Arrival and First Impressions

What a week! It feels like the longest and fastest week of my life all at once. After nearly 36 hours of travel, I finally arrived in Perth on Monday, feeling exhausted, emotional, and anxious but excited to be here! I met my host family—Tim, Celine, and their fluffy golden doodle, Tilly.

On Tuesday, I was still jet lagged, so I spent most of the day settling in and organizing my things. I tried my first Australian coffee, and the U.S. has some catching up to do! The food here is great too—I even tried kangaroo meat for dinner. It’s not super common to eat, but it’s a healthy option. I didn’t love it, but I wouldn’t mind trying it again! The neighborhood I am staying in is fairly quiet and there are some shops a quick walk down the road. I haven't gotten to explore too much outside of this area but there are so many things I am hoping to do the next few weeks!

Tilly!

First day of school picture for my mom :)

Wednesday was my first day of school. My placement is just a 10 minute walk from my host home, and I’ve really been enjoying the morning walks. I met my class of 22 Pre-Primary (Kindergarten) students, and they got a kick out of my accent! They call me Miss Vespa (like the motorbike), which is pretty cute. The students are incredible—so advanced academically and well behaved. My mentor teacher, Mrs. Nind, is fantastic, and I’m already learning so much from her. There are some interesting differences between Australian and American schools that I have noticed already, especially how much time the kids spend outdoors and how relaxed the teachers are with classroom expectations. It’s refreshing to see how it gives the students more room to breathe and take responsibility for their own behavior.

Some Pictures of the School Yard and Classroom

I really do love it here. The people are so kind, the weather is beautiful, and the schools are amazing! Of course, I miss my friends and family at home a lot already, but I keep reminding myself what a unique opportunity this is to grow both personally and professionally. I know I’ll come back an even better teacher than when I left. This weekend, I plan to explore the city a bit more. One week down, seven to go!

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