Yuri Exchange Australia – CHCCS

The thought of becoming a first-generation exchange student often flashes through my mind: What if?

But beyond that fear, excitement takes over. Six months of training with the other students—singing, dancing, and, of course, learning how to do this and that—had led me to this moment.

Training was fun, and fun moments always seemed to fly by. Then came the first of August, when we all held our passports, ready for a seven-hour flight.

Stepping into Australia’s cold winter air for the first time was one of the best feelings ever, especially with a warm welcome waiting for us in the airport lobby.

It was true: Australians were very friendly, and I could already tell that my host family would become my second family.

That first “Hi” was enough to make me feel that the next seven days would be spectacular.

My host family took me to destinations all around town, and everything was breathtaking. Even now, I can hardly tell whether it was a dream. The sound of ocean waves, the hills and their incredible views, and the beautiful landscapes of mountains and beaches surrounded me everywhere.

We visited the town’s most famous beach, Jetty Beach, where we tried a huge, sweet Australian cinnamon doughnut. We enjoyed it with the sound of seagulls in the background and a stunning beach view. Next, we stopped at the plaza for lunch, where I tried a meat pie filled with warm, delicious goodness.

Before heading home, we stopped to buy groceries, and I picked up some interesting Australian snacks.

At our first dinner together, my host family and I shared stories about our lives in Bali and Australia, talked about our cultures, and exchanged funny and unusual facts. We enjoyed a delicious meal and an Australian dessert called pavlova. It was sweet and incredibly soft—gosh, I already miss it.

Somehow, my sleep improved so much. Maybe it was the winter air, or perhaps I was simply too happy.

On my first day of school, I woke up at six, got ready, and had porridge for breakfast with Maleia and her brothers, Charlie and Arlen. We walked together to the bus stop. Beside it was a farm where ponies and horses whinnied as they munched on green grass. The bus was huge and packed with students, and the views along the way were amazing.

As soon as I stepped onto the school grounds, I was amazed—not only by the buildings and location but also by the students. They were good at Indonesian, especially those taking Indonesian classes. Some students greeted us with “Selamat pagi!”, the teachers smiled, and the whole place seemed full of happiness. I received compliments here and there, such as “Your jacket is cool!” and “You’re cute!”

Every morning, students gathered to listen to Bible verses before class began. The messages covered life choices, stories, and important information for the day.

We also introduced ourselves to all the students who had gathered.

The school tour was fun, and the cold breeze brushed against us as we walked through the beautiful surroundings.

The school was enormous, with lots of different buildings, courts, a playground, a garden, a hall, and even an adventure centre.

I saw students working on fashion projects, while others were making furniture or conducting experiments. Meanwhile, the younger children were playing in the playground.

My first class was biology, held in the science section of the building. The walls were decorated with science-themed murals, and the lighting on the ceiling made the room look like outer space.

Surprisingly, Year 11 biology was quite easy to understand. Each topic included a little practical work, which made the class even more enjoyable.

After biology, we had recess—a short break to eat snacks. Each year group had its own area for recess, and hanging out with the Year 11 students was great. They were curious, friendly, and genuine.

Next was the Year 11 Indonesian class.

We gave a presentation about our school in Bali and helped the students with their Indonesian assignments, spelling, and understanding the differences between the Indonesian and Australian education systems. They were excited and did a great job on their assignments

.

Then it was lunchtime! My host family had packed plenty of food for me, and I tried Vegemite for the first time. I hadn’t even realised it was in my sandwich, but it tasted delicious. I might be falling in love with it!

With two periods left before school ended, we joined the Year 8 Spelling Bee activities. We performed our dance and song and played fun Indonesian spelling games with the students, translating English words into Indonesian. They were surprisingly good at it!

The last class of my first day was HAMS. I learned about human body parts in relation to sports, which connected with what the class was studying. It was all new to me, so I became very interested—and almost obsessed with learning every detail.

