Whatta week!

I believe that I've seen more of Sydney in this past week than I have in the last four months. Now that I'm free of school, my schedule has opened up considerably and I've been making good use of the empty hours. This week was an absolute whirlwind of activity so I'll attempt to sum up (very briefly) exactly what I got up to.

Monday:
Sarah and I hit the city to see the massive Christmas tree at the Queen Victoria Building (it's a massive shopping center) and then had tapas at a little Spanish cafe off of George St. (that's the main avenue in Sydney). Afterwards, it was off to Darling Harbour for a mini-stroll and some sunning on the boardwalk. As we were sitting overlooking the water, not only did we see plenty of fish but an entire swarm of jellyfish! (It's the first time I've seen a jellyfish outside of an aquarium.)
After our marine life experience, we walked to the Sydney Fish Market where I had passionfruit for the first time (it was clearly a day of firsts). We then headed back into the city to meet up with Michelle who had just finished her last exam (and her undergraduate degree) and proceeded to wander around the city for over an hour trying to find her university's campus. It was extremely frustrating as we basically walked in a massive circle and backtracked more times than we could count--but we did get to see another part of the city.

Underneath the tree at the QVB

Tuesday:
Although I had been planning a day trip to Canberra with Jess, we decided at the last minute that driving to Canberra and back in one day might be a bit too much for us to handle. So instead we headed to the coastal city of Wollongong (pronounced WOOL-on-gong, not WALL-on-gong). We drove through miles of Australian bush (I still didn't see a kangaroo, unless you count the dead one on the side of the road) and then wound our way down the side of a mountain with the ocean and Wollongong spread out beneath us. I felt like a puppy with my head stuck out the window taking in the view and making tiny squeaks of excitement. We spent a solid couple of hours sunning ourselves on the beach and then took a walk around to take in our surroundings. There really isn't much in Wollongong but we stopped by the harbour, ate a quick lunch at the lighthouse, made an even quicker detour at the Vietnam Memorial, and then stopped at another beach for a short stroll. I still can't get over how clear the water is here!



One of the beaches at Wollongong--you can see the lighthouse in the distance.

 Wednesday:
I finally got in touch with one of my uni friends, Mary, who I hadn't seen since the beginning of the semester, and we decided to meet up in Canley Vale and spend the day together. Canley Vale is one of the western suburbs of the city and has a large Vietnamese population, hence the nickname "Little Vietnam." It's chock full of shops and restaurants serving everything from Thai to Chinese to fast-food fried chicken. Mary, who is Vietnamese, decided I need to experience a little bit of Vietnam and so took me on a guided tour around the area. She bought me a cup of sugar cane juice to try and then took me to a little hole in the wall where we had yum cha for lunch. Yum cha is actually more of a Chinese thing but, ethnicities aside, it was delicious. For those of you who have never had yum cha, you sit down at a table and the waitresses bring around trolleys or platters of different "hors d'oeuvres" (things like dumplings, for example) and you pick and choose which ones you want. I don't remember everything we ate but I really enjoyed the Chinese broccoli in oyster sauce, the seafood roll, and the dumplings.
But my food-tasting experience was not to end there. Afterwards, I bought che which is a Vietnamese dessert drink made from coconut milk, sugar, and your choice of ingredients which can be anything from tapioca to corn to jelly to avocados. I had no idea what would taste good (I mean corn and jelly and coconut milk?) so Mary chose for me. Surprisingly, it was much yummier than I anticipated, although much too sweet for me to finish the entire thing. (check out the pictue to see what it looked like)
As I was recounting to a shocked Mary how I had just had my first passionfruit earlier that week, she decided that my limited knowledge of fruit needed to be broadened and took me to a nearby market where we bought lychees, rambutans, and longans. They are all very similar fruits with hard exteriors and insides that look like peeled grapes. My favorite were the rambutans which resembled tiny sea anemones and tasted a bit like apples.
We spent the rest of the afternoon watching movies at Mary's flat with her friend Richard and then headed to Bankstown for dinner where we had pho (pronounced fuh) which is the national soup of Vietnam. It's a noodle soup served in a massive bowl (think the size of your head) with either beef or chicken. You can actually order the beef raw and place it in your soup where it will "cook." (Needless to say, I ordered my beef well done!) Then you dress up your soup however you want it with chili, hoisin sauce, bean sprouts, and basil. Seeing as I was the only non-Asian at the table the waitress gave me a fork but as I'd already eaten lunch with chopsticks, I went ahead and wielded them like a pro with the rest of them.
Dinner was followed by a trip to Leichardt, the "Little Italy" of Sydney, where we had iced chocolate at Bar Italia. The drink was amazing and the entire experience was made considerably funnier when a slightly tipsy older man at the counter exclaimed that I was a "gorgeous Asian-looking half-caste" and invited me to share his table. We finished the day with a walk to the Italian Forum which is a re-creation of an Italian square complete with fountain and gelato shop.

Me and my che

Thursday:
After the beachwalk I did from Bondi to Bronte when I first arrived here, I've been dying to do another. So Thursday Michelle and I decided to walk from Taronga Zoo to Balmoral beach. We took the train into the city and then a ferry across the harbour to the zoo. During our ferry trip I learned from Michelle that there are, in fact, sharks in the harbour as they like shallow waters to breed and feed (!!). Our first stop on our walk was Athol Beach which is a tiny private cove right off the pathway. Of course, I did little more than dip my toes in the water as I anxiously scanned the horizon for menacing fins. (Thankfully, the only wildlife we encountered were several iguanas along the trail. At least, I think they were iguanas. Have a look at the pic to decide for yourself.)
Halfway through our trek we had to take a detour as work was being done on the trail and took a series of residential streets to Clifton Gardens, another beach. Then, back on the pathway, we hiked to George's Head, a lookout point over the harbour which served as a fort back in the 1800s and offered us a fantastic view of the city skyline. We made it to Balmoral beach around noon where I took my first plunge into the ocean (shark fears aside) since my arrival in Sydney. The water was frigid but I stuck it out for a solid 30 minutes. We stopped later for fish and chips and then it was back to school to work the evening shift.

Michelle at Athol Beach, our first stop on the beachwalk

Friend or foe?

Friday:
I decided that Sarah needed to visit Dee Why as it is quickly becoming my favorite beach (so far) and, hoping we could find our way there via train and bus (I've only been there by car), we packed up our things after lunch and headed out. I've already mentioned Dee Why in a previous post so I don't have much to add except that this time was my first time getting in the water there (not counting the times I've done a little wading). Sarah and I braved the waves and did a little body surfing despite the fact that it was overcast and not very warm.
Saturday:
Having been told about Newtown, Sydney's artsy suburb, Sarah and I figured that a day trip to said area was in order. We did our research beforehand and decided we'd grab lunch there and have a look around. The main street, King St., is a virtual melting pot. You can find a restaurant serving African cuisine right next to a shop selling exotic Himalayan wares. There's an incredible amount of secondhand bookstores and retro clothing boutiques. The entire area has the same funky, eccentric vibe as Fitzroy in Melbourne. We had lunch at The Italian Bowl (which our city guide recommended and for good reason) and dessert at Gelatomassi which serves some of the best gelato in Sydney. The rest of the afternoon was spent window shopping (since there was little we could actually afford) and then a relaxing train ride home.

