I can’t wait to one day make more in this beautiful place. Till next time Aus, x.

To “Some Random Notes from Exchange” by Ishaani, visit her page in the Australia section

After a grueling 20-hour flight and a 9-hour stop in the Dubai International Airport (which by the way was really clean, at least compared to LAX and SFO), I finally arrived in Cape Town, South Africa. Now before getting into the details, there are a few things worth going over, no matter how obvious. One, there weren’t any lions or other wild animals roaming around the bushes, at least when I got out of the airport. Two, if you expect Cape Town to be miles of farm land and dirt roads (which I knew wasn’t the case since I Googled it before getting on the flight in Dubai), you’re going to be disappointed. A pretty easy way to describe Cape Town is to compare it to San Francisco, just without the red bridge and instead with a beautiful mountain range set right in the heart of city. These mountains, called the Black Tables due to their rather flat top, are probably the most stunning sight I saw when touching down. They were even more enthralling when driving near them on the way to my new home, a city nearly an hour away from Cape Town called Franschoek.

I live with my exchange partner, Mathomo, and with his other exchange, Umagla, going to the Bridge House School. Sharing a house with four other people is definitely a different experience from being an only child. Mathomo and his family live in a suburban-like gated community, which has a beautiful view of the mountains from the club house. This part of the community is very familiar. When I step outside the gates and walk around, I am confronted by small underdeveloped housing settlements called townships. Townships, which were originally built for “nonwhite” citizens during the Apartheid regime, are still the most shocking sight when I drive to school. Even though I have witnessed poverty to a similar extent whenever I visit India with my family, understanding the history behind these settlements and the racism that is still continuing to affect people’s lifestyle has definitely created a different scope through which I see. What I have learned and seen in just my short time here will never be forgotten and will stick with me throughout my whole life. It has touched me and showed me the many privileges I have back home.

Nevertheless, it has been a fun time and I already have so many stories to tell.  I’ll just write about a few of the most memorable. The first was right after I was picked up from the airport, the very first place we went was to a little shack near the freeway that was selling fish. Now you might be asking, “What’s the big thing about fish, I can get it anywhere.” For one, the fish was just recently caught and two (this part is a bit gruesome), it wasn’t skinned. I had not seen fish that hadn’t been skinned, so it was an interesting experience. On top of that, we had to keep it in the backseat since the trunk was full. I can assure you that the smell did not make it better when I had to keep it in my lap.

I came across another funny thing at a friend’s house the very next day. When I walked in, I realized the number of cats and dogs came to a surprising grand total of 5, but the more shocking part came later. I was on the couch watching Harry Potter with Mathomo, Umagla, and his friend when I heard a really funny shriek that sounded like “Help.” I thought I was hearing things, which was ironic because in the movie, Harry was hearing random snake-like voices calling to him. When I went to check it out, to my fascination I saw a parrot. It wasn’t crying “Help,” but it was in fact shrieking “Harry.” Instead of emphasizing all of the syllables, the parrot just said the first four letters making it seem like it said “Help.” I soon learned two things:  the parrot’s name is Kullula, and having parrots is quite common in South Africa.

In just one week I have already had a wonderful time and hope to have even more memorable experiences and anecdotes to share. And if you have trouble understanding the local slang on your first few days of exchange and are hesitant to ask for the meaning of things–since you did that a couple times and saw a few funny faces looking around you–Google is your friend.

I am currently on exchange at Scotch Oakburn College in Launceston, Tasmania. I am staying with my exchange Josie and her family about half an hour outside the city. Over my first two weeks, I have already done and seen so much. Launceston is very different than the Bay Area, but I am learning to love the differences and embrace them.

The first big difference I noticed was the lack of people. To give you some perspective, the population of Tasmania is about 515,000 people. The population of San Francisco is about 837,000 people. When I first touched down in the Launceston airport, I was mildly surprised to see rolling farm lands and not a cityscape. The next thing I noticed was the weather. It is Australia’s winter now, and coming from the Sunny State, the 30-40 degree weather was a pretty big change. Standing by the heaters and wearing big puffy jackets has certainly helped!

