G’day again, mates!
The past two weeks have been filled with sunshine, school days, and lots of exploring! Here’s a little glimpse into what we’ve been up to lately:
- Everyone has now had their first few days in their classrooms, which has been so exciting! The students here all wear uniforms, which makes the schools feel super cohesive and different from what we’re used to in Canada. Madalyn is in year 11/12 chemistry and year 9 STEM, Katarina is in year 10/12 chemistry and year 9 science, Megan is in year 5, Tayah is in year 3, and Mollie is in year 4.
- One discovery: The high school students have a period 5 class that runs from 3:00 p.m. to 4:45 p.m., definitely a long day for those students!
- We also learned that statewide exams are worth 50% of students’ final grades, but students are given a few weeks of class time to study, ask questions, and review, while still having an exam block (exam break) like we do.
- In our free time, we’ve spent more time discovering beautiful Brisbane, from wandering through new neighbourhoods to finding some of our favourite local spots.
- One of the highlights has definitely been Streets Beach, a man-made beach right beside the river! It’s such a cool place where families bring their kids to splash around and enjoy the sun, with lots of delicious food choices nearby.
- Speaking of enjoying the city, we’ve quickly learned that there are surcharges at food places on public holidays… lessons learned the hard (and expensive) way!
- It’s officially Jacaranda season, which means the city is glowing with purple trees everywhere, it’s absolutely stunning.
- The weather has definitely heated up and gotten more humid, so our increased visits to Yo-Chi (a frozen yogurt place we might be slightly addicted to) have become even more necessary!
- On weekends, we’ve been loving all the local markets. They’re full of vendors selling fresh fruits, veggies, handmade goods, and of course, sweet treats we can’t resist.
As we start to take in the last couple of weeks we have left, we’re feeling extra grateful for this experience and all the new friendships we’ve made along the way. It’s been such a fun couple of weeks soaking up Brisbane life, getting to know our schools, and adjusting to the Aussie heat!
Cheers!
Mollie, Megan, Katarina, Tayah, and Madalyn
