Leaving the small town of Mongui, we all felt quite nervous about what lay ahead. The hike we were about to embark on was not going to be easy and that was made very clear from the beginning. Living at sea level in Montreal and climbing to an outstanding 3,200 meters would bring the expression “physically draining” to a new level. Many of us didn’t know what to expect and I can speak for the majority when I say we were all surprised.
The hike consisted of extensive segments of uphill trekking with minimal flats to regain our energy. Considering the drastic change in altitude, we all felt out of breath very quickly. After the first 15 minutes we knew what was in store for the next three hours.
Having 19 other peers at my side provided a sense of comfort as well as support throughout the hike. In my opinion, the practice hike was the first real bonding experience of the trip. Everyone felt the same way and we knew that all we had to do was keep encouraging one another.
Arriving at the top we were quick to take a seat and enjoy the view. After many pictures, snacks and applications of sunscreen we were ready to head back down and enjoy lunch. Many memories and jokes were formed on our descent. From where we ate lunch it took us around an hour to head back to our hotel in the centre of town. We were overcome with a profound sense of self-accomplishment and excitement when the main square was in site. Having pain in our legs, slight sunburns, and blisters, we had accomplished something we had all been dreading, together. –Viv Tellier ’17
To be fully honest, I expected the graffiti tour to be a waste of time. We were all exhausted from the long flight and were anxious to get to bed. Fortunately, the graffiti tour was a huge surprise! I found myself completely invested in this two-hour tour. We explored the streets of Bogotá and got a good feel of the city we were staying in. The streets were packed with people staring at us and giving weird looks. We didn’t pay attention to this though, as the street art we were seeing was incredible.
Today we got the awesome opportunity to build houses for two homeless families. We met up with five students from a local English school and travelled a few hours out into the mountains to meet with people from a foundation called Catalina Muñoz. This foundation’s goal is to build houses for impoverished homeless families.
As I sit at the airport in Los Angeles, waiting for my flight to Montreal, I am struggling to find the perfect words to describe the second half of my exchange. This is because during such a short amount of time in Melbourne, so many memories and friendships were created and I am still in shock that it is already over.
Week two! I am learning more about Australia and enjoying it very much. Last weekend, I visited another region of Australia called the Sunshine Coast, which is in Queensland on the east coast of Australia. It is three hours by plane from Adelaide and it is a very different place. It is more of a vacation, resort area with beautiful beaches, lakes and rainforests. The weather is very sunny and more tropical than Adelaide. Things seemed more relaxed here, like we were on vacation.