Josie and her family welcomed me into their home. They have been so helpful and amazing, making sure I feel at home in this new place. I arrived to Tasmania during the last weekend of the two-week break between school terms. Before school started, Josie and her family took me down to Hobart, the capital of Tasmania. While driving there, we passed farm after farm, seeing more sheep and cows than people. When we finally arrived in Hobart, I was happy to finally be in a city. We explored the wharf, the shopping market that covered two street blocks, and Mount Wellington.  From the top of Mount Wellington, I could see all of Hobart and the rolling hills of Tasmania. I couldn’t help but admire the beauty of this place. On the drive back from Hobart, we went to Port Arthur and saw the coast including gorgeous natural arches and caves. Finally, after a very fun weekend it was time to go to school.

My school, Scotch Oakburn, is pretty different from Athenian. The biggest change is the uniform. I’ve never had to wear a uniform for school, so it is certainly an experience wearing a rented skirt that doesn’t quite fit right and rented button-down shirts with mysterious stains on them. Especially in rain and wind, the uniform is the last thing I want to be wearing.

On the first day of school, it was all a bit overwhelming. Meeting all these new people, trying to remember their names, and finding my way to my classes seemed like daunting tasks. But by the end of the first week, I had already made many new friends and could easily find my own way to my classes like I had been at Scotch for the whole year.

Even though I have only been here for two weeks, I have already done so much and meet so many great people. I am so excited to see what the next four weeks have in store for me.

Ah, the joys of air travel… Sitting in a cramped seat for 17 hours shifting this way and that in an attempt to find comfort where no comfort lies… Anyhow, enough whinging (the Australian term for whining). The trip was more than worth it, as I will come to describe.

After landing and unloading my belongings into my new room, Harry (my exchange partner), Zach (his brother), and I ventured off to the local park to pass our new Frisbee around. As we arrived at the park I was hit with my first surprise:  the pigeons in Adelaide, Australia are pink and gray! They sit around like pigeons. They eat food scraps like pigeons. They are basically pigeons, except with a unique Australian flare that I have come to find in many places throughout my adventures.

The next sunny day Harry, Daryl (his father), and I took a walk down the coastal cliff.  They were absolutely stunning. There was the water, with its aesthetically appealing teal blue color to the right, contrasting with the striking red earth to our left, leaving us to walk on the edge right between the two. Moving over the rolling bluffs and climbing out of gullies cut by rivers finding their way to the ocean, one’s senses were flooded with such intense views that you completely forgot how tired your legs were. Every part of the walk was unique and the sights only got better as we continued. As the awe began to wear off and the fatigue started to set in, I got my first taste of Australian slang:  smashed and shattered, which both mean exhausted. I also learned other unique phrases such as morno, the Australian term for what we call morning break. Our walk down the coast was amazing and gave me a much better appreciation of how beautiful the world is.

Contrary to the serene excursion the day before, breakfast the next day was tragic (not actually). Before I begin it is important to understand one thing: Rice Krispies have been my favorite breakfast food in the universe since the first day of seventh grade. I even bought a special spoon made by Kellogg’s to eat them with. Conveniently, Harry’s family already had Rice Krispies in their cupboard–or so I thought. I was happily consuming my favorite cereal when I was asked, “Do you have Rice Bubbles in the US?” I had to do a double take, almost showering the table with cereal. “Rice Whats?” I asked. “Rice Bubbles,” Zach nonchalantly replied, “what you’re eating.” Now if they had simply been an off-brand remake of Rice Krispies I would have had no issue with it, but when I saw the box my greatest fears were confirmed. In horror, I saw the all-glorious Kellogg’s logo above the precious name and catch phrase, “Snap. Crackle. Pop…Rice Bubbles.” Rice Bubbles! In an instant my entire breakfast tradition fell to pieces. I simply could not fathom that my most commonly consumed food had a secret identity. It was shattering. Fortunately, Rice Bubbles has been the only culture shock I have experienced so far in “the land down under.”

