On February 5, 2016, I left Montreal to go to Melbourne, Australia. Because there were no
direct flights to the city, I had to take two flights. The first one was to Doha in Qatar and after a six-hour layover, the second flight went straight to Melbourne. After leaving my parents and boarding the plane on my own for the first time, I had a million thoughts go through my mind. I was extremely excited to be able to meet Tomas for the first time as well as all his classmates at Carey Baptist Grammar School. However, at the same time, I was a bit nervous since I did not really know what to expect and I’d be going to a new school, living with a host family and meeting new people. Fortunately, after getting settled in on the plane, I got rid of those thoughts by falling asleep because it was already 11 pm.

When I finally woke up, the plane had already begun its descent to Doha and it was a very pleasant 13-hour flight that actually felt kind of short. Unfortunately, because of my flight schedule, I had to wait in Doha for six hours. But surprisingly, this was not boring at all. In fact, the airport was very modern and equipped with many different shops, services and amenities. The lounge there was over the top and unlike anything I’ve ever seen; there were two restaurants, shower rooms, sleeping rooms and even a man-made lake. Plus, the staff there was very nice and helpful and they took very good care of me during my time in Doha.

Finally, I got on the last flight of my trip and watched movies until I arrived at Melbourne. When I set foot in this new country, more questions started to arise. Will Tomas and his father come to pick me up on time? What if border control tries to stop me from entering Australia? Nonetheless, all my questions were answered when I breezed through customs and met Tom and his dad.

My first few days at Carey were a blast. I met many new classmates and got to know my host family a lot better. They were all very nice and friendly, which made me feel at home and remind me of my friends back in Montreal. However, everything here is quite different from Canada and I learned that through a few amusing events. For instance, after being picked up from the airport, I thought that my fellow exchange student was driving since he got into the left side of the car, but I was wrong because Australians drive on the right instead of the left.

All in all, I am very excited and I can’t wait to explore and experience Australia even more. I am very grateful for this opportunity and I am eager to make the most out of it!

– Terry Xiao ‘18, Exchange Student at Carey Baptist Grammar School

I have been in Ballarat, Australia for a week now, and I must say that I am having the best time. Traveling all the way here wasn’t the most eventful part of this first week, though after finally meeting my wonderful exchange family it was definitely worth it. Out in Ballarat, my exchange family has a home in a small town called Skipton, which is where they harvest crops and take care of sheep for their wool. The Walker family was extremely welcoming, with a nice box filled with Tim Tams, an Australian flag and some Australian stuffed animals.

Ballarat Grammar School is an amazing school. It’s somewhat different from LCC, with many more buildings, a farm, a pool and multiple boarding houses. Though with many more differences, the people are just as friendly as back home. Over the weekend, I had the opportunity to visit the Ballarat Wildlife Park to see some kangaroos, koalas and wombats up close. I can easily say that a kangaroo is really as cute as you see in pictures. I hope the next five weeks won’t go by too quickly because I am having the most amazing experience.

– Sophie Tellier ’18, Exchange student at Ballarat Grammar School

I am now into my second week at Carey Baptist Grammar School and I have already made many friends. Although they live all the way across the world, Chloe’s friends are actually very similar to mine at LCC. We are mostly into the same music, movies, celebrities and more. The school itself is a little bit different than LCC. The hallways and lockers are outside but the way the teachers teach is similar. Their uniforms are also different; the boys wear shorts and the girls wear yellow dresses! They have a lot of electives like metalwork, fashion, food and more, which are very exciting to try.

This past week, I’ve been able to go to a beach in Sorrento with rock pools, participate in a school swimming carnival, go shopping in a mall in the city and even try kangaroo in my food class!

Overall, I have been trying many new things, making new friends and having an amazing experience. It is already going so fast and I am sad to say that my journey is already halfway done. This is a once in a lifetime experience that I know I will never forget.

– Danielle Cutler ’18, Exchange Student at Carey Baptist Grammar School