Below is a report from Minori, our Japanese Intern.

~Tulip Festival & Moonlit Sanctuary~

Term 4 has begun. How was everyone's holiday? Did you have a good time? I had a great time. It is already spring and the temperature is getting warmer and warmer. I love spring in Australia. It is comfortable and the sunlight is beautiful, and especially when I see the sun shining through the trees, I feel happy that it is spring.

Well, I had a very happy time during this holiday, as my host family took me to many places! Thank you so much, my host family.

First of all, the Tulip Festival. I was amazed at how many tulips were in bloom and how colorful they were! There were endless colorful flowers blooming in the vast land, and I thought, "This is Australia size. It's so huge," I thought.

It was a great time to ride on the trailer bus and enjoy looking at the tulips while feeling the pleasant breeze and listening to the music.

Next was the Moonlit Sanctuary, one of the zoos Emma had told us about. The best things to do here are to walk with the dingoes and get up close and personal with the wombats and koalas. I opted for the Python Experience. Yes, that means I had a python around my neck! It was a child python, but it was very impressive! It went slithering through my palms and he enjoyed his walk to my back!

Holding a snake was actually a very interesting experience for me, as it was my first time. At this sanctuary, I also enjoyed seeing other animals such as wombats and Tasmanian devils.

It was a very valuable experience for me to be able to interact with creatures that I can only encounter in Australia.

My Holiday’s Diary 1

~Horse Riding~

One day during the holiday period, I was invited back to my host family's house where I had stayed before. The reason why is because I was going to participate in a horseback riding trek with that family! I love horses, so I was very happy to be invited.

I was also happy to see the dog, cat, and family again and talk with them a lot. I was especially happy to see them after a long time and to hear them say, "Your English has improved!

I didn't really feel that I had improved, so to have that recognition gave me a boost of confidence.

Well, I experienced horse riding with Eloise. She had done it before and was very familiar with it. The horse I rode was named Rocko, and he was a very nice horse, and could do both a trot and a canter! While riding, I saw wild kangaroos, wallabies, and rabbits, and enjoyed the scenery in the bush. I hope to ride horses again before I go back to Japan.

We also had fun going to AFLW games together and watching Eloise's learning competitions. Thank you very much! I look forward to seeing you again!

My Holiday’s Diary 2

~Finally!! My husband came to Melbourne!!~

On the second week of the Holiday my husband finally came to Melbourne! I had been waiting for this day for a long time! I had done a lot of preparation to make sure the trip was 100% enjoyable. I did a lot of planning in advance, actually going to the city to check out the streets, and research the sights. In addition, I also made a huge 22-page itinerary! These preparations really helped us to enjoy our trip perfectly.

By the time of our trip, I had the plans memorized perfectly and was able to show my husband around Melbourne perfectly from the time he arrived until the time he left! I have already lived in Australia for more than 160 days and I felt that I had unknowingly become more comfortable and able to live here than when I first arrived.

This time we wanted to stay in a traditional Melbourne-like hotel and we stayed at The Hotel Windsor. The afternoon tea there was excellent! It was very elegant and stylish. The sandwiches and sweets were sophisticated and delicious. This was also our first trip abroad since we got married (although it was an unusual honeymoon with a local meet and greet). So I had ordered a special cake from the hotel. My husband didn't know that and was very surprised when the cake was delivered. It was a nice surprise and I was very happy.

On the first day, we enjoyed a walk in Fitzroy Gardens and had a picnic there. We also had chicken parma on the rooftop of a nearby bar in the evening. This bar was recommended to us by both our host family and Kalinda's teacher. It had a great atmosphere and was the perfect place to enjoy the bars of Melbourne. My husband was amazed at how loud the Australian people were and how big the parma was!

On the second day, we enjoyed the Puffing Billy Railway, the Healesville Sanctuary, and the Chocolate Factory.

At the Chocolate Factory, we enjoyed pistachio-flavored ice cream. My husband was surprised that the ice cream was too big and asked if we could really eat it. “Isn't it too big? Can we eat it before it melts? I'm worried," my husband said, while I said, "Don't worry. Don't worry. Let's take it easy.” Even in this conversation, I felt more relaxed than when I was in Japan. Compared to when I first came to Australia, I felt that I had grown up, as I had become more unflappable, no matter what happened to me, no-stress.

I was also surprised that even a big ice cream for my husband felt like a normal size for me! Hey, I must have eaten less than him when we lived in Japan.... I realized that my stomach has grown.

On the third day, we went to Phillip Island. We saw cute penguins and observed the star-filled sky. We also went to Victoria Market in the morning, where we bought apples and pears. I told that everyone in Australia eats apples and pears with the skin still on!

On the fourth day, we went to Peninsula Hot Springs! It was the first time for me to take a bath in a hot spring since I came to Melbourne. Unlike Japanese hot springs, we had to wear bathing suits, which were a little uncomfortable, but the beautiful view and greenery made us feel very relaxed. In Japan, men and women are separated. Do you know why? Because everyone bathes naked in hot springs! After enjoying the hot springs, we went to the Sky Deck to enjoy the view of Melbourne city.

Time flew by quickly, and before I knew it, it was the last day of the trip. On our last day, we went to the South Melbourne Market and ate Dim Sim, which Cheryl recommended. It was very delicious. We spent the last day relaxing, and in the afternoon, he left for Japan. I missed him, but I thought that I wanted to enjoy the rest of my time in Australia as much as I could, make lots of memories and stories, and see him again in 2 months when I have grown up again. I look forward to seeing him again in two months after I have learned and experienced a lot.

Last, I would like to thank my host family for their willingness to help me on this trip. And thank you to my husband for coming all the way to Melbourne! See you soon!!

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