G’day mates, how ya going?
I am very sad to say hello from Calgary as this trip has come to an end. It is crazy how fast the past two months flew by and I am missing Brisbane tons already, especially with all this snow in Calgary! This was a life changing experience that had a very positive impact on me. The beginning of the experience was a learning curve as I began this journey living in a new country with two roommates. As I embarked on this new exciting journey, I kept something in mind that one of my friends told me: follow your heart but take your backbone with you. This reminder was great to have in the back of my mind throughout the entirety of this experience.
After arriving in Brisbane, I immediately knew that I had made the right decision in choosing to participate in Teaching Across Borders. The people in Australia were very friendly and welcoming and I was eager to get in the classroom at Kelvin Grove State College to experience the school culture in a different country. I arrived at the Junior School Campus at Kelvin Grove and was welcomed into the ‘Lego Room’ classroom with open arms. I was partnered with the Inclusive Education Coordinator in the junior school which was amazing as my specialization is elementary inclusive education. My supervising teacher was super friendly and did a wonderful job of placing me into a wide range of classrooms to be able to observe and experience lots of grades and teaching styles. As mentioned in our previous blogs, the school was unique as the campus was spread out across several buildings. It was very interesting to navigate this and I quite enjoyed that students are able to get sunshine and fresh air while moving between classes and subjects such as library and physical education. Along with observing in the classroom, I also had the opportunity to work more one-on-one with students as well as working with small groups. This was great learning for me as I was able to gain more hands-on experience in the classroom. For my final two days of volunteering, I was placed in a grade two class. This was great because my Calgary practicum that began on November 7th is in grade two, so I have been able to make many comparisons between curriculums and teaching styles in grade two classrooms in Brisbane compared to Calgary. My last day volunteering was an emotional one to say the least. It was quite sad saying goodbye to the students who I had made great connections with in such a short amount of time. It was also difficult to say goodbye to all the teachers and support staff who were so welcoming and kind as I joined their classes for this experience. All the teachers reassured me that we would stay in touch and to reach out if I am ever back in Brisbane! During my volunteer placement I learned so much about the programs used in the junior school and witnessed many useful teaching tools that I will be sure to introduce into my own teaching practice.
Along with the amazing volunteer experience at Kelvin Grove State College, Sara, Emilie and I also had lots of fun exploring and being full-blown tourists in Australia. We got to sight see and experience lots of new activities with the friends that we made. I had lots of fun at an adventure park where we did many high ropes and obstacle courses as well as lots of zip-lines. We also saw many botanical gardens with beautiful greenery and flowers and made it to the ocean quite a few times. There is a bridge in Brisbane called the Story Bridge, and you can book a tour to climb the bridge! The three of us did that, and although I am quite terrified of heights, it was definitely worth it for the view. Surfing is a must in Australia, and we were able to book an afternoon of lessons. By the end of the lessons, we definitely shredded some waves! We visited some other places in Australia including Byron Bay and Airlie Beach. We saw lots of Australian wildlife including some wild Kangaroos, a Koala, some dolphins, and even a cockroach in our hostel at Airlie beach.
Not even the grossest cockroach could keep me away from going back to Australia someday. This trip was filled with many adventures, making new friendships that I will cherish forever, and lots of individual growth. I learned so much about myself throughout this journey and gained so many life skills. So many of the lessons I learned throughout this trip are things I will carry with me into my own teaching practice as well as into my everyday life. The memories that Teaching Across Borders provided me with will last a lifetime and I am so grateful to have had this wonderful journey and experience. I am incredibly thankful to all the Aussies who were so generous and kind, I will definitely be back to visit!! I am so thankful to my family for supporting me on this journey and will forever appreciate this opportunity I had!
Until next time!
Lauren