Coming to Australia was pretty scary at first - its on the other side of the world and the first time I've ever left home! But getting settled in was pretty easy; we took part in some of the orientation activities La Trobe had to offer. At the Orientation Sports Fair, we signed up on the e-maillist for LUMC.
Our first time going to the weekly kayaking sessions was a hit. We found out about the Big Weekend and immediately had to join the club. The Big Weekend was my first time camping in Australia and it was awesome! Every day was fun-filled with white water kayaking (my favourite), rock climbing, bushwalking and mountain biking. Best of all, there were so many skilled people there that even if you weren't that fit (like me) or had never tried an activity before, they would take their time and teach you just how to do it. At night and in the morning, everyone did their part and we cooked the best camping meals ever!
I met some of my best Australian friends in the LUMC, and getting involved in the activities really gave me a chance to explore Victoria; something I probably wouldn't have been able to do without knowledge or a car! We tagged along on indoor rock climbing expeditions, improved our kayaking skills, and went on an awesome hike through Baw Baw National Park. My advice to international students - if you want to get the most out of your Australian experience, take a chance and join the LUMC. You won't regret it! -Rebecca Dorris, Member 2007
