The Nugget Newspaper - News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

Lauren Anderson. photo by Conrad Weiler Sisters High School senior Lauren Anderson recently returned from her 16-day visit to Australia. She traveled with a People-to-People group of 40 students acting as young ambassadors for the United States.

Flying to Sydney, visiting Darwin, Cairns, Kakadu, and the Capitol at Canberra, was a whirlwind of activity for the youthful group.

"Australians are the nicest people in the world," said Anderson. "People we met were so interested in everything about our lives in the U.S. Actually, there isn't that much difference between the two countries. Oh yes, we visited McDonald's and they serve a grilled cheese sandwich on the menu and a beet slice on the hamburger."

Australia has about the same landmass as the continental U.S. according to Anderson, but only 20 million people, mainly living in seven coastal cities.

"I got to snorkel on the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Cairns," she said. "The water was spectacularly clear and I swam with a large group of parrot fish. The beaches all have large containers of vinegar during summer months. This is in case you get stung by a jelly fish while swimming."

Anderson spent two days with a host family in Cairns.

"They were so nice and wanted to know everything about the U.S," she said. "I also like opals and Australia is the opal capital of the world with about 90 percent of the supply found there."

A visit to the Sydney opera house was a highlight for Anderson's trip.

"I got to sing our National Anthem there on the Fourth of July. We also got to hear the pipe organ, which is the largest in the world, during our opera house visit," she said.

Anderson got to try kangaroo ("like venison-very lean"), shark, crocodile ("like tuna -- very bland"), Barrimundi, a large silver fish, very sweet, and vegemite, a dark brown yeast extract used on toast and breads.

The group saw aborigines and their native dances, painting and art works. The aborigines also staged a hunting demonstration using boomerangs and spears.

"Aborigines still dress in native fashion in their territory," Anderson said. "Others have moved to cities and take on more modern dress and activities. They are a most interesting people with over 200 languages and 200 dialects among the various aboriginal groups."

Anderson plans on attending COCC after high school, double majoring in theatrical arts and communications.

"I'm a born actress and have always dreamed of acting," she said. "However, I'm realistic enough to know how difficult that area is job wise, therefore the communications training (is) backup."