So there you have it, folks--my exciting, jam-packed week. I realize it's not the most in-depth or coherent entry I've written so you'll just have to interrogate me when I get home. :o) Now that I'm down to only seven days before my departure, this may very well be my last entry to conclude the first half of my stay here. So I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and I'll see you soon!
Cheers!

Moustaches in Movember and more...

Here in the Land Down Under, the fuzzy growth above a man's lip is not a sad throwback to the 1920s but a way to raise money and awareness for men's health the world over. All over New South Wales and beyond, moustaches are sprouting (and have already sprung) as men are growing a "mo" to support causes like prostate cancer and depression in men. Even our tiny, mostly female, microcosm of Abbotsleigh has been affected. We have several "Mo Bros" on campus including our chaplain and IT manager. Apparently, this moustache-growing mayhem is part of a worldwide men's health initiative sponsored annually by the Movember Foundation. (I must say, however, I'd never heard of Movember prior to living here.) The rules are simple, you begin the month clean-shaven and have 30 days to "grow your mo" while seeking the sponsorship of all the females you know, aptly named "Mo Sistas." I first noticed this mo epidemic while at the beach with Jess and while Australian fashion has always been questionable, the moustaches pushed the envelope a smidge too far. Thankfully, I was quickly set straight by Jess and can now calmly appreciate the hairiness, knowing it's there for a good reason and will, hopefully, be gone by Dec. 1st.
As Movember is quickly (so quickly!) coming to a close, my thoughts are drifting ever closer to Christmas. Of course, it doesn't help that everywhere I go there are Christmas decorations and Christmas songs and Christmas trees and Santas in their sleighs taking pictures with the kiddies. It all seems slightly surreal since it's 70 degrees and sunny out and I have tan lines. Is it still Christmas if you're not wearing three layers of clothing and you can't see your breath when you walk outside? Is it still Christmas if you're snuggling up to an air conditioner instead of a fireplace and sipping lemonade and not hot chocolate? I'm not so sure about all of this. In my mind, the two are absolutely inseparable. Granted, "I'll Be Home for Christmas" so I can lay my concerns to rest. But in the meantime, I'm not quite sure what to make of a tropical Thanksgiving...
Meanwhile, changes are underway here at the boarding house. With the school year coming to a close in two short weeks, preparations for the new year have begun. Having had quite an...(ahem)experience...with the year 9s and 10s these past four months, I put in a request to try my luck with a different boarding house. I found out this week that next year I'll be moving to Vindin House to work as resident with the year 8s. I am not only looking forward to living in a real house (Vindin is a beautiful old Heritage house) but also working with a much smaller group of girls (about 25 compared to the 61 I had this year). Videos of my new residence and updates will be forthcoming in January.
The important thing right now, however, is that we're down to two weeks and counting, folks! I'm still in shock at how fast the time has gone. I'm planning a last minute, mini-road trip to Canberra (the capital of Australia) with Jess this Tuesday so I'll probably do a little write-up about that (and maybe a video if I'm feeling creative), but that'll probably be my last blog for the first half of my year here. All other news you'll just have to wait to get from me in person. ;)
Cheers!

The Wild Life

It's official, the skinks are out. Now that spring is well underway and the temperature is on the rise, the Australian wildlife has started to come out en masse. And that includes the slim mottled black lizards that line the sidewalk and see me off to class each day. I have to say, my first encounter with one nearly ended in a heart attack. There I was walking along, head in the clouds, when I spied out of the corner of my eye a thin, snakelike animal sunning itself next to the bushes. Before I could take a good look, the creature had wriggled under the foliage and vanished. When my heart returned to its normal rhythm, it became clear...the bushes had been compromised. Now as I make the trek across Abbotsleigh's campus to the train station, I expect to encounter at least a few of them. Yesterday, there were five. Lined up in a perfect little row, heads facing the sidwalk, tails still partially hidden in the leaves. It's a bit disturbing knowing five sets of reptilian eyes are watching you as you scurry along the furthest side of the walk but thankfully they seem to understand my paranoia and vanish before I get too close. The skinks are actually the least of my worries. Australia is know for its poisonous spiders and snakes and I've already seen a redback spider in another resident's window and heard tales of a red bellied black snake spotted in Wahroonga. And the best is yet to come. Apparently, flies are a huge nuisance in Australia during the summer, with little swarms of them that simply follow you around all day. I've heard it's worse out in the bush but to me any fly is a bad fly.
However, not all of the emerging wildlife is bad. The change of seasons also means it's cricket time. Now whenever I go to The Glade (the park behind the school) on the weekends I can expect to see a group of grown men dressed all in white running back and forth between two sticks and yelling wildly. It's funny how here you expect to see a game of cricket being played in the park while at home it would be baseball or football. Which, speaking of sports, I was on the train yesterday and passed a croquet club. Yes, croquet. Again, all of the players were dressed in white (and over 70) and were having a grand ol' time next to the massive blue sign advertising trials for new members who would like to join. I'm thinking I might just have to whip out my own white linen suit and have a go at one of Australia's spring sports.
In the meantime, however, I am in the midst of finishing up the semester. Today is actually my last day of class (!!!!) and then I have a little under two weeks to turn in my final essays. Granted, the end of class simply means I have to make up for lost time on my thesis, but it also means more free time to hit the beach and go into the city.
I did finally make it to the beach on Monday (after not having been since our beach walk a few months ago) and spent a few hours with another resident catching some rays. We literally just dropped everything and decided we needed to lay out on the sand at Dee Why for a bit. And the beaches here are amazing! I've only been to a handful but I've yet to meet one I don't like. The sand is soft and not littered with trash. The water is crystal clear and since there's so many beaches to choose from you never have to worry about over-crowding. (Unless of course you head to really tourist-y spots like Bondi or Manly.) And for all of you guys who love nothing better than to get battered by massive waves, Australia's the place to be. There's a reason so many people come here to surf.
Outside of school and work, though, there's very little to report. I haven't had the chance to do much what with working at Abbotsleigh and babysitting and studying. However, I plan to make the most of my last three weeks and Michelle and I have already decided that once my last papers are turned in and her exams are finished on the 22nd we are going to make a point of doing something everyday. Which means lots of trips to the beach and plenty more stories to tell when I get home.

Dee Why Beach...lovely, no?

