All Fun and Games

You know those certain things you experience which you struggle to find words to adequately describe them? That's how I feel about this weekend. It wasn't anything extraordinary, but it wasn't mundane. It was homework, laying by the pool, a rugby game and a night out. But it was just really, really fun.

Thursday was just a casual night out to the campus bar with my best of friends. We hung out in the dorms before, headed to an off-campus accommodation only to trek back because the bar there was closed. We didn't fret and just headed back considering it was only a five minute walk. Don's (the bar on campus) is a hoppin' place on Thursday and it's always filled with people I go to class with, as well as new faces. Bond is actually a really small school, compared to what I'm used to, so I can recognize a lot of the same faces day in and day out. We stayed there until about midnight and everyone went off to Surfer's Paradise but I headed back to my dorm. (My cheap self didn't want to have to pay for a cab later).

I came back and decided to check to see if my class schedule times were available for next semester, and they were! So, I stayed up until 3am figuring all that out only to get some anxiety over the thought that my registration time is on the last day and the last time slot. I decided to e-mail my dean and explain the situation of me possibly graduating early, needing specific classes, and being 15 hours ahead here; and that I might not have internet at the time of that registration either. I figured the worst she could say is "Sorry, that's just how it is" and I would be in the same position as I was. Well, I think my maternally-inherited Benson curse of "nothing ever goes as you plan, or want it to" is subsiding a little here in Oz because she responded with the best news ever! I quote, "This is not an unusual request, but it is unusual for the University to register a student - even when they are studying abroad. Kaylie, I will register you for your classes." HALLELUJAH! Thank you, thank you, thank you! I feel like the world is my oyster and I must choose wisely, so I'm revising my initial schedule plan and making sure I make the best of this opportunity. Stay tuned for my final decision on classes for next semester! 

Friday was actually the first lazy day I've had here. I literally laid in bed all. day. long. It was wonderful; I never do that kind of stuff! I never have the time to but here, I have all the time. (Especially when I ignore my homework due dates.) I caught up with some of my friends at home and then watched a movie later on with my friends here. Friends, friends, friends...I love it! 

Saturday I got to experience my first rugby game and gain a new appreciation to all my guy friends who played in high school. It's quite the work out from what I can see! I attended the World 7's series that had its start-off here. It will continue on to eight other countries, ending in May 2013 in England. It features 16 international teams delivering 45 matches over two days. But, it wasn't just about the rugby; this tournament has turned into a carnival-like atmosphere. That was apparent as soon as we walked up to the park and we were welcomed by bananas, gypsies, Avatars, pink ladies, and everything far and few between. 

We saw a couple of matches: USA v. South Africa; Samoa v. Africa; New Zealand v. Canada; Fiji v. Tonga; Australia v. Scotland. They were only about 25 minutes each so it always had us on our toes. We decided a couple minutes into being there that the high-up seats weren't for us. So, about twenty of us made our way into the second row of seats and met some pretty interesting people while chanting, "USA!" as well as singing "Living on a Prayer" and "Olé , Olé , Olé." But nothing tops the fact that we made it on the Jumbotron not once, but twice! I guess we really were making an impression, even in a stadium this large:

It was really hot, like really hot. And it doesn't help that I've also inherited the paternal trait of always being warm. I'm going to be running around in my bathing suit 24/7 when it actually turns Summer here. It's only about two weeks into Spring and it's high 70s, low 80s almost every day. Although, it did dip down to 65 degrees yesterday night and I got a hot chocolate...

  
It's hard to put into words the fun we all had here. It's like a big 10 football game mixed with a frat party, spiced up with a Halloween theme of America. It was the perfect day to distract me of the night/Sunday full of homework I had ahead and this week of midterms I have as well. Sometimes I really do forget that I'm "studying" abroad and not just "traveling/living/making friends/laughing/changing" abroad. Fortunately, the latter makes more memories than the former.