Au revoir France

Five things I got out of my Antips Experience!

COUNTRY: France
PROGRAM: GapBreak
PROJECT: Tutoring & Immersion
WRITTEN BY: Jennifer Khouw

1. I now have the utmost respect for immigrants, especially if English is not their first language. It’s hard. It’s really hard, and I only went to a European country of which I’d studied the language for six years and everyone knew a bit of English anyway.
I can’t imagine coming to Australia from somewhere like China or Iran. So please be kind to migrants. They’re trying their best.

2. I learned that the Western world is incredibly Anglo-centric. Us native English speakers are so lucky but we constantly take it for granted that European schools have to teach our language, that the vast majority of music and movies are in our language, that Europeans know all about Anglophone cultures but we rarely know theirs.
They’re used to it, but it seems a bit unfair that all the radio stations play mostly music in English, and ninety-nine percent of their movies have to be dubbed in French. I’ve watched many of these movies and there’s so much lost in translation- expressions, accents, idiosyncratic voices and so on.

3. I have a new-found appreciation for Australia. I miss all the little things that don’t exist in France- cricket, netball, meat pies, driving on the left, our amazing beaches- but also the general laid-back vibe of the whole country. It’s a beautiful thing. Everything’s relaxed and people are rarely bothered about minor things.
Not that everyone in France is uptight and stressed, but few places are as comfortably laid-back as Australia.

4. I’ve definitely caught the travel bug! I’ve been inspired to travel to every continent, but after I’ve had a break. Surprisingly, I’ve been thinking a lot about potential domestic trips, which is new. Most of my time here has been spent taking small trips around the region to visit other towns and villages, and I’m now looking forward to when I can do the same thing at home.
Seeing as in Sydney I can drive, it’s so easy to just go down to the beach for the day, or spend a weekend visiting my friends in Canberra and Melbourne.

5. On the other hand, all this travelling has made me feel a little more settled. I’ve gotten all this restless energy out that I’d had pent-up from HSC then doing nothing for six months afterwards.
I’m looking forward to going to uni next year, and I can do it secure in the knowledge that I’ve completed one of my life’s dreams before I’ve even turned twenty!
This is my last blog entry before I go off to Paris for Bastille Day, so thank you for reading and au revoir!

Welcome to Camp!

COUNTRY: Canada
PROGRAM: GapBreak
PROJECT: Work Placement
WRITTEN BY: Cassidy Shaw

Hello from Haliburton, Canada. I am currently a counsellor at Camp Northland for Unit 2 girls (aged 10-12) I currently have a group of 11 girls under my care. Whilst this is my first year attending a summer camp I'm having a wonderful time experiencing and soaking up the amazing culture of a Canadian Summer.

It really is amazing to experience a camp with so much culture, tradition and history. From little things like dancing across certain bridges to avoid badluck to singalongs to canoeing across the lake and camping under the stars. I'm learning and picking up all these little traditions slowly and easing into life at camp and even though it's only the first week I really am loving it.

A day in the life of camp looks a little like this. 7 15am the alarm goes off and the four staff in my cabin make sure all the campers are awake and getting ready for the day. We all head down to the mess hall for breakfast which can be pancakes, French toast or eggs and there is always hot chocolate!

We have two activities and then a hobby (which is an activity the campers get to choose and counsellors also get to choose) this week I am on adventure which involves rock climbing and high ropes. Hobbies are a great opportunity to meet different staff and campers within the camp. Lunch is at 12 15 and then we have a desperately needed rest hour till 2pm, nap time is essential at camp.

The afternoon consists of 2 more activities and then free swim time before dinner at 5 30pm. Counselling, honestly is one of the most difficult jobs I've had but it is also one of the most rewarding and most enjoyable jobs.

Whilst being with the same people 24/7 can seem strenuous, they become your family away from home and the people you'll always remember. I can't believe how many amazing people I've met and how many new friends I've made in the 10 days I've been at camp. I really can't wait for the rest of the summer.

France: The gross and petit differences

COUNTRY: France
PROGRAM: GapBreak
PROJECT: Tutoring & Immersion
WRITTEN BY: Jennifer Khouw

Some people assume that because France is a Western country, it’s no different than Australia. That’s not true! I’ve spent a lot of time reflecting about the differences, both big and small, between France and Australia, trying to work out exactly what sets our respective cultures apart.