After my breakfast of Rice Bubbles, Harry Zach and I caught the train from their house in Hove to the city of Adelaide, which is about twenty minutes away. The train cars were like our BART–just cleaner, cooler, and quieter. After leaving the grand stone station in the city I was instantly impressed by the architecture of the buildings. On the way there I had gotten a glimpse of the brand-new Royal Adelaide Hospital, the third most expensive building in the world. It is an impressive architectural feat with its triangular windows and contemporary design, but the convention center and the bridge across the river were equally impressive. The convention center looked like something out of a sci-fi movie with a very crisp polygon design, and the bridge, made out of aluminum and glass, gracefully curved over the Torrens River.  We saw the Adelaide oval where their AFL (Australian Rules Football) team plays and the art and history museums. I was also introduced to frozen Coca Cola at Maccas (what McDonalds is called in Australia). Adelaide is like a combination of San Jose with its architecture and long open mall and San Francisco with its vibrant culture and rapid pace. We had lunch at the central market, which could have been the day’s adventure in itself. In the afternoon we explored the zoological museum, which was filled with all sorts of monkeys, tigers, lions, and other exotic creatures I never thought I would see. Adelaide was one of the most interesting and dense cities I have ever been to. I feel like I could spend a week exploring it.

The morning after that, Harry, Zach, their mother Natalie, and I all got up early to take Zach to his flying lessons. After Zach had finished, his instructor, who also happened to be his uncle (also named Ian), took me up in his little two-seater plane. It was all surprisingly simple. We taxied out to the dirt runway, did a few checks, hit the throttle and just lifted off the ground. At about 2,000 feet, Ian gave me a brief overview of how to fly–use your feet for the rudder and the joystick for the wings–and handed over the controls! Never having controlled an airplane before, I did not pull anything fancy, but under Ian’s directions I flew over some copper mines (mining is huge in Australia) and got to fly straight through clouds. Flying through the clouds was a dream-like experience that I will never forget. At the end of it all, to my surprise, I received a certificate declaring that I “could no longer be classified as someone who has not experienced the joys of aviation,” a most memorable token for a truly wonderful experience.

Our next destination that day was an authentic German settlement in the Adelaide hills (who would have known?) called Hahndorf.  It was founded in 1839 and has not changed much since. On our exploration we got to watch genuine leather craftsman at work, see some very impressive stone architecture, and taste delicious meat pies (which are quite popular in Australia).

A few days later school started and another adventure began. Contrary to my predictions, wearing a uniform was actually quite fun. While the fact that I could not use my own backpack was initially disturbing, my troubles were settled after I put my normal backpack inside the official school one. After the three-block walk to the train station I began to meet many of Harry and Zach’s friends, like Rhys and Rhett who are both very fun guys. I was only to meet more new friends at school and our shared appreciation of the internet led to almost immediate friendships. After discussing our favorite internet jokes around our little rectangle of lockers, it was time to go to class. All my fussing over the backpack turned out to be pointless because at Westminster you do not carry your backpack around, but instead carry a pencil case and the few things you need for your next two classes. This system will take some getting used to, but is certainly an interesting change.

The classes at Westminster are much more relaxed than those at Athenian. Amidst my introductions people asked whether or not I liked Donald Trump or owned a gun. While it could have been quite embarrassing to explain the quirks and downfalls of American politics, this served as a great way to begin to build relationships. Another difference at Westminster is the breaks. Whereas at Athenian most people go to main hall or the library, at Westminster most people either go back to their group locker rectangles or go down to the field. While this is not as relaxing, I must say that it is much more fun standing up and occasionally kicking a ball around than sitting down. So far I have had a great time at Westminster, the students are all fun and the change of culture is refreshing.

