Uluru-Ayers Rock of Red Center

Uluru named Ayers Rock is the hugest independent rock in the world. It is also a sacred place to aboriginal people. It is famous because its beautiful red color changes by the sun in a day. When I decided to visit Northern Territory of Australia, it is a place I must see in person. I think it is worth to spend time and money on exploring there, and you can also experience their special aboriginal culture.

There are two ways to visit Ayers Rock. One is to climb to the top of the big rock, and the other one is to walk around Uluru's base. I chose to walk around the big rock because Anangu traditional owners prefer if you don't climb to the top of Ayers Rock, and I respect it. Our group got up in the very early morning because we didn't want to miss the beautiful view of Uluru in. Not surprisingly there were already lots of visitors there when we arrived. I took some photos of Uluru, and I was very surprised to see the view when its color changed by the sun. I also very excited to see it in person. It took me about two and half hours to walk around it, and you were also amazed by walking to see it closely. It was a pity not to understand the explanations of the signs because of my broken English. If you want to know aboriginal stories and arts it is the best way to know by the signs. When I travel this is the only thing I feel pity, so that is why I want to improve my English better. It is rare to see such a huge rock, especially in the desert, and I am glad to take this tour to experience this beautiful place in person. I am still missing it sometimes.

Kings Canyon of Red Center

My second trip was from Alice Springs to Adelaide about 6 days. I spent two days to visit Kings Canyon, Uluru and Kata Tjuta which are located at Kata Tjuta National Park. Uluru named Ayers Rock and Kata Tjuta named The Olgas are the most beautiful and famous landscape in the desert of middle Australia.

The first place we visited was Kings Canyon. When I saw it at the first time, it was very spectacular. I was almost attracted by the Amphitheatre. We had a walk to visit around Kings Canyon. To be honest I didn't know I could do it or not, but I was glad I could do it. We took about one and half hour to complete the walk and it wasn't a very easy walk because you had to go up and down along the rocky road. It was a very impressive experience to me because I challenged not only my physical extreme but also my mind extreme. When I live in Taiwan I don't have many chances to do outdoor activities, so I hesitated a bit to join the tour at first. I am not a athletic person especially I am the only Asian in my group, so I just hope I could do my best. It was really amazing when you were there in person to see these amphitheatre with endless land. I am really touched by the nature and I think that is why I like Australia very much.

Alice Springs

Alice Springs is in the south of Northern Territory and it is also a big city there. There are lots of famous spots near Alice Springs, so it becomes a popular famous town. When I arrived at Alice Springs, I felt it was a hot place and a remote town with only a few people. I got an extra free day,so I decided to explore this town alone. I remembered my first meal I bought at McDonald's

because it made me feel not very nervous to be there. And then I started my day tour. I took a bus to visit School of Air which was about five minutes driving from downtown. It was amazing when you saw it in person. There are many kids to go to school difficultly because they are far away form home to school therefore they built School of Air to help kids to educate by air and Internet which is convenient and cheap. There are lots of kids benefited by it. I also visited the famous house but I forgot the name of the place. I signed my name on the notebook and I found I was the first Taiwanese to visit there. Before dark, I visited Anzac Hill where is a memorial place to memorialize the wars. It's also on the top of Alice Springs, so you could have a good view there. Al thought Alice Springs is remote and small but it is a historical town.

My Trip Darwin To Alice Springs

Before coming back to Taiwan from Australia, I planned a long trip form Darwin to Adelaide alone. It took me about two weeks, and I also met a lot of friends who were from different countries which gave me an unforgettable experience and memory.

My first trip was three days from Darwin to Alice Springs, so I flew form Melbourne airport to Darwin airport. When I was on my way to the airport, I was happy and excited without being nervous, until I arrived at Darwin I started feeling nervous because I really felt I was alone. The trip of three days includes 3 nights camping, 3 lunches, 3 dinners, 3 breakfasts and National Parks fees. I visited Litchfield National Park, Katherine Gorge and Mataranka Springs, Waters Pub and Devils Marbles and Alice Springs. The first day was very unlucky because I waited for my tour guide to pick me up and she was very late. I thought I was going to be stood up by her. Finally, I get on the bus and felt much at ease. I remembered Deveils Marbles the most because it was the first time I slept outside on the big rock only with a sleeping bag. Actually I am afraid of the dark and I don't know what made to be so brave. One third day, I had a little accident which I stripped on stairs at dark. Maybe because of it, everyone in my group knew me and gave me a warm care. Northern Territory of Australia is very beautiful with the blue sky, less people, special landscape and some wild animals. It was quite an adventure to me.

Enrique's Journey

This is the book I bought it after reading the outline at once. Few years ago, I went travelling in Australia alone and I brought it with me during all my journey there. I'm really touched by the story and it also gives me a different thought, maybe gives me some encouragement when I was alone there.

