Cairns: A Trip to the Tropics

Well, folks, there's good news and there's bad news. The good news is that I had a wonderful time visiting Cairns (pronounced CANS) and can't wait to tell you all about it. The bad news is that I left my camera at the hostel on the second day of my trip and could only take 27 low quality pictures (thanks to my handy disposable) and no videos. Soo...what all this is means is that there will not be a video of my Cairns adventure forthcoming. I did take several video clips on the first and last day of my trip which I will put together for your viewing pleasure but I'm afraid it won't be as exciting as the videos I did for Melbourne or the Blue Mountains.
But, anywho, on to the trip!
(NOTE: Be sure to click on the pictures to get a larger view. I know some of the pictures, especially those taken with the disposable, aren't the best quality and are rather difficult to view in their smaller form.)


Day 1:
Monday was my traveling day so there's not too much to report. Thankfully, all went smoothly with my flight from Sydney to Cairns and somehow I managed to have an entire row all to myself.
The first thing I noticed when I left the plane in Cairns was the heat. While Sydney has been gradually getting cooler over the past few weeks (I have my heater on in my room as I write this) Cairns is still in the throes of summer weather. Actually, since it's the tropics it's basically always summer weather but, regardless, the heat and humidity were a welcome reprieve from the cold of Sydney.
I got to my hostel in short order, met two of my roomies and settled in as soon as possible as the tour I had booked would be at the hostel at 6.55 the next morning to pick me up.

Day 2:
I was up at the crack of dawn (6.00am) and had dressed, breakfasted and was ready to go by 6.30. At 6.45, I decided to wait outside on the steps of the hostel in case the tour bus showed up early. However, 6.55 came and went as did 7.00, 7.05, and 7.10. Finally, at 7.15 I frantically called Down Under Dive to ask where my ride was. I was politely informed that I was not being picked up but had to meet the boat at the Reef Terminal (wherever that was!) at 7.30. Apparently, the pick up time listed on my confirmation sheet was for the following day when I would be heading to the rainforest. Slightly frantic at this point (okay, maybe a slight understatement), I rushed to the front desk to get a map and directions. Much to my relief, I discovered the terminal was a short ten-minute walk from the hostel and that I would be there in plenty of time.

The docks at the Reef Terminal

The rest of the day was smooth sailing from that point (pun totally intended!). It was an absolutely gorgeous day, mid-80s with not a cloud in the sky,and perfect for a day out on the water. After being assigned a safety number and given my snorkeling gear, I settled in for our hour long ride out to the first reef. I spent most of the journey on the top deck taking in the endless miles of sun-flecked ocean and the hazy mountains slowly shrinking behind us. Standing at the bow of the ship with nothing but ocean in front of me, I  felt it, the "call of the sea." Finally, I could see why someone would leave it all behind to spend their entire life on a boat sailing the world.
We arrived at the reef around ten and, after patiently waiting my turn, I slipped on my fins and mask and slid into the balmy waters. I had never snorkeled before so it took a few moments to figure out how to breathe correctly and how to keep my already huge feet from knocking into each other. However, I quickly regained my composure, snagged a noodle and set off to explore.
I have seen my fair share of National Geographic films and Discovery Channel specials so it was a truly amazing experience to finally get up close and personal with one of the world's most spectacular natural wonders. Here I was swimming alongside parrot fish and brushing the tops of coral and peering into the insides of giant clams (some of which have been around for over 200 years). It took a good deal of concentration just to remind myself to keep breathing.

After our first swim, the crew provided us with an awesome lunch of fish, steak, prawns and sausages and then we headed to the second reef where we spent the afternoon. This time I made sure I was one of the first snorkelers in the water. This reef, unlike the first one, was much larger and hadn't suffered as much damage from the cyclone that happened earlier in the year so there was much more to see.

The second reef--if you look towards the top of the picture you'll see lighter areas which is where we snorkeled

Shortly after entering the water, one of the dive leaders asked me if I'd like a tour of the reef and I, of course, said YES! I was given a private twenty minute tour of the area and got to hold a sea cucumber and watch as he stuck his hand inside of a giant clam (which very quickly clammed up). After the tour, I went to the other side of the reef to do some of my own exploring and finish up my film. As I was methodically working my way around the edges of the reef, I felt something bump into my arm. I thought it was another snorkeler (we all kept running into each other), so I turned around so I could move out of their way. And who should I come face to face with but a jellyfish!! Yes, it was a rather small one and yes he seemed far more intent on strolling along than on killing me, but I did freak out nonetheless. As my short life flashed before my eyes, I frantically flapped my freakishly long fins and wriggled out of there as fast as I could. In spite of my terrifying encounter and being warned by the crew that it was sting ray season, I continued snorkeling and, thankfully, did not run into any other menacing creatures.


