WILD NEW JERSEY: Go Wild! Travel Exclusive: Discovering the Land Down Under

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WILD NEW JERSEY: Go Wild! Travel Exclusive: Discovering the Land Down Under

Go Wild! Travel Exclusive: Discovering the Land Down Under

Photo courtesy of Nicole Duplaix, National Geographic

By Gauri Joshi, WildNewJersey.tv Correspondent

At 15 years old I was able to experience something that most people never get to experience in their entire lives through the "People to People Student Ambassador Program". With a group of about 35 high school students from New Jersey and Boston, I was given the opportunity to spend three weeks traveling the entire eastern coast of Australia. From high-tech Sydney to breathtaking Cairns, I learned more about Australian culture in those three weeks than I ever could have learned in a classroom.

Holding a Koala

On the surface, this may seem like a trip purely for the sake of going somewhere. However, the idea behind being a student ambassador was to bring the knowledge of our own culture, share it with the people of Australia, and learn about their culture. To make this goal a reality, I got to meet all sorts of local Australians.

Holding a Wombat

I visited a primary school to teach little kids about American culture, only to find out they had done their homework and were teaching it to me! I stayed with a local family for two nights and became integrated into the normal Australian life. Our group even got a chance to stay on a local farm for a few nights to help the farmers run their farm, checking on the animals, cooking and serving family style dinners, and ending the nights with a bonfire and a guitar. Finally, I was given the opportunity to meet with several Aboriginal people who taught me and my fellow student ambassadors about their culture through their artwork, weaponry, and music.

Snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef

Besides being exposed to the wonderful culture of Australia, I was lucky enough to experience its nature and wildlife too. I was able to hold a koala, snake, and wombat all in the same day. Kangaroos and wallabies lived in our backyards. And the characters of Finding Nemo came to life when I went snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef.