Student Exchange: From Beaches and Waterfalls to the Sydney Opera House

StudExchange_LadyMethodist_EWaxman_2016_2017_001Over the past week, I have gotten to see and do so much. Even though the weather hasn’t been the best, with rain almost every day, we did get two sunny days on the weekend. On Saturday, we went to Dee Why beach and I went into the Pacific Ocean for the first time. The temperature outside and in the water was great, and although the current was too dangerous to go swimming, we walked along the beach, went up a cliff and saw a great view, and then went swimming in an ocean pool. An ocean pool is a pool built on the beach that is filled with ocean water. It was really nice going in the pool because, unlike the ocean, there were no sharks in there!

After our day at the beach, we had fish and chips while watching the sunset over the water, and then we went home. The next day, we woke up early to go to the Blue Mountains, an area that got its name because of the density of Eucalyptus trees. We spent the day hiking to waterfalls, lookouts, and enjoying the nice weather. Our first stop in the mountains was at a national park where we saw wild kangaroos. I got a lot of pictures of the mountains and with the kangaroos. We then went from lookout to lookout getting tons of pictures. I saw the three sisters, a famous rock formation in the Blue Mountains, and then we went for lunch in a valley. The weather was great and we had an amazing time.

It ended up raining nonstop for the rest of the week but by the time the weekend came it cleared up again. I’ve only seen a live recording of an opera in a movie theatre with my grandfather, so seeing La Traviata Saturday night at the Sydney Opera House was a once in a lifetime experience. The Opera House was filled with windows that had great views of the harbour and when it got dark at intermission, Sarah, her mom Janet and I, went out on one of the balconies and took pictures of the Harbour Bridge and Luna Park, an amusement park in Sydney, all lit up. The costumes and the set for La Traviata were fantastic, and some of the notes the lead vocalists hit were amazing. I had such a great time and really enjoyed the performance.

On Sunday, we went to Darling Harbour to walk around and go to the aquarium. It was overcast again but we were able to take the ferry to the harbour. While the ferry got closer to the city, we could see the Sydney tower through the fog and a lot of new glass buildings along the water. Before going into the aquarium, we walked around the harbor and saw a model of the boat that James Cook used when he discovered Sydney. After a short but heavy rainstorm, the sky cleared up and it was really sunny outside. We walked around the water some more, and then went to the aquarium where we saw a whole bunch of different aquatic animals native to Australia. There were Jellyfish that changed colours, different types of coral, stingrays, dugongs, sharks, and many other types of fish and crustaceans. I really don’t like sharks but I found it very cool being able to go through a glass tunnel to see them swim over us.

Already three weeks in and I have seen and done so much. I have pushed myself to try new things and I have made so many memories that I am sure to remember for the rest of my life. This trip has been amazing and I can’t wait to experience everything the remaining three weeks have to offer. -Ella Waxman ’19, Student Exchange at Methodist Ladies’ College

Student Exchange: Learning Something New Every Day in Colombia

I have been living in Bogota, Colombia for a week and half and it has felt like the longest 11 days of my life. I feel like I’ve lived here my whole life and that is because my host family and friends in school have made me feel so welcome and at home.

The journey here was very emotional. This was the first time I had ever been away from home for more than a week. After having an emotional farewell with my best friends and family, I flew to Toronto with my dad and stayed the night. On February 17, I said goodbye to him and that’s when the journey truly begun. I was all alone and all the responsibility was on me. I made it through security, got to the gate and then took a six-hour flight to Bogota, Colombia. The flight was great and before I knew it, I was already with my host family on the way to the house. I have never met such caring people in my life. I am so grateful to have been placed with my host family.

As my journey began I was introduced to many new foods, which I loved, and A LOT of Colombian music that I can’t stop listening to. On my second day, I went up this mountain and saw an amazing view of Colombia. The city is so beautiful and the best thing about it is that it reminds me of my home country.

I started school feeling very nervous but everyone was so nice. By the end of the first day, I had talked to almost everyone in the grade. As I spend more days in school, I’m becoming closer to everyone. Believe it or not it has been a bit hard to communicate with everyone. Even though my first language is Spanish, in Colombia they have a different vocabulary and A LOT of slang which I’m starting to get the hang of. School is very different from LCC but in a very good way. Classes are easier and I spend a lot of time outdoors, which I enjoy.

Every day I learn something new about the culture here and that’s what I love about the school and my host family. I’ve done things I thought I would never have the courage to do and I’m having the time of my life. I have taken many videos and pictures, which I’m excited to share with my friends and family when I get back home.

I have become a very independent and social person, which is what I wanted to get out of this experience. When first coming here, I thought that not being in Colombia at the same time as my exchange Andrea would be difficult, but it really hasn’t been that hard. I get along very well with her sister Camila who is in the grade below and we have so many things in common.

My trip is just beginning and I’m very excited about the rest of the adventures and the people I will meet.

I don’t think anything can prepare you for something like this but it has been the best decision I have ever made and I’m so grateful for everything. I know that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity I will never forget. – Sofia Araya Meier ’19, Student Exchange at Colegio Anglo Colombiano

Student Exchange: Getting a Taste of Sydney

Harbour_BridgeAfter twenty-two hours of flying and layovers, I finally got to Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport on Sunday, February 26. I got my bag in less than 15 minutes and met my exchange, Sarah, at the arrivals gate. When we stepped outside, it was very humid and I was thankful for the shorts I put on before landing. I slept for about ten hours on the plane so by the time I landed, I wasn’t tired, and I had enough energy to walk around.

