As of now, I’m half way through my exchange to Australia, and I’m also half way through my Australian spring break! I’ve learned that an Australian spring is just like a Canadian fall! The weather is fairly cold most of the time, it rains daily, but the sun still shines bright! I’ve been able to make the best of this spring, and the break has given me a perfect opportunity to explore Australia.

Last weekend, I went to a wildlife sanctuary where I saw everything from birds to kangaroos, which was great! I tried holding a snake but we were just a minute too late for the reptile show.

The first thing I did during the break was go to the Royal Melbourne Show. There, I was able to see Melbourne for the first time, and also go to the biggest show of the year! The rides were fun, and I got to eat some very different Australian food, plus there were sheep walking around for people to pet.

Yesterday, I came back from an overnight trip to Apollo Bay where I went zip-lining through a rain forest. On our way back, we drove on a beautiful road filled with wild koalas. The koalas were all hidden in trees, but the family of my exchange student were great at spotting them! I even got close enough to almost touch a koala, but he started getting angry making loud noises when I got too close. I still took great photos of mother koalas with babies, close-ups, and koalas alone in trees trying to protect themselves from the wind and rain. We also drove along a scenic coastal road which gave me a view of the mountains and the ocean.

Finally, in my last week of my spring break, I’m going camping up north of where I’ve been living. I’m also going to hopefully get a beach day when spring turns into summer.

Half way through my exchange, I’m extremely excited to see the other half of what Australia has to show for me. I’ve gotten used to the life here, and I feel like I live here, after only 3 weeks! Australia is exotic yet similar to Canada, and I love it! —Jeff Morris ’13