G’day Mate, Greetings from the Land Down Under!
By: Aleeha N.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Stacey Lane
Adviser
About Me
- Stacey Lane's Blogspot.com
- I have taught Journalism, Creative Writing and advised Young Reporters throughout the Valley for the past 12 years. I am a freelance writer for the Education, Social and Community Pages with Independent Newspapers. My students write and submit stories to Independent Newspapers' Write to Report Program, Bear Essential News for Kids -Young Reporters Program, EduKid Newspapers and In the Zona. I enjoy teaching, photography and watching writers grow as they master their new found skills... Explore the Power of Personal Expression - visit, Write On! Creative Writing Workshops on Facebook
G’day Mate, Greetings from the Land Down Under!
ReplyDeleteBy: Aleeha N.
On June 11, I went on the journey of a lifetime. I was about to travel halfway around the world to Australia with 45 other fifth and sixth grade students and 4 chaperones on a People to People Ambassador Program. This program takes a number of carefully selected students across the world on an attempt to make peace with countries by interacting, experiencing culture, and getting a look on everyday life.
I traveled throughout the eastern states of Australia. Our delegation visited New South Whales and Queensland. We experienced a lot of culture in just two weeks.
When we first arrived in Sydney, we went sightseeing on our coach. During the next couple of days, we saw a museum in Parramatta, toured the Sydney Opera House, went on a Sydney Harbor Cruise, swam at the Olympic Park, and tried kangaroo, just to name a few.
On the 14th, we went to Brisbane. There, we fed and interacted with kangaroos, took pictures with koalas, and saw native animals, like a platypus, dingoes, wallabies and Tasmanian Devils. In Brisbane, or Brissy by the locals, we also went to the Sunshine Coast, played on Noosa Beach, did some Beach Olympics, otherwise known as Nippers, and shopped at local malls.
After two days in the city, we drove to Yeppoon. There, we visited the Tropic of Capricorn, Gin-Gin Primary School, and went to Dreamtime Cultural Center. At the culture center, our delegation learned how to throw boomerangs and play a didgeridoo, as well as learn about dugongs, the sea mammal that started the myth of mermaids. I ate crocodile for dinner. We also saw Capricorn Caves. After a short tour, we broke off into three groups and saw other caves. I, along with 14 others, went into the Whale’s Belly. It was said to be the hardest of all. Feeling up to the challenge, I tried it. We went through tight spaces; army crawled, and had to watch out for cave dwellers.
When we were on Daydream Island, we did a lot of relaxing. Our delegation got the opportunity to ride a cruise ship to the Great Barrier Reef and snorkel it, go down a slide that dropped into the ocean and come just five feet away from Great Whites!
We left our resort to go to Kroombit Park. Our delegation would be staying there for two nights to experience local farm life. We rode horses, learned how to crack whips, had bonfires, learned to bushdance, and hiked the outback.
After traveling the entire east coast of Australia, we were heading back to Brissy. On our last day, we went to Saints Peter and Paul Catholic School to compare and contrast schools from each country. Our group toured the school, played typical games, and had a typical school lunch of a Vegemite sandwich, Tim Tams, and a banana. It was surprisingly delicious.
After arriving back home in Phoenix, Arizona, I realized that I had changed. I had become more of a free spirit. This program has made me more confident, persistent, hardworking, joyful, and has made me more of an adventurous 11-year-old girl. Now, I look at the world with new eyes and a new perspective on life. My People to People experience has changed my world-forever.