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The International 4-H Youth Exchange (IFYE) program in the United States is conducted by CD International Program Services, L.L.C., in support of 4-H programs of the U.S. Department of Agriculture - Extension Service and the U.S. IFYE Alumni Association. |
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I've been here a little over a month, and I have been very busy. I stayed at Border-town/Mondulls for two weeks. Its was a real treat; I was able to get to know my host family and many other people in the community very well. Brian (my host father) worked for the local council and was active in the Country Fire Service (CFS). Wendy (my host mother) drove a school bus. Their daughter Michelle works at a seed cleaning plant, and Ros, their other daughter, is going to the University of Adelaide. Both are very active members of Rural Youth.
It was interesting to find out that almost all students wear a uniform. Also, school is structured so that each term is 2 ½ months with a two-week holiday. This pattern is repeated year-round. I had a chance to participate in the TAFE learning school, a small college type facility. I participated in a program set up to help rural farmers develop skills they need in order to work on the farm. I also did a lot of traveling. On a trip to Mount Gambier, I was able to see many beautiful sights, like the Blue Lake, which occupies one of the craters of an extinct volcano. In early November, the gray color of the lake mysteriously changes to an intense deep blue (turquoise) almost overnight. The color remains until late in February, when it turns back to gray. "Blue Lake City" was named after it. Along the way we stopped at places like Pathaway, in a wine grape production area. I was able to learn a bit about wine and wine making, which is a major industry in many areas. The Barossa Valley is Australia's leading wine-producing area. It is not uncommon to see field after field of grapevines. I visited the Victoria Fossil cave located 12km south of Naracorte, where I learned about different animals that roamed this area long ago. The cave has an extraordinary deposit of fossil material that was discovered in 1969. There is a network of 60 known caves, so it makes for a good day of exploration. A two-day trip to the Grampians revealed many natural beauties including McKenzie Falls. An hour's hike down into the river valley revealed a relaxing cascade of water. This was the first of many hikes we went on. I felt like I was hiking the mountains of West Virginia. It was good to get into the mountains. It takes a bit to get used to being in flat, wide-open country, which is characteristic of many places I have been staying. After two weeks with that family, I went back up to Gawler and met up with the Rural Youth Club there. A long holiday weekend camping trip to the Flinders Ranges was great. The rugged mountains and peaceful gorges were a great treat. We again did plenty of hiking and saw an abundance of wildlife. During one of our bush-walking trips, we saw a field of about 40 kangarooes. Every morning I was awakened by the sounds of all the native birds, like cockatoos and kookaburras. My journey then carried me to Meningie. It is about 45 minutes from town. I stayed with a sheep farming family. There I learned about the everyday maintenance involved in sheep production. The first day I helped clip the hooves of 1,100 sheep to get them ready for sale. |
Another daily job was checking the over 3,000 lambs to make sure they were not struck with blowflies. If they were, we had to chase and catch the lambs so that they could be treated. Let's just say I found out how fast sheep can run and how slow I run. After a while, my technique of jumping off the truck and tackling sheep improved.
My next move took me to a sheep and segmental cattle farm outside of Strathalbyn. My first days were spent working in the wool shed, gathering up wool and putting it into bales to be sold. Once that work was finished, we started breaking in calves that would become show cattle-- the same process I used when I would get my steers ready for the Mineral County Fair. We took time out from work and went to Victor Harbor, a beautiful seaside town. We walked over to Granite Island on the causeway that links it to the mainland. Granite Island is known for its thousands of timid fairy penguins that hide beneath the rocks during the day and come out at sunset to feed. The horse-drawn tramway that takes visitors to and from the island also goes to Goolwa, which is near the mouth of the Murray River. It was interesting to learn that the Murray is the longest river in Australia. You can see how important the river is to the people. It supplies the water necessary for crop and livestock production. Being in the driest state on the driest continent, one can see how important the river is. Being with different host families, I learn many new things every day. For example, since I have been here I have noticed the different style of eating. I had thought I picked up the awkward technique by imitating what I saw others doing, but found out certain things meant different things. The fork is in the left hand, and the knife is in the right hand at all times. The fork is turned upside down, so the person has to try to balance the food on the fork. Try to get peas or rice to balance on the underside of the fork! Kind of tricky! If you turn the fork over, it is seen as bad manners. The utensils are placed in certain positions while you eat and when you are finished. So I have found there is more to it than meets the eye. It has been a learning experience for both me and my host families. Some of the issues in the news are: the Adelaide Crows won the Australian Football grand final (a great game. I barracked [cheered for] the Crows). The last couple of weeks, all of South Australia was talking about the upcoming election and the two major parties, Labor and Liberal. Lots of campaigning is going on. The fires in Indonesia and the death of John Denver were main features. There is quite a bit of news about America, and it's interesting to hear what Austrailians think about America. I would like to say a special thank-you to all those people who helped make my exchange possible. As the Australians say, "see you later" and "no worries" from your 4-H friend down under, Alli |