Holding some sort of sea creature...not exactly sure what, but it was harmless.

The rest of the afternoon was spent baking on the boat's sundeck and making up for lost sleep. All in all a fabulous, unforgettable day!

Day 3:
I was up again at the crack of dawn, this time knowing that there would be a bus to meet me at 6.55 to take me to the Daintree Rainforest and Cape Tribulation. However, in spite of my pre-tour preparations the previous day, once on the bus I realized that I had left my camera at the hostel. Depressed but not deterred, I decided to purchase a cheap disposable camera as soon as the opportunity presented itself. Our first stop on the tour was Port Douglas, a small oceanside town right off of Four Mile beach. There wasn't much to see here (although the beach was gorgeous) but it gave me the chance to buy a camera and a sandwich to eat later.

Four Mile Beach

Back on the bus, we began the trek to the Daintree Rainforest where the tour really began. We did a brief hike in Mossman Gorge, a beautiful region that is part of the Wet Tropics World Heritage area. The main attraction was the breathtaking views of the Mossman River, crystal clear and strewn with unbelievably large boulders it had gradually rolled down the mountainside. As if that wasn't enough to take your breath away, the lush, tropical foliage lining the river was alive with the fluttering of bright blue Ulysses butterflies.

Mossman River

As we continued on to Cape Tribulation, we passed miles and miles of sugar cane fields and the occasional banana patch (farm? plantation?). The difference in landscape and environment between Sydney and Cairns was incredible. Cape Tribulation is literally in the middle of nowhere--it is a secluded area in the middle of the Daintree National Park that is accesible by one road via ferry.We arrived around lunchtime and spent a little over an hour there eating and exploring the pristine beachline. Because it is so isolated and part of a World Heritage site, the beach's natural beauty has been preserved. As I sat on the beach eating my sandwich, I felt as though I had landed on my own little patch of paradise.



Beach @ Cape Tribulation

The tour concluded with an hour long crocodile and wildlife cruise on the Daintree River. Because of the warm weather, most of the crocs were staying cool out of sight, but we did spot one rather large female cooling herself on the riverbank.

Look closely at the center of the picture and you'll see Mrs. Croc. (Sorry for the poor quality, I'm afraid disposable cameras don't quite cut it)

Her mouth was wide open (apparently it helps them to cool down...I'm thinking she was hungrily eyeing a boat full of dinner) and I couldn't help but think what would happen to us if our boat suddenly sprung a leak. Aside from Mrs. Croc, we didn't spot much else. We did see a snake and a few tropical birds and that was pretty much it.

Day 4:
My flight didn't leave until 7.10pm so I had the entire day to kill in the meantime. I checked out of the hostel a little after nine and decided to spend the day wandering around Cairns. It's not a large or particularly beautiful city but it is right on the water and surrounded on three sides by mountains. I made sure to hit most of the touristy hot spots, including the Lagoon (a beautiful public pool right on the water's edge) and the Esplanade and even spent some time in the public library (it was hot and they had air-conditioning).

The Lagoon

I had a rather uneventful flight back to Sydney and but did get a pleasant surprise at the end of my journey. Thanks to our flight course on the way back, I was able to get a bird's eye view of Sydney at night all lit up. It was breathtaking getting to see all of the sights of the city, including the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House, from a brand new perspective.

So, there you have it, folks! Cairns in a nutshell. If anyone is considering visiting this corner of the world I would most definitely suggest a trip to the Great Barrier Reef. There's nothing quite like it.
Cheers!

3 months left...

Here are a few pictures of "my girls" as promised:

Thanks so much to all of you who have kept up with my blog. I promise to post again soon!
Cheers!