Sarah’s dad dropped us off in downtown Sydney, and the two of us walked around the water. We went up to the Sydney Opera house and continued into the area known as the Rocks, where there was an outdoor market. Then we got lunch from a really good bakery and ended our day in the city by going to Woolworths, a grocery store, to get different types of Australian food. I tried a whole bunch of Aussie treats and, of course, I tried Vegemite: a mixture of salt and yeast that tasted like salt water to me.

When we went back to Sarah’s house at the end of the day we got our things ready for school, baked muffins, and ate dinner outside. Their backyard was filled with different types of parrots that were flying all around us while we ate.

The next day was my first day at school and it was really nice. The school is on two separate campuses that are just down the street from each other. Instead of advisory, they have something called lunary, which we have twice a week with our house, Whitley. At Methodist Ladies’ College, we have to bring our own lunches and snacks, but they do have a nice cafe that they call the canteen, where you can buy food.

So far, this trip has been amazing. I was able to travel here on my own through three different time zones, I’m on the other side of the world experiencing new cultures and going to a new school, and I’m having a lot of fun. – Ella Waxman ’19, Student Exchange at Methodist Ladies’ College

Student Exchange: Visiting Temples and Markets!

xchange_Regents_Thai_AVandenbussche_005My time here in Thailand is almost up and I simply can’t believe it!

With the exception of Wednesday, it was a usual school week. I’ve been eating more cautiously ever since my incident with the super spicy Asian dish. I’ve also continued playing basketball and ping-pong. I’m getting so good at ping-pong that I’ve started beating some of the kids here. Well at least I think I’m playing better. They tell me that they’re just taking it easy on me but I think otherwise!

Last Wednesday was different than your typical day at school. I had the opportunity to take in some of Thailand’s culture and it was an incredibly memorable day. The school organized an outing for me, two Year 9 students, and another exchange student from Peru, Marianne, to visit a floating market, three temples, a family-run restaurant, and a local market.

Our first stop was the floating market. A floating market is a traditional Thai market where you take a boat down canals and buy goods while drifting by stalls and other boats. However, what we visited was not a fully authentic market. Marianne and I did not take a boat, but instead we walked between the stalls on land, which was just as cool. We bought some souvenirs and some dumplings, which were very good. Even though it was a bit touristy, it was nonetheless very different for the two of us and very cool to visit.

Our second stop was a temple park (i.e., many temples constructed next to each other, forming a type of park). There, we visited three temples. The first one we visited was an information centre, which explained the values of Buddhism, using Thai art. It was very pretty and enlightening.

We then stopped our sightseeing for a lunch break. We drove outside the temple park to a family-run Thai restaurant. Thankfully we were being chaperoned by a local woman who worked at the school, who spoke fluent Thai. I was grateful. She helped us understand the menu. I ordered a Pad Se Iw, which is a thick noodle dish served with bok choy and beef. It was delicious!

Finally, we went to a local market. Although it had no canals, it was very cool. Without a doubt, I was the only Canadian there. Everything was less touristy and felt extremely Thai. I did not buy much, although I did buy a bubble tea. It was the perfect ending to a great day!

Since then, not much has changed. Today, being Saturday, I’m staying in boarding. There are no trips this weekend because there is a massive senior tournament being hosted at the school, welcoming students from all over Southeast Asia.

Although I’m looking forward to returning home, I’m sad to think that I’m leaving the trip of a lifetime. I’m so happy with how my exchange turned out and I don’t want to leave. I don’t think it’s possible to summarize how life changing this experience has been. I’ve made memories that will last a lifetime and I’m very sad to be leaving the friends that I have made, the teachers I’ve met, the jokes, the weather, the Thai flowers and so much more.

It’s crazy how fast my time in Thailand has passed and unbelievable to think that I’m only here for another five days. I think when you’re on exchange, you’re so busy adjusting to a new school and a new life that you lose track of time. Even this week is going to be busy. This week is the school musical, “Once,” and I’ll be starring as the only flutist of the orchestra! It will be a lot of fun! I can’t wait! —Andrew Vandenbussche ’19, Exchange Student at Regent’s

 

 

Student Exchange Australia: Becoming a Stronger Individual

Auclair_Sophia_GlidingThe past few weeks have been fun, doing things I never expected to do in a million years and challenging myself to push my comfort zone and make new friends.

While the first week of school was a bit tough, this experience has helped me become a stronger individual. The classes are super fun, the teachers are wonderful and overall, Westminster School is just a great environment.

In math, the students are working on items which I have already covered at LCC. In English, we are studying Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. In history, we are working on the Industrial Revolution. Meanwhile, in art, we are looking at the painting style called Impressionism. It is very fun to learn new ways of observing things in these classes. For example, in math, I have been learning new styles of studying, which has also been helpful in learning skills.

I believe I have been participating very well in class and simply getting to know the environment. I have also been making a ton of Australian friends and friendships that will hopefully last a lifetime.

Last weekend, I went plane gliding and flew the plane myself!! I also asked the instructor if we were able to do aerobatics and luckily he did a barrel roll, which was awesome. This recent weekend I went to a maze where I climbed four levels and had to avoid obstacles. This was approximately four stories high and lots of very hard work but a blast.

I am leaving in 14 days and will be sure to make the most out of the rest of the time I have here. We will be going to Sydney next weekend…stay tuned! – Sophia Auclair ’19, Exchange Student at Westminster School, Adelaide, Australia