The school day ended, but CHCCS had fun activities every week. That week, we watched the HSC Showcase, featuring Year 12 students singing, performing monologues, playing drums, guitar, bass, and keyboard, and acting in dramas. We also watched a short film they had made. Around the hall were small stands displaying students’ work in fashion, furniture, and art, including sketches and some amazing paintings.

It was already day two, the main performance day. I woke up early to get ready in my dance costume. We drove to school in Maleia’s brother’s car, passing along the highway. Once we arrived, I continued getting ready with the other exchange students.

Soon, we were standing in front of hundreds of students, preparing to perform our traditional medley of dances and a church song.

Every performance ended with applause that made us smile. The students were excited, asking us questions and complimenting our dances.

Afterward, we took lots of photos around the school—silly poses, serious poses, and big smiles in every shot. The photos were later published in the school’s article.

Throughout the day, I attended classes, including drama. We taught the students traditional dance movements and watched their acting performances.

The last class of the day was ancient history. We learned about composite bows and researched the topic to answer a set of questions. I joined a group of students, and we worked through every question together. By the end, I had made some new besties!

That day, we took the bus home and had a short nap before heading out to explore the beautiful surroundings. The area was full of forests, beaches, hills, and even mountains. Almost every house had a huge yard, and some even had farms.

We also spotted many different birds from the top of the shopping centre, including crows, seagulls, and bin chickens. Surprisingly, while walking to the mall, I saw a banner featuring a view of Kuta Beach.

Dinner was always delicious. That evening, we had chicken curry and more Australian desserts. I never felt hungry here! Family dinners were warm and comforting; we shared stories about our day, laughing and smiling together.

I was fast asleep when my buddy suddenly woke me up. “Yuri, wake up! There’s something in the backyard.” Still half asleep, I followed her. My eyes widened when I saw a wallaby peacefully sunbathing. It was incredibly cute! I thought about approaching it, but she warned me that it might kick me, so I simply admired it until it eventually hopped away.

Breakfast, the school bus, and the cold winter air were becoming part of my daily routine. Everything felt so natural that, at one point, I almost felt like a local.

That day, we were scheduled to tour the town with the school’s Indonesian teacher, Mr Jonathan Petersen. He spoke Indonesian fluently and had founded the Indonesian class at CHCCS.

He took us to The Big Banana Fun Park, home to a giant banana statue celebrating its 50th anniversary. We had so much fun there and enjoyed delicious fish and chips for lunch

.

We walked along the cliffs, admiring the stunning ocean and watching kangaroos wandering near people at Emerald Beach and Look At Me Headland. I also learned about Coffs Harbour’s history and Indigenous Australian languages.

In the car, we shared funny stories about our experiences in Australia as we headed to our final destination, a spot high on a mountain where we could see everything from above.

We returned to school to meet my buddy, then took a bus with her friends to an Oztag game. I had never heard of Oztag before. It was a bit like rugby, but players wore tags. I tried kicking and throwing the ball, and it was harder than I expected. The other players were pros!

Before the game began, we hung out at Burger King before walking to the field. The air grew colder as the sun began to set. We walked along the roadside; someone cracked a joke, someone nearly fell, and all around us was a beautiful sky framed by rolling hills.

We cheered throughout the game with my friends and the coach, and we shared some gummy bears.

When we got home, we had pasta for dinner while watching The Devil Wears Prada with her mum and brothers.

It was already the fourth day, and it was a special one because we got to wear jeans for the school’s Jeans Day celebration.

My morning routine had become familiar. The bus driver even remembered my name, along with the names of all the children who hopped on.

At school, information about the exchange students was displayed on the walls of every building. Being greeted by people wherever I went always gave me a reason to smile.

My first class was maths, where we studied some advanced linear concepts. The teacher was very friendly, welcoming, and understanding when I struggled with the Year 11 maths problems. Instead, we ended up talking about Bali and what year I was in—Year 9. Someone said, “She’s still a baby!” and the whole class, including me, burst out laughing.

Next was English. We read books and watched a Sherlock Holmes movie together while identifying problems and learning new phrases. It felt like being in a theatre.

During recess, we shared our lunches and tried different foods together. Suddenly, a celebration broke out. It turned out someone was having a surprise birthday party! We sang along and shared the birthday cake.

