Student Exchange: Adventures Down Under!

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IMG_6854On January 13, I said my goodbyes to my family and embarked on my long but worthwhile journey to Sydney, Australia. I said adieu to the -17°C temperatures and said hello to the 23°C temperatures. I arrived on January 15 in Sydney after a good flight with ten hours of sleep. As I waited, sorry, as I sweated in line at customs to enter Australia for an hour and a half, I wondered how hot it was going to be outside if it was already that hot inside. I started to regret packing my large warm bathrobe and not one, but five heavy sweaters. As I walked through the sliding doors to the waiting area eager to get out of the airport I spotted Georgie, my exchange and her mother Lynn.

Upon my arrival at Lynn, David, Georgie and Eddie’s (their dog) house, I was welcomed and made to feel like I was at home. I received a disapproving bark from Eddie, which I soon found was because I was wearing black rain boots (it wasn’t raining). Once the boots came off, Eddie and I became good friends. My overweight bags were kindly brought to my room as I sat to take a breather from all that heavy traveling. Shortly after I went up to my room and closed my eyes for a little to prepare myself for the Australian adventures ahead.

It took a couple days for the jet lag to wear off, but when it finally did I embarked on the Australian summer life. It was still the holiday when I arrived so I got to spend some of their vacation with them. On the second day since my arrival, we went to Freshwater beach were we enjoyed the sun and the cool ocean water. We finished the day off with fish and chips while watching the sunset. The following day we went into the city. We took the ferry in so we saw a different view of it before we actually explored within. Once we disembarked, David, Georgie’s father, Georgie and I took ourselves on a little tour around the Opera House, which also had a great view of the Harbour Bridge. We took a look at a cute little market and people-watched. We then finished our day off by eating gelato as we watched a humongous cruise ship take off.

On Monday, Georgie’s amazing grandparents took all of us to Kangaroo Island, an Island south of Australia. It was about a 20-minute flight from Adelaide. A warm and welcoming woman named Melissa who escorted us and a few other people to the Southern Ocean Lodge picked us up. After a 50-minute drive to the lodge and a bit of nap, we arrived at our destination. We got off the little bus and as we approached the doors, two men pushed them open for us. That was something I had only ever seen in movies and ads. As we gradually walked in, we shook some of the staffs’ hands an introduced ourselves but what I saw behind them was breathtaking. The view from the Southern Oceans Lodge main sitting area was amazing. The clear and tall windows, which let in so much light allowed for a constant view of the beautiful ocean and beach. While there, we experienced three course meals for lunch and dinner and endless choices on a menu and buffet for breakfast. I thought I was in heaven!

We did many activities while there. It was the 7:00 am wake-up that we got from Georgie’s parents, that I knew that this was not going to be a do-nothing trip. So we got up, started our day with a wonderful breakfast and did a whole bunch of activities ranging from kayaking, to half-day tours to light houses and the remarkable rocks. The amount of wildlife we saw on this trip was amazing. I saw koalas, wallabies, kangaroos, goanna’s and so many types of birds that I didn’t even know existed. Georgie and my favourite activity was jumping into the beautiful plunge pool, eating and drinking from the open bar, where we had an endless supply of Shirley temples and M&Ms. On the last day I contemplated many times staying there for the rest of my life.

When we arrived back in Sydney, I had a couple of days to relax, catch up on work, and meet some of Georgie’s really nice friends. We enjoyed lunch, ice cream, and toasted banana bread with butter. The toasted banana bread was one of the best things I’ve have had in Australia so far. Vegemite is not my thing and I don’t think it ever will be!

School started today and I had a great time on my first day at MLC. I was a little shocked when I found out you were allowed to take your phone out in class and not get a Friday detention but I’m sure I’ll get used to it! Everyone was so nice and welcomed me to their school. I wore my LCC uniform proudly as I walked through the halls excited to see what I would learn from them and what I could teach them. I can say without a doubt that I have had an excellent start to my trip and I can’t wait to see what is coming up for me. I’ll keep you posted. – Rachelle Collins ’17: Exchange Student at the MLC School, Australia

 

 

Abby’s Idayari: Week 2 – Canadian-Zulu Girl Hits Cape Town!

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Although I promised this week’s blog would be about South African food and sports, an amazing opportunity came up: Cape Town!

