To CCSD:
I would like to say many THANKS for donating me $500.00 for my Australian trip. It is greatly appreciated. I will be sure to share my experience when I come back. Thanks again, signed Lisa Dressler.

Hello my fellow Canadian friends:

Well what can I say; being in Australia for almost 3 months now has been a blast! Realizing that being here in Australia is no regret. My second thoughts of coming here are gone. I am going to start from the beginning and my story from up until now.

My flight coming here to Australia was long, exciting and really anxious to arrive in the great Melbourne! I left Canada on August 23, 1999 it was the most confusing day at the same time I was excited. At the airport with butterflies constantly flying around in my stomach was a pain in the neck! I had about 20 family and friends in total that was there to say 'farewell'. Hugging everyone of them with tears in my eyes, but again I knew this was a life time opportunity and that I would be just fine! Hugging my mother last and waving good bye with my hand shaped "ILY". Once I got in for the inspection part I thought to myself. Hey this is not forever and I started to wipe my tears away and smile.

I flew ten hours from Toronto to Honolulu, Hawaii. I was lucky to have two seats for myself to stretch my legs out and relax and a whole bunch of thinking came through my head. I arrived to Honolulu and waited two hours before I had to get on my next flight. I had a bit of American money with me so I bought some food since the airplane food was disgusting as usual. Then I got on another plane to Sydney, Australia. I was sitting next to a lovely old age couple. They were positively telling me how opportunity to go to Australia is fantastic. I arrived to Sydney and waited another two hours for Melbourne. I got on a plane and it was a simple hour before I arrived to Melbourne, Victoria. Once I arrived I said to myself "after 25 hours of flying I am finally here!". I got my luggage and walked through the doors and saw a red haired lady waving at me. That was my new host mother who is 30ish.

My host mother is wonderful! She helped me through the homesickness that I had for about three days interacted with my jet lag. It was horrible but now I'm feeling great! I had no sisters and brothers there it was just her and me. It is nice to experience that without sisters and brothers running around the house. I will be moving to a new host family on November 12. I will have 3 sisters and no brothers. (Yay, just kidding). I will be going to Canberra, New South Wales. This is another state that is above Victoria. I will be going with two of my host sisters and with their music band group. I am going to watch and get the opportunity to see more of Australia.

I have been to some of the beaches and I went surfing, body boarding, and horse riding on the beach. It was a remarkable experience! I took surfing lessons for one day and it is pretty easy once you get the hang of it. I have been surfing for about three times now. It is fun, hope to surf more later on. Horse riding on the beach was so nice! Just like in the movies! The horse was running so fast on the beach I was just hanging on and going with the flow! I took some trail walks with the horse. It is just too beautiful to describe.

I went to the zoo with my host mother, which is close to the rolling hills of Victoria. I went and pet some kangaroos and saw koala bears and so many Australian creatures! I have not seen any wild ones yet but I hope I will when I go camping in the woods with my host family. I have seen lots of wild possums in the huge gardens and in quiet area with lots of trees.

I am attending a hearing school that has about 13 other deaf people who are from the ages 12-16 years old. They have 5 signed interpreters there provided. I have an interpreter for all of my classes. The people here at the school are nice. They are still not used to communicating with a deaf person, but it will take time. I am now taking English, Biology, Psychology, Outdoor education, Physical education and Auslan. Auslan is the sign language that is used here in Australia, I am getting pretty good at it and I am able to understand the interpreters and sign myself. My summer holiday starts on November 26. I am really looking forward to it! I will return back to school somewhere in the last week of January 2000.

In April I will be travelling around Australia for a month with the entire exchange student that are in my area. This is about 30 people. We will all go on a coach bus and travel around. I am really looking forward to that.

Well, I guess that is all for now, I'll write again to tell you all about my adventure! Take care! Luv Lisa Dressler.