Officially "Studying" Abroad

I have made it through my first week of classes! The educational system here is a lot different than at home. I only have the lecture class once a week for two hours but then there is a tutorial or lab along with each class and that is at a different time, and sometimes day, from the lecture portion. So instead of having a certain class every Monday, Wednesday, Friday (or Tuesday, Thursday); I have it three hours a week divided between two subsections. I've decided I like this better. The tutorials only have about seven or eight people in each and that's where you really get into the heart of the information. The labs are strictly for additional assignments structured around twenty people instead of seventy.

My favorite class is, and will be, Buddhist Philosophy. I was made for this class. My professor comes in full garb and the fact that she has to use a cane--since she has bad knees--makes her demeanor that much cooler. I want to be best friends with her. She has an almost-shaven head--which shows her commitment--and is probably one of the wisest---if not thee--wisest person I've ever met. And I've only interacted with her through class! She's witty and full of wisdom. And she's from the Midwest--Cincinnati actually!--so we're pretty much friends already; I hope she knows it. Apart from having a phenomenal professor, I'm so interested in Buddhism. We dabbled in it during senior year of high school but that was back when I was just memorizing my way through for the test and all I wanted was the next day to come. Although I still do that memorizing for tests business, that isn't the case when something really interests me. I enjoy the readings and lectures; I look forward to my Mondays now.

My other classes, seemingly insignificant to me now, are: Australian Popular Culture; Love, Sex, and Relationships; and Biological Psychology. They may not trump Buddhism but I still enjoy them. Biological Psychology is going to give me a run for my money but I really can't complain considering I lucked out with (hopefully) only having that one be my hard class. Australian Pop Culture will be a treat in of itself because I'll actually learn about the places I'll be traveling to, or traveled to, so I won't just see a majestic landscape; I'll know the story behind it as well. And within my class of about fifty or sixty people, only one person is from France and the rest are Americans! Love, Sex, and Relationships will obviously be a fun class and a lot of my friends are in it as well.

Aside from the class subsections, the grading is also really rigid. 50% is passing because of the such high distinction. And the average here would be a 74%. In order to get high distinction--equivalent to our letter grade, "A"--one would have to have something so profoundly written, that it could be submitted for an academic article. I guess I'll have to concede on my straight A's streak and settle for my passing marks. Totally okay with it. There really aren't little assignments either. In most of the classes, there's a huge paper, a midterm and then your final. My Bio Psych class only has two grades: 2500 word essay worth 35% of my grade, and then the final worth 60% of my grade (5% attendance). Pray for me people.

The weather has still been lovely and someone said the other day that it hasn't rained in about 60 days. I hope I didn't just jinx it. The lagoon that is hooked up with the ocean (you know, the one with the bull sharks in it) apparently floods when it rains a lot at one time. So, I really hope that I get to experience that at least one time here. The Australian Bondies claim it's one of the coolest things to see.

This week wasn't all classes, I did have some fun Wednesday night when a bunch of us went to a nightclub in Surfer's Paradise where the baseball team was having a fundraiser. It was a sporty theme so of course I was all about it because I could wear my running gear!

There was a free bus there and we were in the nightclub no more than two minutes and all of us had hit the dance floor. But after only a couple hours, my dancing legs got tired! The return bus was coming at 3AM and there was no way we were all able to make it to that time. We ventured to a bus stop only to realize when one came, that three guys were missing. So, Katie--being the great friend and wonderful person she is--decided she wasn't going to leave without them; all of them go to SLU with her. Me, being the great friend I am to Katie, didn't want to leave her alone. So we watched everyone board the bus while we sat to try and figure out where the three guys were. Our friend Pat stayed behind with us, too. Phone call after phone call, it was a lost cause (pun intended) as to where they were. Mind you, we're only wearing what we are in the picture above and it dips down to be about 62 degrees at night. Finally, another one of our friends Cody shows up and he miraculously gets them to the bus stop. But the next bus that comes is the wrong one. We find this out after getting a 10 minute lecture on how you have to enter the front of the bus, not the side like I did. I was only trying to hide Katie because she didn't have any money! My bad, Mr. Bus Driver.