The last eight weeks

All is quiet in the house. The girls left for school four hours ago and aside from the sound of the cleaning lady bustling about, it is perfectly still. I haven't made a plan of what homework to attack first so in the midst of my indecision (procrastination?), I fixed myself a cup of coffee (actually, it would probably be more accurate to say a cup of milk and sugar with coffee) and have decided to ignore it all and write a blog entry instead.
Today marks the beginning of Term 4, the last term of the Australian school year. Beginning today, I have exactly eight weeks and two days until the end of term and my departure for the states. I'm not sure if it's the fact that I'm getting older or the routines I fall into, but eight weeks seems so incredibly short to me. A few years ago, two months would have seemed just a hair short of eternity. It makes me glad that I'll be here for a year and not a semester since there's still so much I haven't had the chance to see or do. One of the other residents and I just sat down with our work schedules last night so we could plot out every available moment we have and fill them with excursions and activities. And the coming of summer means that the amount of things to do in Sydney will triple. Sydney, like most of Australia, is all about warm weather and the outdoors and I've been told that summer is when the city really comes to life.
Even now, there's never a shortage of things to do. For example, we spent yesterday afternoon shopping at the Kirribilli Art & Design Market, held on the second Sunday of every month. It's a place for new and established artists to hock their wares and where anyone can sell their secondhand merchandise (I picked up a beautiful summer dress for $5!). There are also food booths that offer everything from Russian blinis (which I had) to dim sum to Mexican quesadillas. And all this is sprawled out in the area just next to the Harbour Bridge so you have a gorgeous view as you stroll about. The prior weekend, we went to the Latin Festival held at Darling Harbour where we enjoyed live music and dancing, food from Spain and nearly every South American country, and beatiful handmade arts and crafts.
Of course, somewhere in the midst of all this excitement, I do have to try and stay on top of my studies. My semester ends in about five weeks and I have three assignments to finish up in the meantime and a thesis to work on. Which, actually, has become a bit of a predicament. I've been having a terrible time trying to get in touch with my advisor as she has no set office hours, does not answer her phone, or reply to emails. As of right now, we've only met once (at the beginning of the year before classes even began) and she doesn't even know I've switched topics. This is the same professor who I've turned in two assignments to over a month ago and have yet to get them back. Why is it that students are expected to be diligent and responsible with completing and turning in their assignments but professors are free to procrastinate and be entirely inaccessible? (end rant) In other news, I picked up a side job babysitting the little sister of one of my boarders and officially begin working there at the end of the month. It's great being able to get out of the boarding house for a few evenings a week--you don't realize how nice it is to be in a real house when you haven't been in one for so long--and of course the extra cash is great, too. Since I'm on a student visa I can only legally work 20 hours a week so informal jobs like babysitting are ideal. Especially since me and a few of the other reisdents are planning to go to New Zealand in April and I'll definitely need the extra income.
The weather has been on a bit of a roller coaster here these past few weeks but tends to hover around the low 20s (in Fahrenheit that's high 60s, low 70s). However, since we're closer to the equator, when the sun's out it feels much warmer. We're hoping for beach weather by the end of the month and the other residents are kicking their workout routines into high gear to prepare. (Somehow, I've gotten dragged into the frenzy, too, and am expected to be up at 6am every Thursday for "boot camp." Apparently, each week one of us is supposed to arrange a 45 minute work-out of our choosing for all of us to do. When asked what my activity would be, I told them I wanted to have everyone cook me breakfast. Ideal, no?) There are plenty of Aussies, though, including some of my boarders, who have already started their beach season. This includes going barefoot--everywhere. The phrase "No shirt, no shoes, no service" does not apply in Australia. You will see barefoot people, young and old, any and everywhere, including the grocery store, the train, the markets, and the mall. I even saw a middle-aged construction worker just off the jobsite hoofing it through the Westfield in Hornsby with bare feet!
I will say the thing I'm dreading most about warmer weather is the increase in the insect population. Australia is known for its spiders and I've already had my bedroom breached by two of them, one on the wall and one in my bed (yes, my BED!), and am not looking forward to anymore unexpected guests. Apparently, flies really become a nuisance in the summer as well since they're everywhere and will either follow you around or catch a free ride on your back. I'd definitely take a fly over a spider anyday, though...
Regardless, I have a feeling this next term will fly by even quicker than the first. Granted, it's two weeks shorter than the previous term but the longer I'm here and the busier I get, the weeks seem to consist of only beginnings and endings. Before I know it, it'll be December 7th and I'll be leaving the sunny shores of Sydney for the frosty cornfields of Ohio. In the meantime, I'll do my best to keep you all up-to-date and informed and, as always, drop me a line.
Cheers!

Spring Break in Melbourne

Within two days of arriving home from the Blue Mountains, Sarah and I were on the road again. This time on a plane headed to Melbourne. We'd been planning the trip for weeks and I was so excited for my first glimpse of Sydney's rival city (and to escape the noisy group of campers that had moved into McCredie for the week).
I hate to say that upon arriving in Melbourne, Sarah and I were greeted quite coldly. We left the sunny 22 degree weather in Sydney only to be faced with a rainy 8 degrees as we exited the plane. Not exactly the start we were hoping for. However, we did find our bus easily and in less than an hour we had been deposited at the doorstep of our hostel, the Miami Hotel. (Now, technically, the hostel WAS a hotel, but since it was a budget hotel with shared bathroom facilities and since we found it at hostelworld.com, to me, it was a hostel. Besides, I don't think I've ever stayed at a hotel with such an incredibly small bedroom. When we opened the door to our room, it barely missed hitting the first bed!) Seeing as it was past 10pm, the only thing we wanted to do at that point was crash. So after making contact with my friend Linda (from uni), who we were meeting in Melbourne, we decided to call it a night.
We spent the next four days exploring downtown Melbourne. From what I had been told of the city, Melbourne is much more artsy and trendier than Sydney, with loads of shops, cafes, galleries, and museums. Our first stop, then, was Federation Square, home to the Australian Centre for the Moving Image, the Ian Potter Centre (part of the National Gallery of Victoria), and AbbaWorld. One of my classmates at uni who was also headed to Melbourne for the break had mentioned that there was a Tim Burton exhibit being displayed at the ACMI. Thanks to our early start on Wednesday morning, we were among the first in line to get tickets and spent the better part of the morning viewing sketches, costumes, prop pieces, and 3D models from nearly all of Tim Burton's films, including Batman, Alice in Wonderland, Planet of the Apes, and Edward Scissorhands. The sheer volume of his work was absolutely overwhelming. I think the thing that impressed me most is his seemingly endless stream of creativity and the uniqueness and individuality of each of his projects. (And seeing the Batmobile was pretty cool, too.)
Over the course of the week we walked (and rode the tram) over most of the city, venturing into Chinatown and briefly into Little Italy. We also spent most of the day Saturday in Fitzroy, a very young and hip suburb of Melbourne teeming with art galleries, boutiques and restaurants serving everything from vegan to African. It's also home to the Fitzroy Market and the Rose Street Artist Market. Unfortunately, since I'm a poor, wandering student I could only afford to window shop, but it was great to simply stroll around and enjoy the atmosphere. Many of the houses have a very obvious French influence and actually resemble the French Quarter down in New Orleans. All in all, it was definitely one of my favorite areas of Melbourne.
One of the few places I could afford to make purchases was the Queen Victoria Market located down the street from our hostel. It is the largest market in the Southern Hemisphere and hosts over 600 vendors every week. You can find anything and everything at the market and I was able to pick up a few souvenirs and some yummy fruit, cheese, and fresh-baked bread while we were there.
The highlight of the trip, however, was the one day driving tour Sarah and I took to the Great Ocean Road. The road runs for 151 miles along the south-eastern coast of Australia and is home to the famous 12 Apostles limestone stack formations. We were picked up from the hotel on Friday in the wee hours of the morning and then were off. Over the next 14 hours we traveled from Melbourne to Port Campbell, stopping off for a stroll around Bells Beach, a hike through the Otways rainforest, and a quick koala search at a campground along the way. (While we did spot several koalas, it was the parrots who swarmed us once we arrived. One even decided to ride around on my head!) The best part of the trip was definitely saved for last, as our final stop was the 12 Apostles, the Loch Ard Gorge, and the London Bridge--all fascinating limestone formations created by the erosion of the massive cliffs along the shore. The scenery was breath-taking and the sun, which had hidden itself for most of the day, finally made a dramatic appearance, turning the seaside ethereal. It was almost as if we had stepped onto the backdrop of some fantastic flight of the imagination. Or into an epic fantasy adventure. Have a look at the pics and video to take a peek for yourself!
We filled the rest of our time with random activities. We met up with a group of people that Linda had befriended at another hostel and went to dinner and then dancing. We saw a show at The Arts Centre--Sugar, a musical version of the movie Some Like it Hot. (You can't go to the cultural capital of Australia without seeing a show.) We strolled through the Ian Potter Centre. We visited St. Patrick's Cathedral and the Parliament building. In other words, we did a little bit of everything.
Of course, it all comes down to the question which city is better, Melbourne or Sydney? The rivalry is very real and the Aussies were eager to know which we preferred. For me? I'm a Sydney girl. I love being so close to the harbour and that we have the opera house. I love the Rocks and the beaches and the warmer weather. BUT, Melbourne does have the edge when it comes to the arts and the Theatre major in me will always probably lean a little more towards that city. So, there you have it. Sydney is my home and Melbourne is my muse.
Click the link to check out the photos of our trip and below is a short video showing a few of the sights I've mentioned.
Cheers!