After recess, we didn’t go to another classroom. Instead, we spent time at the Adventure Centre. The staff showed us how to wear our safety harnesses and explained every procedure before we started the activities.

Click! We posed with bright smiles before screaming as we soared through the air on Skywire.

The next activity was Z-Ball. At first, I thought it was a ball floating on water—but I was wrong. Z-Ball was a giant ball that rolled down a hill! I was very sceptical as I watched my friend go first. We strapped ourselves into the safety harnesses, and then the ball rolled downhill as we screamed. It felt a bit like being inside a hamster wheel.

We went twice because it was so thrilling!

Not long afterward, we had lunch and then headed to the farm to learn about horses. Guided by CHCCS students, we rode the horses, practised jumping, played games, and learned how to groom them. Their fur was so soft, and their manes felt almost like human hair. We cleaned their hooves and fed them afterward.

The long school day was finally over. My buddy had an extra class, so I decided to join her. The teacher offered the students a variety of snacks, including pretzels, sweets, cheese sticks, and chocolate bars. Even though I was only watching the class and chatting with the teacher, everyone encouraged me to have some snacks. Pretzels quickly became my favourite!

The last activity of the day was a stroll through a fancy neighbourhood with my host family. I was amazed by the houses. They didn’t even look like ordinary houses—they were mansions!

That evening, we had a relaxed dinner. We watched a movie together in the living room and played cards and other games.

Friday was the fifth day, and it was time for the combined church gathering, when everyone from CHCCS came together. We sang, danced, bounced around, listened to stories, and enjoyed the moment. It was my first time experiencing a church gathering like that, and I loved it. Watching the little kids perform while everyone gathered around was unbelievably fun.

Afterward, we had Indonesian class with Year 9, where we discussed traditional Indonesian food and looked at pictures of various street-food stalls. We also played spelling games.

During our last recess, I went to the hall with Maleia. We hung out, talked about school, shared chips, and laughed together.

In our final Year 11 Indonesian class, we played a translation and guessing game and gave the students souvenirs. I still miss them all!

Next was biology, where we learned about endangered native animals. We researched them and watched videos together. The animals were so cute!

Lunchtime is something I will always miss. We tried food from the canteen, and I ordered salmon sushi and a warm chocolate cookie. Both were delicious. Sitting together, laughing, sharing lunches, and exchanging jokes are memories that still linger.

The last two periods were dedicated to sports. We played volleyball with the Year 9 students, played badminton, and exercised together. The funny teacher and wonderful friends made the experience unforgettable.

The bus ride home already felt nostalgic. I realised I hadn’t said goodbye to the kind bus driver.

At home, I took a nap and got ready to go out. Maleia’s mum and I went to the beach to look at the unusual fish there. We talked about bargaining in Australia compared with Indonesia, and she bought me one of the best ice creams in town—actually, the best! While looking at the fish, we spotted a rare, enormous stingray swimming close to the shore. We also joked about some funny-looking fish.

In the evening, I went with Maleia to the youth gathering. We took a little tour, sang church songs, jumped around, and prayed for everyone. I met more incredibly kind people, and we talked and played games together.

That night, we continued watching The Devil Wears Prada 2 with my host family while enjoying a delicious dinner before getting ready for bed.

Saturday morning was peaceful. Sunlight streamed through the window as I played with her siblings, looked at football cards, and had breakfast before getting ready for the day.

We went to watch Maleia’s brother, Arlen, play soccer, and I was so excited! As a big soccer fan, I loved watching the game and cheering from the sidelines. It was such a fun and memorable moment.

We decided to visit Dorrigo to see a waterfall and enjoy the mountain views. The scenery was unbelievably beautiful and breathtaking. Fun fact: it was the last day the site would be open before closing for an extended renovation.

For lunch, we stopped at a cute, vintage-style place surrounded by greenery. I ordered a delicious warm sandwich that remains one of my favourites.

On the way back, we visited a vintage shopping centre, where we browsed artefacts and adorable little shops. Everyone seemed to dress as though they had stepped straight out of the 1990s.

