Day 15 & 16

Yesterday and today were two days of school which I loved! School has been amazing so far! I won`t post everyday because school days are pretty much the same but whenever there is something that I want to highlight I will!  

I love it here! The use of electronics is really helpful and it contributes a lot to the class with the help of Google and Blackboard where teachers share power points and whatever they draw in the smart boards as explanations to topics.

I'm looking forward to the weekend! 

Talk to you later! 

Day 14

        FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL! 

Today we didn't do much. School stars 8:20 and it finishes at 3:25. There is morning tea at 10:20 and lunch at 12:45. We had a whole school assembly today to welcome the start of the school year and later on we had another one to give the seniors their badges and recognitions. In the first one it started raining really hard and we got soaked when we ran to get our bags which had out laptops in them. Hopefully everything went well and nothing was wet or broken and laptops were working, so we had to go back to the assembly to finish it and later we left to CSP English. This subject is Coursework Practice English. In this subject we just had an introduction of what it was going to be like and what the subject is about. It is basically practice for an exam they have to sit for in their senior year and they practice for it like we do for IGCSE's with out past papers. The rest of the day was basically the introduction of the subjects we had that day. Although it is the first day of school I have already made lots of friends and I am really happy about it. This experience has been amazing so far and I couldn't be more grateful for it...
Talk to you later!

Day 13

Today we went to school! Not to class but for orientation day! It was the first time I visited the school and I was blown away by it. It is amazing.
Some facts about the school:

• The school has one of the largest iPad programs in the world. The school also uses the learning management system 'Blackboard' and is an advanced user of eBooks. It is presently exploring the use of iTunes University. 
• St Hilda's School Sports complex features indoor courts suitable for basketball, netball, badminton, and volleyball; a fitness gym; an artistic and rhythmic gymnastics area including a foam pit, balance beams and vaulting horse; and a 50m heated outdoor swimming pool. The School also has one oval an outdoor tennis and netball courts 
• The school's motto since establishment is Non Nobis Solum, Latin for "Not for Ourselves Alone". 
• The School's houses are named after Australian plants. In the Middle and Senior schools the houses are Banksia (red), Melaleuca (blue) and Karragarro (yellow).The corresponding Junior School Houses are Acacia, Tristania and Grevillea. 
• St Hilda's participates in a Student Exchange Program with a number of schools in the United States of America, England, New Zeland, Scotland, India, Canada, South America and Argentina. About 40 students in year 10 participate in the program each year. They travel to the exchange schools for a six-week period. 
• The school campus situated in a single 14 hectares (35 acres) campus. 
• It is compulsory to have a laptop or an iPad in class. However students still have to write in notebooks for classes such as English in which they are encouraged to keep on practicing their handwriting.
• Phones are allowed during break time.

I met Loulotte and Imogen, two exchange students from Holland which was really interesting since they come from a very different place. We picked our classes today and we had a school tour.
I am currently enrolled in: English, Music, Drama, Physics, Pastoral Care, Religious Education, and CSP English. We also have Chapel one week and the next one we have whole school assembly and viceversa.
The school looks amazing, I am really excited to start and begin this amazing experience I came here for.
Tomorrow I will give you more details!

Day 12

Hey there! 
Today we went to the beach! It wasn't the usual beach experience of getting there and sunbathing and getting in the water. None of that. We did get in the water but to get to some massive inflatable playground! I could keep on posting heaps of photos because it is amazing, but if you want to see more feel free to visit Aqua Splash's website! http://www.aquasplash.com.au/fun


This activity consists in one hour of running around, falling in the water, jumping, climbing, you are free to do whatever you want as long as you follow the safety measures! Although it might not seem like it it is a good physical activity, you are moving all the time, climbing, keeping your balance so as not to fall...it is really fun and we had the best time there! My body is going to be sore tomorrow, I can sense that coming hahaha...
We didn't go alone of course! Montana and I went together with Jontie and Hannah, an exchange from Canada (friends with Megan from Australia Day), and we also went with Tamara, an ex-St.Hilda's student who now lives in Singapore and came to visit.
After some fun at Aqua Splash we decided to grab something to eat. There was a mall right across the street so we ate there some sushi and then left. 
Something that really surprised me from today is the safety of Australia. We left our phones on the beach and when we came back, an hour later, they were still there. Unfortunately, that is not something we can do in Argentina, but it was nice to experience it. 
Now we are home and we are getting ready  for the start of school tomorrow. I am really excited for it and I have good expectations for it. It is going to be lots of fun.
Talk to you later! 

