LYUDMILA-Month 3 : The Visit

  June 23rd - 21 p.m.

     

I really couldn't figure out that my parents were arriving! That week had gone by really quickly because I had spent all my days thinking about it. Even though the evening before their arrival I was lying on my bed with my eyes open and the time had never gone on: I was trying to imagine the emotions I would feel on the next day! I couldn't describe my delight especially because I had been missing them so much and I was really curious to see their reactions visiting such a wonderfull city as Sidney : they had never been to Australia!

I actually had to go to school but I was waiting for the ringing of the bell that marked the end of the lessons.

Finally ,the bell rang and I reached Christopher, who was waiting to take me to the airport.

While I was setting out and greeting him,there were Greta and James kissing in the school garden I hadn't thought of them , my heart was still pounding.

On the way to the airport there was a lot of traffic,I couldn't wait anymore. I was so impatient that I had thought I was driving crazy: I had shouted at others cars for all the journey.

When we finally arrived at the airport, the plane had just landed and I met my parents . They were still at the luggage claim area, but when they got out and saw me, they hugged me for such a long time long I almost got choked!

They were really excited in particular my little brother

Alexander who had never flown before.

They were eagers and glad to meet my host family. While we

were going home,I told them what I had organised for our

weekend togheter:the Opera House, the Rocks, Bondi Beach,

Manly,Canberra.. and shopping in Pitt Street, George Street and

Castelreagh Street!

I was anxious to see their faces when I would take them to Bondi Beach: the most amazing beach in Sidney and in Australia. I hoped they didn't want to spend so much time at the Opera House: it was fantastic indeed, but one visit was enough for me because I had alredy been there and I had taken a lot of photos.

That evening,my mum and I went for a walk along the sea front and she told me I had matured so much: I looked more self-confident, indipendent and able to get through problems and different situations! I felt like a real Australian girl!

I can't think my homestay is 2/3 over, I really don't want to go home, there everything is boring and dull : I love Sidney and I wish I lived here with all my familiy. But there is a problem : my dad hasto work ; in addition doesn't like the sea because he can't swim, he hates being in the nature and he doesn't love animals either. We are so different!

I will miss Amber,I have never found a friend like her.I'll also miss James,my crush, I had never fallen in love before even though he hasn't so much as looked at me.

What a shame! I will enjoy these few weeks.

Veronica Rigodanza

LYUDMILA - Week 2: Getting Around

This is only the second week I have been in Sidney,  but I feel it like home. The subway, the difficulties with the new city, the language, the new school and the new classmates don’t terrify me like a week ago. In addition, the family is so friendly and in these days I’ve  started to get more familiar with their daily life. I really like living here because in the morning things are so different from Moscow, because of the school and the new activities I do, (and I love new experiences) and in the afternoon I love watch Jennifer helping Mark with homework stay with Amber!! I'm  so happy with  this new friendship.  The first half of the week has been perfect, except for Friday, which was a totally disastrous day!! At school I've met many classmates and  they are really friendly with me, except for one girl. Her name is Greta and she is the captain of the cheerleader team of the school. She is one of the most popular and beautiful girl in the school and obviously she is a close friend of James’, the guy of my dreams!!   Greta  doesn't to want be only a friend to him...she wants more! Like me she wants to be her girlfriend  and for this reason she does everything  to discredit me. Friday morning was terrible because she made fun of me all the time and James was there, too !

When I got back home I was quite sad and a bit nervous! I sat to the sofa and I watched the television all   afternoon!! Even when Mark  arrived (he wanted to to play with his new play station)  I didn’t let him use the TV and so he ran off crying!!

After dinner I apologised with him for my behavior,  but he sulked  until the following day. Christopher and Jennifer saw that I was a bit sad because of my argument with Mark and they also saw that something at school had  happened ;   for this reason they decided to take me to around the city at the week end and  to show me some of the major tourist spots.

First of all we went to the Opera House. It was fantastic and I took a lot of photos. Then we went to Darling Harbour; it is a nice neighborhood full of shops and nice restaurants. After a lot of shopping and a substantial lunch,  we visited the Sidney Aquarium and the Sidney Zoo, with fish and animals from all over the world.  

                                         

On the way back home we went to Port Jackson, the largest harbour in the world and finally to Bondi Beach, where people surf all  year round.  There I saw something unforgettable:  James was surfing and when he came ashore,   he waved me helllo. I'll never forget this!! The most poupular boy of the school   greeted me, the "beetroot"!! That's incredible!! I definitely love Australia:)  

                                                                                                  

                                                                  

Matteo Fontana

LYUDMILA - first week:culture shock

Friday, 23 march 2012


My first week in Australia has passed and I’m terribly homesick.

Jennifer and Christopher are kind and Mark and Amber are really friendly. During this week Amber and I have become close friends: we talk about school, boys and sports. I’ve also started  school: I’ve  noticed that is very different from my school in Russia. The school building is very big, there are lots of subjects and classes. Students must know how to get organized   and how to choose different courses: it’s like university!! I don’t know what to study, I’m following Amber like a shadow and I do the same classes she takes, even if I know that it is wrong. In Russia you don’t choose because the course of studies is fixed. Here we finish classes at four o’clock p.m. and we go swimming or surfing: the only problem is that in Russia we don’t swim or surf because we almost don’t know what a sea is. In addition I often get sunburned because my skin is white and delicate,  so I am as red as a beetroot! I must wear a t-shirt and so someone has started to pick on me and call : “Beetroot, beetroot!!” I’m furious: yesterday I had a temperature and I layed on my bed crying.

Today I feel better: my back doesn’t “burn” anymore. Amber promised  she will take me to Opera House: my friends told me that it’s amazing! during this week I’ve also improved my English, even if I still have problems to understand and talk  .. Sometime I wish I could fly and go back to Moscow, just for one night: talk with Aleksandr, tell mum and dad everything about  my problems and then return back here. I know that Australia is a great opportunity for me and then here there is…..James: that’s the name of the guy of my dreams, my charming prince. I saw him at school, during lunch time and since that moment I haven’t  stopped  looking at him: he’s like a drug! He’s so handsome: he has very short blond hairs and green eyes. There’s only one problem: he is the most popular guy of my high school, the captain of the rugby team, so I don’t know what to do to conquer him. Don’t forget that I’m called “beetroot”! Today Amber is not going  to school, so I must go along Sidney alone. There is a lot of traffic and the subway terrifies me. In Moscow I take the bus in front of my house and I’m at school in twenty minutes’ time. So, if I’m not going to write anymore you should know that I definitely got lost in one of the large streets in Sidney! Now I have to go, Jennifer has cooked her delicious pancakes with syrup: they aren’t like our “palacinke” but they are really good!

Riccardo Vinci