My time in Peru went by faster than I ever thought possible. On one hand it seems like just yesterday that I was going to my first day of school at Markham, but in other ways it feels like a lifetime ago. Either way, saying goodbye has been one of the hardest things that I have ever had to do. The bonds that I have made in Peru have become far deeper than I ever could have imagined, and I now have friendships to last a lifetime.

Honestly, it hasn’t quite hit me yet that I am not still living in Lima and that I won’t be joining my friends at Markham when school starts back up after their winter break. But for now, I can say with complete certainty that the past seven weeks have been the best of my life. My Spanish has improved immensely and I have learned so much about the Peruvian culture. I learned to love the welcoming kisses on the cheek and friendly smiles that I received every day. I even learned to love the insane traffic in Lima!

Each person that I met and friend that I made touched my life in his or her own unique way. Every day brought new surprises and new challenges— all of which made my exchange that much more exciting. Being forced out of my comfort zone to try new things made me learn so much about myself and the world around me.

One of the highlights of my trip was my second-to-last week where I participated in a “surf and service” project in Lobitos, Peru. Me and about 12 other students from Markham spent the week in the small town on the coast of Peru working with an organization called WAVES for Development. During the week, we worked at the local school and nursery–building a biodigester, planting trees, painting, cleaning up the beaches, and doing workshops with the young students. In the mornings and evenings, we had surf lessons with many of the locals. It was by far one of the best weeks of my life, and I learned so much from all of the people that I worked with. It was a trip that I never would have done had I not been on exchange. I am beyond grateful that I had the opportunity to participate.

Even though I will miss everyone more than anything, I know that I will always have a second home and a second family in Peru and for that I am forever grateful. Muchísimas gracias Peru. Te amo.

It’s crazy how quickly one teenager can assimilate into a whole different part of the world. After three weeks attending Ballarat Grammar School I can easily say I feel like another student there. These past three weeks have been a blast!

After 15 hours of traveling I was reunited with my Aussie soul sister Amelia Dunne (Millie). She was waiting in arrivals with a hilarious welcome poster. Luckily for me, Millie came on exchange to Athenian in the fourth quarter, so we had both already bonded over our many escapades by the Bay. We then headed to Ballarat. While driving I found out that there were A LOT more farms in Australia then I had previously thought. And this is coming from a teenager who lives in the definition of suburbia. It was amazing to see paddock after paddock right outside a main city like Melbourne.

Because I am only in Australia for six weeks, the Dunnes really wanted to fit in as much as they could on every weekend. Each weekend would be another excursion and adventure.

First Weekend

My first day can be described as a day of travel since I flew in that Friday and had to quickly prep myself for a six-hour drive to Millie’s’ aunt Mandy’s farm in New South Wales. As a driver of only six months it was very odd to see the steering wheel on the right side of the car and the lane directions switched. I’m hoping I don’t forget how to drive by the end of my exchange.

The following day on the farm was spent driving a gator with Millie and blasting some of our favorite music on my portable speaker. It was so much fun exploring the different nooks and crannies of Mandy’s farm even though a HUGE SPIDER FELL ON MY HEAD (I’m terrified of spiders) and bit me! Luckily the spider was not poisonous, but it gave me quite the fright.

After a stunning hike at Galore Point, we all went to watch a local footy (Australian Football) game at a local club stadium called Osborne. It was interesting to try to spot the similarities and differences between American football–my favorite sport– and footy. While I love American Football, I have to say that footy seems to be the more difficult sport. It was quite an experience as I watched the thrilling game and indulged in some steaming hot meat-pies in the 30-degree weather at the field.

I never really appreciated the minimal dress code at Athenian until that very moment at the uniform shop. After fumbling to learn how to wear a kilt and roll my skirt so that it wasn’t down to my calves, I felt thankful for the freedom and individuality Athenians have to express ourselves using our clothes.