Now, wait 15 more minutes for the next bus to supposedly come, but we weren't even sure if it was the right one for us. After 25 minutes, I couldn't wait any longer and suggested the people who lived on campus to just take a cab. So, them all feeling sorry because I was cold, testy, and wanted my bed, obliged and we hopped in a cab. We had to make a pit stop at beach housing first to pick up two people but then by 1AM, I was finally in bed. My fun of dancing prior outweighed my frustration with the end of the night so all in all, I'd say my first night out on a Wednesday night was a success. WHO AM I?!

Savoring Every Bit

When I was in Sydney, I had to keep reminding myself that I wasn't going to be there to study, and in however many days I would be leaving and going to the Gold Coast. Whenever I had to remind myself that, a little part of me would droop down and rethink my plans of studying in a smaller city. I now kick myself for saying that.

The beach is a 15 minute bus ride and most of my friends are conveniently located two blocks from there. The weather has been nothing short of perfect with mid 70s and only getting warmer. I've gotten some of my tan back after losing it a little from not being at work! We have an olympic-size pool on campus, which is also the view from my balcony (yes, I have a balcony), that has some great lounge chairs I will be occupying during "study" breaks. However, that is also where I endured my first encounter with biting insects. I was with three other girls and we all got bit by who knows what. It started stinging and then really hurting, then swelling and leaving a mark. My pain was gone after about five minutes but my friends' bites lasted for about two hours! Something is not happy that we were getting our tans on. Needless to say, every bug that lands on me I go into a chaotic, arms-flailing frenzy.

My campus is utopian wonderland. Everything is clean. We have a canal in the middle of campus that connects with the ocean and so there are bull sharks swimming in it. My dorm room has a balcony and a bathroom. There's "thinking" stairs that are purposely designed at an unusual depth and width to remind us to not get so bogged down on worrying about studies and stressful things; sometimes you can just think about pointless things. During that specific time you're walking down those stairs, you can just think about how awkward and strange the stairs are. Like, who thinks of this kind of stuff?! (haven't snapped a picture of them yet--I'll get back to you.)

The food--despite the chips and guac situation-- hasn't been horrible. I have to get used to the different kind of meat because nothing tastes like it does at home. Slowly but surely I'll acclimate myself to it but for now, I'm sticking with some vegetarian options along with pancakes and smoothies. There's also these cookies called TimTams that I'm helping keep in business with my consumption. When in Australia, right? I'll worry about the health and fitness schedule when I get snapped back to reality once school starts but for right now, I'm enjoying my vacation.

Orientation week has been full of new, exotic and memorable things. On Tuesday, I experienced my first hypnosis show and I'm forever changed. Me, being the adventure seeking and spontaneous person I've come to be, voluntarily went on stage to see if this Mark Anthony guy could hypnotize me. I really was open to it. And I can't describe the feeling I had when I really did feel like I was falling asleep after he touched my forehead. I couldn't undo my hands but I could open my eyes. (When you're in the process of trying to get hypnotized you have to squeeze both of those things so tight while only focusing on the hypnotist's voice)  Once the first task was given out, my subconscious didn't follow along so I could finally undo my hands and go to my seat. About ten were successful and they put on quite a show. In the end, I was actually glad I didn't get hypnotized because the ten did some embarrassing things...and they don't remember any of it.

At this point, the hypnotist said that "he had their noses."

(The video isn't uploading for some reason. If I get it to work, it'll be randomly in another post!)

Thursday night marked the start of Thursday Night at Don's, the tavern on campus. It was the Tight and Bright Party, the idea being to dress in neon/bright colors. As all of you know, I'm not big on the drinks, but I do like to dance so I would say that I had more fun completely sober than all the drinking peeps out there combined did.