Day 11

HAPPY AUSTRALIA DAY EVERYBODY! 
Today was the best day so far! 
We woke up, had a shower and Tillie came over. We got ready and left to Jasmine's, who was hosting a barbecue at her house with some music, pool and lots of people! It was heaps of fun, I met everybody and I had the best time! Meg Smith (in the photo) below is also an exchange from Canada and I met her today at Jasmine's. She's also my age and we were both very excited to meet each other! She is so nice! I loved her, she's extremely funny! 
Around 5 pm we left Jasmine's and went to Lachie's. He is the boy who came to Argentina with Montana so we get along really well. We went to his for a while and there I met even more people. 
We ended up pretty tired so I am going to sleep in tomorrow haha! 
This day is one of my highlights from the trip, I will never forget it!

Day 10

Morning! We woke up had breakfast and left, and guess what? Montana drove! In Australia when you turn 16 you have your L's. It means that you have a year until you are 17 to drive 100 hours. You drive with an adult and you write everytime that you drive from and where you are going how many minutes or hours you did, in which time of the day, etc. Oh and everytime you drive you need to put a sticker in the front and back of you car with an L on it that you get after a test together with your book when you turn 16. When you turn 17 you have to sit for a driving test and you get your P's, which means that you get to drive without an adult with you!

I believe it is an amazing idea and it would be amazing to implement it in Argentina! This way you start practicing in roads, highways and you make sure that before somebody gets their license they are very well trained to get it! 
So, today we went to see Tyler's game! We were supposed to see him in Brisbane (a town an hour away from where Montana lives) but it started raining and the game got cancelled! However, it was postponed and he played somewhere else so we decided to go to Carrara Market. It was very similar to Tigre in Argentina and we had a very nice time there! We bought some things for Australia Day, which by the way is tomorrow, and we went back to see Tyler's game! I had never seen baseball before, but I loved it, it was pretty good! 
We headed back home later and decided what to wear for tomorrow and now I am ready to go to bed because tomorrow is going to be a long day.

Day 9

Today we left Nikky's and headed back to Montana's and chilled for the day. We watched a movie and had lunch and later Tyler and I sang while he played the piano. It was really nice! There's not much more to tell about today, tomorrow we are going to go see Tyler play baseball!
Talk to you later!

Day 8

Today we went to Nikky's. She is by far the nicest girl I`ve met so far...We are very similar and we have so much in common! So, today we went to hers and we went out for dinner and had sushi and for dessert (my favourite part) we had Max Brenner's. This would have to be the best place I`ve ever been to for dessert. It is a restaurant in which everything you buy has chocolate. Chocolate pizza, chocolate fondue, brownies, cake, ANYTHING YOU LIKE WITH CHOCOLATE. How good does that sound? I shared a fondue with Nikky that had strawberries, banana and marshmallows to dip! After some girl talk we headed back to Nikky`s and it started raining. When we got back to hers we watched The Conjuring which wasn't as scary as we thought, but it was quite good, and later we went to bed. 

Great day today! :) Loved it! I promise to return to Max Brenner's and try more things and tell you about them. 

Day 7

Today is Tyler's 17th birthday! :) Although it was a day for celebrations in the Leskiw family it wasn't very much like it in my family. Today my dog Willy died and it was quite hard for all of us especially my mum. Moments like this make me want to be there with all of them to support them, but I send them my love from here...
We decided to go shopping and to change some of my money into Australian dollars while Montana was at school training for softball.  I bought a necklace and some nice pair of shorts. Later we picked Montana up and went back home. As soon as we got home we went to the pool because the heat was unbearable. We had some wraps for lunch and we watched Serendipity which we loved.
That's all for today!
Oh...School stars in a week!