Over the weekend, I travelled to Cape Town with Rodina and her father. Cape town, which is located approximately 1400 kms from Johannesburg, is the second most populated city in South Africa; it is the legislative capital of the country. It is also renowned for its tourist attractions. I was fortunate to discover Cape Town through various modes of transportation. In the short span of two days, I found myself on a plane, a Ferris Wheel, a ferryboat, a car and a cable car.

Plane

Friday morning: my alarm screamed at 4:45 am and we were off to the airport! Several turbulence scares later (yes – still afraid of flying), I found myself in the mountainous, intense wind and sweating-weather of Cape Town. Along with Rodina and her dad, we rented a white, mini, teenage car that was perfect for the occasion. How cool! We then went to the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront.

Ferris Wheel

The V&A Waterfront was spectacular; the water was sharp blue and every store had a unique, vibrant colour. After grabbing a bite to eat in a restaurant on the water, Rodina and I decided to go on a Ferris Wheel to see the amazing scenery from a bird’s eye view. Luckily, we were the only ones on the Ferris Wheel; we therefore got to go around five times and even stop at the top. On one side, we admired Table Mountain and on the other, the Ocean. These are images that will stay with me forever.

Ferryboat

During the afternoon, we took a three-hour tour of Robben Island, the island where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 18 years. In order to get there, a ferryboat was necessary. However, the exaggerated waves weren’t. The island is simply fascinating, given its history: in 1990, it was declared a World Heritage Site. The wonderful, air-conditioned tour bus took us around and explained how the inmates and their families lived on the island. After the bus tour, we were fortunate enough to visit the prison Nelson Mandela was in. There, we were allowed to go inside the claustrophobic cells and learn about the prisoner’s rules and activities. I found it interesting to learn that they would organize table tennis tournaments in their rooms and would hide the papers with the scores and team information! Finally, the last thing I got to see was Nelson Mandela’s actual cell.

Car

Now, you’re probably thinking: after I talked about extravagant modes of transportation such as a plane, a ferryboat or a Ferris Wheel, then a car must be extremely boring. Wrong! In this case, our car allowed us to get from V&A Waterfront to the base of Cape Point, while avoiding a grueling four-hour long hike. (Thank you car!) At Cape Point, we were rested enough to walk up the breathtaking mountain to Cape of Good Hope. We also visited the lighthouse of Cape Point, where thankfully the wind did not succeed to blow me over the railing!

Cable Car

The last stop on our adventure was Table Mountain, the most popular tourist attraction in Cape Town. To get to the top of the 3,563 feet above sea-level mountain, we took a cable car. I saw several white knuckles as we were all holding on to our phones for dear life while we were taking pictures. (Note: the cable car did not have windows). Once we reached the top, the view was breathtaking. After a thorough one-hour walk around the entire mountain, we fought amongst the Canon-photo-hungry-tourists for the perfect picture on one of the rocks!

Zulu word of the week

Ezokuthutha: transportation!

My weekend adventure was fantastic. I am completely exhausted but have all week to rest and tend to my crispy-burned face and arms! I look forward to new adventures and discoveries. – Abby Shine ’17, Exchange Student at St Stithians Girls’ College

Échange en Afrique du Sud: Je découvre Joburg!

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Je suis de retour en Joburg le 12 janvier de mon expédition en safari!

Le mercredi prochain, je suis allé (finalement!) à l’école Saint Stithians. J’ai remarqué que leur campus pittoresque est énorme par rapport à celui de LCC. Elle est composée de quatre écoles différentes et de nombreux terrains de soccer, de cricket et de hockey. Comme il n’y neige jamais, presque tous les corridors et les casiers sont dehors. Les salles de classes, par exemple, sont beaucoup plus petites que les nôtres, mais certaines sont toutefois composées d’une trentaine d’élèves!!

Les premières classes dans lesquelles j’ai participé étaient l’histoire, où les élèves commençaient à étudier l’esclavage, la science, où ils commençaient à étudier l’atome, et même une classe de français! Étant donné que je parle de français assez courant, j’étais une merveille pour les débutants de la langue ! J’ai eu la chance de me présenter devant la classe, et après je posais des questions simples à chaque élève : comment s’appelait-il, quel âge avait- il, avait-il des frères ou des soeurs, etc. J’étais très chanceux d’avoir eu cette opportunité pendant mes premiers jours à Saints, car j’ai profité de l’occasion pour faire de nouveaux amis!