After picking my sizes of clothes, Millie introduced me to all of her friends. Everyone I met was so friendly and hilarious. They all loved my “American Accent” and it was clear I’d get along well with all of them.

Once I started school I had to get used to wearing a uniform and having my hair tied up, but I overcame that quickly. A big challenge of exchange is getting used to the different norms set up in my new school environment.  For me, at Athenian, everyone is very inclusive and there aren’t really clear gender divides. But at Grammar that seemed to be a blatant thing in each of the classes. Luckily, once I was given my own timetable I found it a lot easier to break some of the divides and bond with people over shared interests.  The first three days were difficult as I was unsettled by the increased amount of rules and such. But sharing my love of music with others, I was able to fit in as a student and make friends with my entire year level.

Second Weekend

I had an opportunity to participate in a community service activity where I slept outside (on BGS school grounds) to get a perspective on what it’s like to “sleep rough.” I thought it was an enlightening experience as it was difficult to get sleep because of the cold. I only had to do that for one night, while some people sleep rough every night.  It was great to see the other students support each other throughout the night and I made lots of friends as we tried to stay warm together.

After this I spent my weekend exploring the Great Ocean Road and surf towns. Some highlights of this weekend were seeing the lush forests and falls known as Erskine Falls, the hipster cafes and surf boutiques in Lorne, and the beautiful and famous beach known as Bells Beach. Bells Beach is home to some of the most important surf competitions (Bells Beach Classic and Rip Curl Pro). While visiting Bells Beach I was able to see some incredibly dedicated and talented surfers take on difficult waves in freezing temperatures.

This excursion was gorgeous and I fell in love with the surf culture of each area. While we stayed in the Dunnes’ caravan for the weekend in Anglesea, I got the opportunity to see some wild kangaroos and even go to take some pictures with them as they came up to our area.

Third Weekend

This week I was able to explore the gorgeous and lively city of Melbourne. After a delicious breakfast in the famous DeGraves Lane, I went to explore different hidden shops and alleys of art. After a morning of roaming, I went up on the Eureka Skydeck where I was able to see Melbourne’s entire skyline and appreciate the beauty of it all.  After we exited the Skydeck, we decided to head back to DeGraves for a late lunch and feast on some delicious prosciutto plates and chai tea. Millie and I went into some underground art exhibits and shopping areas and came in front of the Flinders Street Station to see a protest going on.

Since I am from the United States, specifically the Bay Area, protests are not something new to my eyes, but it was the difference in atmosphere that inhibited me to sit down and listen to the many speakers there advocating for their cause. Many protests in the U.S seem to get tense–quickly–and are soon broken up. But this protest sparked my interest as I was intrigued by how the police began to clap for some of the statements and I saw so much support given from every individual in the area.  The protest was about the need to close the Don Dale Detention Center in the Northern Territory. There have been many reports about children being beaten and abused there. Throughout Australia, many protests were held as anger was sparked by a video released in which a child was beaten by four guards at Don Dale.

In the protest, there was a cage in the middle of the audience and in that cage held four aboriginal teen girls who had chained themselves there until justice was served. The sounds of the teen girls yelling justice and the sight of the poignant posters made which read “Kids Need Nurture Not Torture” made for a striking scene.  Sadly, I was only able sit and applaud the “Justice for Don Dale Victims” for forty minutes but it was an incredible experience that really opened my eyes to how similar yet different the U.S and Australia are.

I ended my third weekend with a birthday party and found I made so many friends over my love for music. One thing that has always been very important to me is music and it’s safe to say BGS kids have some GOOD tastes in music. It felt great being able to connect with students over our love for artists that aren’t as big in the U.S (ODESZA, Hippie Sabotage, DOPE LEMON). Rapping and dancing with my BGS friends to “THat Part” and “Saint Pablo” really made me love my new schoolmates and it’s crazy to think that I am already halfway through my exchange.  Here’s to another amazing three weeks with my Aussie sisters and brothers!