On Monday, January 22, junior Louis Wood moved back to his hometown, Perth, the capital of Western Australia. His dad’s contract as the Australian Council General in Chicago lasts for three years, which expires this June. “We tried to get an extra year so I could finish high school,” Wood said, “but they didn’t give it to us.”

Wood decided to move after the end of the first semester to start at the beginning of the Australian school year, which starts in January. He is attending Christ Church Grammar School, the school he went to before he came to the U.S. It is an all-boys school, where you are required to wear a uniform–a navy blazer and striped tie. The school consists of around 1650 students, compared to Parker’s 940.

There are differences between the two schools, with ups and downs. “I actually liked having a small grade because you know everyone,” Wood said, “but I like how my school is less college-focused than Parker is.”

There will also be some hard changes beyond academics. “I’ll miss my friends, obviously,” Wood said, “and Chicago’s food and skyline–you can’t really get that in Australia.”

Even with this being so, there are pluses to Wood’s moving back home.  Wood said, “I’m excited about going back to my old friends, my dog, my family who lives there.”