Pendant la fin de semaine, je suis allé observer un match d’action cricket (une variée de cricket accélérée, jouée à l’intérieur sur un petit terrain entouré par un filet). Ceci m’a aidé à comprendre le sport mêlant et c’était bien excitant!!

Après la partie, on est allé à un restaurant appelé le« Barnyard » où on a vu un concert unique. Le groupe « Platinum Jukebox », composé de chanteurs, de danseurs et de musiciens, réalisait un voyage dans le temps commençant avec des chansons et des danses des années 1920, ensuite des années 1930, 1940, etc., jusqu’aux années 2010. Entre les décennies, les performeurs s’habillaient dans des costumes de l’époque et on mangeait de pizza graisseuse. Le restaurant lui-même, qui était situé en plein milieu d’un centre commercial, était sombre et ressemblait à une grange! Bref, c’était tellement cool!

Le dimanche matin, j’ai eu la chance d’entrer dans un township appelé Cosmo City et d’apercevoir comment vit la majorité des Sud-Africains. Il y existe un genre de société indépendante secrète: des maisons, des coiffeurs, des restaurants, des lave-autos, voire une carrière et une briqueterie faites de tout matériel disponible se trouvent dans la communauté concentrée. J’ai même eu la chance d’entrer dans une maison d’un habitant. À l’intérieur, il y avait une minuscule pièce sombre meublée avec une ancienne télé, un frigo, un lavabo, une plaque chauffante et un sofa. Le plancher était en argile et des duvets étaient u!tilisés comme des tapis. J’étais stupéfait!

Plus tard, on est allé explorer les caves à Sterkfontein dans le berceau de l’humanité où des scientifiques ont trouvé plusieurs fossiles humains importants, entre autres, Mrs. Ples et Little Foot. J’ai vu des stalactites et des stalagmites ainsi qu’un lac souterrain 100 km de long!!

À ce jour, mon expérience en Afrique du Sud est meilleure que je ne pourrais jamais espérer. Dans quelques jours, je vais à Sun City, une station intégrée située au nord de Joburg. J’ai tellement hâte! – Adam Vandenbussche ’17, Exchange Student at St Stithians College

 

Peace Dividend

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PeaceThe world’s attention has recently been focused on acts of violence in France, Nigeria and the Middle East. These all warrant thought, research and discussion by students and teachers at our school. However, on a more base level I would like to address the fact that violent crimes abroad and at home seem to dominate our digital media. A stream of violent images sometimes contributes to the general sentiment that violence is growing all around us and that we are personally threatened and should be afraid. Is that true? Not at all! In fact, nothing could be further from the truth.

In 2012, Harvard psychology professor Steven Pinker published a book that received a lot of attention. In “The Better Angels of our Nature: Why Violence has Declined”, Pinker shows that most Americans (and probably Canadians) do not realize that violence has actually declined historically—and we may now be living in the most peaceful era in history. But given the way the mass media portrays our world, you certainly wouldn’t know it.

The evidence reveals that there is actually less violence at all levels:  amongst families, neighbourhoods, regions, and across nations. Pinker argues that nearly seven full decades of decline in violence in the Western world since the end of WWII, affirms the benefits of modern civilization. He points to four main pacifying factors. They include the following:

1. The rise of national governments with a monopoly on the legitimate use of force and the capacity to penalize aggression – a key calming effect.

2. The rise of international commerce – and the evidence that countries that trade with each other are more inclined to cooperate and much less likely to cross swords.

3. The female factor – that violence tends to be a mostly male pastime and growing respect for and influence of women has indeed benefited us all.

4. Rise of cosmopolitanism – the collective impact of broader literacy, mobility/travel and mass media. In recent years, massive numbers of people have connected with others around the world as never before. Consequently, people empathize with and respect differences in others more and more. This has significantly expanded what Pinker calls our “circles of sympathy”.

I am intrigued by the picture Stephen Pinker paints. His work is drawn from data that is readily available – but still, too many daily images in our mass media would still have you feel otherwise – that we live in an increasingly dangerous and violent time.

