Bluey, Pineapple Pizza, and New Beginnings: How Arlo and Jenil Are Making Toowoomba and Concordia Home

For five-year-old Arlo Jessop, this year marks the beginning of school at Concordia Lutheran College’s Warwick Street Junior Campus.

Originally from Hadleigh in England, Arlo’s first day of Prep was also his first taste of Australian schooling and with it, came plenty of differences.

“I use different words—like wellies, but here you call them gumboots. I also wore lots of jumpers back home before I arrived here,” Arlo said.

“Also, we used to ride on the train in London, but here you drive more.”

Luckily, his transition has been made easier by the fact that his family already has friends in Toowoomba. He’s also discovered some new favourite things about Australia.

“There’s a park near where I live with a flying fox that I love, and the food is different. I have eaten lots of sushi here, and I love pizza with pineapple. They don’t put pineapple on pizza in Hadleigh,” he said.

Arlo’s mum, Sam Gennings, said that while England’s seasons change dramatically, the difference here has been less noticeable so far.

“Bluey is huge in the UK, and Arlo loves Bluey, so Australia has always been part of our life. Arlo loves the cold, so he can’t wait for winter—but it might not be cold enough,” she said.

For thirteen-year-old Jenil Patel, the move to Concordia Lutheran College wasn’t just about starting at a new school—it was about embracing a whole new world.

Jenil and his family recently relocated from Anand, India, to Toowoomba, arriving just before the end of the 2024 school year. Now, he’s beginning Year 8 at Concordia, taking on a challenge that few teenagers face.

“I came here for a better education and opportunities,” Jenil said. “It’s so different, but I want to do the best I can. I want to be a doctor when I leave school.”

School life in India was quite different from what he has experienced so far at Concordia.

“At home, we write everything down—we don’t work from computers all the time. We also learn three languages in school: English, Hindi, and Gujarati,” he said.

“And in India, you might have 50 children in one class!”

One of the biggest changes he’s noticed is the difference in school spaces and lunchtimes.

“I love the space here at Concordia. The grounds are a lot bigger than I am used to,” he said. “And in India, the school delivers set food to everyone during the day, but here I can bring my own food.”

He’s already planning to make the most of his new opportunities.

“I want to take up swimming, the drums, and soccer at Concordia,” he said.

Of course, there have been challenges too.

“Learning English is more difficult here because of the higher standard in education. However, the teachers at Concordia are so helpful,” he said.

Despite the adjustments, Jenil has settled in quickly.

“I have made lots of friends, and Concordia is close to where I live. I love it.”

From different corners of the world, Arlo and Jenil are stepping into their new Australian lives, embracing all the quirks, challenges, and adventures that come with it.