It ended at midnight and had I not made my promise hours prior to attend the after party, my dancing butt would have danced right to bed but a promise is a promise and so I hopped on the party bus and headed to one of the nightclubs in Surfer's Paradise. We were all in for a surprise when no more than ten minutes into the bar, a little dance show ensued that involved two men, I hope I don't need to say more! Check another thing off my bucket list!

Hey, let's just all be glad I didn't get picked out of the audience! 

We danced some more and were home by 2:30am. I love living on campus but I do sometimes wish I was a little closer to the nightlife so that I wouldn't have to take a taxi back from being out, because the buses stop running after 11pm. It's really like a win some, lose some relationship here. But I'm definitely winning a lot more so.

Today was a little more up my alley since it pertained to the beach, travel plans and new tastings! It was Bondies at the Beach day where a lot of the Bond students hopped on the bus to go to the beach for a beautiful day of about 75 degrees. A couple of my friends and I walked up and down the beach instead of baking in the sun and it was just a nice leisure walk that allowed me to be thankful yet again for the opportunity to be here. (Auntie Dawn, I have yet to grab the perfect rock but no worries, I'm still on the lookout! The seashells sure outnumber the rocks.) I'm keeping up, as always, with my sunscreen. One of the chancellors here told us, in one of his speeches, that in a couple weeks the sun exposure will be so strong that you can get sunburn within 20 minutes and after 40 minutes, be sent to the hospital for sun poisoning/dehydration. I've got 45spf Neutrogena and 45spf Coppertone Sport so folks, I am all set! But don't doubt my ability to still get tan. You all saw me this summer. 

After the beach, we ignored the fact that we are going to be in bikinis for the next three months and splurged on some gelato and as a first taster here, I am forever changed. Can't believe there's stuff this good on Earth! Naturally, I got the caramel one and then also a cookies 'n cream since I couldn't just have one flavor.

After I got back on campus, I visited the travel agent here--in addition to the one in a mall (like, how do they expect us to study?!) and left with a stack of brochures and pamphlets of everything I want to do. I had my first strike of reality when I realized I won't get to do everything. I have to really sit down and weigh my options. I want to get so much out of this trip but I'm also not made of money. All of you have helped me infinitely more than I ever thought I was deserving of and it's because of you that I'm even able to do any of these trips (because Lord knows my minimum wage job would barely get me out of the airport). To say that your gifts before I left are well appreciated would be the understatement of my life. I jokingly said to all when I was leaving that I was going to go away more often because I liked the get togethers and chats we all had. I liked the feeling that I was an only child or something--dinner dates, chatting for hours, or some driving hours to say their farewells. So every time I get that gelato, or swipe my card for the bus, or plan my reasonable trips, you're all there with me; I think of you all; thank you all every night before bed and every morning when I still get to wake up in this beautiful country.

I won't do all my travel spots and through writing this post and sitting here and thinking about it, I'm okay with it. I've seen and experienced more cultured things in these past two weeks than I have in my 20 years of life. I have to appreciate whatever I can do because it's always more than what I would've been able to do had I never even come here. I have stories and enough pictures to last me a very, very long time. It's this whole notion of studying abroad that I'm grateful for; that I was able to pack up and leave home for four months and rely solely on the trust in myself to do it all. I'll fit some pretty cool things in within the next couple months but nothing can be as cool as saying that I spent my fall semester of junior year in Australia. That, in of itself, is priceless.

"We are torn between a nostalgia for the familiar and an urge for the foreign and strange. As often as not, we are homesick most for the places we have never known."

The Chips and Guac Culture Shock

When it came time to finalize my study abroad plans, the deciding factor really came to the culture shock barometer. How foreign was I going to look? Would I completely shut down and not know how to act in whatever foreign place I was in? Even though I'm acceptably fluent in French, I told myself I could always go there. I could do the Europe trip as an after college kind-of-thing; Australia called my name louder and I heard it loud and clear. Another plus was that there wasn't going to be that huge language barrier Americans always seem to act arrogant to in foreign countries. I got the accents without the "Huh?" or "Do you speak English?."