The story is about a young kid looks for his mom and he starts his journey form his home town, Honduras, to America alone when he is only sixteen years old without enough money and an official visa to complete the dangerous journey to go to America and stay with his mom. After reading the story, I just knew that there are over thousands of children do the same thing to take a chance to go to American illegally and some of them don't make it even to die or send back to their home town. Most countries of South America are in poor economy, so there are many people have to left home to work in USA in order to make more money to support their family. In their story, the young kid's mom left home to work in USA when her son is five, after 11 years past, her son misses his mom so much then he starts his journey. The author is Sonia Nazario, the young kid's mom works at her family as a maid. When she knew the story, she decided to write it. She interviewed the young kid and some people who helped him before and she also experienced the most dangerous part which is the death train in person.

When I read it, I feel not only touched but also sad, too. I think it is out of my imagination because we haven't been in a such poor condition and we haven't kept away from our parents. Especially when I was alone travelling in Australia, I felt deeply sad and sorry to these young kids. I think I am really lucky.

A Person Who Has Made a Difference: Teacher Tina of ELICOS

Teacher Tina was my third teacher of ELICOS when I studied English at Box Hill Institute. She is a Greek and she immigrated to Australia with her family when she was a little girl. She is also a very religious person. She was a housekeeper and she studied English at a university after her children grew up. After that, she has been an English teacher for oversea students at Box Hill. I met her when I was in the middle intermediate English class and she was my class teacher. When I was in her class, she always paid lots of attention to oversea students compared to other English teachers. I think it is because of her religion, so she always shows her kindness and passion to the students. Especially she always tired different ways to teacher English to make it more fun and interesting. All of the students in my class liked her very much. Luckily , I had more time and chances to know her. Some of my classmates and I were invited to her house to have afternoon tea or dinner. She cared about not only our studying but also our adjustment in Australia and our health condition. Before going back to Taiwan, my Taiwanese friends and I visited her holiday house for two days. Teacher Tina and her husband gave us a very warm welcome and took us to visit some famous spots which made us be impressed and we all appreciated her kindness. For me, she is not only an English but also she is like an elder who really case about us and give us lots of helping. Because of teacher Tina, I could have a lot of improvement of English and adjust myself in Australia well without homesick. She is really a great teacher and kind person. I have to say thank you to her.

Learning a New Language

I started learning Japanese few months ago because it is a main course I have to take it at school. Actually it is not new to me but I totally forget it althought I have learned it when I was a college student. Learning a new language is quite a challenge to me now becasue I am not a full time student and I am much older to learn it by memorizing it. I still can remember that the first time I learnt English when I was a junior high school student. It was a subject to me for benig a student and I wasn't interested in it. At beginning of learning English, I didn't learn very well and I couldn't memorize A-Z both capital and little letter in order. When I was in grade two of junior high school I liked to listen to English songs and movies then I made a little progress. After that, English is not only a subject to me but it was more interesting to me. Especially, when I watched movies or listened to songs and I understood them then I was very happy and it made me want to learn more. I think learning a new language you must find the interests and motivation to attract you to learn and that will be the best way to learn a new language. I hope I can find the interests when I learn Japanese. Also hope it is not only a subject to me but a useful language.

The Kite Runner

The kite Runner is one of my favorite novels. I read this book few years ago and then I fell in love with the story. I have read this book two or three times and it gives me some different though and ideas each time. This book opens my eye to Middle East countries, and it helps me know what's a real life there.

It is a story about two children, well to-do teenage boy Amir and his very royal Hazara servant Hassan, who are growing up together, and then they separate because of the war and misunderstanding which makes him thinks of it sometimes. Actually Hassan is also his father's son and he knows that after he grows up when he is in USA. Because he feels guilty, and Hassan's son is in danger, he goes back to his country, Afghanistan, to save his nephew. When he goes back there, he faces lots of challenges and difficulties to save his nephew. He also forgives himself and feels reliefs by this journey.

This is a great but sad story to me, especially the author writes a lot of about relationships between friends and friends and father and son. You also can know some real lives of people there, and what people have and lost because of the war there. After reading this book, I really feel I am a lucky person who lives a place without worrying about continuous wars and short of food. World peace is the best thing to everyone and I really hope there will be no war in the world one day.

Being a Student Again

I was back to study English at Longhaw this September. To be honest I was very excited to be a student again. After few months, I found I am not used to being a student a bit. It has been a long time I am not a student but a worker. I guess I need some time to adjust myself to a new schedule.

The first day at school, I totally didn't know any person at my class, but I know some of them after few months, especially I also know some them are very kindly and friendly and they like to help our classmates. I think I am lucky to know them and I am also happy to be their classmate. I was also impressed to some of our classmates who were volunteer to do extra work for our class. Because of them, our classmates and teachers get along well and our class is also very united and hard working. The most important thing is that we have a very nice and great class teacher who always gives us lots of encouragement. Last week, I heard few classmates dropped out of school, it mad us feel a bit sentimental more or less. We are not like a full time student and most of us are working now, so we all have different difficulties or challenges which makes us more difficult to graduate. I am also much luckier than some of my classmates because I only work part time and I have more time to study or do homework but less money.

Although I sometimes feel tired or upset when I study at weekend but I am still glad I make this decision because I have learnt a lot so far and I also make some friends here. I think no matter what is be upset or tired you, you must think about " No pain no gain." I hope all my classmates and I can graduate successfully together.