The West Side Story

Last night, we went downtown to the Culture Centre to watch the Broadway musical, West Side Story. A little ironic that we travel all the way to Australia to watch a musical about New York. During one part of the play, the men begin to whistle "Our country tis of thee, sweet land of liberty..." I felt we were the only viewers in the audience that actually knew what song they were whistling. The entire show was played by 33 Australian members. I was very impressed by their ability to disguise their Australian accents and speak like New Yorkers and Latinos. The show was excellent and we enjoyed it very much.

Today, the entire Year 8 class, about 60 students total, came into our classroom to vote on the student council members for next year. Each candidate was required to make a speech and persuade the students to vote for them. Some were more prepared than others, but for the most part, all the candidates spoke well in front of their classmates.

Afterwards, Mr. Seipel introduced me to the students that we do not have in our class. Then I presented my Baylor PowerPoint to the entire 8th grade. I was not expecting to present to such a large group of students but it went well, and they were all interested in asking questions about the university. I told the students about the school system, the activities at Baylor, the locations on campus, the fight song, the school song, the Baylor line, etc. I wore my Baylor Line jersey and taught the students a Baylor Sic 'em! Now all the students want to come to Baylor! Ha!

When the students went to swimming class today, I went to Kelsey's room to sit in on a Year 9 sexual education class. Man, was it different than sex ed. classes in the States! They are so laid back and relaxed when talking about this topic. By year 12, 50% of students in Queensland are sexually active. The teachers focus more on safe sex rather than abstinence.

After our 1 hour lunch break, we went down to the pool for the rest of the afternoon. What a wonderful way to end the school day! Wish we could do that in America! Ha!

Be Safe and Watch Your Mates

The 10 of us went to the Gold Coast for the weekend. We packed all of our things in a backpack and carried to school on Friday morning. Immediately after school we road the bus to the train station. For $11.20, we bought a bus ticket to the Gold Coast. The train ride was about an hour long. When we got dropped off at the train station in the Gold Coast, we caught a bus to our hotel that was located a block from the beach. By the time we arrived, it was about 7 'o clock. The hotel was very nice and we ended up getting an upgraded room.

We were all ready for a good meal so we rode in a taxi to a restaurant called Sage. The food was very expensive but it was so worth it. Kelsey and I, the two small town girls, needed our meat so we both ordered steak and mashed potatoes. The other girls ordered chicken or pasta as well as a bottle of wine.

The expectations of a waitress in Australia are so different than in the States. The tip is included in the bill so this leaves no reason for the waitress to be very courteous or overly helpful at your table. Also, restaurants cannot split the bill for you. So when our bill was given to us at Sage we all had to pay in cash. How hard is it to split the bill!? Gosh! Nevertheless, the meal was excellent and it was definitely worth it.

Then we went to a club to hangout. Deanna did not bring her ID so she had to stay outside while we all went inside. After a while, Kelsey and I went to find Deanna and we caught a taxi back to the hotel. By this time it was about 12:30 a.m. and we were exhausted! What a long day of traveling!

On Saturday, we had to be checked out of our room by 10:00 a.m.. The hotel held our bags while we walked to the beach. We were hungry so we stopped at the McDonald's on the beach and had breakfast. There were "heaps" (as an Australian would say) of shops near the beach so we walked along and shopped for clothes and souvenirs. We also did a lot of people watching. The fashion here is so interesting and different from the U.S..

Eventually, with our luck, a storm came along so we hurried back to the beach to take pictures of the water before it started to pour!

We ate lunch at a restaurant near the mall and left the Gold Coast at around 4 'o clock. We needed to have time to get back to the train station and go home to Brisbane. Also, we wanted to get out of the Gold Coast before the crazy Schoolies took over the beach!!!!

1 Week Down... in the Land Down Under

Today was the last day of our first week at Whites Hill. Mr. Seipel wasn't at school so there was a substitute teacher. Today was also the last day of school for the Year 12 students. In honor of their achievement, all the students at Whites Hill State College, Prep - Year 11, as well as friends and family, joined in the auditorium for their graduation assembly. It was an emotional moment for the seniors and reminded me of my high school graduation 4 years ago. Although the students wore school uniforms instead of caps and gowns, the graduation celebration and the students' emotions were similar to the United States. We are halfway around the world but there are still similarities in traditions such as these.

I also handed out the letters from my students in America to my students here in Australia. They LOVED them and they are so excited to write back! They laughed at questions like, "Have you ever been punched by a kangaroo?" and they were surprised by a girl who said she loves to hunt for deer!

