Exchange student won't miss the Aussie birds

Kaddie Pass

22 August 2006: University of Saskatchewan Indigenous exchange student Jonathan Potskin says he won't miss the Aussie birds - the feathered variety that is.

While he eventually learned to sleep through the early morning wakeup calls, Mr Potskin initially found it a bit of an adjustment.

Mr Potskin visited Perisher during his stay in Australia

"You have a lot more variety of birds and they're a lot noisier than back home - our magpies are not so noisy," Mr Potskin said.

He was also amazed at the abundance of wildlife in our everyday environment.

Kangaroos and koalas

"It was a shock to see kangaroos and koalas on the side of the road," he said.

Mr Potskin, who studied a Bachelor of Sociology at the University of Saskatchewan, will return to Canada next month to work as a National Aboriginal Youth Model.

"I will be travelling to remote Indigenous communities to show young people they have options," he said.

Mr Potskin plans to talk about the research he undertook while on his five-month exchange in Australia on the effects of globalisation on Aboriginal Australia.

Similar issues

He said that young Indigenous Canadians in remote communities are affected by very similar issues to Indigenous youth in Australian desert communities.

Mr Potskin also appreciated the similarities between the Australian and Canadian Indigenous cultures.

"There are the same policies and issues - it's like coming across the ocean and visiting cousins," he said.

Ngunnawal Centre director Terry Williams said the Centre has been running a successful Indigenous exchange program with University of Saskatchewan in Canada for five years.

"The exchange program focuses on the Native Law Centre at the University of Saskatchewan and the young professional program, with the aim of promoting cultural exchange," Mr Williams said.

The next Indigenous exchange student from Canada will arrive for a five-month stay in September.