Livin' the Aussie Life

Yesterday, as I looked over my schedules for work and school, I became very frustrated. Here I was living in an amazing country (no, continent!) on the other side of the world and nearly all of my evenings were already full of classes and shifts at the boarding house. When was I going to find the time to actually go out and do anything? It really doesn't help that the majority of my friends are also residents working similar hours and it is often nothing short of a miracle to find days, especially on the weekends, when we are all free. I am beginning the last leg of my stay here in Australia and part of me feels as though I could've seen so much more in a one month visit than I will have at the end of my year here. (For those of you who have been keeping up with this blog, I'm sure you realize how ridiculous this sounds considering how much I've gotten to do, but bear with me and my little pity party...)
As I was bemoaning this fact to my fellow resident, Michelle, she countered with a surprising question: "Isn't this why you came to Australia? To live here?" It took me a second, but I realized she was right. I hadn't come to Australia solely to be a tourist. I wanted to experience the real Australia with real Australians. I hadn't come for a quick jaunt through cliched Aussie tourist traps but for the day-to-day grind with all of its simple routines and minute eccentricities. To see what the everday life of an Aussie is really like. To pick up random Aussie slang and become familiar with the local haunts and treasured hole-in-the-walls. To form friendships and listen to my 8th graders tell me about their lives in the country or explain that there is no such thing as a period in Australian punctuation, "it's a full stop."
Sure, I still want to visit said tourist traps and take entirely too many photos of the Opera House, but at the end of my year here, it will be all of the little experiences that will be the most meaningful. Instead of madly racing about attempting to squeeze as much as I can into these next four months, I need to simply let each day unfold for itself. For example, I got to watch my first dragon boat race last Sunday with no scheduling or spending on my part. I just happened to have a friend who had a friend who was competing and things just fell into place. I was able to experience a brand new sport and Aussie pasttime without having to do a thing.
Now, that's not to say that I'm leaving everything to chance. I did just book my fall break trip to the Great Barrier Reef several days ago and am eagerly anticipating my first snorkeling experience and subsequent trek into an actual rainforest. And I'm hoping to take a minitrip to Central Australia in June to see Ayers Rock and the Australian outback. But overall, I 've decided to just take it as it comes. Between homework and my thesis and work (and additional work at the Junior School), attempting to find time is almost a full time job in itself. And seeing as how my visa only allows me to work 20 hours a week, that simply will not do. :)
Cheers!

My new(est) room

As promised, here is a quick vid of my new room in Vindin House. It's funny, I've only been in Sydney for a little over five months and somehow I've managed to move three times already. Anywho, hope you enjoy!

Another openin', another show

Well, folks, after much trial and tribulation I have finally arrived back in Sydney and am gearing up for my final five months here. I had no idea that getting back to the land of Oz was going to be such an...adventure, but I did arrive in one piece and, ultimately, my roundabout journey worked out for the best. For those of you who missed out on the excitement here is a brief summary (comprised entirely of incredibly long run-on sentences):
I was scheduled to leave Ohio on Tuesday, Feb. 1st but because of the insane winter storm system that swept across the states my flight was cancelled and rescheduled for Thursday evening. I spent the next two days at home in a sort of limbo and then departed Ohio on Thursday at 6:25pm and landed at LAX a little after 8pm where I discovered that I was on a standby ticket for a flight that had been overbooked. To make a long story short, after sitting at the gate for about two hours, I realized that there was no way I was going to be getting on this flight so the kind people at Delta put me up at the Hilton for the night gave me three meal vouchers and $650 Delta dollars and put me on flight with Qantas flying out Friday at midnight. Incidentally, while at the gate I met another student flying to Australia who was also stuck for the night and who I hit it off with immediately and who I ended up spending the following day with sightseeing in LA. The Qantas flight that night went off without a hitch and I arrived in Australia on Sunday morning, three days after my intended arrival date.
So now here I am in my new room in the year 8 boarding house (Vindin) getting settled and reorganized and feeling slightly jet lagged. For some odd reason, in spite of my great fatigue, I keep waking up ridiculously early which is not helping at all with said jet lag. However, I am pressing forward (and not taking naps) and staying quite busy. Since I missed the entire first week of school here at Abbotsleigh, I have to make up all of my 32 hours for the fortnightly pay period in one week. Yeah. It's actually not so bad, though. Vindin is certainly a step up from McCredie. I'm only looking after 26 girls instead of 60+. The boarders actually listen to me. Bedtime is 9:15 and the house is completely quiet by 9pm. I have a ceiling fan, etc. etc. Basically, I'm very excited about working here for the next two terms. It also helps that I have a suitemate (Sarah from the states) so when ever I get lonely she's just a walk through the bathroom away.
Speaking of loneliness, I'm definitely not experiencing the homesickness this time around that I did the first time I arrived in Sydney. Knowing that I was coming back to friends who were excitedly awaiting my arrival made the whole transition incredibly easy. It's funny how we residents have created a litte surrogate family for ourselves since we're all away from home and living on our own. Working and living here would certainly not be the same without my support network.
The weather here has been quite pleasant (and a huge change from the frozen tundra of Ohio). Apparently, when I arrived on Sunday I hit the tail end of a week-long heatwave here in Sydney. It was in the 90s all week with 80% or more humidity and when you live in houses without air conditioning, let me tell you, it is not fun. Thankfully, this week it's going to be in the mid-70s and low 80s and I couldn't be happier. Not exactly beach weather, but I enjoy not being drenched in sweat from the moment I get up until sunset.
I will be posting a video of my new room in a few days (once it's been beautified) so keep an eye out for that and of course I'll be putting up regular updates, videos and pictures.
So fasten your seatbelts, ladies and gents, 'cause here we go again!
Cheers!

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!