We were informed of certain differences between the Australians and the Americans. I knew there would be. They drive on the other side of the road and are leisure about every activity they partake in. They don't dance like Americans, I'll leave it at that. But I have told myself I want to pick up some of their lingo: "heaps" means a lot of something; "straight away" means right away; "top up" means to add to something (such as adding money to a bus card); "how are you going" is the normal salutation; "hen's night" is a bachelorette party. I just wasn't prepared to feel sometimes so stupid, and yet laugh so hard at the same time.

One of my best friends from home arrived on campus Monday and so to have a slice of home here has been fantastic. We're even in two of the same classes. Katie and I were at the cafeteria on Tuesday and none of the options looked appetizing so we adapted and ordered a couple of sides. Super excited when we saw guacamole on the menu. We then ordered our steamed rice, guacamole and chips. Anxiously waiting, the buzzer finally went off and the two of us strolled up to the counter to see this...

Stupid Americans. You think the lady in the cafeteria would have second guessed my order but I guess they see a lot more unique orderings than this. In case people are still confused, "chips" here are French fries and the kind I wanted are referred to as "corn chips" or "chippies."

We couldn't help but laugh and savor the moment when there was nothing we could do but that. We walked our American selfs back up to the counter and successfully ordered, this time, corn chips to enjoy.

A couple other things that have struck me as a culture shock is their Target here is so different! I would compare it to a K-Mart style with only a handful selection of things. They didn't even have ibuprofen or notebooks! So I don't have to worry about spending all my money there like I would at home.

Despite these little unique things, adjustment has been well. I'm going to be starting up classes on Monday and I don't know how much work I'll get done but I'm actually excited to have a structured schedule and get a move on with plannings of adventures!

"Traveling is not about leaving our homes, but leaving our habits."

Sydney: The Final Part

The thought of condensing my five days in Sydney into one blog post sent me into an anxiety-filled state so I went for the more manageable route of doing three parts. I hope you all were able to bear with me! As always, the best is saved for last and it just so happens my favorite day was our last day there!

When I was younger, my mom would beg and plead with me to wear a dress or fix my hair to take advantage of the curls I was cursed (ahem *blessed) with; but growing up with brothers and almost all boys on the block left me in a state of dirt, skinned knees and the furthest thing a mom wants her only daughter to be like. (I know you love me just the way I am Mom!) I think it's that childhood that gave way to me being a competitive and persistent individual when my reputation is on the line, I have to prove myself, or if there's a prize. The Amazing Race of Sydney proved to me no different for me.

The group split into teams of four--some stronger than others--and we were on our own with just: an unlimited public transport card for the day, the knowledge we had of the city from the past five days, and faith that we can recall all the information/facts/tricks we were given by our orientation leader from all the tours and talks.

Clue 1: "Prince Harry 'Wheely' likes to stop here for a midnight snack or a PEA. Come to this loo to complete your first clue."

This one was easy but getting there was another story. All the groups departed in separate directions and luckily my group was going the right way! We had to recall the route we took just three days prior to get to this little shack that we devoured our meat pies at. Through the park, over the bridge, down the stairs and past the boat harbour. My group arrived first to get our first challenge: one I was ready to take on a little too confidently. 

A makeshift table was set up with a loaf of bread, butter and vegemite. I was told by many that I had to try this Australian food spread just once--it's a staple here. I sat down ready to go and too confident to use the butter as a diffusion of the vegemite taste--badddd idea. Before I even had the whole first bite in my mouth, my taste buds were screaming. The best I can compare it to is dirt mixed with soy sauce and shoe polish. Half way through, I became coherent again and spread about half the tub of butter onto my bread to finish off the job. The worst of this? I had no water bottle to wash the taste out of my mouth for some time. But it doesn't matter because I'm still haunted to this day. 

Before the tragedy of biting into it. 

Adding that butter.

 We completed it and were given the next clue. 

Clue 2: "Find a PLACE that SUITS you to get your face on AUSTRALIAN BREAKFAST TV. You may see a WOMAN IN RED as you head to this task." 

