Author: Philippa von Blücher

school

by Philippa von Blücher August 19, 2017 Comments0

My school is Sunshine Beach State High School, a fairly large school for me with about 1300 students. My school works with laptops most of the time so it is easy for us, especially because we have everything in one place and there are people in our school who can help us when we have problems with our laptops.

I am in year 11 so I am a Senior and I have six classes:

My first one is English. I’m in a normal English class in contraire to the other internationals and it’s not that hard for me, but I have to get used to the assignments and their exams. We’re doing personal columns at the moment and I already wrote my exam about it…

My second class is Maths. I am in Maths A which is the easiest class and I chose it, because we work on excel most of the time and it is really hard to get used to all the laptop formulas and different maths formulas, but I am getting used to it.

My third class is Marine Science, which is probably one of my coolest classes. In Marine Science we do our boat license, learn everything we need about the ocean and the beach. I already got my boat license and now we are learning about the different kinds of sand and the development of the beach.

My fourth subject is Recreation Studies, which is my favourite subject. It is sports but without theory so we play all different kinds of football, like touch football or AFL (Australian rules football / Australianj Football League) and have fun.

My fifth subject is HPE which is sports but with theory so I have a one hour lesson of theory a week, where I learn everything about the sport we are playing, which is touch football at the moment. To explain it more I am learning the rules about touch football, the strategies, inequities I am facing and also general information about it. And in our practical lessons we play touch football and learn how to use all teammates and follow instructions while running fast.

My last subject is Photography. In Photography we have the possibility to work with provided school cameras and Photoshop or Lightroom which are editing programs. We learn how to use cameras properly, adjust lightning and find the perfect angel.

These were my six real subjects, but I have one more which is called QCS/QCT (Queensland Core Skills/Queensland Core Testing). This subject helps us to improve our skills in the different subject we have. For example in maths tasks we get, but mostly we just work on our homework or assignments.

When it comes to homework and assignments it is very different from Germany. The lessons in school are normally quite relaxed and they don’t write any exams. So the assignments we get are pretty long and demanding and because we get them all in one week and they are all due to the same week.

Being in year 11 means that my school starts at 8.20am and ends at 1.40pm which is really cool, because we can enjoy our afternoon at the beach. The only problem for me is, that my school bus arrives at 6.50am because it takes 1 hour to drive through my neighbourhood and pick up all the other students and then drive to school. So I have to get up at 6.00am.

Other than that I really like my school because the relationship between the teachers and students is so relaxed. The whole atmosphere is far more easygoing than in Germany. All the teachers are really nice and everyone is super friendly which makes is so much easier to study. On top we are allowed to use our phones in school, not particularly in class but some students still do it and listen to music the whole time.

The school is very big and they don’t have one large building, but a lot of smaller buildings. This makes it far more confusing at the beginning to find your class. We have two big oval fields, a basketball court, a volleyball field and two squares with a lot of palm trees and benches to sit on during break.

So to end this post I would say that the Australian school is very different from my school but different in a positive way. On the one hand side we have a lot more freedom and I have the possibility to try out something new. On the other side I have to study a lot for the assignments on my own.

P.A.v.B

 

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surfing lessons at noosa spit

by Philippa von Blücher August 11, 2017 Comments0

Catching a wave. That’s the hardest part when it comes to surfing. Since I was small I always wanted to surf and being in Australia means surfing everyday. So the first thing I did was book surfing lessons at “Go Ride a Wave”, the best surf school in Noosa Heads.

I was more than excited for my first lesson Sunday morning at 10am. Surfing lessons are usually in the morning because that’s when the waves are perfect to surf and the wind hasn’t picked up like in the afternoon. Provided with a wetsuit, a legrope and a foam board, which is a softer surfboard out of foam, we made our way to the beach and started our lesson. It is normal to start with a 9” foot board, because it’s the perfect size for starting. When it comes to smaller boards its harder to stand up without doing a “nose dive” or loosing your balance.

When it comes to standing up there are two different options: Either you are a “normal foot” or a “goofy foot”. Luckily I found out that I am  a “normal foot” (right foot at the back) and not a so-called “goofy foot” (left foot at the back).

First step is to stand up properly, also called popping up and therefore you have two different ways: Either you do a three-step-pop-up, first on the knees, one foot to the front and then stand up, or you do a one-step-pop-up which is “sliding” up. We practiced some pop ups before putting our leg ropes on our back foot and heading into the water.

The first hour I tried standing up properly and keeping my balance on the board. The second half I already cut across the waves, which means going diagonal by turning a bit. I learned a lot during my first lesson, thanks to my awesome surf instructors Tim and Peter and I can only recommend you to take surf lessons, for example at Go Ride A Wave, when you have the possibility.

P.A.v.B.

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arriving down under

by Philippa von Blücher August 8, 2017 Comments0

On Tuesday, 4th of July, I arrived at Brisbane Aiport after a 7 hour flight from Hamburg to Dubai and a 13 hour flight from Dubai to Brisbane. I flew together with two other Germans, so I wasn’t alone during my trip to another continent. We arrived at 6:30 am but due to the passport and custom controls we got out at 9:00 am. A driver was waiting for me, so I had to say goodbye to the others. The drive from Brisbane Airport to my home, which is Noosaville, took about 1,5 h and I was more than grateful for the sleep that overtook me.

When I woke up I was close to my street and let me tell you this: I live in a beautiful neighbourhood. Driving into my street I was surrounded by palmtrees, flowers and beautiful houses and I couldn’t help myself but take hundreds of pictures. My house was not far down the street and I always recognize it due to the white mailbox. I was welcomed by my host dad, sister and dog who were as excited as me that I finally arrived. They have a wonderful house and my room is really nice and beautifully designed.

It took me a couple of hours to realize that I’m actually in Australia and that it’s pretty hot outside, although it’s winter right now. I mean 25 degrees celcius is very hot combined with a high humidity…

After I unpacked my suitcase I went on a little walk around my neighbourhood, taking in all the beautiful and different houses with the palmtrees surrounding them. I was walking on the street, because there is no sidewalk and just enjoyed the walk through my new neighborhood.

In the evening my family and I ate together and I got to know them pretty well. They fit perfectly to me, because they have their crazy and funny moments, but they are also very caring and always make sure that I’m fine.

So to end this part I would say that I had a good but long flight, however I have an amazing family and I am more than excited for this year…

P.A.v.B.

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about me

by Philippa von Blücher August 5, 2017 Comments0

Hi! My name is Philippa von Bluecher and I am 15 years old. I will spend the next year in Australia and this is why I decided to create this blog. At the moment I live in Noosaville at the Sunshine Coast and go to Sunshine Beach State High School.

I normally live in the center of Hamburg with my mother and my twin sister, but this year I will be in Australia.

Coming back to myself, my favourite hobby is gymnastics which I will continue doing here and I am learning how to surf right now. There are a lot of different opportunities to do sports in Noosa, but I will write about that later on.

During my year abroad I wish to get to know the culture, the people and nature of this beautiful country and share it with you guys. I love to take photos during my little adventures so I’m also going to share these with you.

I hope you enjoy reading and maybe decide to visit Australia some day, too.

P.A.v.B.

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