A Weekend in the Blue Mountains

To kick off the beginning of spring break, my fellow residents and I decided to take a weekend trip to the Blue Mountains in Katoomba. Since it's only a 2 1/2 hour train ride away, it's the perfect place to escape to if you're in a time crunch (which we were since Sarah and I were headed to Melbourne afterwards). And yet it has all of the spectacular scenery that you'd find further out in the bush.
If a picture is worth a thousand words than a video has to be worth at least two thousand. So instead of attempting to describe to you my entire weekend trip to the Blue Mountains, I've put together a video of our little excursion.
I do want to quickly mention that the area we hiked around is called Echo Point and that it's home to the Three Sisters, a massive rock formation that holds particular significance for the aboriginal peoples that live in the area. (Click here for more info and the aboriginal story of the Three Sisters.) At the point in the film when we are underneath the overhang, we are actually underneath the rock formation!
Anywho, I hope you enjoy my first excursion into the "bush" as much as I did. (And, as always, don't forget to comment!)



Oh, and here's a link to the photos I took: Blue Mountains.

A royally good time

Like most big cities, Sydney, too, has its very own Chinatown. Situated next to Darling Harbour, the area is full of markets, shops, and restaurants where you can buy everything from dumplings to knock-off Dolce and Gabana. It is also home to the Chinese Garden of Friendship. The Garden was designed and built by Chinese landscape architects and gardeners to celebrate Australia's 1988 Bicentenary and is a symbol of the friendship between Sydney and it's sister city Guangzhou in Guangdong Province, China.
Back when I first arrived in Australia, Michelle mentioned that for $10 visitors to the Chinese Garden could dress up in traditional Imperial costumes and take their own pictures all around the garden. It took us nearly two months, but three days ago we finally managed to find a time when we were all available and headed into the city to have a go at being Chinese royalty.
The garden itself is gorgeous. Full of pavilions, waterfalls, and Chinese flora, it's a remarkably serene spot located smack in the middle of the harbour--above its walls, you can see the apartment buildings and highrises towering over it. But within it, its like traveling to a little corner of China. The entire garden is governed by the Taoist principles of 'Yin-Yang' and the five opposite elements--earth, fire, water, metal and wood. So everything in the garden has been hand-picked and placed to "capture" those five elements. The lakes and ponds in the garden are also home to brightly colored koi. Speckled black, orange, and white, they look like little islands of floating marble (and can apparently leap out of the water and scare poor, unsuspecting tourists).
Once we reached the costume hire shop, we were quickly transformed into the royal family. Myself and Kathyrn became Imperial princesses; Sarah, the emperor; and Michelle, the empress. And then we were off, strolling around the gardens, trying our best to look regal, and garnering strange looks from other visitors along the way. We were actually stopped twice by other tourists who asked to have their pictures taken with us.
I've created an album with our costume pictures and scenic shots of the garden so be sure to check it out: Chinese Garden.

And take a peek at this video to see what it was like to be royalty for the day.
Enjoy!

The life of a resident

I'm on a bit of a video kick so here's yet another one for your viewing pleasure. If you were curious as to just what I do at McCredie, here's a brief glimpse of where we work and how we entertain ourselves when we're off-duty. There's never more than three residents on duty at a time, but Sarah was visiting from Vindin House (that's where the year 7 girls live) so the office was quite full. We do actually work though.......sometimes. Enjoy!

One hump or two?

I can now add camel riding to my list of odd life experiences. A few days ago, Macquarie University had its annual Open Day where prospective students and their families can visit campus. Though geared towards high school students, Stephanie (another uni student from America) and I could not resist the lure of free stuff and, of course, camel rides!! (We have no shame.) We ended up with heaps of free goodies: thongs (flip flops), cotton candy, slushies, two free bags, and signs with our names written on them in Japanese, Chinese, Korean, and Egyptian hieroglyphs. The highlight of the day, however, was the camel ride. After waiting about an hour in line, we had an epic three minute ride on Ruby. I must say camels' backs are pretty narrow and bony which made for rather uncomfortable riding...but it was certainly worth the wait! Below is a short video clip and a few pics of our highly anticipated camel ride.

Please note the protective headgear...still not sure how that would have helped in case of a fall.

Ready for the ride...

First Vlog Entry Ever! (and celebrating 2 month mark)

Hi!! I wanted to do something a little different and get a few more videos on my blog so I decided to do a vlog entry instead. Nothing too exciting...just a summary of whats new with me but I hope you enjoy!
Also, I realized that I've been asking everyone to comment but discovered that I had my blog set so only registered users could post responses. I've changed it so now anyone can leave a comment on my posts and DON'T need to register first, so there's no excuses now! :)

International Scholarship Reception

Last night, I had the awesome opportunity to spend time with a group of fellow students from all over the world: India, Ghana, Afghanistan, Indonesia, Mexico, Sri Lanka, the Phillipines and China, to name a few. As recipients of the Macquarie University International Scholarship, we were all invited to attend a reception celebrating our achievements and acknowleding our benefactors. Out of the 300+ students that applied for the scholarship, only 34 of us were selected to receive the award.
It was absolutely inspiring to be among scholars from every corner of the world who were not only grateful for the opportunity to continue their studies, but also eager to use their successes to better their communities. One of the student speakers, a graduate student from Mexico, told of how he grew up attending a one-room schoolhouse which often had no door and was many times without blackboards or books. His parents were the teachers and their tireless work inspired him to pursue education as well. And his story was only one of many. In fact, one of the international scholars currently studying at the university is a refugee whose acceptance as  a scholarship recipient basically rescued him from life at a refugee camp.
More than anything, the reception made me realize again that education should never be taken for granted. So many times we see school simply as something to be endured when, for so much of the world, it is entirely inaccessible. I think it's important for all of us students to remember what a precious gift we've been given in being educated. I know that as I struggle through yet another reading or attempt to outline yet another essay, I will certainly strive to.