This one called for us to go all the way back near where we were before and head to the CBD (Central Business District). We weaved through a garden that debatably cost us some time but we came out on the other end and spotted Christian waving his arms across the street. Running toward him, we spotted a red paper instead of blue.

Road Block: "Bank (punny because there's a lot of banks around) on your photography skills."

The four of us had to run around and take pictures in front of three bank signs, which aren't as conspicuously marked like the States' ones. The locals, being the friendly people they are, obviously were willing to take our pictures but they were convinced we wanted multiple of the picture in different angles. And there's no telling them "no, that's okay." So we had to sit for a couple pictures of the same sign! 

Just one of the banks.

Clue 3 was lost in our frantic runs to and fro things. 

We hopped on the train and took it to Bondi Junction in search of a pizza place that we needed to ask an Arthur for our next task. Our clue had slice as the clue and so we walked (ran) up and down streets trying to find this place, possibly called "____ Slice." Thankfully one of my group members looked up at just the right moment to see a sign that read: "Arthur's Pizza." We bolted and went to go inside for our clue when a man we had never seen before said "wait, wait, you're looking for me!" We bypassed any road blocks and challenges and were given our next clue immediately. 

Clue 4: "Travel down the indigenous trail, a SWIFT move to a square, your next task awaits you where the gays play the rainbow flags and your genders may sway."

We were stumped until finally a local overheard us discussing transportation options and helped us when we gave her the clue. It's called Taylor Square and it's known as the long strip of places where nightclubs, drag shows, and awesome places are, and a lot of gays and lesbians congregate under the rainbow flags. We bussed it the twenty minute ride and spotted Christian on the corner of a busy intersection. All four of us continued to bolt near him and we were given our next task of someone having to dress up in drag and sing a song. My friend Pauline immediately volunteered and we put on quite a show for all to see. 

Clue 5: "You may well of painted the town red, but you'd need to be pretty as a PICTURE to get attention here."

The Art Gallery of New South Wales was our next destination. This time, we took side streets and angled ones, trudged up steep hills and pushed through the pain of having some blisters (sorry Natalie!). We met another TEAN representative who had a game of cricket set up which required someone to knock off the stick on the top of other sticks. I laughed at my ignorant way of describing the game so hopefully within the next couple weeks I'll be able to rephrase that! Down went the stick and we were given our final clue.

Clue 6: "Make sure you SING for your supper at this HOUSE with a view. So, SAIL on over to the house on the SANDSTONE cliff made of CLOUD. Climb some stairs and we'll be waiting."

Here we come Opera House! It was petal to the metal and I wasn't giving up until I was out of breath and feeling like I did everything I could have. We rounded the bend to the view of the Opera House stairs and the end was near. As my team ran closer, we saw three guys sitting up there already and so our hearts sank a little lower in defeat but we still finished it, and what a surprise we had! The boys had actually taken a taxi! to the finish line and so since that was against the rules, they were automatically given a penalty and we were declared the winners! Had they not taken the taxi, we would have been in a dead heat with them for first place but I guess we will never know what it would have come down to! 

Everyone who completed the Race was given lunch at the Opera House Cafe with waterfront views of the Harbour Bridge. Us, being the winners, are given a gift certificate to eat anywhere of our choice here on the Gold Coast for dinner! I'll take it! 

We took a ferry back and got to have the full view of everything from the other side.

After the forty minutes back to dry land, we trekked back to our hotel and immediately got ready for the Harbour Cruise dinner. I had to shake my tomboy look and actually look presentable so Australians didn't label me as a scum American! We arrived early for the cruise ship, which didn't leave until 7:30pm, so we hit up the bar right by the Harbour called Bungalow 8. Music, friends and laughs were all I needed--and that's what I got.

My roommate, Kristen! Finally a good one ;) (Hey George!)