Is there further evidence on declining levels of crime beyond Stephen Pinker’s broad analysis that spans several hundred years? The answer is yes, and here too the data is significant.

At the end of 2014, Statistics Canada published a report showing that violent crime in Canada is now at its lowest level since the early 1960’s. What Stats Canada calls the CSI – Crime Severity Index, shows that the volume and severity of crime was 36 per cent lower in 2013 than only a decade earlier – more than one-third lower! In fact, the Canadian national crime rate has been on a consistent downward slide since the early 1990s, reaching its lowest level last year since 1969.

So on the broad question of violent crime here in Canada, we should not be naïve and believe it doesn’t exist, but nor should we succumb to the media tableau of violence and mayhem around every corner. Instead, let’s be rational and believe the data – the evidence and not the media hype. My concern is that a continuous stream of violent images can cause a lot of unnecessary fear and anxiety in young people.

In this context, let’s show affinity for all who have recently suffered in Paris and in northern Nigeria, the Middle East and elsewhere. However, let’s also celebrate living in a very peaceful country and during a period of some of the lowest crime rates in our country’s history. Let’s hope for a continued peace dividend. – Chris Shannon, Headmaster

 

Abby’s Idayari: the Adventures of a Canadian-Zulu Girl in South Africa – Week One

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School at St. Stithians (My New Friends)

School at St. Stithians (My New Friends)

Let’s begin with the obvious question: what is an Idayari? It is the Zulu translation for“diary”. My name is Abby Shine and I am a grade 9 student currently on exchange at St. Stithians Girls’ College in Johannesburg.  Over the course of the next six weeks, I will share my diary entries detailing my adventures while living in South Africa.

Off to Joburg!

Saturday morning, January 10, 2015: I am at the salon getting my nails painted at precisely 11:00 am. I am happy with my decision to have gone with the pale pink Essie color. I close my eyes and lean back on the massage chair; I am entirely relaxed as my plane only leaves at midnight and therefore have all day to pack. That is, until my mom comes running into the salon with eyes as big Kanye West’s ego. My connecting flight in Amsterdam has been cancelled and I have been re-routed to Atlanta. I need to be at the airport in one hour! I run out of the salon, pack my bags and say my goodbyes. From that point on, I then embark on a painstaking 21 hours of travel to South Africa. After all the stress (I am terrified of flying) and stomach-turning airport food, I am exhausted. Yet, I would do it all over again. This experience is well worth it!

Meeting the Ayayas

In Johannesburg, my host family, the Ayayas, greeted me with open arms. I was thrilled to meet Rodina with whom I have been corresponding for months. The next day, I was woken up with the Joburg’s signature sunrise and called into the kitchen. There, I was as surprised as Tom will be the day he catches Jerry as fifteen strangers emerged from their selective hiding spots and all wished me a happy birthday. I was glad that this was set up since I got to meet some of Rodina’s friends ahead of school.

On Tuesday, I visited Sandton City with Camilla, another exchange, where we shopped in the most spectacular stores. It was a little hard to shop at first, given the money currency. For example, a good price for a pair of pants is 200 rands, which seems a lot but is only around 20 dollars. Several rands later, we went to the Nelson Mandela Square where we stood, along many others, with the iconic statue.

School at St. Stithians

My first day at school! Although I should have been nervous, I wasn’t; I had met close to thirty of Rodina’s friends before school due to our outings and was therefore already considered a “Saints Girl.” (Even though these girls are seven feet taller than I am, I blended right in with them since our uniforms are extremely similar.)

I spent the week trying different classes such as music, history and my new favorite language: Zulu! I also became accustomed to their college. Class start at 7:30 and the students have two breaks where they are allowed to roam around their impressive campus. Alert to LCC! They are allowed to have their phones out in class!

Zulu word of the week

Ukwenza: Adventure!

Weekend Ukwenza

I visited the Cradle of Humankind where I learned about the evolution of the world and took an underground boat ride that featured the four elements of the world. The spectacular architecture of the building is nothing compared to what is inside! After that, I found myself 60 feet under the ground, crawling and climbing nearly 220 steps in a cave called Sterkfontein. With each step I took, I learned more and more about this world heritage site, known for its limestone and discovery of “Little Foot.”

What a week! Next up, sports and food! – Abby Shine ’17