Anabel Serrato Gonzalez

October 2008 Update

October was a great month for me...I celebrated my 22 birthday the 9^th, I felt like if I had two birthdays, because of the hours difference between Australia and Mexico. I received congratulations calls from Mexico of my family, boyfriend and friends. It was my first birthday far away from home, however I felt loved because my housemates and my fellow scholar Melissa, make me feel very happy that day. When I wake up (to get ready for my 8 am Human Resources Management Tutorial), in front of my room’s door was my first birthday present....Was a great surprise from my housemates..

Also it was a great opportunity for me to think about my achievements during my life and more in this last 4 months, which have changed my life already.

I am so happy and feel very blessed for living this experience, which have left me a lot of things, (and I know that is just the beginning!!!) like the new friendships that I have now with Melissa and my Housemates. They have offered me their support since the first day when I met them.

On the other hand, Uni is almost done, the exams are coming in November, I am nervous about it. However I think that I have done well in my subjects. I received my marks for all my assignments and my lowest mark was 63, now I started to study for my final exams.

The last week, Melissa and I went to Fremantle, we spend a great time there, and it was so relaxing just lying on the beach, and watching the birds.

I had the opportunity to volunteer in MOPS (Mother of preschooler), where I took care of children, and play with them, while their mothers take a respite and attended to some workshops for their personal development. It was a good experience for me.

Finally, the fundraising for Afghanistan was good; we raised 300 dollars in our Peace Action Group!!!.

That all for this month!!! Cheers!!!

September 2008 Update

I have been in Australia for 3 months already!! The time flies!!

During this month I had a lot assignments to do in the University, and I received one mark of my Management assignment, I got 15 marks of 20. I think that is a good mark, because was my first assignment.

Also I had to submitted assignment of Psychology in the workplace and Human Resources management, but I have not received my mark yet. I am nervous about it.

Moreover, in our Peace Action Group, we started to sell chocolates for fundraising for Afghanistan Women, we hope to raise a lot of money for providing more scholarships!!

I went to volunteer in SECRUL, which is an association dedicated to preserve the local parks and rivers, but because of the bad climate we could not accomplish our goal of painting some advertising about the importance of not to throw garbage and do not feed the animals of the park. Finally it was postponed for October.

Furthermore on 20 of September, we had our Mexican Independence party, with all the Mexicans living in Perth. Was a great moment sharing my culture with people from my country and also from Colombia and Australia.

Now, I am more adapted to my life in Perth and in my school, I enjoy learning of different cultures, religions and ideas.

August 2008 Update

I can’t believe that I have been in Australia for 2 months already!!! I feel like if the time flies!! August has been a month of adaptation and challenges.

The first month of classes was good for me, I am more comfortable participating in class and talking with my classmates. I have been learning about different cultures, religions and ideas from the entire world. It is very interesting when we work in teams, because there are many different ideas and ways of think, which reflects the culture and background of every person.

Furthermore I had to submit my first assignment of management unit and I am very nervous about my mark, which is going to be until the second week of September.

But I have a lot of fun this month!! Because, I had the opportunity to ride in a helicopter and have beautiful sight of Perth city and the Swan Valley River, was a very exciting moment.

On the other hand, I joined to Curtin Volunteers, which is the largest volunteering school association in Western Australia, and I am going to send my application for taking care of children and for helping to reforest Rottnest Island. Also in our Peace Action Group we are planning some activities like gathering second-hand clothes or other house appliance for selling in the market, moreover we will be selling some chocolates or candies in the street to fundraising for Afghanistan.

I have a lot of stuff to do in the coming month!!!! I am very excited!!!!

Greetings!!

July 2008 Update

After 24 hrs flying, with a lot of feelings and expectations, I arrived to Sydney airport on July 3^rd around 6:30 am.

When I was in the shuttle bus towards the hostel, I just was seeing the city and I could not believe that I was in Sydney!! .

The orientation days were great, I had the opportunity to meet more to my fellow scholars of the other countries, learn about more of the Peace Scholarship Program and visit some important places of Sydney.

I enjoyed walking around Darling Harbour, Opera House, Harbour Bridge and Bondi Beach.

Then, the 9^th of July I arrived to Perth, where a friend from Mexico was waiting for me and I stayed one night with her. The next day I moved me to a hostel and me and Melissa started to look for a house and in Housing services of my University helped us to find a place, which is in walking distance to Uni.

Perth is big and beautiful city, and all the people are very friendly. I have not got a lot of problems with the language, but sometimes is difficult understand, because Australians speak very fast.

During this month I visited Kings Park, Western Australia Museum, Art Gallery and Perth Zoo, where I touched a Kangaroo and koalas!!!

One of the things which impressed me the most is that there are people from a lot of countries. In this month I met people from Singapore, Malaysia, Colombia, South Africa, USA, Canada, Thailand, Peru, Vietnam, China, Japan, Kenya and Zimbabwe. Definitely Australia is a multicultural country!!

I have already my four subjects: Management, Human Resources Management, Psychology in the workplace and Cross Cultural Psychology. I am very excited and nervous about starting classes, I will do my best!!

On the other hand, I miss a lot to my family, boyfriend and my friends in Monterrey; have been very difficult for me staying away from home. These days I have been feeling homesick, because I realised that I will be far from they one year!!! But I am convinced that this experience will help me to learn a lot of things about life and being more independent.

Greetings from down under!!!