AUSTRALIA - ADELAIDE

Australia was always a place I wanted to visit. What made it exciting for me was the distance from home and the size of the country. Adelaide seemed like the perfect city to live in, it's not too big but still one of the biggest in Australia. When I arrived at the airport in the evening, I was tired but excited.

Since the language wasn't a big problem and the people seemed familiar in the way they dressed and acted, I wondered what the differences were between me and them. I didn't have to wait long. After picking up my luggage and waiting for the driver to take me to my first accommodation, an ambassador from the universities in Adelaide was waiting to keep me and the other two girls company. Even though it's part of his job to be friendly and help others, I had the feeling that he was always like that with people he didn't know. And ever since that first meeting, I can say that's how he is with all people, all the time. Of course there are a few exceptions, but where aren't there? In general, they are always friendly and will open a conversation or greet you with a "How are you? It's not really meant as a question you have to answer honestly, they don't really care that much to know how each stranger really feels. Still, it's a nice gesture and immediately makes you feel welcome and seen. It's interesting for me to see how those few words can make such a difference in everyday life.

This leads me to the next thing I noticed about people in Australia. In general, they are very friendly to other people. As soon as someone needs help with something, you can ask people around you for help and they'll help you without hesitation. Even if I'm sitting next to a stranger on the bus, it doesn't take long before they realize I'm not from here and we start talking. It's not a big gesture or something that takes a lot of effort, but it makes adjusting to a new country a lot easier and you don't feel as out of place as you normally would.

This friendliness that Australians have is a big aspect of why I like this country so much and why I feel so comfortable here. Not only does it make living in a foreign country easier, but it's something I'd like to take back home with me. Being a little bit more friendly and especially being more open to other people, that's an aspect I rarely see back home. Most of the time, people are so wrapped up in themselves that they don't notice what's going on around them. And when I have to talk to strangers, it's often as short as possible, or I even try to avoid it if I can. Here I learned after a short time that it's not stressful or negative to be around people. It's always interesting to talk to them and learn something new. I wish people back home would be a little more open to that. That's why