1. Language- obviously, the official language of France is French. This is also, however, a difference in the way they approach foreign languages. Learning English is compulsory, so most people speak French, some English, and often another European language, such as German or Spanish.
Being bilingual is not a big deal because almost everyone is, whereas in Australia, people are impressed if you continue a foreign language to HSC level!

2. Food- coming from a country that doesn’t really have a defined cuisine, I loved trying all the regional specialities. I’ve eaten Boudin Noir (blood sausage), Foie Gras (goose liver), Crème Brulee, and a lot of duck! Cliched as it is, I often have baguettes, patisseries and crepes.
There’s always a bakery around the corner- I’m going to really miss them when I’m home! They also eat dessert for both lunch and dinner. I’ve now gotten used to it but I won’t be able to continue it when I’m home, it’s too unhealthy!

3. Cooking- there is a lot more emphasis placed on cooking. I was surprised that my host brother is a fairly proficient cook, considering most boys I know are limited to 2-minute noodles and bacon! That being said, he also eats weird stuff, like sugar on pasta, and honey-coated duck. I’ve been told to disregard it as teenage boy cuisine rather than French cooking!

4. Opening hours- this has driven me absolutely crazy my entire stay. Aside from the mandatory (and in my opinion, unnecessary) closure of businesses for 2 hours for lunch, shops seem to open and close arbitrarily.
I can’t count the number of times I’ve walked 20 minutes just to discover that the bakery is closed. I did find out, though, that it’s the law for French businesses to be closed one day a week. It’s their choice which day, but most close on Sundays.

5. Formality- from what I’ve seen, the French are more polite in a very formal way. That being said, I think a large part of that is that Australians are so laid back.
It’s more a general feeling than specifics, but it’s little things like waiting until everyone’s together to start eating dinner, even if the food gets cold while we wait.
Things that don’t exist in France:

• Cricket
• Netball
• Meat pies
• Sausage rolls

Loving life in Caen

COUNTRY: France
PROGRAM: GapBreak
PROJECT: Tutoring & Immersion
WRITTEN BY: Jennifer Khouw Ft Benjamin Blackshaw

I’m staying just outside Caen, a major town in the Normandy region of France, about 2 hours by train from Paris.

Frénouville, the small country town where my host family lives, doesn't have much in it at all; a school and pre-school, a bakery and a small news agency.

Normandy itself is heaven for people who love food and those who love history. Cities such as Caen and Bayeux have many museums and historical artefacts linked to William the Conqueror and the coast to the North is, of course, the historical site of the D-Day Landings.

Despite all the preparation beforehand, nothing could prepare me for the 'lost' feeling that occurs when you end up on the other side of the world, tasked with speaking another language. Pretty quickly however I became used to being immersed in French and conversations have become easier!

My host mother runs a "mix-mash" service as a babysitter, after school time carer and canteen, it's quite difficult to explain but essentially, instead of an after-school care service in the town, mums send their children to a group of 3 or 4 other mothers (called "nou-nou" in French) who supervise these children at lunch times (French children can go home for lunch time) and after school whilst the parents are working.

The ages of the kids are anywhere from new-borns to 11 years of age. For the past two months I've been playing soccer with them, teaching them Aussie Rules (update: it's been nearly 7 weeks and they've just got the 'hand-ball' down pat) and answering many questions about Australia (one boy couldn't believe that we don't keep Kangaroos as pets). Slang is one facet of any foreign language that you don't learn in high school and therefore spending time with these kids has greatly improved my comprehension of less-formal French!

Other than this, English lessons take place nearly every night for the host mother and I'm either reading French books or watching TV, trying to immerse myself in the language as much as possible.

There's only 1 week left which is awfully sad, but this week I'm heading North with my host family to Rouen. It's been amazing so far and whilst I'm not looking forward to next week when I have to leave, I know that the memories from this experience will stay with me forever

Farefell to Fiji

COUNTRY: Fiji
PROGRAM: UniBreak
PROJECT: Teaching
WRITTEN BY: Issy Steadman

Wow, we couldn’t believe it, we had already lived in Nadi for three weeks and our last week was upon us. Time was absolutely flying by!

