JHi everyone. I would like to start this little presentation by telling you about the book I just gave to you. As we all know, we got stuck inside for about 4 weeks and we were quite limited when it came to what we could do. So I really tried to stay busy by painting, playing music and running, but one day my host mum, Lynda, came up with the amazing idea that I should make a recipe book. So what you have in front of you, is a collection of a few recipes that I have either eaten or cooked during my time here, and I would call the book my little corona project.
When I first arrived in Australia, I did not know much about the culture and how things were done here and it took me sometime to get used to it all. For you, it is nothing strange about walking around in thongs in the shops, but if I am being honest, I was a bit uncomfortable with the idea of exposed feet while shopping for food when I saw it for the first time. Also, I want to mention the food. It is not a huge difference in what you eat, but rather when it comes to when and how. It is more common with a quick and easy lunch and I needed to start bringing food to school, which looks something like this.
At the start, I actually really struggled with these smaller and quicker lunches, because in Sweden, you are served a big meal at school and you sit down for 45 minutes to an hour, enjoying the meal with your mates. Having lunch is definitely a bigger event at home and to do it differently here in Australia, made me really hungry in the afternoons, but of course, I soon adapted to it.
One other big difference is how open and friendly Australians are, compared to Swedes. Don't get me wrong, we are not rude or mean in Sweden, but if you suddenly start talking to a stranger or even say hi on the street, a lot of people will feel intimidated and that you are interrupting them or bothering them. My first experience of this happened the minute me and my friend landed in Perth. We were taking our luggage down from the shelves on the plane and a lady behind us started talking to us. Not only did she speak English, which I wasn't used to at the time, but we didnt know her? Why did she speak to us? It wasn't even anything important, I think she just talked about the weather. I soon realised that I would actually seem rude if I didn't say hi on the street or had a quick chat with the cashier at the check out, whereas I seemed polite and normal if I didn't talk to anyone back home in Sweden.
To live with three different host families has been one of the best things about the exchange program. All my families have been really good and I am so lucky that I got along so well with all of them. The best thing about having more than one family, is that you really get to see Australian life from three different perspectives. My first family, Emma and Kayne, loves sport and luckily they took me to rugby, footy games and even kricket. It was so fun to be able to participate in this part of the culture and to enjoy what so many others love. My other two families were both different, in the matter that I had siblings in them. Since I have grown up with a brother, I know how nice it is to have people around that are the same age as you. In these two families, I got to visit extended family a lot, go to local food markets, swim in the pool and travel south to a family farm, which Lynda's sister owns. Even though I loved all the families, it was always nice to change and I think the reason for that is that when you are used to something, you get bored. Not necessarily in a bad way, but after a while in each family, I felt like a needed some change and something to mess with my head a little bit.
Saying yes is the programs number one rule and to be honest, I think followed it quite well. When opportunities came up, I never hesitated to say yes and because of that, I have got to try so many new things, which some I will continue doing back home. A few of the things I have got to try are mountain biking, surfing, rowing, swim with dolphins, playing soccer with the state team and try improvisation theatre.
It has been amazing to be able to do so many new things because back home, I was sort of stuck with soccer. It was the only thing I did. Even if I love soccer more than anything else, I have really become more open to try new things because you never know when you find something you love, unless you try it.
A big part of my exchange has obviously been school and I must admit that I never realised how different schools can be around the world. I knew it would be different, but it has really been a totally new experience to have gone to school here for a year. First of all, I have had to wear a school uniform everyday, which I actually don't mind. I havent had to think about what I was going to wear everyday and there is no judgement because everyone looks the same. Secondly, the time table and classes are extremely different. Here in Australia, and specifically Willetton, you go from 8.30 am to 2.45 pm everyday and it only changes if you have subjects like sport, which lasts for 2 hours and you have to stay an extra hour in the afternoon. In Sweden, it is more random and a class can last for 2 hours, 45 minutes or 1.5 hours. Also, you can start the day at many different times and I feel that it is more similar to university, where you have one or two long lessons. During my time in Australia, I got to choose the subjects that I wanted to do and I took the chance to do the things I can not do at home such as outdoor education, sport and recreation, certificate in music and really challenging english. The whole system is very different and I won't bore you all trying to explain it but the point I want to make, is that it is very different and it took a little while to accept how different it was. Because the whole system works differently, it was hard to find friends. At Willetton, you go to different classes every hour and you have classes with different people. This was good in one way because I got to know a lot of different people from different friend groups, but it was really hard to find one specific group to be with, since I only knew one person in each group. I understand that not everyone can be bothered to talk to the new exchange student, but it was pretty hard to find that group that I really enjoyed having lunch with. At the end of my year, I can say that I found one group to sit with, but the amazing thing is that I now have friends with different interests and that come from different places. This wouldn't have been the case if I had gone with one class the whole year, as you do in Sweden.
So the best way for me to get to know people and feel like I belonged was to get involved as much as I could. Unfortunately the school sports got cancelled because of Covid-19 and I missed out of those kind of things. Luckily though, I got to participate in triathlon with two friends from school after saying yes when I got asked and I also got involved a lot in the music at the school. I did some performances at assemblies, parent exhibitions and I even competed in the schools talent show. By doing music, which is something I have done my whole life, I really felt like I belonged and that I had found my place at the school.
One of my favourite memories from this year is without doubt my school ball. We never get to experience this kind of thing in Sweden and I just loved the whole idea of it. In the morning, my school had a dress up where we all got to dress up in funny costumes and we walked around the shopping centre before we all returned home to start getting ready for the night. Make-up, hair, dress and shoes, all of it! I just really want to thank all my host families who helped me getting ready for this big night by driving me to appointments, giving me discounts and just being there for such a special night. The reason it was so special wasn't only because we all looked gorgeous and had a fun night, but because I really felt like a part of the school and no longer like the new foreign exchange student.
Rotary Youth Exchange means so many things to me after this year. I have met so many new people I never thought I would meet and all these people mean something to me in many different ways. All the other exchange students have been like a safe space for me, to whom I could always turn to and they would understand what I was going through, because they had experienced the same things. Because of this program, I will have family all over the world and even if I wont see the very often, we will always have a special bond and share memories for the rest of our lives. There are so many more people than the other exchange students that will be important for a long time. All the host families, all the people that hosted me in any way if it was for a night or a few days. All the school friends that I never even knew existed before I came and that I now will remember for a very long time. I just feel that I have a bigger network and because I have met people from different cultures, I am more open to know more and to discover different ways of living around the world.
Not only is my English at a whole new level after spending one year in Perth, but there are so many new hobbies that I will bring home and friendships that I could never have found at home. This experience has really taught me to appreciate the moments you get and to not take anything for granted. Also, take every opportunity you get because you will most likely never get it again. I have also become more open minded to cultures, activities and new things in general and I don't think I would be able to have this kind of mindset after spending yet another year at home. But one of the most important things I will take home from this experience is the ability to spend time with myself, without getting bored. Back home, when I had spare time I often wasted it watching Netflix or being upset because I was alone and didn't have anything to do. However, after actually being alone for a while, and to actually not know anyone, I taught myself to appreciate my own company. Instead of only watching youtube videos I started sewing again, painting, writing in my diary and being more creative. I learned to keep myself busy and how to be happy with myself as the only company.
Lastly, I want to thank everyone that has been involved in making this a year that I will never forget. Thanks to the club, my host families and my counsellor for all the support and for being a part of my exchange. It wouldn't have been possible without you.