1990 School Magazine

CHRISTMAS IN JAPAN Foi' twelve Gi'aitTmai' girls the last SUITiinei' holidays were not a time for ille sun alld beaches. ori'elaxing. or going out willI 11'1ends. Instead we spent the seven weeks at school in Japan. We wei'e divided into two groups of six witli one group going to tlie sister school in Tsushima and the othei' to the SIStei' school at Matsusaka. The two schools were about thi'ee 110ui's apart by 11'alli soit was possible to itTeet only once. We all spent inc day logethei' in Nagoya o11 Decentbei' 27/11 willI oui' nost SIStei's WITilSI coinpai'111g schools o11 the way nome we discovered that both ITad the11' good alld bad featui'es but they wei'e vei'y dinei'eiit. Matsusaka seems to nave been SII'ictei'Ihan Tsushima. but at both schools we expel'Iencecl a fail' shale of classes and leiaxatioii time. TITis 11:11e was spentin the libi'ai'y. to I' WITicli we wei'e vei'y glute1\11. No. 1101 because we wei'e despei'ate for a book to rentl hut because it was the wai'111est building 111 111e school AND we could sit togetliei' and talk ill ENGLISH WITicli tilllilies was a gi'eat I'GIIef. A tactoi' both schools 11nd 111 coiniiioii was 111e kindness shown to Lis bv all the staff' alitl students The 111p tauglit LIS a vai'jety of Ihiiigs. sucli as now to find the shops WITeii yoti don't speak the language: now to play spot-tile-gayj7/I (foi'eigiiei'): the joys of tlie obento (IunclIhox) and Ihc bi'Gadshop. We sooiT foundimpoi'tant places like the Bank. Post Office and Mistei' Donuts 11is difficult toi'elate coll, any expel'Iencesin so fewwords Between Lis we brouglit back 1110usands of photographs. hundi'eds of souvenii's (hence the ovei'weiglitluggage). hut best o1 all. Inariy piecious ITiemoi'Ies The I'e were also tile obvious langtiage benefits. Everybody improved to tile extent that everyday life was coinprehensible and enjoyable. This was partly due to daily tutorials at Matsusaka and special lessons at Tsushima, and partly due to helpful host families. who never gave up on us no matter how stupid we seemed, or how long it took to explain what was required of us We would like to thank tlie staffand students at Tsushima and Matsusaka Girls' Higli Schools. We are indebted to the In for seven weeks of confusion. laughtei'. happiness. and fi'ieiIdship tliat will never be 101'gotten Coinieiie Mingei'ISO}I

GERMAN EXCHANGE SCHOLARSHIP From Novembei' 1989 until January of this yeai. .I stayed in Germany as an eXchange student after successfully competing for' a Goethe Association EXchange Scholai'ship. I enjoyed my time immensely and formed lasting friendships with 11Ty host family willI WIToin I still have frequent contact. I was part of a group of about tliirty- five Queensland students and dui'ing our sponsoi. ed trip to Berlin made many friends and experienced the excitement of the changing political agenda in Gel'many We visited Berlinjust one ITTonth after the opening of the Berlin Wall. During oui' week long stay sevei. al ITcw openings wei'e Inade each niglit. We visited east Bellin and saw the vast differences between 111e two cities willch wei'e at that time so newly opened. Along willI inariy group members. Ijoined tlie "wall-pickei. s" and souvenii'ed little pieces of the Berlin Wall During the seven weeks. I attended school witli my host blother to I'111 Tee weeks and even did the exams. The town I lived in was Felsberg near Kassel in the state of Hessen whicli is in tlie centre of Germany. directly beside 11Te G. DR. For 111rce weeks of niy stay I was Ibrtunate to be able to sightseeIhi'oughout Germany and parts of France visiting Strasboui'g. Saalburg - a Roniaii 1'11iiT - and Baden-Badeii and its higli society Casino WITicli only opens at ITight. We visited dui'ing 111e day. of course TITe first snow did 1101 fall in Kassel lintil early iaiTuary but with tentperatures as low as -10'C I certainly gained a new understanding of cold. Apai'I fi'o111 learning about a German winter I was jinmei'sed in the Ticli CLIlttire. langLiage. traditions and cuisine of Gel'many and its people. The opportunity to speak. understand ancl I. earl German was wonderful and lielped me to gain gi'Gatei' knowledge of the Gel'Inari language and culture After celebrating a wonderful Christmas and New Yeai' with my host family and new friends the last weeks seemed all too short. I would recommend this eXchange to any Yeai' Eleven or Twelve German student as it offers a unique cultural opportunity

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At Sydney Airport Back Row: (L-R): A. Hoult, S. MeAdam, S. Lurid, C. Marginson, A. Me Cmth, S. Proctor, P. Smith. Front Row: R. Conoplia, S. Daley, N. Heiser, S-W. 00i, K. Johnston.

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Penelope Me Bride

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