Here is a link to the article (with photo - I'm in the back row on the left!) from The Macquarie Globe about the reception.

Angelia Wibawa (she was also a student speaker) and I with one of the professors from the selection committee (he's one of the reasons we're here!)

With the Executive Director of International Programs 

More pics!

For those of you who don't have a Facebook account and can't access my pictures, below is a link to the album of recent pics I've taken on our ventures into the city. It includes pics from the cruise, the opera house, the boardwalk at Darling Harbour, and random locations around Sydney. Enjoy!

Pictures around Sydney

A night at the opera...

As promised, I wanted to take a moment and tell you about the show I went to see at the Sydney Opera House last week. In spite of the title, I did not go to see an opera (thank goodness!...apologies to all you opera lovers). Instead, we went to see an Aboriginal dance troupe, the Bangarra Dance Theatre, Australia’s only national premier indigenous performing arts company.
I actually purchased my ticket for the show in my first week here; Michelle had asked me if I was up for seeing a show at the opera house and I immediately said yes. We could have been going to watch singing pumpkins, I just wanted to see a real, live show at the opera house. It's one thing to spend the day gawking at the outside of the building and an entirely different thing to go inside as an audience member. And, of course, I can never get enough of the theatre.
Michelle and I set out from Abbotsleigh around 6:30pm and arrived at Circular Quay (pronounced "key") a little after 7. Since we had ample time before the show began, Michelle decided it was time to introduce me to Copenhagen ice cream. (And since dinner that evening in the dining hall hadn't been particularly satisfying, we were famished.) Now, for those who know me, I'm not a big fan of ice cream. Gelato, yes. Ice cream, not so much. I'm not sure whether it was because I was so hungry or because I was anticipating the show or just because it was really good ice cream...but it was scrumptious! Granted, it was quite blustery on the boardwalk and my fingers were not as appreciative of the ice cream as I was...
I discovered once we arrived at the opera house that since we were seeing a small-scale show we would be in one of the smaller theatres on the first floor instead of the massive opera hall upstairs. I must admit, I was a bit disappointed. But we did only play $49 for the tickets and tickets for the larger theatre are well over double that amount. (You get what you pay for?)
The performance was split into two acts. The first told the story of the Stolen Generation and the second act was an artistic exploration of different elements in nature. It was beautifully done and well worth our time and money. I'm hoping to go back and see another show at some point in the near future. Who knows, maybe I'll save up and actually go to see an opera...(maybe)
In other news, I finally made it over to Darling Harbour this past Saturday. Up to this point, I had really only been to the area around the opera house. I had visited Darling Harbour briefly before since that's where the cruise departed from, but on Saturday I got to do a little exploring. It has a beautiful boardwalk and an entire walkway of fountains and it's also where the Sydney Convention Centre and the world's largest IMAX are located (that'll definitely be a future trip). And to top everything off, we made it there just in time for a spectacular fireworks display over the water! Apparently there's some sort of month long festival going on and they're shooting off fireworks every weekend.
Which is just another thing I love about Sydney. There's ALWAYS something going on. For example, Michelle and I just registered for an event called Breakfast on the Bridge. Every year, the Harbour Bridge is shut down and covered in grass and 6,000 randomly selected indviduals are invited to come and, well, eat a picnic breakfast on the bridge. The event is part of the Crave Sydney International Food Festival which is a month long celebration of Sydney's "food lifestyle." (Check out the photo gallery at http://www.breakfastonthebridge.com/.) Seeing as how I'm never selected for anything, I'm not getting my hopes up...BUT, if I do, I promise to take plenty of pictures.
Apologies for taking FOREVER to post another entry (and that it's so rushed). If there's anything you'd like to know about life down under that I haven't covered in this entry or any of my older ones, please post  your questions and I'd be happy to answer them (or at least give it a go)! There's plenty I don't cover here, so if you're curious about something, don't hesistate to ask. I love to hear from you!
Cheers!

One month...really?

Not much to report. I figured since I've just passed the one month mark, a new blog entry was in order. I've been going to classes for 3 weeks now and life is starting to settle into a comfortable routine. It's amazing how quickly time flies the minute a routine develops. I remember thinking how incredibly long my first week in Sydney was, and now here I am a month into my time here and I can't recall where it went. It really will be just a second and I'll be back on the other side of the ocean.
So what is my daily routine here in Australia? (Not too exciting, that's what, but I had to write about something!) Well, depending on whether or not I have class, I typically spend my day either on Abbotsleigh's campus or Macquarie's. My class schedule is (very) light--I have class for two hours on Monday and Wednesday nights and on Thursday morning once a fortnight. (This means I can almost always sleep in!) On class days, I take the train to uni a few hours before class begins and spend some time prepping and completing assignments in the library. On days I don't have class, I'll either run errands in one of the nearby villages (Gordon, Chatswood) or find a comfortable place to study (my room, the Wahroonga park, the uni's library) and spend several hours reading (which is all I ever do anymore). I can't protest too much because the nature of the degree means we get to read a lot of children's and young adult fiction. (I've actually just begun reading Peter Pan.) My total assignments for the semester are seven essays, the longest being 3,000 words so, again, I can't really complain.
Outside of school, my evenings are usually spent studying in my room or watching whatever is on one of the two decent channels my TV picks up (I've gotten quite into the Aussie criminal drama, City Homicide) or socializing in the office with whichever resident(s) is on duty. Occasionally, during the day, the Junior School will call to see if any of the residents are available to fill in for a sick faculty member. Last week I was able to spend five hours working in the JS library as the head librarian's assistant was out with a cold. It was a great experience getting to work with a younger age group of girls (and being surrounded by books all day!) and of course getting paid $20/hour was a wonderful incentive. ;)
Spring break (which Aussies just refer to as "holiday" like every other holiday, apparently it doesn't hold the significance it does in the states) is at the end of September and since I have two luxourius weeks all to myself, Sara (another resident) and I are tentatively planning a trip to Melbourne. (And, of course, there will be plenty of pics and videos!)
I haven't been into the city too much since arriving. I think a total of 4 times? The last time was last Friday night when I went on a cruise around the harbor with over a hundred other Macquarie international students. It was absolutely gorgeous being on the water at night. I'd like to go on another cruise once summer rolls around so I can be on the water to watch the sunset. I imagine it's breathtaking. The cruise ended at 10pm so we headed into the city for a few more hours and can I say how incredibly clean the city is?? I shouldn't admit this, but having been in heels all night, I actually took them off for a bit and my feet were no worse for wear. Apparently, Melbourne is even cleaner (I don't see how that's possible) so maybe I'll just forgo shoes when I visit. :)
Alright, well I realize this hasn't been the most riveting of journal entries but I am going to a show at the Opera House this Thursday which I'm sure will give me plenty to write about.
Below are a few of the pictures from the cruise. Enjoy, and please comment or query!

OzFacts

- Hugh Jackman attended Knox Grammar School right down the street from where I live in Wahroonga. I literally pass the campus each time I go to uni.

