Semester 2

G’day friends!

The weeks have flown by here, and I imagine that you all feel the same about the waning weeks of summer. Fortunately, the days have been filled with various activities, so I can’t say that they have slipped by without notice.

I started classes on my first week back from Hawai’i, so I’ve begun to read articles and write essays all over again. Thankfully, my classes are more enjoyable and challenging this semester, so it hasn’t been a big ordeal to get back in the rhythm of university life. I’ve started tutoring an Australian girl in Spanish this semester, and I may have the opportunity to tutor a Samoan girl as well. That’s exciting for me because I recently learned about Samoa at the Polynesian Cultural Center in Oahu.

My Rotarian counselor, Ian, is away on holiday for two months, but I continue to stay extremely active in Rotary activities. I worked at a fundraising barbeque with a local Rotary Club, and the next day, I planted trees with Rotaract in an area of Canberra that was damaged by fires a few years ago. This weekend, I’m looking forward to helping out with the Model United Nations Assembly, which is a conference that the University of Canberra Sunrise hosts that gives high school students the chance to learn about the United Nations. And of course, I continue to give presentations to different Rotary Clubs in the area. One club in the southern highlands invited all the Ambassadorial Scholars in Canberra to spend a long weekend with them at the end of this month. They plan on showing us some of the highlights of the area such as Kangaroo Valley and Fitzroy Falls, both of which are spoken highly of by the locals. I also have planned a presentation down by the coast. I only hope that it’s the right time of year to see the whales.

In addition to all of my normal activities, I’ve started to volunteer at the local community services center. I’m only doing administration and project work, but it’s a good opportunity for me to see how a non-profit organisation operates down here. So far, I’ve been really impressed. They have interesting and interactive programs for people of all ages. I’m working with a group that specifically helps young people with mental disorders by providing a creative outlet to express their feelings. They have art, drama, dance, and writing classes, and hopefully, I’ll get to participate in some of the activities. Also, there’s a French man that works at the center, so I have a great opportunity to work on my French while doing some good in my suburb.

Oh, and before I forget, I experienced one of the most beautiful winter days in Canberra last weekend. A few girls from church and I went to the Lerida wineries, which are just 35 minutes outside of Canberra, near Lake George. The vineyards, of course, were not full of ripe grapes, but the barrenness of the land had its own unique beauty. We ate a wonderful lunch at the quaint café that overlooked the vineyards, and as we were waiting on our meal, it began to snow! It was so beautiful and magical that I felt like a child as I ran outside to touch the white bits of heaven. The smooth wines and friendly company only added to the idyllic nature of the whole afternoon.

That’s all the big news for me.

Enjoy the Olympics.

Cheers