Victorian country girl Amie Antonello has taken a slightly different path to most NSR student-athletes
Keen to get her American journey underway, Amie opted to attend High School in Charleston, South Carolina to get a feel for what the US education system was like before going to college.
She is currently in junior year and will return to Australia to complete year 12 next year. Following this, she will decide on a college to attend and return to America for her college experience in 2018.
“It’s a good chance to come home and see everyone again, rather than go for five straight years,” Amie said.
The track star has broadened her horizons since being in the US and tried her hand at basketball. Playing for her high school team, they made it to regionals this year, playing at least twice a week.
Amie describes the support that has been received not only for her basketball team but for her as an individual as amazing.
“The whole town pretty much turns up for a home game!” Amie said enthusiastically.
“Everyone is always making sure I’m good. If I can’t get to a game, someone will always get me there. Someone is always cheering me on because I’m the Australian, I’m different obviously,” she joked.
Amie is absolutely loving her journey so far, but even the most resilient travellers can suffer from bouts of homesickness on the rare occasion. The passionate athlete has a method to alleviate these feelings, however.
“It’s only when I’m down or having a bad day that I think about wanting to go home. I go and h
ang out with my friends and just forget about it,” she said, claiming socialising is the best way to overcome bouts of homesickness.
Amie has been living with a host family and when she isn’t socialising with friends or playing sport until “all hours of the night, every night,” she is home with them and their two young children.
“They’re as close to me as my real family now. I’ll miss them like crazy when I go home. I’ll be back to see them all the time, I’ll make sure of it!” she said.
The Myrtlefor
d athlete has had a chance to channel her inner cowgirl when she got a chance to venture on a weekend trip to a ranch owned by her host family’s friends. Accompanied by the family-friends and their two children, Amie felt right at home on the ranch down in Nashville.
“I went swimming in a river that apparently had alligators in it, so that was a little bit scary,” she says, laughing.
Amie has an incredible next five years in front of her and encourages anyone considering following the path she has gone down to do so.
“If you are considering going on exchange, just do it. If there’s even a thought, go,” she insisted.
GET YOUR FREE 12 STEP GUIDE BY CLICKING HERE OR THE IMAGE BELOW
