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Again at school...!

MY COLOURFUL LIFE IN AUSTRALIA
Published by in School & Colleagues ·
Yes, again at school, precisely at Strathmore Secondary College! This time no more as a student but as Ms. Chiara: the new Italian language Assistant! I taught Italian mainly to students of year 11 and 12. That was basically because, choosing Italian as one of their VCE (Victorian Certificate of Education) subjects, they needed additional support for their exam preparation.
On the first day of work the principal, at that time, Mr. John took me on a tour around the school. I was astonished: the institute had a lot of facilities to foster the success of its students. Apart from a canteen, a library, a theatre, a swimming pool, playgrounds, there was even a space centre: The Victorian Space Science Education Centre (VSSEC) which cooperates with leading international institutions!
Walking across the corridors I felt like I belonged there: the environment was welcoming, and the learning program was so enjoyable and of relevance that I sometimes attended classes too.
Immediately after the tour I was introduced to the staff of LOTE (Languages other than English) department.
I worked closely with Aida, Nella, Cathy, Marlisa and Tiziana. To them I will be forever grateful and thankful. They were more than just colleagues. They are friends I can always rely on!

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My To Do List!

MY COLOURFUL LIFE IN AUSTRALIA
Published by in Information ·
The week of training at Co.As.It was intense. Every day was scheduled. The meeting agenda was exhaustive and well organized. First of all, in order to complete the procedure for our stay in Melbourne, it was given us a detailed list of things to do:

  • Open a bank account
Major Australian Banks are: Commonwealth (commbank), Westpac, NAB (National Australia Bank),
ANZ (Australian and New Zealand Banking Group).

  • Buy a pre-paid SIM card
Telstra, Optus, Virgin are the major Australian mobile virtual network operators. We were recommended to go with Telstra because it offers the best coverage.

  • Enrol in Medicare
Being from Italy, we were entitled to some subsidised health services for essential medical treatment.

  • Join Ambulance Victoria (AV)
To be protected against the cost of transport and treatment by highly skilled paramedics.

  • Buy a rechargeable myki travel card
To get around Victoria by trains, trams and buses.   

After all this bureaucracy, it was presented a full description of the Australian Education System with its Curricula followed by an explanation on our duties as Italian Language Assistants. We had to support qualified teachers and provide authentic language and cultural experiences for students.
I was appointed to Strathmore Secondary College: one of the best public schools in Melbourne and Ms. Aida would have been my mentor-supervisor. I couldn't wait to start!

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It's time to fly...! Australia, here I come!

MY COLOURFUL LIFE IN AUSTRALIA
Published by in Thoughts ·


The day of departure arrived. It was the 15th of April 2012. Some years has passed now but I still remember the mixed feelings I had and the numerous thoughts flooding into my mind. Waiting for the flight at Milan-Malpensa Airport I was thrilled and afraid at the same time. A new adventure was about to start and it would have brought me to the other side of the "world". Australia is far... above all it was far from my beloved... However, I was sure: if I hadn't taken that plane, one day I would have had just regrets. So with passport in hand and suitcase dragging behind, I crossed the gates and took off...
In the meantime I met the other Italian assistants from the University of Genoa who like me won the scholarship for one year teaching experience in Victoria. I was not alone during that long and exhausting flight. We compared our expectations trying to ignore our worries.
After 24h trip over the clouds we landed at Tullamarine Airport in Melbourne. It was deep night. Together we caught a van-taxi which drove us to the hotel reserved by Co.As.It on our behalf for the first week of training. I was so asleep that I could not even realize: I was just arrived in AUSTRALIA.
With 9 hours jet lag I woke up the following morning, ready for the first meeting day at Co.As.It located in Carlton: the Italian district. Along the way I immediately spotted the Brunetti café, the ice-cream shop Pidapipò and the pizzeria D.O.C. My favourites!

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Get ready!

MY COLOURFUL LIFE IN AUSTRALIA
Published by in Information ·
It was time in my life for a change when I decided to take part in the Co.As.It Language Assistants Program. In partnership with few Italian Universities, Co.As.It sponsors every year a number of assistants to promote the Italian language and culture in primary and secondary schools of Victoria. With hopes and dreams I submitted the application and then I waited for a feedback... till the day I became aware of being one of the winning candidates for the program. I was so impressed that I couldn't believe it. No words can describe that moment.

I immediately started organizing the journey writing down my checklist:

  • Apply for a Visa
  • Renew my Passport & verify what Driving License was needed     
  • Book flight tickets
  • Subscribe a travel insurance with a health component
  • Gather information on Medicare coverage
  • Compare EUR to AUD Exchange Rate
  • Buy good Australia travel guidebooks and read them all

Once everything was done, I was almost ready to take off...!!!

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