WE HAVE ARRIVED!!!
First Stop...Murwillumbah Central
G'Day Mates
It is amazing how quickly time passes when you are learning and having fun...and when your schedule is booked solid! We haven't had a free moment since touching down in this land of wonder just days ago (and we apologize for not posting sooner).
The journey began on March 5th. We arrived at the airport excited and ready to begin. Our sendoff was brief, as the time had come to begin this adventure. Some of us packed lighter than others!
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| Airport Travels |
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| Dan making a Rotary Donation at the Airport Larry & Jenn Playing |
Our arrival came after 30 hours of travel when we were greeted at the airport with a huge G'Day!! Australians sure know how to treat people! We have felt nothing but welcomed and at home since we landed. We enjoyed a fantastic lunch and hotel stay our first day/night. We were treated quite well!
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| Flags from GSE Welcome Dinner First Australian Money View from our Hotel |
Once we had a short settling in, we started running. We began with an eventful tour of the Wildlife Sanctuary, where birds got close and Kristen got an inside look of the animal hospital. Our Rotary guides were great!! We continued our first day with a visit to Kingscliff TAFE, allowing us to learn more about education here in Australia. We finally got to meet our first host families and we loved them from the beginning! After our initial meeting, we made a quick change to prepare for our evening. The GSE Welcome Dinner was well-attended with over 100 guests. We each had the opportunity to meet new people and to present for the first time. Things went well and we shared many laughs and lots of information.
The next day (Wednesday, 3/9) allowed us our first vocational visits. We each learned more about our individual areas and have much to share with those back home! After our visits, we had a yummy lunch at the Tweed River Art Gallery as well as a quick tour. We could have spent a great deal of time there.
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| Water Treatment Process Cone Factory...abiding by health codes |
In the evening, we each returned to our host families for some "family" time. We each experienced different things, including a walk on the beach or a koala in a nearby tree. The surprises of the Australian beauty just keep comin.
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| Welcome Dinner Sign, A Trip to the Beach, Home Sweet Home |
Today we had two interesting visits which again allowed us to learn more, while also having just a really great time! We first went to the Madura Tea Estate where we learned the process of making tea. Tropical Fruit World was second, and included quite the tour around the grounds. We experienced many means of transportation, and finished by tasting tropical fruits that we had never even seen before! We then enjoyed another great meal before heading off for the afternoon.
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| Tropical Fruit World |
Our time in the Murwillumbah area passed entirely too quickly and we will dearly miss our new "families" that we will leave behind. Tonight was truly a blessing as we participated in our Farewell BBQ. While the food was wonderful, the company is what really made the night! We enjoyed good conversation, ice cream, and a little singing. It was a night that we will never forget!!
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| Farewell BBQ complete with singing, ice cream, and lots of laughs Thank you, Hallworths! |
The adventure is off to a most amazing start and we continue to pinch ourselves to make sure that this whole experience really is happening. We are so very thankful to all of those that made this week possible and to those that put up with us everyday! Listening to some of us practice our accents or ask a million questions can be a lot to handle, and we truly thank each of you that made us feel so very, very welcome! You are all now mates!!!
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| Richard & Jenn, The Beach |
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