- It costs around $17 to see a movie in Sydney ($12 if you’re a student) and there's no such thing as matinee pricing or discount theatres. Although, it is possible to attend some theatres on Mondays or Tuesdays for reduced pricing (which means $8).


- Most Aussies watch American TV shows (which get here about a year after they start in America). There are very few Australian shows that are hugely popular.

- Almost every school in Sydney, both public and private, require their students to wear full uniforms (blazers, hats, skirts, ties, you name it, they wear it).

- University students get paid to be students. All students pursuing higher education get monthly payments from the government to spend however they wish. (um, come again?)

- Department store make-up brands (Maybelline, Almay, Covergirl) cost well over twice as much here than in the states (for example: a bottle of mascara is $21). Apparently, the makeup has to be tested here before it can be sold which hikes up the price. Needless to say, I WILL be using Aussie brands for the duration of my stay.

- Australians play rugby, soccer, and cricket, but they also play football (not to be confused with soccer or rugby). The AFL (Australian Football League) is literally in a league all its own and most Aussies just refer to it as AFL (and not football OR soccer) to avoid confusion. It is not, however, in the least bit similar to American football.

- McDonald's is called Macca's by Aussies (and I have yet to try it here).

 *I'll keep the list updated as I continue my Oz quest. Please feel free to comment on any of my posts. I love to hear from you guys!

A walk along the beach

I have finally ventured outside of Sydney proper and visited the coastline. A few days ago, myself and two other residents (Michelle and Sarah) took a leisurely stroll down the "coastal path" of Sydney, walking all the way from Bondi beach to Clovelly beach. Outside of the tame waters of the harbor, I hadn't been near the ocean since arriving in Australia so I was excited to lay eyes on waves and a beachline.
We set out to the Wahroonga train station around 11 o'clock, beckoned by a cloudless sky and warm(ish) weather. Michelle was quickly instated as the unofficial tour guide as she was the only Aussie out of the three of us (Sarah and I both being Americans), and we were off. Our only hitch: Michelle hadn't been to the Great Coastal Walk, as it's called, since childhood. So we hopped on the train hoping that her childhood recollections would resurface accurately and we'd manage to get there in a timely manner. Thankfully, one train switch and a bus ride later, we were deposited along the sandy coastline of Bondi (pronounced BON-die not BON-dee).
Before making the 2+ kilo hike, we wandered through the mini street market next to the bus station and then grabbed a quick lunch at a fish and chips joint (where I promptly lost my sunglasses). There's nothing like fresh fish salted and deep-fried to order and eaten while overlooking the ocean. Make no mistake, I will be back.
Nourished and cameras at the ready, we began our march along Bondi's boardwalk. The coastline alternates between small cliffs and beaches with the beach often tucked up into the shoreline and bordered by cliffs on both sides. The coastline is also fairly rocky and the waves crash beautifully against the massive boulders. We took our time, stopping often to take pictures and cheer on the surfers dotting the water while wishing for warmer weather so we could brave the water, too. Standing there on the little cliffs overlooking the ocean, watching the surfers skim effortlessly over the water and the waves racing in from the ocean and slamming mercilessly into the rocks, made me stop for a moment and think----of The Little Mermaid. (That is actually the first thing I thought of. Disney, look what you've done!)
Honestly, though, what exactly is it that makes one want to wax poetic when encountering the ocean? It must have something to do with the sheer size of it. Miles and miles of blue-green waves rippling towards an endless horizon. It somehow flings your own insignificance directly into your face while simultaneously creating an indelible sense of awe and wonder. The deafening waves and battering winds may cause anxiety or fear, even, while the gentle lap of the waves against the beach or a sinking sun reflected across the surface can bring such peace. It is certainly a place of beautiful contradictions. Perhaps one day I'll be able to afford the six-digit price tag on a house by the sea and have the luxury of looking at it for as long as I wish.
Until then, please check out the photos I took on our trek. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2043363&l=e4de9f3678&id=66600965

More pics!

As promised, I've finally created a photo album on Facebook for most of the pictures I've taken so far. The majority of them are of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge (of course!) but it should give you a general idea of what the city looks like. The link is pasted below. Leave a comment if you have any trouble viewing it.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2043321&l=dab307ece3&id=66600965

Home Sweet Home

Hey guys, here's a short video clip of my room at McCredie House in case you're interested in exactly where I'll be living for the next year. I actually just changed rooms from the one I was in originally since it's a bit quieter and more private. Sorry the video quality isn't the best...it didn't upload with the quality I was hoping it would. Anywho, enjoy!

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Take a look at Sydney

 Video 1: Leaving the airport

 Video 2: At the opera house

Video 3: First sighting of the opera house on the way in from the airport

Video 4: More opera house and Harbour Bridge

Say something!

"Oh, and this is our new resident, Mum. She's American! Listen to how she talks. Quick, say something." This is how one of my boarders introduced me to her mother today. Needless to say, having an American resident living in their house is something of a novelty to most of the girls at Abbotsleigh. Something as simple as saying my name, Ms. McCarther, starts off an immediate reaction--all of the girls repeating after me and taking special care to emphasize the hard "r" in the middle. And just yesterday, some of the boarders came up to me to verify whether it was "America" or "Americar" as some Australians are apt to say. I've even made a deal with one of the girls that in exchange for teaching her how to talk like an American, she will teach me to speak like an Aussie.
The "language barrier" really is quite small, though, here in Sydney. You're more likely to hear the infamous Crocodile Dundee accent out in the bush than here in the city. Most of the Aussies I've come across sound far more British than what's portrayed on American television. Still, it's an infectious little accent and even in the week I've been here I've noticed that the cadence of my speech has begun to change and words like "out" have started to sound more like "eowt." Part of it has to do with the fact that I spend a good amount of hours in the office each day chatting with my fellow residents and boarding directors all of whom are Australian. And of course, you hear it on television and on the train announcements and at uni and suddenly, hearing yourself talk sounds foreign and abrasive and you unconsciously began to change your "r's" to "ah's." The American accent really does sound harsh when up against the softer Australian accent. I'm trying to avoid sounding too Australian, though, as then people might assume that I know more than I actually do.
I've also started to pick up more of the Australian lingo. Things like doona (comforter), jumper (pullover/sweater), pram (stroller), and biscuits (cookies) are all slowly filtering into my vocabulary. Not without a bit of comedy involved, of course. I mean, doona sounds like some kind of animal, doesn't it? I definitely wouldn't want one on top of my bed and certainly not to sleep underneath!
So far, however, my biggest mistake hasn't involved language so much as a little part of our American culture--sororities. I made the mistake of telling the girls that I was in one in college. This information was not given out freely; a bunch of boarders had seen The House Bunny and wanted to ask a real, live American if the sorority life depicted in the movie was accurate. In explaining just what sorority life entailed, it slipped out that I was a member of Alpha Xi Delta. It simply snowballed from there. The next thing I knew word had spread to the year 7 and 8s that a real sorority girl was living on their campus and speculations were being made as to whether or not I was also a cheerleader (they don't really have them here). Because, of course, in the movies all sorority girls are also cheerleaders. Now, whenever I see a year 9 or 10 girl, I'm greeted with crossed pointer fingers and a pointed pinky (the "Xi" sign) and exclamations of "Alpha Xi Delta!" I'm attempting to convince the boarders to create their own sorority for McCredie House but, seeing as they're all teenage girls, I'm sure their enthusiasm will fade over the next week. (Let's all hope!)