The cruise was beyond amazing. We had a private room in the front of the ship so we saw all the views and got a private deck then to go outside and enjoy it even more. It was rainy and cold but that didn't stop any of us from getting the once-in-a-lifetime views and appreciating everything we have.

Probably my favorite picture to date. 

I wish I could post all 350 pictures I've taken from this trip but I'm sure none of you have the time to scroll down that much page, and these pictures just don't do it justice. Before I left, I had people left and right telling me that the things I will see can never be reciprocated into pictures. I would nod my head and agree but knew I was going to try my hardest to capture these moments (with the help of your camera, Dad!). And I thought I was going to succeed. But flipping through these, or the beach pictures, or even the architectural monuments makes me feel like a failure to that goal. I can't; I won't ever be able to capture these in lenses. My eyes are capturing every color and angle and light these magnificent places have to offer and I just want all of you to see all those things, too. But I've relented in my goal. That particular view above is the product of about 27 takes. While I won't settle until I get an acceptable shot, I won't sit here and critique that the lights are a little blurry in the right or that it cut off a little bit of the Opera House (okay, well I just did but you know what I mean). This experience is forever embedded in my mind. These sights and sounds and people are forever embedded in my life. I'm living. Like actually living. And I don't know that I've ever been able to say that in the confines of Chicago or St. Louis or Dayton. This is the life people dream about, what I've dreamed about, and it's finally mine.

The best orientation leader! Hey Christian!

The girls I roomed with in Sydney

Sydney: Part 2

Before I even had a Bucket List, "holding a koala" topped the list--preceding "going to Australia." Although I haven't physically held one yet, petting one can come in for the next best thing. Sydney has a law that prohibits people to hold the creatures because they are easily frightened and according to Christian, my TEAN orientation leader, "Sydney actually cares about its animals and Queensland doesn't care about a damn thing." Now that I'm in Queensland, I'll scope out around the area where I can successfully check that item off my now existent Bucket List but I'll still remember this moment for a long, long time.

As well as this one...

Told ya I'm stepping out of my comfort zone!

The snake didn't feel like I expected; it was leathery and a little squishy but not at all slimy. When it started wrapping around in front of me, I was ready to hand it back to the zookeeper and keep composure. Also while I was at Feathertail Wildlife Park, a kangaroo ate food from my hand and I saw a crocodile too close for comfort open its mouth to the width of my body and stand still looking right at me. I respectfully walked away with a little faster heartbeat. There were peacocks and colorful birds lollygagging around the park while penguins marched and macaws said "hello" to me. 

It's places like this wildlife park that make me realize everything seems just so much better in Australia. Or maybe that I just feel so much better. Like, I can hold snakes at Brookfield or Lincoln Park Zoo, or visit the bird cages and get a bird to say "hello" to me. But it's this new surrounding I'm in that makes it just so great--and feel so rare to me. I like that feeling. I like to feel like I'm allowed to let my walls down and be scared but push through it and just do it. I don't know that I would hold that snake in Brookfield or Lincoln Park Zoo. In fact, just last year I ran like a little girl out of a backyard because there was a garden snake when I moved a rock. That should read "like a little girl who hasn't quite learned a limit on her scream decibel." I regret nothing. 

We spent our time at that park and then moved onto the scenery of Sydney. Bondi Beach is one of the most iconic beaches in the world so you bet your bottom dollar I stepped foot in the water. It wouldn't be my life if it went without a casualty so of course I should have expected a little surprise. 

It was breathtaking and inspiring and majestic. The views were nothing like I've ever seen and the people there were even more inspiring. Taking wave after wave and getting up each and every time; they love what they do and persist until they're satisfied. You can tell in their demeanor and speech. They're happy to be here and they're willing to help you with anything--directions, suggestions for restaurants, cheaper alternatives. I may or may not politely ask them to repeat what they've said so I can hear their accent more. 

