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.

Where's the HEB?

In Australia, the people buy their groceries at Woolworth's. Here we are at the store buying our first groceries. What!? $8 for grapes!? We also found some Tim Tams which are delicious Australian cookies that come in many varieties. 

My first meal in Australia. 

Iguanas seem to be an everyday animal in Australia. This iguana here just happened to be on the sidewalk as we were exploring the city. 

Along the sidewalk is the view of the Story Bridge shown below which is just next to our apartment on the hill. Beautiful!!!

Where do I Live, and How do I Get Connected with the World?

The apartment is fully furnished with a kitchen, living room, washer and dryer.  We also have a huge patio that has a good view of the city.  Of course, I’ve slept on the couch the past two nights… some things never change, right? Hey, it’s a really comfy couch!

One thing that I have always heard is that the water in the toilets in Australia spins in the opposite direction than in the U.S.. Well, I tested it, and it’s true!! I also think it is interesting that the toilets here have 2 buttons…one for a half flush, and one for a full flush. What a great way to save water!!

For all you tennis players out there, the apartment complex has a tennis court to play on… a GRASS tennis court to be exact. How cool is that?!?! My friend and I both played in high school so we are super excited and hope to play soon.
The apartment sits on this enormous hill that we have to walk up and down on whenever we go to town. Needless to say, we don’t have to worry about gaining weight here…we walk everywhere we go!

Two things that I will never take for granted when I get back to the States… owning a vehicle and easy access to the Internet.  Australia is definitely not as connected as the U.S.. Get this… the closest place to get decent wifi around here… McDonalds in Chinatown!!  Yep, we travel halfway across the world to end up sitting at a McDonalds talking to our friends and family. 

If you want to buy Internet at the apartment, it’ll cost you $24.95 for 24 hours. Or how about go ahead and get it for the month while you’re here… for $200…uhhh, no thank you.