【オーストラリア】セントアロイシャスより - M.I -
オーストラリアに来て約1か月半が経ちました。
街路樹の細さや道路のひび割れから水不足を実感します。夏の終わりが近づき、最高気温42度の日もありましたが、最近は30度弱まで下がりました。日差しが強く、黒い服を着ると暑くなり、日焼け止めを塗り忘れた首の後ろがひどく焼け、赤く腫れてしまったこともありました。
私が通っているSt. Aloysius Collegeには、さまざまな国籍の生徒がいます。先生ごとに発音の癖があり苦戦しますが、どの先生もよく褒めてくれるので、英語を学ぶ意欲が湧きます。現地の生徒はグループで固まりがちですが、最近はナイジェリア、ウクライナ、イラン出身の友達4人と打ち解け、さらにクラスを超えて趣味の合う子とも仲良くなりました。今では10人以上のグループでランチを楽しんでいます。異文化交流も刺激的で、来週はインド人の友達にヘナタトゥーを描いてもらう予定です！
来たばかりの頃、交通ルールには戸惑いました。信号は青の後すぐに赤の点滅へ変わるため、渡るべきか迷って、クラクションを鳴らされたこともありました。バスを降りるときに運転手さんへ「Thank you」と声をかける習慣は、とても素敵だと感じています！
ホームステイ先では、ベネッサさんとベトナム人留学生の女の子2人と暮らしています。ベネッサさんの料理は美味しく、特にマッシュポテトと照り焼き丼がお気に入りです。先日はウォーキングに連れて行ってもらいました。次は美術館に連れて行ってもらう予定で、今からとても楽しみです！
M.I（セントアロイシャスカレッジ／オーストラリア）
It's been about a month and a half since I came to Australia. I can feel the water shortage from the thin street trees and the cracks in the roads. As the end of summer approaches, there were days with a high of 42°C, but recently, the temperature has dropped to just under 30°C. The sunlight is very strong, and when I wear black clothes, the fabric absorbs the heat and gets really hot. I forgot to apply sunscreen on the back of my neck, and it got badly sunburned, turning red and swollen!
At St. Aloysius College, there are students from many different countries! Each teacher has their own way of pronouncing words, and it can be a little challenging sometimes, but all of them praise me a lot, which makes me even more motivated to learn English! The local students tend to stick together in groups, but recently, I've become friends with four students from Nigeria, Ukraine, and Iran! I've also made friends outside of class who share the same hobbies, and now we enjoy having lunch together as a group of more than ten people! I enjoy cultural exchange, and next week, an Indian friend will draw a henna tattoo on my hand. I'm really looking forward to it!
I was confused by Australia's traffic rules. The traffic lights turn red and start flashing just a few seconds after turning green, so I wasn't sure whether I could cross or not. Because of this, I got honked at a couple of times.
One thing I find really nice here is the custom of saying "Thank you" to the driver when getting off the bus. The driver smiles and waves back, which creates a warm and friendly atmosphere.
At my homestay, I live with Vanessa and two Vietnamese exchange students. Vanessa's cooking is delicious, and I especially love her mashed potatoes and teriyaki rice bowl. The other day, she took me for a walk, and next weekend, she is planning to take me to an art museum. I'm really excited about it!
M.I (St. Aloysius College, Australia)
