The Hard Part...

Cheers,

(NOW)
Sooo I'm slightly freaking out.  On Tuesday, June 25th (2 days!) I will be 21 and I will also be finishing my last exam which happens to be gut-wrenching 120 multiple choice Biology.
If I can recognize the answer out of a group of four, I'm golden, right?  That's like a guaranteed 25% by default.

The thing I'm most sad about lately is how baffled I am over the fact that the things that truly attract me back to America, though important...are very few in number.

Essentially, in exactly a week today, I will be 21 years old, a senior in college (officially), and leaving Wollongong around 8AM and Australia for good around noon.  For good, meaning I know I cannot visit here again.  JUST VISITING would be too difficult for me to relive and besides it's something I've already done.  If I came back, it would have to be with the intentions of living here for good.

BUT I WOULD BE LEAVING AUSTRALIA FOR ANOTHER GREAT COUNTRY - NEW ZEALAND!!!  How exciting is my current life.

I might get tackled to the ground by the U.S. government when I finally arrive home, but here goes...words from a purely innocent, experienced, and educated bystander:

Unfortunately, I've come to harsh realization that the minute I step foot onto American soil (a minute I will be dreading, mind you), I will know that current and exciting lifestyle is officially over. See, in America...everything is cheaper, more free, more chaotic, and you don't have to lift many fingers for a food stamp or two (that you're probably going to use to trade your underdressed kids' milk for cigaretts anyway).  But in Australia, the land of the overly priced things, people are more friendly,  you can rely on waking up in the morning with a promising day ahead of you (unless you really mess up for some dumb, probably intoxicated reason) and a smile on your face...AND if you are blessed with a pair of eyes utilize them to look around, what you see is beautiful any which-way you choose to turn.  Oh, and you get money for having babies (how cool is that!).  And even more money if you're a youth going to university from their generous government through Centrelink. AND, at the same time this is the number one country considered to reap benefits that ensure the "highest quality of living".


On that note,
(THEN)
My trip to the Great Barrier Reef/Byron Bay/some Brisbane was by far the most fun I've ever had.  I learned how to get around for 10 days with my necessities packed into a single bag, how to ward off strange men (look repulsively ugly, unapproachable, beastly, and pretend you're deaf), how to stay away from lion fish because they're venomous and if they squirt you the outcome could be fatal (did not learn that the hard way but came VERY close), that English boys are probably the craziest individuals you'll ever meet out of any other national background and it's probably safest to stay away from them seeing as how they'll never be sane or tame, hostels are the best/most generous and understanding places EXCEPT when you sneak drinks into them, and surfing is fun especially when you have old men push you into the waves once your arms get too tired from paddling all day.

Here are some pics, bottom line it was awesome and kayaking was amazing except when we had to drag the kayak all the way up the beach and it felt like a ton of bricks!  Pretty sure my back is still snapped in half from that little side adventure...

All of the above are from our Bondi beach to Coogee beach walk (so the beginning is Bondi, end is Coogee); I always believed pictures speak 1000 words so no need to talk about it!  It took 3 hours to walk though!  What a sweat producer... P.S. that's one of our Arcadia guides Kendal in the corner!

And now the first time we hiked up Mount Keira, which University of Wollongong sits right on the base of, and it is QUITE the hike.  This first time we did it (Lauren, Erin, and ), it took us about 6 hours because we did it starting on the street (2 miles) without any sense of direction or communicating with anyone who has done it before, so it took so long.  We basically did a spiral up the mountain, about 10 or 11 miles of walking in total.  Here's some pictures!

I'm beginning to notice the time and I need to begin to study for my last final which is in 2 days!  Going to upload more pictures leading into the spring intersession trip, and will explain in more detail because I realize there are more stories that go along with it!

Brace yourselves!

Ta,

- B

North Gong Beach, Out on the Town, and Always A Home-Cooked Meal

G'Day Mates!