I bought some sweets and window-shopped because everything was too expensive, but it was still a beautiful place to visit.

In the evening, we spent time together as a family, watching sports and enjoying warm, delicious takeaway pizza.

I woke up and realised it was already my last day. Soon, I would have to leave this place, these people, and everything I had come to love. Yet I didn’t feel sad all the time; every day had been joyful and full of excitement.

We went to church, where I helped look after the little children. We sang songs, had snack time, listened to Bible verses, and enjoyed fun activities. I coloured pictures and taught the children how to draw while telling them stories. They were so funny and adorable.

In the afternoon, my buddy and I met up with the other girls to spend the day at The Big Banana Fun Park. We tried laser tag, tobogganing, roller coasters, bumper cars, 4D games, giant slides, and so much more. It was thrilling! Riding the roller coaster and seeing the view from above was scary but incredibly fun. We climbed what felt like thousands of stairs to reach the giant slide, ran around during laser tag, and screamed through the 4D games.

We also visited the viral candy shop, watched a candy-making show, stopped by the chocolate shops, and ended up with a whole bunch of sweets.

That night, my host family held a big family gathering for dinner. I met my buddy’s aunts and uncles, who told me stories about wild kangaroos relaxing in their backyards. I also met her cousins, and we spent ages talking about games, animations, and funny stories over dinner.

Time flew by, and soon it was time to head to the station. Was I sad? Of course. Was I happy? I felt that, too, every step of the way. But leaving one of the best experiences of my life was hard. My buddy gave me a framed photo of us and some heartfelt notes, which made me wish I could stay longer. We wished we had more time together.

Despite the sadness, we hugged one last time in Australia before I boarded the train.

Suddenly, every moment felt like a dream. Had it all really happened?

Ten hours passed in what felt like a flash.

We arrived in Sydney on a cold winter morning. The chilly air brushed against my cheeks as I admired one of the world’s most famous cities: skyscrapers, passing cars, busy workers, trains, and gorgeous buildings.

After dropping off our luggage, we walked for miles through the bustling city, hopping on trams and nearly being blown away by the wind at one point.

We walked along the harbour and passed countless stations. Crown Sydney, the city’s metropolitan atmosphere—it all felt so alive.

Beyond the buildings and the ocean, I finally saw it. I definitely needed a moment to take it all in. Was this real? The Sydney Harbour Bridge stood right before my eyes, and we visited some amazing spots to take pictures.

Not long afterward, we finally spotted the Opera House. Seeing both landmarks together was simply perfect.

After taking thousands of pictures, we went shopping along George Street and explored Chinatown to find somewhere for lunch. We stopped at a small Chinese shop selling rice bowls, and honestly, it was the best rice bowl I had ever tried.

We returned to the hotel to check in and get ready for an evening walk. The wind felt even colder this time. We visited Market City in Chinatown before hopping on a tram to the Opera House. We got some frozen yoghurt—something famous there—and it was amazing! We explored the Opera House further, taking more pictures, selfies, and videos.

Night fell quickly. We stopped at a nearby gift shop, and I decided to take a ferry ride around Sydney. It was absolutely the right choice, even with the freezing wind. Admiring the city lights from the ferry was spectacular.

On our walk back to the hotel, we stopped at a few stores and bought a feast for dinner. We had a cosy girls’ night, surrounded by endless food and enjoying the lively Sydney atmosphere.

Morning arrived, and the city woke up. We got ready for our last day in Australia and spent it exploring the rest of the city, visiting countless gift shops. Before we knew it, we were already at the airport.

While waiting for our departure, we explored the airport one more time, discovering cool items, duty-free shops, and souvenirs.

Every second I spent there was worth it. Every step I took and every view I saw was breathtaking. Being an exchange student had once been a dream, and now that dream had finally come true.

To everyone who was part of this journey, a single thank-you doesn’t feel like enough; perhaps I need a thousand. Every hello and goodbye, every conversation, and every act of kindness will stay with me forever.

Yuri in Australia, August 2026 😀