After our weekend away at Beachcomber Island and sporting our new tans, we were well rested and ready to fully embrace our last week at school. With only minimal days left at school and with our lovely host families we weren’t taking any moments for granted.

Our final week started off with the most heart warming assembly given by the Nadi District School, were they sang and danced for us, this assembly was too celebrate the fact that Antipodeans and Vida, another volunteer, had cumulatively donated $1000 to the school for 20 extra water taps around the campus. The Nadi Special School was given $200, which will hopefully go towards their school camp in Term three.

The Nadi Special school also gave us a lovely going away morning tea, with traditional Indian snacks prepared by the talented vocational girls, and where both of us were presented a traditional Fijian sarong to Thank us for all that we did at the school, and a sarong that will forever remind us of all the wonderful people we met at the Special school.

In the afternoon we experienced our second Lovo, where the food was cooked underground on hot stones.
The lovo was our last goodbye with all the staff members at the Special school and definitely one of the best meals we ate in Fiji, consisting of traditional roots, dips and yummy meats.

Our school days now involved more one on one time with the students, gardening in the vocational garden and enjoying afternoon games of soccer and badminton. After four weeks we had done our best to assist students and it was so great to see a visible improvement in many of the kids writing and math’s abilities.

We hope that our most used phrased of ‘keep your hands to yourselves’ will be kept in mind by the young cherubs at the Nadi Special School and hopefully the students will all be treating each other with a little less, whilst playful quite rough, violence.

To ensure we did not lose any time in this amazing country we spent the afternoons in Denarau; watching sunsets and fire dancing at Smugglers Cove, as well as picking up some Fijian handicrafts for our families back in Australia. Thursday night we shared our last meal with our fellow Antipodeans and our in country partner, which was a great way to reflect and laugh over all our adventures from the past month.

After living with the beautiful Chandra family for a month now it was hard to say our goodbyes. It was amazing coming home every night to this family, their playful
children and the beautiful meals we shared with them. We really can’t thank Antipodeans enough for the life changing experience they provided for all the volunteers, and the memories of those four weeks that we will forever cherish.

Finding True Happiness in Cambodia

COUNTRY: Cambodia
PROGRAM: UniBreak
PROJECT: Education and Teaching
WRITTEN BY: Divya Jamdagni

To sum up, teaching at PIO has been a life changing experience. After getting off the plane 4 weeks ago I never would have guessed what was waiting for me on this exciting journey. Being the first time I had been travelling, by myself, overseas this adventure has been greatly rewarding.

For a person travelling for the first time, alone, and to a country overseas, Antipodeans is definitely a rewarding and exhilarating opportunity. Not only to engage in a great international volunteering experience but also for personal growth. With trips where you are thrown into a situation with no other option but to adapt, the end result is eye-opening and full of memorable moments. These moments (if you’re as lucky as I have been) are shared memories with the other travellers in your group that you will never forget. Not only do you get to meet like-minded people with travellers wanderlust and a passion for volunteering, but also you will find a new group of friends who you probably never would have met if it hadn’t been for the Antipodeans program.

The group of 6 girls that I’ve gotten to meet and share stories with has definitely been a highlight for this trip. If it hadn’t been for them this program definitely would have lacked a particular element of fun that could only be made possible by the craziness of Balpreet, Isabelle, Julia, Nami and Sunny.

I’ve never felt so glad to have meshed so well with a group of girls in such a short period of time. Special shout out to my teaching partner Isabelle, couldn’t have asked for anyone better! Antipodeans has provided me with an international volunteer opportunity that has definitely let me learn so much about myself while also creating a new perspective from which I am able to view the world.

Just by watching and participating in simple school activities such as sports and life skills, I have gained a new appreciation as to what it means to live your life simply, savour every moment, and treasure what you have. The fact that the PIO school has emerged from a former dump site is astounding, the progress that they have made shows the dedication of the school and is definitely a motivator for volunteers to continue wanting to work with the children. The overflowing happiness of the children is also overwhelming.