Today was pretty sad so far, because lately all I've been doing between the agony of studying for finals (I HAVE 5 (FIVE!)), I have been watching Game of Thrones (almost at the finale), running, and trying to figure out items I might sell/give away before I leave.  Barely any human interaction has happened lately... In addition, I just took down all of the developed pictures from home that I had hanging around my room.  It hit me hard afterwards that I really am leaving in a mere 18 days.

O-Week, which marked the commencement of UOW orientation was very exciting.  A full week of activities, festivals, meeting people, and the parties that occurred in the night that mentors had no knowledge of, only us new residents!  The festivals occurred near the duck pond lawn, I won a t-shirt from a skydiving company when I rolled dice and got them matching, and also free speakers and other stuff.  Our photos were taken in the IT center for our student photo ID's, and mine came out pretty good for once...maybe it was a sign!  Signed up for the ultimate frisbee and ski/snowboard club (which would only host parties for the session I wil be hear, the snow season I will end up missing...unless of course I decide to last-minute stay here forever).  Don't have to be too much of an active member to get notification emails about upcoming events and parties!  Took a picture with Erin where I wore full snow gear and went on her shoulders, it came out hilarious and people would vote on it later in the year for us to win some gear, a set of ski's, or a snowboard.

SO many people have dreadlocks as a hairstyle here, I love just observing people and not to generalize but they typically seem the most down to earth and just good-natured people.

At the beginning of Uni, I started having a problem with my eye and I think it was irritated from the sunlight/sand from being at the beach a lot.  I went to the doctor, (paid about 60 bucks just for a consultation!) and turns out I had a Minor Ulcer there!  Was put on steroids and antibiotics and it was gone in no time.  This keeps coming back up.  One time last summer I played Ultimate Frisbee in Wildwood New Jersey with a makeshift eyepatch for a full 2 days because it was that sensitive.  I scored some points too!  It was quite the experience and test of my body's will-power and balance haha.

Orientation carried on per usual, but all it attempted to do for me was confuse me even more about what  I wanted to see and where I wanted to adventure to first/spend my hard earned work money on.  For example, there's a few 9 day/9 night excursions for spring break - New Zealand or Australia which both costed around 1900 excluding flights.  Too many options is the true problem!  I booked a trip to Blue Mountains for a weekend in March, which costed around 350.

During O-Week there was also an epic and massive pool party in UOW's olympic-sized swimming pool held at their recreation center.  There was a GIANT crocodile blow-up float that was an obstacle course you had to get through while people were constantly spraying a jet stream of water on your body as you went through, in effort to knock you off.  I got through 3 times and this little boy kept showing us up he was a master at it (who kept asking to cut in front of me, and of course I had to let him he was only about 5)!!!  I must have tried out this obstacle about 8 times it was addicting...I kept having to hold on to my strapless top in fear it would fall down but luckily all went smoothly.  Regret not bringing my camera for this one but it's probably for the best considering my camera is not waterproof!

On Tuesday nights, there's a mexican diner called Amigo's that everyone goes to for 3 dollar tequila shots and tacos.  Don't worry mom and dad, you cannot forget that it IS legal for your daughter to drink here; the same daughter who has obviously never had an alcoholic drink in her life before Australia!  Since my 21st birthday is on a Tuesday as well, and nothing else seems to be happening Tuesday nights, chances are we'll end up there!!!  Vegetarian/bean tacos to celebrate my womanhood yay!

Well it's getting late and this was just a quick break from studying, so I shall bring on the photos:

The stir-fry I made for all the roomies for dinner ONE night (can't afford more than ONE, sorry guys!)

North Gong Beach

The heavenly mediterranean pizza at Crust 

McFlurries Australian style - gotta have them!

One of the campus ducks that we have grown so accustomed to living with us and will be greatly missed <3

-B

The Wollongong Experience

Mateys,

So the experience in Wollongong has been far from both boring and normal.  Some of the locals are not the most endearing people you would want to meet, but the beaches are ideal for surfing!  Also, the Wollongong streets are not the most ideal places you would want to be after the sun goes down.  Sadly, I admit that I learned this fact the hard way, and have made the mistake more than once due to lack of funds for a safe taxi ride home.