"Sales tax? What's that?"

On my second day here in Australia, me and my new roomie, Michelle, headed out to Hornsby to do a little shopping. Me, for some toiletries and furnishings and she, for a new belt and a gift for a friend. (Hornsby is located two train stops from where I live in Wahroonga so it's a pretty short distance.) I was very excited; first, because I was venturing out into Sydney with someone who actually knew where she was going and so there was no chance of getting lost and second, because it would be my first time experiencing commercial Sydney. Aside from the billboard advertising a Target I saw on the drive in from the airport, I had no idea what the Australian shopping experience would entail.
While purchasing my ticket from the automated vending machine at the train station, Michelle asked me what I thought of Australian money. For those of you who have never seen Australian currency, it is very colorful. All of the bills are different sizes (they get bigger as the amount increases) and each one has a plastic see through emblem in the corner for security purposes. It doesn't really feel like paper either. It's very smooth, almost like wrapping paper. I had an American twenty in my wallet that I hadn't yet exchanged and she commented on how boring American money looked and how it felt like paper, like nothing at all. And she thought it was silly that we have a bill for $1 which is such a tiny amount. (They don't even bother making 1 cent coins.) The bills in Australia start at $5 and go up from there. Any smaller amounts ($1, $2) come in the form of coins. It's so eye-opening to hear what other people think about things we don't bother to think about at all.
The first thing I spotted before hopping off the train at Hornsby was a massive red sign advertising a Westfield shopping centre.  Yes, Westfield shopping centers have made their way across the globe to Australia. Or perhaps they were here first? It's certainly possible as Michelle said you can find them all over and they're all massive. Regardless, the three story monstrosity looming in front of us would have made any American consumer proud. There is no doubt in my mind that if Michelle hadn't been around I would have found myself aimlessly wandering yet again. I think even she got turned around a bit and she shops there  often.
The three floors of stores (connected by an indoor walkway to another three floors) offered a range of products, services, and shopping experiences. There were ritzy high-end stores, exclusive boutiques, general stores like Target, and a little store called The Reject Shop (fantastic, right?). After popping into Kmart (I'm not sure if it's the same one from the states) for a few items (I was pleasantly surprised to see that they carry most of the same brands and products as in the states), my next stop was, of coruse, The Reject Shop. Despite its name, the store is actually a bargain shop (like Ollie's, Big Lots, Family Dollar) and not a store full of discarded or poorly made items. Perfect for a grad student on a limited budget.
It actually wasn't until I had finished purchasing my items at The Reject Shop that I realized the price listed on the items was the price I paid for them. There was no sales tax! I wanted to make sure I hadn't just walked away with items I didn't completely pay for so I double-checked with Michelle. She immediately responded, "A sales tax? What's that?" I explained how our greedy American government just can't get its hands on enough of our hard-earned money and so adds a little extra to our bill every time we purchase something. Naturally, she was horrified. She assured me that the Australian government would never do such a thing.* Good to know, as now I can shop guilt-free knowing that not only will I only pay the price posted, but also that the exchange rate is in my favor (for the time being).

*Okay so maybe I exaggerated slightly. There is a sales tax in Australia. It's just that it is already factored into the price of the product you are buying. So the $3 you see on a package of biscuits (cookies) is exactly what you will pay because the government has kindly added the tax in beforehand.

Tour of Sydney

I finally got my first good look at Sydney. The International Student office at Macquarie has kindly arranged several day trips for the international students in the week before classes begin (Aug. 2). So I decided to make good use of the free walking tour of Sydney that was offered on Tuesday. It included all the highlights of Sydney: the Opera House, the Royal Botanical Gardens, the Queen Victoria Building, Town Hall, the Rocks, (don't be deceived--the Rocks are not a large pile of artfully arranged stones. It's the name of the oldest area in Sydney first settled by intrepid explorers), in addition to a couple of random stops like the Channel 7 building and the Sydney Hospital. The first stop, of course, was the Sydney Opera House. 
I must admit, seeing the Opera House in the flesh was such an experience. I've seen so many pictures and video clips of it over the years that you almost forget it's a real place and not some fanciful drawing on a postcard. We stepped out of the train station and it was just---there. Right in front of us. Rising off the edge of the harbor and blossoming into enormous white sails. It was like being in Paris and seeing the Eiffel Tower for the first time, or St. Paul's Catheral in London. So, yes, I've officially had my first "tourist moment" in Sydney. I plan to go back once it's a bit warmer (and sunnier) to have another look at it. And maybe even see a show if I can save up enough on my meager pay.
The weather that day wasn't perfect--it was a bit chilly and we got drizzled on later--but it was a rather enjoyable day all around with my favorite stop being a Lindt cafe. (Yes, it is the same Lindt that makes those wonderful chocolate truffles I love.) It was actually a really posh little place because it's right smack in the middle of downton where all the bigwigs work (one of the patrons was in a tux!) so I felt a bit underdressed in jeans. However, all was forgotten after I had my first sip of my Lindt hot chocolate. Heavenly!
The sights aside, the trip also gave me the chance to meet heaps (a very common Australian phrase) of other international students from all over--Austria, India, Holland, Finland, France, Germany, and of course some Americans, too, from Montana, Maine, New Jersey, and North Carolina. It's funny how we all kind of cling to each other since we're all miles away from home and all things familiar. It definitely makes adjusting to life here easier as there's nearly always someone to turn to.
Below are some pictures from the tour. My laptop is being cantankerous so I'm not sure when I'll get videos up, but I'll try and upload additional photos in an album on Facebook so keep an eye out for them!

Shots of Sydney

Looking towards Sydney from the Opera House

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There it is!!!

In front of Harbour Bridge

Representing the US, Austria, Finland, and France!

Me, Stephanie (Maine), and Linda (Finland)

It's Mac-QUARRY, not Mac-QWAIRY

Yes, it's true. I've unwittingly been butchering the name of the uni for all of these months. When I first arrived here and was asked where I was studying I eagerly piped up with an excited "Macquarie Unviersity" (pronounced Mac-QWAIRY) only to be met with furrowed brows and replies of "Never heard of it." Well, the lovely staff and and girls here at Abbotsleigh, politely informed me last night that the reason for the confusion was that I wasn't pronouncing it correctly. The first, I'm sure, of many language faux pas I will commit. But, anywho, on to the uni.
I had some trouble getting to campus for orientation as I live in Wahroonga and the university is in North Ryde. To get to campus, I have to walk to the train station, hop a train to Chatswood and then switch to another line to get to the Macquarie University stop. It's not as difficult as it sounds but I couldn't find the train station and then wasn't sure which train to get on once I got to Chatswood. After some wandering around, I figured it out and feel much more confident with getting from here to there. I certainly felt like the struggling, lost newcomer but I suppose it's all part of the experience.
The campus itself is fairly large because in addition to it's academic buildings it has it's own research park and hospital. Thankfully, all the buildings I need are fairly close together and easy to find. I wouldn't say it's the prettiest campus I've been on as most of the buildings are concrete and brick and various shades of gray and tan. It is winter, though, so some of the trees are without leaves and the weather's slightly dreary and I have no doubt it'll look downright spiffy come spring (which begins in September).
The schedule for the semester is actually quite short. We begin classes August 2nd and then get two weeks off in September for spring break. Then more classes in October, exams begin in November, and we're out and on our way by Dec. 3. As a postgraduate I probably won't have any exams, just papers, so according to our Orientation guide, I'll most likely be done well before the 3rd, leaving me with plenty of time to get to know Sydney (and to keep you all well-informed).  :o)

