Australia
That was my first time heading to Sydney, Australia, I stayed there for almost two weeks and attended an Australian school during my summer holiday as a school trip. I don’t know why I had to go to the school during the HOLIDAY though.
I made a lot of friends right away and played basketball with them on the first day.
The host family I stayed with was extremely kind and literally treated me as a guest.That was apparently a household that’s economically wellbeing and pretty big swimming pool and trampoline were in the backyard. I fully utilized my English improved in Canada, and was able to communicate very smoothly with them. There were host mother Amber, brothers Brad and Nate and sister Victoria.
After we stayed at a hotel, we got some free time to hang around downtown in Sydney with my classmates. Particularly, we went to the Opera house, China town, and an amusement park called Luna park. We took a ferry and a tram to get there.
In my group, we ate meat pie at the most famous meat pie restaurant for lunch. There were green peas and gravy sauce on it and that was extraordinary. Afterwards, we went to the Chinese market to buy souvenirs. Overall, we enjoyed all of the experiences and had great time.
What I learned the most is about cultural differences between Australia and Japan, U.S, Canada. Although same language is used in those countries except Japan, there are a bit of differences.
One thing I noticed right away was the unique Australian accent and some vocabulary that I hadn't heard much in Canada or the U.S., like how they say "mate" instead of "bro" and "thongs" for flip-flops, which totally confused me at first. Also, the lifestyle felt more laid-back compared to Japan’s fast-paced routine, and even school there seemed a bit more relaxed. I found people to be very open and friendly, and it was easy to strike up conversations even with strangers on the street or at shops. That trip really broadened my perspective, not only in terms of language but also in understanding how different cultures shape people’s daily lives and attitudes.
Plus, Another thing that stood out to me during my stay in Australia was how much attention people seemed to pay to environmental issues. For example, my host family had separate bins for recycling, compost, and general waste, and they were really mindful about saving water. I also noticed solar panels on many rooftops, including the one at the house I stayed at.
When we went to Luna Park and the ferry ride across Sydney Harbour, I remember seeing signs warning about plastic pollution and protecting marine life. That made me think a lot about how even beautiful places like Sydney aren’t immune to global environmental challenges. Coming from Japan, where recycling is quite structured but climate awareness isn’t always top of mind, it was surprising to see how environmental consciousness is embedded in daily life in Australia.