In the day time, and from high up on a highway before driving down into the city of Wollongong, it is quite the sight to revel about:

Going for a quick run with Tilly but I'll continue this!  I've been running almost every day for about 2 months now, and lately her and I have been training each other...gotta be prepared for hiking and traveling all over New Zealand in t-minus 19 days!

____________________________________________________________________

Lately I've had a terrible cough for about 3 weeks, and when I laugh it gets worse and I go into this massive coughing fit.  Just realizing I may have to take a break from running, and Travis is scaring me thinking it could turn into pneumonia because I am also freezing all the time.  I've made it this far, body don't fail me now!

Anywhooo -
A few days after we arrived at the university, as no one else has moved in yet except other foreign exchange students, I went to North Gong beach.  There's barely an O-zone layer here, and it feels like 90°F every day!  BEAUTIFUL.  My kind of weather.  Over the course of these four months, I've been burnt so bad I got sun poisoning and have been sick to my stomach.  Sometimes my whole forehead would peel off, yet I can't seem to stay out of the sun it's almost as if I have heliophilia.  Don't get me wrong, I wear sunblock but the word "sunblock" is a misnomer and only works to an extent anyways.  Good thing I'm part Native American and have an olive colored complexion that burns but turns to tan the following day; woohoo!

One of the best people I've had the pleasure of meeting in Australia is Mariah Gardner!  She's so interesting to talk to and just so knowledgeable and inquisitive about life in general (obviously I'm good at describing people haha).  She is one of Erin's great roommates and the first time we met her was right when we came to move into Wollongong University.  She was so excited about everything and I still haven't even gotten my room assignment yet as I was waiting for a mentor to come back with the key - so Mariah, if you're reading this I'm sorry we were nearly DEAD from exhaustion that day!  So the first impression was great and definitely reflected what we'd all be in for together for the next four months!

Erin, Mariah, and I went to Cairnes, Brisbane, and Byron Bay together during our spring intersession break and have THE time of our lives!  More about that later, but anyways one of the first nights we hung out Mariah had her friend Rachel over and we were discussing how they are in a band together called Purple Sheep!  Check them out on youtube, follow the link below if you'd like - their great song Shadow is soo good.  Mariah is the singer with short black hair on the right side of the screen (she now has red hair though)!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NaL5XrOsN_A

The band even had a dress rehearsal at the Sydney Opera House the next day after we all hung out, where they played that week!  How cool is that, what an honor.  Mariah is dating the guitarist who is always over their apartment and his name is Llewellyn.  He has an identical twin who is the bassist and also Rachel's ex-boyfriend.  Crazy intermixed group, hey?!  (They say hey I learned the same way that Americans tend to say "Right?", suggesting the other conversationalist to state whether or not they agree with a statement that was just made).

That night we all ended up watching Ted together and Mariah made her homemade nachos and salsa from scratch (she's always cooking something!).  We all sat around and talked about Australians and Americans and the differences between them.

Here's some examples:
- One of the questions Mariah and Rachel asked was: Do Americans really say "Hey, I'm walking here?!" in the mean voice we see in movies?
- One of my questions for them is what is the cost of Uni for Australians?  By the way, the government really takes care of the students and their people here, they only pay half the price school costs in America, and they are given that money through "hex".  In addition, they are given more if they wish to study to be a lawyer or doctor.

So the place I have to call home for the next four and a half months of my stay is called "Kooloobong" and its on campus.  There were other options, off campus, and they would require you having a meal plan, but I prefer to cook for myself and be close to campus with a tight-knit community and still have quiet time to do my studies!

Here's some photos of the apartment, Unit 14!

An old storage room where the past exchange student painted creepy messages...

 

Till next time,

-B