Melbourne Grammar School, Chase Meluch
Melbourne Grammar School was a fantastic school that I visited for a month from July-8th to August 8th. I stayed with my host family, the Camerons, and my host brother, Rob Cameron. I went on the exchange with Davis Voecks and Bronson Ingram.
We started our adventure by flying a nice double decker plane for 16 hours.
On my first few days I visited the city of Melbourne, about 25 minute tram ride from my house, and saw some of their famous graffiti walls and Australian museums. At the museums I looked more at the beautiful Australian artists and aboriginal art.
One of the coolest places we went in Melbourne was the MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground). It is a giant, extremely nice stadium that has cricket, AFL (Australian Football), Rugby matches and more at it. I even was lucky to see a few soccer games played there like Manchester City vs. Real Madrid.
Mr. Cameron (my host family dad) took me to the Australian Bush on a Sunday to see a different side of Australia. I saw an old railroad bridge and also got to cut down a few trees for firewood.
On the weekend of my Birthday, All the exchanges and their hosts went to Alex's Beach house (Davis Voeck's host) for the whole weekend. We got to experience the coast and Australia's famous and beautiful Great Ocean Road.
(Pictures from the Great Ocean Road view)
One of the most fun things we did was going to Healesville Sanctuary with all the exchanges from MGS for a day during school. We saw several animals that are native to Australia. We got to see koalas sleeping, a swimming platypus, touch kangaroos, hold cockatoos, see a bird show, and got to pet the coolest animal Australia has to offer: The Dingo.
Davis and I were able to visit a family friend's farm for the last weekend on Sunday. We got to have the fantastic once and a lifetime experience of herding sheep. It was hilarious, fun, extremely interesting to see how it all works (we got to help them take the sheep to the sheep auction), and extremely disgusting, but it just made it more of a memory to have! We also learned sheep trucks are not the cleanest things to drive.
Australian Farms are quite beautiful though #kingskypic
The school itself was fantastic. They have a lot more freedom to choose what classes they take. For example, At first I followed my host Rob around, but he takes no sciences, one math, and a lot of humanities courses; however, since I am interested in the Sciences and Maths, I followed a guy named Nelson around for the rest of the time. The school itself is similar to MBA, except their uniforms are a little more advanced to say the least. While I was at the school, I was luck to be able to play for the Second's soccer team. It was mostly full of year 12's, but playing with the mates was one of the best parts about the trip, especially making all the friends I was able to make on the team.
School pics:
Pics of soccer team and friends:
I sincerely would like the thank Mr. Gioia, the Warner Family, and MBA for making this exchange and experience possible for me. It was a fabulous trip. I would also like to sincerely thank Rob, the Cameron Family, and all of the friends that helped make my stay as memorable as it could be. Thank you.
For the term, I stayed in Manor House along with 40 other boys with Mr. Nolan, who was the housemaster, watching over us. Manor House, also known as TEJN in accordance to the housemaster's initials, was one of the older, more traditional houses that was located on the main road that led through Eton. Manor House was also across the street from College Chapel, the school's personal church. I attended Eton College for an entire term, requiring me to due all the work just as a regular student would as well as choose classes. I was put into the C-Block, the equivalent of a junior, and I took classes in math, language, history, and english. As a C-Blocker, or Junior, one is only to take 4 classes as they narrow down their interest and determine which subjects they wish to major in and focus on. Therefore, although there may be only 4 classes, these classes could be taken twice a day or more. These classes were taken every day of the week except Sunday. On days where classes were required, the morning consisted of an alternating chapel service or school assembly, depending on your grade or block. Yet, before going to this morning event or even classes, one must put on a full tuxedo complete with a tail coat as permitted by the school uniform standards that originated in the 1400s.
Athletics at Eton College varied from soccer to rugby to the Eton field game, an original game invited in 1815 that only Eton college plays. These athletics were played on Tuesdays and Thursdays while there was open time on all other days to organize a game with a group of friends. I was able to play the field game, and I must say that it is one of the most confusing games ever invented. In fact, there are constant pauses were the referees have to discuss the call or even consult the rule book. There are other times when referees call a penalty that players did not even know existed. Regardless, it is a fun and interesting game that incites much concentration and aggressive play. 
All in all, Eton College provided me with an unforgettable opportunity to be apart of a school that is filled with history, world influence, and political entities. I will never forget the friendships that I created with my friends in England with people such as George Rix, Villiers Smith, Kit Eastwood, and Charlie Mostyn. For now, those names may seem unfamiliar to you, but in coming years they will be some of the most highly influential people in the world due to their studies at Eton College. In going to Eton, I was able to see how the royalty of the World study and understand that MBA has provided me with not only the opportunity to study at such a school but also the ability to be competitive with such students who attend these schools. I will miss all of my mates in England, and I will never forget the influence that Eton College has had on me.
