All In:The Aussie Adventure

Week 1 Is Done! Wow! I honestly cannot believe that a whole week of service has passed. Each day with the Rosellas has been an adventure. This past week has had a lot of staff changes and casuals (the Australian term for substitute teachers) in the classrooms. That means that although I was brand new in the classroom, I was one of the most consistent people for the boys. Since the week was a bit inconsistent, the boys were a bit out of routine and a little wild! But, alas, they are children, so I kind of expected the wildness.  At St. Lucy's, the children have a lot of opportunities for showing us their strengths and shining where they can shine brightest. The structure of their learning is not one filled with examinations and opportunities to fail. They are encouraged to be their best! Part of circle time in the morning for the Rosellas is listening to a song about not giving up (Give it a listen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWp6kkz-pnQ ). By having this kind...

  A Class Of Energy, Joy, and Light for Five Weeks Rosella: One of six species of Australian parrots. They inhabit forests, woodlands, farmlands, suburban parks, and gardens. Rosellas have long broad tails, patches on their cheeks and are very colorful. While that is all well and good, the word Rosella means a bit more than just the parrot. The Rosella Class is the classroom where I am spending every Monday through Friday at St. Lucy's! St. Lucy's School As most of you know, I will be spending several weeks at St. Lucy's. St. Lucy's is a lovely school founded in the Dominican tradition and is where classrooms are filled with students of many different disabilities and ages. St. Lucy's is a primary school which in Australia means that the students are in years K-6. St. Lucy's was originally founded as a school for children who were deaf or had hearing difficulties and developed into a school for children with any disabilities more r...

           Long time no see! As you may have guessed, this is my first post from the comforts of my lovely homestay here in Australia! So as I am writing this on Sunday morning; I have been in Sydney for a little over 48 hours and have enjoyed it from the start. Let's backtrack to the traveling that got me to the other side of the world. Becky and I met up in Newark, NJ to board our first flight to Boston. My carry on got checked at the gate so my only experience of Logan Airport was of me sprinting from gate 22 to baggage claim, back through security (sweating bullets as I had less than half an hour to do all of this) and then back to gate 22. Thank goodness Becky was at the gate to make sure they didn't leave without me, thanks, girl! The flights as a whole went smoothly, I was able to sleep a good amount so I wasn't entirely dead by the time we arrived in Sydney. Elizabeth Pooley picked Becky and I up from the airport (it was really co...

Featuring: Matty, Ella, & Brynn  So I'm writing this up as I can't fall asleep due to excitement about leaving tomorrow along with the little voice in my head telling me that I forgot to pack something.... Finals week was lots of fun, which we established is possible, I had meals with people I loved, took a selfie with my favorite Ray worker Dot and then came home to LI! On Monday my mom had a little get together so people could say goodbye.  Here is a collection of the questions that my little cousins and brothers have asked me. "You're leaving on Sunday, for college?"-Ella Close, Ella. Close. In case you all don't know, I am leaving the U.S.A. on Wednesday, May 17! I will not  be heading to Providence College just yet, I am headed to Sydney, Australia! Well... first to Newark, NJ; Boston, MA; San Francisco, CA; and then   Sydney, NSW, Australia! It's quite the trip so I'm bringing a lot to keep me entertaine...

Fun... and Finals.... (Sorry, I'm a Spongebob fan)  Yes! It is possible to have fun during finals week! As the countdown to departing for Australia is down to the single digits, I thought I'd pop in and update you on the happenings of Kayla as I prepare for the Aussie Adventure! Classes are over and this next week is filled with free time to study, pack things up from my on-campus apartment, and see friends before summer break begins! This year I have the added fun of figuring out what to bring to Sydney for 6 weeks! That is definitely a process as I have never been before. While May- early July in the States it is beginning to warm up for Summer; in Australia, it is the beginning of Winter. As a Long Island girl, Winter is filled with cold weather and snow. From my understanding, Winter in Australia is much more temperate and the chances of snow are... well... nonexistent. If anyone has any suggestions on what to bring with me abroad; leave me a comment! One of t...

Finals? I thought this was a blog about traveling to Australia?? It is! I promise ! I'll give you a glimpse at the important parts of my to-do list: 1. Finish finals 2. Make a Blog (Check!) 3. Pack up my apartment 4. Pack for Australia 5. Say goodbye to the USA 6. Fly to Australia! [ There it is, everyone ] 7. Go All In! Welcome to: All In: The Aussie Adventure! I guess a formal introduction and welcome is in order. My name is Kayla Marie Krongel and I am a student in the Class of 2018 at Providence College in Providence, Rhode Island, USA. I wear several hats : I'm a chemistry major with a strong interest in psychology (go figure). I am a part of several on-campus organizations with   missions  that range from Relay for Life to Faith to Reducing Food Waste. I am also a Direct Support Professional at Maryhaven Center of Hope in Yaphank, NY on Long Island where I work with developmentally disabled...