Australian students tour county

The Australian students toured classroom after classroom at Early College High School on Tuesday. Principal Kathy Slawson would introduce them, and soon they were inundated with all sorts of greetings.

One girl said how much she loved their uniforms — dark blue blazers for the boys and skirts for the girls.

Elementary school students asked whether Australian kids had some everyday American things — phones, iPods, bicycles. One child asked whether they had pet kangaroos.

No matter where they are, what they’re doing, or what they’re asked, the six students from the Australian suburb Hoppers Crossing love every minute of their time here in the States.

The Australian high school students and two teachers have been living in Newport-Mesa since Jan. 12 and will fly back to Melbourne, in the Australian state of Victoria, Feb. 5. They’re part of a 10-year-old exchange program between Newport-Mesa and its sister-city, Wyndham.

Every year, locals from Wyndham and Newport-Mesa involved in any facet of education, as PTA member, administrator or student, visit their sister city for three weeks to pick up some new educational tips.

The Hoppers Crossing Secondary College students are visiting us during Australia’s summer. Estancia High School students visit Australia during America’s summer months, which is different because of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.

“When we’re at the airport [to leave] I’m going to be a total wreck,” said 17-year-old Lillian Roverts.

Cultural nuances have made these visitors keen on Costa Mesa.

“I was walking to the car and the boy started walking to the wrong side of the car and I said, ‘What are you doing? This is the wrong side of the car.’ He was like, ‘I’m opening the door for you.’ I like that!” said 16-year-old Kate Elmer.

“Then we got there and he ran over to the other side and opened up the door for me. Everyone we’ve met here has been really, really nice.”

They’ve visited Disneyland, Knott’s Berry Farm and watched an NHL game in Anaheim. Driving here is so much more intimidating — the cars are bigger, go faster and are on the “wrong side of the road,” they said.

The students’ biggest surprise, the people, has been the best, they said. Each student is housed with an Estancia family.

“I don’t even want to think about when we’re at the airport,” said Eric Mihelcic, 17, chuckling. “There’s going to be tears. Buckets. There’ll be a puddle on the floor.”

JOSEPH SERNA may be reached at (714) 966-4619 or at joseph.serna@latimes.com.