Story last updated at
Down Under
The students
were participating in the People to People Student Ambassador Program, which
was founded by President Eisenhower to promote international understanding.
They were recommended by their teachers to attend a seminar about the trip, and
then chosen to participate based on their grades, community service, character
and general attitude.
They accepted
the invitation because it sounded like a great opportunity. And besides, as
16-year-old Carlyle Brown from Fort Dorchester High School, explains, "I
didn't want to be sitting at home all summer."
Then they
packed their bags and got ready for the journey of a lifetime.
While they
had heard about the history and culture of Australia at the seminar, the five
participants interviewed say that nothing could have prepared them for the
experience ahead.
Besides
Carlyle, other students interviewed who made the trip included Taylor Rowland,
17, First Baptist High School; Tomas Rodgers, 16, James Island Charter High
School; Angela Ly, 15, Summerville High School; and Rachel Berry, 17, West
Ashley High School.
The students
arrived in Sydney, Australia, in June and worked their way up the eastern coast
to Cairns. During the three-week trip, they participated in several activities,
including snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef.
Kangaroos and
koalas come to mind when thinking about Australian wildlife, but some of the
underwater animals deserve just as much attention. They encountered many exotic
fish, including the "Nemo" fish (clown fish) and other species you
normally won't find in the United States.
Taylor was
impressed by the "diverse population of fish and coral," saying they
are "like you've never seen before."
The students
got a chance to see the more commonly known Australian animals on their
excursions in the Outback further inland. During their farm stay out west, they
tried the Australian pastime of bushwalking, which Tomas describes as basically
"hiking on a flat trail." During this and other mini-adventures in
the country, they got to meet some of Australia's non-human natives.
Angela noted
the Tasmanian Devils aren't much like the cartoon but "they're very hyper
and run around a lot."
Tomas was
surprised by the koalas, which he describes as "not necessarily the cutest
things ever," adding that they scratch people. He also observed that many
of the kangaroos he saw were dead on the side of the road ó not your typical
roadkill compared to the States.
Back in the
city, the students got a chance to climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge, which they
all agreed was an unforgettable experience. It's one of the largest steel arch
bridges in the world, and lots of celebrities have ascended to the top,
including the Olsen twins and Pierce Brosnan. From about 450 feet up, Rachel
says, "You could see everything."
The city they
looked out over was in many ways just like an American city, aside from the
cars being on the wrong side of the road. For fun, Australians enjoy going to
the movies, shopping at the mall, surfing, playing soccer and watching rugby.
On the other hand, their pop culture is a little bit behind ours: "Shrek
2" still hadn't come out over there, and while Australians listen to some
American music, Carlyle was appalled to find out that they have never heard of
Nelly.
As far as
food goes, the travelers found that spaghetti and baked beans for breakfast was
a real culture shock. And they're still trying to get the taste of Vegemite out
of their mouths. Vegemite is basically the Aussie version of peanut butter;
they put it on their toast, and there's even a song about it. It must be an
acquired taste because none of the students seemed to appreciate it.
"Everyone
lost a bit of weight," Rachel reports.
Aside from
the cooking, the students enjoyed hanging out with Australian people. They
split up for a few days, each with a native family, experiencing the daily life
of family members and staying in their home. Those interviewed for this story
thought their host families were very kind, and they enjoyed watching soccer
and rugby and trying out the families' favorite restaurants.
Overall, the
students found the Australian people hospitable and polite. When Tomas was at
the mall, he says, store employees went out of their way to help him find
things, and everyone had good experiences to share.
They were
also surprised that the Aboriginals weren't more secluded. The students found
the native people of Australia far more sophisticated and modernized than in
the movies. Many have learned English and accepted the city life, though they
try to keep in touch with their old beliefs and language.
Each day, the
students had to write in a journal about what they had learned and how
Australian life compared to American life. While it was tough to keep up with
the journals after long, packed days, they had to be checked by a teacher so
that the trip would count for high school credit.
In their
journals, they wrote about the daily experiences that inspired change in their
lives.
Taylor says
the trip made him more outgoing and more responsible. He says he thinks he is
now "the most organized person on the face of the earth."
Rachel says
she is also more willing to talk in public. She says she learned that
"even though we're in different parts of the world, everyone's the
same."
Angela agrees
that beneath the petty differences in things like music and food, "most
cultures are pretty similar."
For Tomas,
the trip "opened me up to try different things." He plans to travel
to other places now, including New York City.
Carlyle sums
up what he learned from the adventure: "It changed my views. It let me see
how good people have it, and also how bad people have it. Until you get to have
a hands-on experience, you don't get to see what other people go through."
LEARN MORE
Jane Berrier
and Claudia Hawkins have led several trips from the Charleston area to
Australia through the People to People Student Ambassador Program. For more
information on the People to People initiative, go to
www.studentambassadors.org.