Excerpts from Amelia Davis's Letters Home:

Before I arrived in Perth, I learned that Australia is about the same size geographically as the continental United States, but has a much smaller population. I also learned that Perth is one of the most isolated cities in the world and is about the same size as Detroit. On a late night television show in Perth, one of the actors from American Pie 3 made a guest appearance. However, instead of an interview in person, he was videotaped live from a different location and the interview was broadcast live in Perth. This shows how Perth is relatively large and isolated at the same time.

I was excited to leave home and explore a new place and culture. I was a little sad about leaving my friends and family, especially since I have never been away from home for eight months before. I think traveling with a group of people from Kalamazoo helped. Just having familiar faces around on the plane helped me overcome my anxiety. Every once in a while I miss my friends and family badly. Usually just looking at my pictures from back home helps me feel better.

I live with two other Americans, two Australians, two Mauritians (Mauritius is a small island off the coast of Africa), and one Malaysian. Everyone is friendly and enjoys hanging out with each other. I remember one day I was making a sandwich for lunch and Annabelle from Mauritius asked me in a surprised voice, "Are you putting jam with your peanut butter?" She explained that the Americans she met last semester always had ways of mixing foods that were unusual for her.

I think I'm adjusting to life here in Australia quite well. I enjoy my classes and find that I have plenty of time to do activities outside of school. For instance, I just became certified to scuba dive, and I'm currently trying to find an orchestra to play with, as I play the violin. I've also tried some of the Australian food here. Meat pies are quite popular here and are quite tasty. Basically, this is a pastry filled with different types of meat, cheese, and potatoes, and is similar to a pot-pie. I've tried Vegemite, but it was a little too salty for me.