Australia Immersion Program 2019

5A,Lo Hiu Lam,Cherry

I participated in the Australia Immersion Program with nine students last summer. The school we studied at is called Fraser Coast Anglican College, which is located in Harvey Bay.

I still remember when I arrived Australia on the first day, I was very shy and didn't talk much. However, at the end of the program, I cried a lot as I felt very sad to leave Australia, but I'm so grateful for having this experience.

On the first day at school, all of us were impressed by the stunning study environment in Australia. Everything is huge, including the campus, the classrooms, the people, even the bugs! When I met my buddy, Aimee, the first time, I was surprised that we were almost at the same height. Although she was a shy person, she tried her best to introduce the school to me.

The subjects I studied were English, Mathematics, Biology, Geology, History, Design and Graphics, French and Drama. I enjoyed my French lessons the most. Although I didn't know any French before, I found the lessons very interesting. I also became more confident after taking Drama. In Design and Graphics lessons, I made a toy car myself! These experiences were all new to me as we do not have these classes in Hong Kong.

Furthermore, we participated in an outdoor education camp. This was another new experience for me as I had no idea what camping in the wild would be like. All the students had to walk along a beach for 6 hours with two heavy backpacks before setting up our own tents at the target location. During the camp, we tried a giant swing, mountain biking and canoeing. I really stepped out of my comfort zone and did lots of things that I haven’t done in Hong Kong before.

I'm so thankful that I could have a wonderful family for my homestay. Everyone in this family was so caring and nice to me. I never felt bored as I could play on the trampoline, walk the dogs or watch our favorite show Stranger Things together. I must admit that I enjoy this lifestyle very much.

My host family also took me to many famous attractions in Harvey Bay, like the Rainbow Beach, the Urangan Pier and other beaches. The school also organized many activities for us during weekends. We went horse riding, whale watching, visited Fraser Island and also Australia Zoo. Whale watching was fantastic, it was my first time to see whales in real life. They are marvelous creatures. They are large but intelligent. Watching them swimming in the sea delightedly is such a pleasure! What is more, the scenery in Fraser Island is awesome, the picturesque beaches, the clear freshwater lakes are amazing.

I gained a lot from this 7-week program as being an exchange student is a rewarding but challenging experience. I learnt a lot about myself and had great fun as well. I was immersed in the language and culture of Australia and lived like a local member of my host family.

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