I stepped off the plane in Melbourne, Australia with Andrew Scott and Hayden Deakins at the end of a day-long flight, but at the beginning of a five week journey down under. I was immediately welcomed by the Ellis's, my host family, and right from the start, they were incredibly friendly and welcoming. As we drove away from the airport toward downtown Melbourne, I knew that I had begun one of the most amazing journeys of my life.
I stayed with Seb and Zac Ellis along with their parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ellis in their house right outside downtown Melbourne, and they welcomed me into their home like I was one of the family. They showed me around the beautiful city of Mebourne that sits on a harbor in southern Australia. I was able to go on top of the Eureka Tower, the tallest tower in the Southern Hemisphere and get a complete view of the city. It was one of the most breathtaking experiences of the trip. I also got the opportunity to visit the Ellis's country house outside of Melbourne. I was incredible to see the beauty of Australia with its rolling hills and amazing wildlife. I was able to see kangaroos, wallibies, and an echidna. I was a great experience to see the amazing countryside in Australia as well as the city.
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| View of Melbourne |
Soon after leaving the countryside, I began school at Melbourne Grammar School along with Andrew and Hayden. In many respects, MGS is very similar to MBA. It is a very prestigous all-boys school that prepares its students for the world and college, and like MBA, MGS is a school that focuses on making great students in and out of the classroom. I was able to take Biology, Literature, History of Revolutions, Australian History, and Economics as well as playing basketball and Australian Rules Football. I enjoyed Biology which I am now taking at MBA and it was also exciting to learn how to play Australian Rules Football. The people at MGS were also friendly and excepting, however, they did think it was strange how I said "y'all." It was also great that the Ellis's house was within walking distance of MGS and downtown Melbourne.
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| Melbourne Grammar School |
Melbourne was a fanatastic city with so much to offer. Melbourne has great public transportation that made it easy to get anywhere in the city. Whether you were going to AFL (Australian Football League) game at the enormous MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground), going to Victoria Market to buy a souvenir, or going to one of the beautiful beaches near Melbourne, it is easy to get anywhere. Melbourne is an amazing city with fantastic people.
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| AFL game at the MCG |
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| Port Sorento near Melbourne |
Travelling to Melbourne and MGS was no doubt one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. I loved being able to experience a new culture and a new country. I would like to thank the Whitson's so much for their generocity and for making this once-in-a-lifetime trip possible. I would also like to thank Mrs. Warner and Mr. Gioia as well as all the people at Melbourne Grammar School and MBA who organized this amazing exchange program. Lastly I would like to thank Zac, Seb, and Mr. and Mrs. Ellis for opening their home to me for five weeks and making me part of their family. Without these people, none of this experience would have been possible. For anyone else considering going on exchange, I strongly encourage you to do so. These opportunities at MBA are incredible, and you should definitely take advantage of these once-in-lifetime trips. You will have relationships and experiences that you will never forget. Australia is an amazing country and I hope to return there in the near future.
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| Me in Austalia |
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