Day 6

SEA WORLD

 Today we visited Sea World! We saw all kinds of animals, from penguins to sharks, dolphins, seals, all kinds of fish, sting rays, etc. It was a really amazing day and we even got to pet sting rays! We saw a seal show which was really fun and we went in a couple of rides and got soaking wet! I even met a family from Chile in a queue for one! 
Talk to you later! 

Day 5

Big Day Out ticket

Today was a big day. Today was Big Day Out! This was the festival we worked for on the 16th, so we were very keen to go there today! It was an awesome day and we had heaps of fun with everybody! However I was still really tired because I haven't gotten over my jetlag yet, but it has been amazing! There were tents with lots of artists (I posted the lineup below where you can see the artists who performed)
I met the rest of Montana's friends who are really nice! Tegan (in the picture), Christie, Maritza, Brogan, Charlie, Charlotte, Kate and Allabama! 

 I am going to post a video I filmed and edited myself down here so that you can see whatlooked like! This was definitely a BIG DAY OUT! :) 

video link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhGP8SzYopU

Day 4

Beach

Surfers Paradise

This morning we felt like going out for breakfast and we went to Surfers Paradise. There we found a nice place to eat and had a nice meal with milkshakes with all the family. Later on we all went to see the beach. We were walking in a park full of green and trees and all of a sudden you could feel the scent of the beach close by, and I was right! Behind the park was the prettiest beach I had ever seen! Words can't describe it so I will just post a picture of it here :) We also went to a penthouse and saw the coast from above and it was amazing! 

Beach with Montana

After hanging out there for a while we decided to go to another beach and get an ice-cream, so off we went and this beach was even better than the other one! The water was completely blue and there were dolphins around, lots of people sunbathing, people playing volleyball, it was amazing.
I am loving this place! :)

View from penthouse

Breakfast! (sorry for that finger there!)

Penthouse

Beach

Day 3

Today was actually my first "real" day. For a nice welcome today we worked! Yes, what you read, worked. There is a big music festival coming in a couple of days and we worked for our tickets! It was a very hot day and it was hard working outside, but it was fun! It was quite a long day, but I got to meet more people who were also working and were some of Montanas' friends, which was very cool. I also got to meet Montana's older brother, Connor (18). He drove us back home and on the way back we picked Donna and Walter from a restaurant they had lunch at. We stopped to see the beach, which is amazing, and went home to have a chill afternoon resting for a bit.
I will write again tomorrow!
Bye!

Day 2

G´day mate! 

Hello SYDNEY! After a 12 hour flight here I am waiting for my connection flight to the Gold Coast. I'm starving but I will soon get home! My flight has been delayed for about an hour and a half so here I am wondering about in the Sydney airport. I must admit I am very proud of myself for managing alone through customs and all of the luggage changes and check in in my new airline in such a big airport. 
Looks like my flight is boarding! I will post later on!

I am already at the Gold Coast! Montana, Donna and Walter picked me up at the airport and drove us home. After a long flight, since I wasn´t tired at all we decided to go to a birthday party where I met all of Montana's friends and one of his brothers, Tyler (16, turning 17 in some days). I met wonderful people who I adored and who I get along with really well! I love this place! I haven't seen much because I got here quite late when it was getting dark, but people are extremely friendly and approachable as far as I´ve seen, and it has been amazing so far! 

Flight from Sydney to the Gold Coast

Taylah's Surprise birthday party!

Day 1

The day has finally arrived and in a couple of hours I will be at the airport ready to leave my hometown in a once in a life time journey. I must admit that I am very nervous but yet excited for this trip. I will miss home a lot, my family, my friends, but I will have a new one waiting for me there as well as lots of amazing people who I am hoping to meet soon and hopefully they become good friends that I will remember.
I am about to leave my house with my mum, brother and boyfriend, so I will write again tomorrow!
Australia here I come!