I took on the public transportation (they're big on this, not many have cars) for the way back from Bondi Junction and I have to say I've never sat in a cleaner bus (in my three total trips on the CTA in Chicago). Or been in a cleaner city for that matter. Sydney really does a wonderful maintenance on their big city. We even saw store owners shampooing/power washing sidewalks. It's a friendly city as well. Almost all of the restaurants/fast food places have seating outside that connects with the inside, like a constant flow of conversation. But it does make for a cold seating experience if it's a little chilly out because there really aren't doors, just wide open space with fresh air. My kinda town. 

The best has yet to come! Wait for part 3! 

Sydney: Part 1

It has Begun!

If ever I doubted my feelings on flying before, this trip surely validated my hatred toward the “high in the sky” experience.  From home to LAX wasn’t horrible, but it was a tease compared to my Sydney flight and for that, I was miserable. We landed in LAX after four and a half hours and I then high-tailed it to Qantas gate because I had limited time to catch the connecting flight but made it with more than enough time to scope out and correctly guess fellow TEAN participants (with also making new Aussie friends). The airplane food was uneventful and wasn't eaten much by me. I caught a couple cat naps but no sleep was significant enough to help me pass time. We arrived at 7:30am--bypassing Tuesday, August 28th--and from that point on until about 2:00pm, was the series of unfortunate events. It was freezing when we stepped outside to wait for our bus. The bus driver dropped us off at the wrong end of the first hotel and we all had to drag our bags about a block to the entrance (mind you I have three rolling suitcases and a heavy book bag). We then sit there for twenty minutes because they can't figure out why we're not in the system. Oh, wait; it's because we were at the wrong hotel. Okay, commence dragging of the luggage yet again another block. That gets sorted out but then we can't find our meeting place to wait for the others to arrive from Fiji. The building was found and we pile into a meeting room we deem as the right one and park our butts down in anticipation--and severe hunger--to meet the other 26 people (there was 7 others who didn't go to Fiji, like me). Hours pass but finally we are shooed out of the (wrong) room and put into the right one by our Orientation leader, Christian (who arrived with the Fiji people). Everything became worth it when I stepped into the hotel we were staying in for the Sydney orientation and this was our view on the 71st floor...

Day 1 was capped off with a nice dinner by the Harbour where all 34 of us got to know each other more and shiver in the cold (it has only been about mid 60s here, low 50s at night). With the jet lag, I was asleep by 8:30pm and waking up by 5:30am--I think I'm done with that now though. Thursday morning we were up bright and early and until now, I didn't have a time to breathe! And wouldn't have had it any other way.

We had a city walking tour that led us to the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House. We were all trudging up a hill and almost simultaneously all looked up and saw the sight we had all waited so long to see, some of us our whole lives.

Everyone in my program -- The Education Abroad Network.

I feel like I've known these people longer than a week. We've connected and related; we've laughed and enjoyed. I don't think I could have asked for a better group of people to be here with. Or to have some scary experiences with also! Our walking tour ended with us CLIMBING the bridge behind us. Yes, it is 134 meters in the air--about 450 feet--and has roughly 1,400 stairs. We were harnessed in the whole time and wore jumpsuits. The climb took about three and a half hours because of the introduction and we stopped at a lot of points to appreciate the view. I was scared but pushed through it and it wasn't until I was off the bridge that I noticed my legs were shaking! I'm convincing myself it was the residual effect of the bridge and not my nerves. 

I stepped outside my comfort zone so many times within the first two days of Sydney. I tried crocodile (don't recommend it) and took on a big city without a map. I flew across the World by myself and survived a week without internet to communicate with you all! Won't happen again, I promise--I flew to Gold Coast this afternoon so I'm all settled in! I tried these new things with a new feeling in my heart and mind--euphoria. Sometimes I talk about moments when I just feel like everything is right in the world and I know that I am where I'm supposed to be, at that specific moment. I've had that feeling for a week straight now. I can without a doubt say these have been the best 5 days of my life and I've only updated you on the first 2 days so stay tuned for more on the Zoo, an Amazing Race and a Harbour Cruise dinner. 

A famous "meat pie." It's beef, peas, mashed potatoes and gravy in a pot pie. Not too shabby.