Tonight we are off to the Gold Coast to swim at the beach. It is also Schoolies week so it will be a very interesting trip. Schoolies is a party on the beach for students who have just graduated from high school. The estimated number of teenagers who will be at Schoolies is 35, 000! The concept of Schoolies just blows my mind. In the U.S., we have Project Graduation after graduation to prevent students from going out to parties, drinking and getting into trouble. But here, the country promotes Schoolies and the parents help to buy drinks and transport their children to the Gold Coast for the week. Wish me good luck that I make it back to Brisbane alive! Ha!

Oh, the Lovely Taste of Vegemite

          On Thursday, Deanna, Kelsey and I participated in the Vegemite Challenge. Vegemite is a blend of salt, yeast and whole bunch of other stuff that Australians like to spread on their food such as bread and crackers. The teachers at Whites Hill supplied the Vegemite and Cheesybite, another type of Vegemite that is mixed with cheese. The faculty sat and watched as the three of us shoved the nastiness of Vegemite into our mouths as quickly as possible. The Cheesybite was the worst thing I have ever tasted in my life. It makes me gag to just think about it. All the teachers got a kick out of our disgusted faces. Evidently, Australians here love their Vegemite and slather it all over their bread!

          After we defeated the Vegemite Challenge, the teachers gave us crowns to wear. We were also rewarded with yummy chocolate. Let's just say, I will never eat Vegemite again. But I think you all should definitely have a Vegemite Challenge of your own :)

Do You Ride a Horse to School?

          Today was the first day of school at Whites Hill State College. The bus ride is very long, about 30 minutes, plus a 10 to 15 minute walk up the hill. When we wake up we are ready to go, but by the time we finally get to the school we are tired and sweaty!

          The three of us girls spoke with the principal named Belinda and she assigned us to our classroom teacher that we will observe and teach with for the next 3 weeks. My teacher's name is Chris Seipel. He is very young and cute. His specialization is science but he teaches all subjects. Mr. Richters, the head of the department, gave us a tour of the school and led us to our classroom. This month is called "MOvember" at the school. The male teachers let their moustaches grow out during this month for prostate cancer. It is much like the "no shave" November in America.

          Immediately, we noticed many differences in the school building and atmosphere of the classrooms. The school is very open and spread out. Instead of air conditioning, the classrooms have ceiling fans and windows that open to the outside. The setup of the classroom is similiar to an elementary classroom in that the same students stay in the same classroom all day. The teacher teaches all subjects including maths, science, social studies and english. The students have 2 electives, sports, and swimming class. The students also have a 20 minute morning tea time and a 1 hour lunch period! The school day begins at 9 am and ends at 2:55 pm.

          In Australia, the schools are on a year-round schedule. All students, private and state school students, wear uniforms. However, the teachers can dress VERY casual. The men wear cargo shorts and tennis shoes, while the women wear low tops and spaghetti strap shirts. The atmosphere at this school is very relaxed and laid-back. The students go outside to identify trees in the "rainforest," work on the computers to create movies, and debate topics in front of the class. The students eat lunch outside and buy food from the tuck shop.

          Overall, the day went well and the students were very welcoming and interested in the United States. I've already begun to see many differences and similiarities in the school system and the culture of Australia!
         
        

Kangaroos and Koala Bears!

On Sunday, we went to Lone Pine, the world's first and largest koala bear sanctuary. We were able to feed the kangaroos, hold a koala bear, and watch a sheepdog get shaved. We saw platypuses, tasmanian devils, peacocks, and dingoes. It was great to see a part of Australia's well-known culture. 

Tomorrow we begin our first day at Whites Hill State College!!

I want my car...

On Saturday, the 10 of us were given "go passes" for the bus transportation in the city. We will use the bus system every morning and afternoon to get to and from the school that we will be observing and teaching at for the next 3 weeks. The 7 elementary teachers go to the Camp Hill Primary School, and the 3 middle school teachers go to Whites Hill State College.
We learned the bus route and how to get to the school, and then went to the mall for the rest of the afternoon.

At the mall, we discovered Baylor's official drink, Dr. Pepper!!!

The mall had a Target, grocery store, and Australia's version of Walmart, the Big W.

Also, the mall had a Wendy's... not the fast food restaurant... an ice cream shop!

After we spent the afternoon at the mall, we had to find our way back home using the bus transportation. By the looks of the pictures, it was an adventurous journey back to the apartments.