The true happiness that radiates through them when they see you, learn something new or get something correct is absolutely worth every bad feeling of ‘funny tummy’ that you experience on your trip.
Despite some illness, mosquito bites and the constant question of “lady you want tuk-tuk” you are gifted the chance to see some spectacular sights and true happiness in the eyes of children who have so little but have so much to offer the world. Antipodeans has given me wonderful chance to broaden my horizons and I would definitely encourage others to grab onto this opportunity with both hands and never let go!

A paradise called Fiji

COUNTRY: Fiji
PROGRAM: UniBreak
PROJECT: Teaching
WRITTEN BY: Issy Steadman

Our time in Fiji is truly flying by and so week three for the four volunteers meant beach, beach and more beach. Our normal school week meant the usual 7am wake up calls were thankfully getting much easier and we were successfully making the early bus to school in a bid to stay away from the peak hour traffic. Our days at school are also feeling more natural getting as we have built up trusting relationships with most of the students and teachers at the Nadi special school.

This week though consisted of Michaela's class taking a trip to the local swimming pool, which was a bit stressful on all the teachers as the children run a muck in the water but was definitely a worthwhile adventure when you saw the smiles on all the kids faces whether they could swim or not.

During lunchtimes the weekly soccer and volleyball games were in abundance and it may be a stretch to say but we think our skills are improving thanks to the handy tips from all the kids. The schools project for the term is to build a garden for the school community and so this week meant our hands got dirty pulling our roots, raking the soil and planting our vegetables.
We also got creative with our recycling bottles and cartons this week, making coin purses out of milk cartons and candle holders out if coke cans as part of the South Pacific Schools recycling project.

It seems after three weeks we have become accustomed with the lifestyle here and are finding it easier and easier to get around. Afternoons after school involved trips to Denarau, to take advantage of the swimming facilities at the resorts, watching the sun go down at Smugglers Cove and catching up with our in country partner Shabreen.

We can't forget just how welcoming our host family is and it always makes our afternoon when we walk home and from the top of the street are greeted by the excited squeals of our host brothers yelling to play before we even reach the yard.

On Thursday afternoon we celebrated our host dads birthday the Fijian way. This meant relaxing outside all afternoon waiting for the meat and veggies to heat up on the Lovo, essentially an underground earth oven.
How the Fijians manage to not under or over cook the food amazes us, as after only two hours an abundance of foil wrapped food is hauled off the hot rocks and taken into the kitchen and we discover it's all cooked absolutely perfectly.
Once everyone had eaten it was time for birthday cake and to sit back and cheer for Fiji in the 2015 Pacific games.

This weekend all four volunteers headed to a picturesque marine sanctuary in the heart of the Mamanuca Islands; Beachcomber Island. With its white sandy beaches, clear blue water and perfect weather all weekend long there was nothing quite like it.
Our time on the island involved (of course) more kava, snorkelling amongst the schools of fish and the colourful coral, lots of swimming, water trampolines and plenty more beach activities. Night time entertainment on the island included watching the sunset, fire dancing and lots of limbo.

Our time in Fiji is nearly drawing to an end and it's safe to say that for all of the volunteers this has been one of the most enriching and fulfilling experiences we have ever done.
We can't wait to head back to school for our final week and we know the goodbyes will be hard, but we are so grateful to have had the chance to fully explore this little piece of paradise called Fiji.

5 must do's In Palampur

COUNTRY: Peru
PROGRAM: UniBreak
PROJECT: Healthcare
WRITTEN BY: Shannon Hickey

Top 5 ‘must-dos’ when volunteering in Palampur


- A long weekend trip to Manali – Have dinner at Johnsons and spend a day at Solang Valley. Don’t pass up the horse ride to the temple; for 500 rupees it’ll be a definite highlight of the entire trip.

- Buy a big box of mixed sweets at Gobind Sweets – The Gulab Jamun and Coconut Burfi were crowd favourites. While you’re there grab a few samosas as well!

- Market shopping at Dharamsala – The scarves are particularly beautiful but don’t forget to barter! A walk to the waterfall while you’re there is well worth the effort for the magnificent photo opportunities.

- Hang out on the rooftop of the volunteer house – When the sky is clear grab a yoga mat and your camera to practice your downward dog with a Himalayan backdrop.

