IN BETWEEN- WEEK 1:CULTURE SHOCK

This week has been very hard because I started to discover Australian culture and

lifestyle which are quite different from that I was used to. First of all the temperature is higher than in the UK , even if here it is winter . The weather is always sunny and dry.

Another difference is food. I found out it on Tuesday , when Eliza cooked an

Australian specialty for me: kangaroo meat with mushrooms. At the beginning I hesitated a bit ,but, after the first bite, I enjoyed it. I also tried bugs,which are little crabs, but I didn’t like them very much. At breakfast Australians usually spread a slice of bread with Vegemite, a dark paste made from yeast extract, but I definitely prefer jam.

Yesterday all the family and I went to a local festival , the Lions Imparija Camel Cup,

a race between jockeys who ride camels. It was strange and a bit frightening because camels are really big and fast. Despite my initial fear, I tried to ride one and I found it really exciting.

The day after my arrival, we went to my new school to collect my application form.I also met my new teachers and the headmaster met me in his office. My first day

at school has been extremely stressful: I met a lot of new classmates, I explored the

school and I tried a new sport, softball.

I met Nerissa, a very friendly seventeen-year-old girl, who showed me the school.

Then we had lunch together. She was very kind to me, not like some other

students who stared me and pointed at me when I was crossing the garden. I think

they were pulling my leg, because , every time I turned to them , they

stopped talking. I can’t understand why they were so rude to me, because I didn’t

do anything. Moreover I'm having some difficulties with my English: it may be the Australian accent totally new to me It sounds strange and they use

many strange words, for example , they say good lurk instead of good job or oil

instead of information. The first time I met Nerissa she told me “G’day mate!!” and

I couldn’t understand what she was saying, but later she filled me in.

Once, while I was at home, Eliza shouted that “tea” was ready and I

thought that she had made a cup of tea for me. While she was talking about dinner. Actually they call the evening meal “tea”.

In spite of all these little problems, I’m truly happy to be here and live my dream.

Adam, Eliza and my new brothers are great and they are helping me to go through my cultural shock, they teach me their habits and they are very understanding. I’m sure I 'll get integrated with my new classmates even if this first week has been frustrating.

I’m looking forward to seeing what tomorrow will bring me and who I will meet.

Emma Tessari