Downside Up

Chapter Six (Crystals - Of Monsters and Men)

I don't remember what I expected life in Australia to be like. Maybe I thought, that I would have this bright "surfer girl" teen life, with tons of good friends and cool beach parties as in "Blue Water High" and other Australian TV shows. Or to be stuck in the outback and to "go" to "School of the Air". But clearly most Australians lived a normal life that was only slightly different from life in Europe.

My first thought, when I arrived, was, that I would never understand the accent properly – maybe some bits and bobs here and there, but no whole sentences and my classes in school would be a nightmare.

My second thought was that Australia was way too hot. I arrived in the midst of summer, at the end of January. When I started my journey back in Europe it was winter, a quite cold day as well and we had about -5°C (23°F). Meanwhile in Australia the temperature was about 45°C (113°F) and when I first stepped outside into the Australian air, I thought, that I was going to die. Literally.

I knew, that Australia had a pretty warm climate, but the way I thought of summer was sunny weather and about 25°C (77°F) – not burning heat.

My third and last thought was, that this year was going to be hard. I already felt a little bit homesick, still I wouldn't want to go home, because of the bad memories I connected with that place. Most exchange students think about their exchange year for ages, plan everything out and study as hard as they can, whilst I just wanted to escape the whole situation I was stuck in. It was a rushed decision and I regretted it though the family I was staying with seemed to be very nice.

First of all there were Shaun and Laurelle, one of the sweetest couples I know and the best host parents I could've wished for. Shaun was a tall and bold man, with a good sense of humour and a wise mind. Laurelle, petite and pretty, really cared for her family and me as well. I not only felt like a guest but as a member of the whole Mellet family from time to time. They were like some sort of long lost relatives and welcomed me immediately.

Then there were the kids. Troye, the oldest one, was extremely tall – only topped by his younger brother – and definitely a teenage heartthrob. His mystic light blue eyes and his dark brown curls weren't a bad combination and created an extraordinary look. Still there was something about his eyes that kept me wondering. Maybe girls liked him more than vice versa.

Sage, the only girl, was a really typical teenager. Crop top, skinny jeans and long hair paired with makeup and an iPhone in a pink floral case. She reminded me of Izzy, but we couldn't have been more different. She seemed nice, though, but I could tell that she was one of the "cool girls" whilst I would remain as the outcast.

The youngest boy named Tyde was like a male copy of Sage. He was at least one foot taller than me and if I wanted to see his face whilst talking to him, I had to lay my head back. I had never been too tall, but being the smallest by far sucked. I didn't like the feeling, that everyone or at least most of the family members had to look down in order to see me and no matter how hard I tried to convince myself, that everything was fine, the feeling remained. With that and the fatigue came the sass.

Sass is one of the few things about me, that I can't control. I wanted to make a good impression on my first day, but instead my voice decided to switch into a sassy mood. Even the nicest things sound horrible said in a sassy mood. It's almost like every single word I say sounds sarcastic and I didn't know if this person could deal with it. Tyde noticed the change in my voice and seemed slightly surprised, Sage stayed polite and friendly, Troye watched me curiously, Laurelle seemed slightly worried and Shaun stayed calm and made a few jokes to lower the tension.

They all tried to be nice to me though I could tell that I was clearly not the kind of person they were hoping for. Laurelle and Shaun probably wished for someone nice and polite, their children would get along with easily. A fun person that would help with the housework, get good school grades and didn't course any problems. Though we have had a few Skype meetings before I didn't seem like that person.