- Embrace everything as a learning experience – It’s really easy to get stressed by how different life is in Palampur to Australia and many of us found our expectations quite different to the reality. The most essential ‘must-do’ of all while you are here is to leave your expectations at home and enjoy India for everything that it is, rather than becoming fixated on what you had thought it would be.

UniBreak conquers Machu Picchu

COUNTRY: Peru
PROGRAM: UniBreak
PROJECT: Teaching
WRITTEN BY: Laura Manzi

Someone once said that waking up at 4am was hard; well, waking up at 4am, walking to the gate of Machu Picchu, waiting in a ginormous line and then trekking up the side of a 4km mountain is hard! Never under estimate the real fulfilment that you get from a day in the ruins of the city of Machu Picchu -- the serene hills, the fresh air, the excitement from other tourists, and the chance to get a “money-shot,” is what makes the morning struggle feel worthwhile.

We decided to buy a bus ticket for the return back down the mountain because, for most of us, the trek took just over an hour to complete. We explored the hills after watching the sun rise over the mountain; we had the best weather because usually the area is very foggy before 6am and it’s quite rare to have no fog, but we were very fortunate and managed to get the best photos.

We tagged along on one of the circling tours, baked in the warmth of the sun near the edge of the Condor Temple and made friends with a variety of people from America, Europe and Mexico – this experience has made our trip to Cusco one that will always be remembered.

We met Jerry, one of the in-country-partners, this week when he tagged along with us to school on Monday. Jerry’s story made everyone smile because, after living in a suburban life in Australia, Jerry decided that he was going to use his good fortune to make a difference in the world and that’s when he joined the Peru’s Challenge team.

Jerry’s smile brightens a room and his optimism is extremely contagious and we all feel grateful for his support at Pumamarca primary.
I actually started painting a mural with the kids this week after noticing that my group had most of the art classes, which was convenient.

I painted a tree and then we had students put their hand-prints around the tree like leaves. It’s coming along very nicely and I feel that it captures the school’s mission to bring the community together and create a sense of belongingness.

Funnily enough, we had accidentally bought plaster instead of paint but this was easily sorted with the ICPs. While Alex and Hannah were assisting kids to print their hands on the mural, I had the year 4’s and 3’s making animals out of rocks and blowing bubbles into paint-water in order to participate bubble-printing.

The ICP’s are great when we need to organise resources and bring our lessons to life. My roommate, Jade, has been very successful with the older years in computer classes – she had the kids make acrostic poems out of their names by using English words and Australian animals.
Today Jade has gone to laminate the end results which look absolutely fantastic. The other girls, Jemma and Elle, made butterflies with the little kids and the boys, Zac and Josh, did AFL skills in sport this week.

I unfortunately rolled my ankle on the way back from Machu Picchu which meant that I had to miss out on school today – this was so hard because school is the most exciting part of the day and really makes our efforts and contributions feel appreciated, and seeing the smiles on the kids’ faces every day makes every cell in our bodies feel alive!

Nicco took us down to an Incan Palace near the school which was really interesting, however we were distracted by a puppy that kept following us down the mountain. It was adorable and none of us could let the poor thing go. It’s cool to see how casual people are with the dogs here and it almost feels as if the dogs roam run the streets.

In the community Jerry also took us to see a jewellery maker who sits in his little workshop handcrafting some of the finest jewellery that we have ever seen. Yet again, this week in Cusco and Pumamarca has proven to change our lives and help to grow the students and our perspective of living and life outside of Peru and beyond, as well.

Week 3 Cambodia: Beauty and the Beasts

COUNTRY: Cambodia
PROGRAM: UniBreak
PROJECT: Education and Teaching
WRITTEN BY: Isabelle Khaicy

Culture
The Royal Palace offered beautifully detailed architecture on their luscious green grounds. Our tour guide was fantastic as she explained, in detail, every aspect of the Palace and how time haschanged certain traditions and practices.

Children of Bassac Cambodian Dancer Performance is a must see! The vibrant colours and energetic performance proves to be very entertaining, from traditional movements to country/folk tell­tales. We were all cheering for more!
Angkor Wat offers both breath­taking beauty and culture in one massive compound. Unfortunately our sunrise view was clouded by some overcast weather, but I would recommend the early start to anyone who wants explore the temple before they get swarmed with tourists. We opted for a short temple tour and filled our cameras with pictures of ancient remains. Many selfies to come!

