4th month in Australia, first change of families, Mother’s day and more…

Hello! The fourth month started, it is a bit scary seeing how fast all these months have been. Anyway, without a doubt, it was an awesome month. As I moves to my second host family things has been very different.

After all the fun at safari, I realized my fourth month was coming, is incredible how fast time goes on exchange, this month has had a lot of changes, all in a good way, and things I’ve never experienced before, the first one was Changing families, after I completely integrated to my first host family, it was difficult to change again, especially when you get along pretty well with your family. But is a change you need to do, and a good one I’d say.

For exchange Students: Mothers day was this month, even though my mom was more than 10.000 km away, and feeling the company of my host family, mother's day was an emotional day, it is really important day, along with your national day, birthdays, and Christmas. Ideas about what to do, I did a video for my mother, along with my sister, with some photos, and I recorded myself saying some words. If you can, you can send a parcel or a letter.

Being in a new family is different, now I have 2 Siblings, Theo (14) and Charlie (18), my parents are Angela and Chris, and of course, I am not putting ages in these two, pets of course, 3 cats, George, Stormy and Hunter, and one dog called Poppy. I now live in a Farm in a district of Wagga called Bomen, near the industrial area, Were the big butchery is along with the Heinz production plant. The house is incredible and has an amazing view of Wagga and the Rock (A town a few km from Wagga, that has a mountain called "the Rock") I´ve had the opportunities to watch the most amazing sunsets, sunrise and landscapes of Wagga.

My host mom has Cypriot ancestry so I have been eating some Greek food, along with some Greek lessons, they are going alright, but very basic, I have learn how to introduce myself, and some swear words. ;)

My host dad works in the Trailer business, and around the farm as well. His parents and family are in Wagga, so we have had dinner along few times.

My youngest host brother is at a different School and plays AFL (Australian Football League) [Aussie Rules]. My oldest host brother works as a Greenkeeper and he finished school a year ago, and currently he is following his studies.

In my new farm life I have watched some kangaroos on the wild, as well as foxes, kettle, sheep, and chickens.  The highlight are obviously the kangaroos, I have watched them running, or jumping around and it is amazing, there are plenty of kangaroos in Australia, that is why it is allowed to be hunted and eaten. Which is a pretty good meat, low in fat. I have spotted some foxes as well, they usually hunt chickens and rabbits around.

A highlight was Shearing. Is a thing that I would've never done before, but that I would do now. I helped separating all the bad wool from the rest, and putting it into bags for treatment and selling, it looks simple, but is more complicated that what it looks like. The good wool, is the one from the back, while the belly wool is disposed. It is a really hard work, and exhausting, the shearers did more than 100 sheep in 5 hours. I had the opportunity to shave one, I admit I didn't want to do it at the beginning because I was afraid of cutting the sheep, which actually happens, the shearers sometimes cut meat or skin from the sheep. But it was alright, according to what the shearers said, I did a decent work for a beginner.

I had the opportunity to cook some Peruvian food to my family, I did 2 plates, Tres Leches, which was delicious, with help of my host mom, and Papa a la Huancaína, which was delicious as well. I decided to do Tres leches, because my family likes sweets, and I said, why not? It was really good for a first time baking, sweet moist and perfect. The next dish to cook soon is Ají de Gallina.

I've also had the opportunity to cook some Australian food during this month, Including Lamingtons with my first host family, before I left, it consists in a Spongy texture cake covered by chocolate icing and coconut. It is a traditional Australian dessert. Australia has many good desserts, Pavlova, Lamingtons, TimTams, and some lollies (candies), sadly Australia doesn't have many good plates, just Meatpies, Fish&Chips (Brittish). I have also cooked some scones, or American "biscuits". They are served with cream and jam. They are really important along with the tea culture here in Australia.

Lamingtons

As I take cooking classes at school, I've made some good plates, like Ice cream, Lasagna, Fish&Chips, Pies, Poched pears, Pumpkin soup and more. Let's say my cooking skills have improved a lot. I've been cooking around the house and learning more.

Fish&Chips

My photography skills have improved as well, I have taken amazing shots of Wagga, along with photos of the house, which with a Tripod will get way better.

Wagga Skyline at sunset, Taken by me.

The last highlight of this month was the weekend at Talbingo with my Rotary Club, awesome weekend, I had delicious food, met more rotarians and their wives. Talbingo is in Kosciuszko National Park, a few hours from Wagga. It has a little village, were we stayed. We had a nice walk, which I finished first ;). Is really good to do that things in Rotary, as someone said there, "The people who didn't come, don't understand Rotary" and it's true, Rotary is about fellowship.

Here I post (late) the month of May, a really short month, but good. Soon the next post about June and a special Photography post.