Destination: Syndey, Australia

A good friend once told me that if I could conquer the self-checkout at Wal-Mart, I could conquer the world. Well, I may not have conquered it quite yet, but I have safely made it to the other side of it. I'd love to tell you that the journey was pleasant and uneventful and smooth sailing all around--an excellent start to this new undertaking. But, life is not easy, and getting from A to B never is and so there was a bit of trouble from the get-go. I won't bore you with all the details, so here's a quick summary of how it all went down.
First, my flight out of Ohio was delayed by two hours because the plane hadn't been upgraded to meet FAA regulations (or something, the pilot went on and on about whatever the issue was and I couldn't quite follow). Because of this delay, I didn't reach LA until 10:40pm to meet my connecting flight which was to depart at 10:35. By the time I raced over to the gate, my carefully chosen aisle seat had already been given away and I was stuck with a seat smack in the middle. Then, the automated "luggage loader" system, which loads the baggage onto the plane, broke down and the flight crew had to manually load the luggage for all of the passengers on the massive Boeing 777 which pushed our arrival time in Sydney back a half hour. I survived the flight and made it to Customs only to be pulled aside by a Customs officer because my middle name had not been put into their system by the airline and so my passport had to be copied and verified. And then was pulled aside in Quarantine because the officers thought I was attempting to sneak a wooden picture frame into the country. (Yes, they have VERY  strict rules about what can be brought into the country since they are a massive island and a wooden picture frame could, of course, bring death and destruction to the entire population). Finally, I made it to the meeting area where after several moments of confusion and sheer panic a kindly old man from the university found me and took me to my driver.
I was surprised to discover that I wasn't the only Macquarie student arriving yesterday. There were quite a number of international students there to be picked up and while waiting I met William from France (pronounced "Gilliam), Matt from England, Leeann from New Jersey and a quiet couple from Germany. Since we were all assigned the same driver we had the opportunity to get to know each other a bit and then were unceremoniously deposited at our various accomodations around Sydney. I, of course, was droppped off at Abbotsleigh where I and my three suitcases half-walked, half-tumbled down the massive hill to Mcredie House where I'll be staying.
Mcredie House is a huge dormitory/house that houses about 60 9th & 10th grade girls most of whom I met yesterday. The dorm has its own kitchen, laundry room, two entertainment areas, and a computer lab and the suite I share with another resident assistant, Michelle, has its own bathroom and kitchen, as well. (Check out the video to see what it looks like!*) The girls were all quite taken with my "accent" and attempted to mimic me as I introduced myself. It was all very funny because I don't think I have an accent and was attempting to copy theirs. They're definitely a very energetic bunch, but sweet (so far) and I'm hoping that we all get along. If we don't, then the next 12 months are going to be VERY long!
So, I'm here, alive, healthy, and a bit chilly. I think I overestimated how warm 60 degrees is and my fingers have gone quite numb as I sit here typing this. Thankfully, my room has heat (it's heated through the floor which is odd but my feet appreciate it) even if the computer lab doesn't. Once IT hooks up my laptop, though, I'll be able to do this from the comfort of my room.
I realize this entry has gotten a bit lengthy so to make for easier reading I'll make a separate entry to briefly tell you about my experience at Macquarie.

*Videos probably won't be posted until Monday when IT has created an account for me, but they are coming!

Setting the stage...

I spent a great deal of time pondering over an appropriate first sentence for this blog. I couldn't quite shut off the voice of my college professor elaborating on the importance of "pulling the reader in" with that opening line , or how the success (or demise) of our piece weighed on that first phrase. (Somehow, writing our own "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..." eluded us for the entirety of the semester.) Well, thankfully, I've graduated and seeing as "blogs" exist outside the official genres of literature, I feel like I can breathe a little easier and take myself a little less seriously. The sole purpose of this blog is to keep everyone informed of all that befalls me during my time "down under." I'm afraid there won't be any deep insights or intellectual rambling going on (although there may be a bit sprinkled about), just a log of my daily events. I'll do my best to be fun and engaging and I hope, in a way, we'll all be taking this trip together. So let's begin...

...The journey actually began about 6 months ago when I tenuously shipped off my application to Macquarie University only half-believing that anything would come of it. It was a good school and its program (Master's in Children's Literature) was considerably cheaper than those offered by its American counterparts. So I thought, why not? I could save money, get my Master's and have the opportunity to live abroad for a year. What's not to love?

To my surprise, less than a month later, I received an email congratulating me on my acceptance into the program. Check. Now how was I going to finance this little escapade? Fortunately, Macquarie is known for its terrific scholarship program, and within days I had submitted another application. This one to qualify me for the Macquarie University International Scholarship--a full-tuition scholarship awarded to international students in each discipline. Seeing as I was a Theatre major applying for a Master's program largely populated by educators and publishers I figured my chances were pretty slim. The fact that I wouldn't know the outcome of the scholarship until the beginning of June didn't help matters as I would definitely need time to arrange airfare and secure my student visa.

As the months passed by, my hopes of attending Macquarie were gradually pushed off the table and I started looking into teaching theatre stateside or perhaps finally putting my TEFL training to good use. And then, one day near the end of May (by this time I was dead set on heading off to teach in Brazil) I received another congratulatory email. This one telling me that I had received the scholarship and would need to accept by June 1st.

The next few weeks were a flurry of activity as I scrambled to re-adjust to the fact that I was going to Australia after all. Visas had to be applied for, tickets bought, housing arranged, paperwork filled out. Amidst the chaos was the additional issue of securing a student loan to cover things like textbooks and room and board. Having recently paid off my undergrad loans I was extremely hesitant (to say the least) about borrowing any amount of money.

So I did what any self-respecting, penny-pinching student would do, I started to look for a job. Granted I still had about a month and half before departing the country, but it wouldn't hurt to look, right? Well, it just so happened that my over-eagerness paid off as I came across an opening for a boarding resident assistant for a local girls' day and boarding school. In exchange for supervising the residents on the weekends, I would receive full room and board and a (very) modest weekly stipend. I actually waited almost two weeks before deciding to apply as I wasn't sure that I qualified. To make a short story shorter, I was contacted by the head of boarding two days ago and offered the position.

And that brings us to the present. With everything as settled as it can be before actually arriving and a little over three weeks until I climb onto a massive Boeing 747 for the longest flight of my life. (Actually, it's two flights but with a total flight time of 22 hours! Needless to say, I suspect there will be an alarming amount of sleep-inducing drugs in my carry-on).

Looking back over these past few months and the uncanny way in which everything fell into place, I can't help but feel a sense of peace. True, I am soon to head off into the great unknown to a country I know mainly from TV and movies. But I can't help but believe that someone knows exactly what He's doing. :o)