History
The National Museum shows great detail of Cambodia's religious findings. Many artefacts in the museum are left intact and are attached with English blurbs so we were hooked onto every word.
Visiting the S21 Killing Fields Genocide Museum is not for the faint hearted. Walking through the killing fields with our tour guide, who was a survivor of the Pol Pot regime, we were told horrifying stories of what the Cambodian victims had to endure. It's was an extremely confronting morning as we walked through the mostly ­untouched fields and prison.

Food
I've experienced cuisines of different forms during my stay here. From bring introduced to road-side food by locals, that were interesting to say the least, to dinner at the Foreign Correspondent's Club, I'm delighted to say that I haven't been disappointed. The most adventurous I've been was having a red- ant salad at the Friends Restaurant. I'm glad I took a bite before our tour guide pointed out the 'juicy leaders' and how succulent they look. The Friends Restaurant has been a regular destination for our group, and we've vowed to tick off everything on the menu before we leave. Only 20 or so meals to go!

Adventure
For someone who loves a rush of adrenalin every now and again, I was impressed with what Cambodia had to offer. Zip­-lining through treetops and quad biking into the sunset were on our agenda for our weekend away in Siem Reap, although I was only able to experience one of them.
Julia and I jumped on a tandem quad bike and rode for an hour through Cambodian fields and took a few failed jumping shots (mostly hers) against the sunset, before riding back and signing our names against the centre's signature wall; #AwesomeExperience #Antips2015. The rest of our group had the opportunity to go for the treetop zip­-lining and came back with great reviews, so that's definitely on my list for next time!

Entertainment/Leisure
Aeon Mall is a new shopping mall, which caters for many entertainment options. After our late afternoon dips in the hotel pool, we have headed to the mall on numerous occasions to fill up our spare time, ticking off karaoke, ice skating and 4D movies off our list. The mall is also great for shopping, if you're willing to spend a little extra, although I'd still recommend the Russian and Central Markets for bargain hunters. Working through our 'Cambodian Bucket List' we still have a number of items to tick off!

A Day in the Life of a PIO Teacher

COUNTRY: Cambodia
PROGRAM: UniBreak
PROJECT: Education and Teaching
WRITTEN BY: Nami Wickramatilake

A day in the life of a PIO teacher can be tough, challenging but also inspiring and rewarding when you are greeted so loudly by your adoring students. By tough and challenging, I mean it was hard putting behind an Australian understanding of an educational system completely alien to me. From enforcing behaviour management constantly in Australian contexts, the theorised positive behaviour for learning module was definitely shining through here at PIO.

Instead of constantly probing students, it was suddenly so easy to ask a student a question. You begin to quickly understand that these students are here to learn, that these students are here to see you and only you, because you become the instiller of all knowledge in their eyes. Their eagerness is something that attracts myself to PIO. Despite living in poor living conditions, I have come to realise these students are still nothing but happy, always smiling, always sharing with each other a single pen. There is no such thing as bullying here. A harmonious environment is what I'd definitely call PIO.

On my third day at PIO, I had grown attached to my Year 6 students, and noticing my hair was out of its usual bun, they had offered to braid my hair.
I was so touched by their desire to help me (look decent enough to teach). These kids have an amazing set of skills, commonly unnoticed unless monitored and I could not believe the amount of creativity these students have.

Each day I left carrying a present from a student, mostly drawings, sometimes origami and these were not simple everyday paper aeroplanes type of origami, I'm talking paper cranes, frogs and even roses. Creativity does not only lie with their ability to beautifully craft origami, but their strong desire to sing.
They knew more songs that I did! (A little bit embarrassing, I felt incredibly old) From the Frozen soundtrack, to Jesse J's Price Tag to Happy by Pharrell Williams, these kids knew how to belt out an amazing medley of songs.

So that's when I decided to integrate music into teaching English - hence, all the theory of engagement through a deeper understanding of the intrinsic interests of students really paid off! It does get tiring... 3 hours of English a day can be tiring for both students and teacher, especially in the dry Cambodian heat, but it is definitely a rewarding experience; a definite life-time changing experience.