Yesterday we walked down to the square for a little grocery shopping. It was nice to get out for a bit. The walk back up the hill was not all too pleasant though. It is a killer walking up the hill (more like mountain maybe) to begin with but we were all carrying groceries plus it started to sprinkle. On the positive side it was nice to get some exercise and the rain helped cool us off.
When we returned, we went our separate ways to work on whatever we needed to do. I ended up taking a nap because I was exhausted. Later we reconvened and caught a bus into town.
The purpose for our second trip into town was to attend the lantern parade that Lismore puts on every year. We had no idea what to expect; none of us had ever been to a parade at night. We walked around for a while looking at the different booths and goods for sale. Around 5:30, when it was starting to get dark, we found a spot to stand and watch the parade. It was brilliant. Lismore Lantern Parade is an appropriate name because that is exactly what it was. Instead of having big floats or large balloons like we have at our parades, they made these huge lanterns and had them lit up. The shape of the lanterns varied greatly; anywhere from a person to an animal to a building and so on. As in our parades there were people walking with signs showing the organization or group that had created the lantern. It was a sight to see.
When the parade was over, everyone followed the lanterns down to the lake where there was a fire show including dancing. Then there was a firework show. We were not able to see very well from where we were standing so we decided to return to campus.
Once back we decided it was time to make supper considering it was 9:00 PM. Garrett and Shaughn graciously offered to make dinner for us. They made pasta and garlic bread. It was magnificent and we were all starving so we devoured it and had to make a little more. We spent the rest of the evening watching "How I Met Your Mother." At one point we made some hot chocolate out of Milo. Milo is very popular around here and can be compared to Hershey's Cocoa powder. Then it was time for bed.
Today was another lazy day. Nicole, Emy, and I got up and did the work out insanity again. It was awfully wonderful if that makes sense at all. Then we took our homework outside to sit in the sun for a while. Anytime we can soak up the sun, we try to be outside. The sun has gone behind some clouds and it is getting chilly so we are once again indoors.
I still have some reading I need to do and then I will have to practice my guitar. Later we are meeting up at Emy's to make some rice and beans for dinner.
Tomorrow is the beginning of the second week of classes. I hope to find more of a routine this week and maybe find my place here.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Thursday, June 23, 2011
It's Friday, Friday, Friday
Nothing eventful really happened on Wednesday. I spent a lot of money buying books, but other than that we just had a relaxing day.
Yesterday, Thursday, Nicole, Emy and I decided to start this work out called Insanity. The name describes it perfectly: insane. We were all dead by the time it got over, but it was a really good work out so we are going to keep doing it. It is such an intense work out we are only going to do it Thursday and Sunday mornings. The other days we plan to go for walks or do other physical activity.
Thursday afternoon I had a tutorial. It wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. I think I am really going to like my teacher. Yesterday's lesson was all about using an Interactive White Board so it will definitely be a useful class for me. Class didn't get over until 5:30 and then I had to trek up the hill.
By the time I got back to my flat, it was Toga time. Nicole and I went over to Emy's to get ready. The theme was Jungle Toga. Nicole was a jungle cat, Emy a bird, and I was a snake. We hung out with Emy's roommates for awhile then we went over to this other place to play games. Finally it was time to go to the actual party. Once we were there we had a lot of fun, even though it was really cold and there is not much to a toga.
Today I don't have class or anything I really need to do. I get to Skype with my dad in a little while. Then Austine and I are going to Skype. I really hope it is working today. After all the Skyping is done, Nicole, Emy and I are going for a walk. The rest of the day will be a lazy day.
Yesterday, Thursday, Nicole, Emy and I decided to start this work out called Insanity. The name describes it perfectly: insane. We were all dead by the time it got over, but it was a really good work out so we are going to keep doing it. It is such an intense work out we are only going to do it Thursday and Sunday mornings. The other days we plan to go for walks or do other physical activity.
Thursday afternoon I had a tutorial. It wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. I think I am really going to like my teacher. Yesterday's lesson was all about using an Interactive White Board so it will definitely be a useful class for me. Class didn't get over until 5:30 and then I had to trek up the hill.
By the time I got back to my flat, it was Toga time. Nicole and I went over to Emy's to get ready. The theme was Jungle Toga. Nicole was a jungle cat, Emy a bird, and I was a snake. We hung out with Emy's roommates for awhile then we went over to this other place to play games. Finally it was time to go to the actual party. Once we were there we had a lot of fun, even though it was really cold and there is not much to a toga.
Today I don't have class or anything I really need to do. I get to Skype with my dad in a little while. Then Austine and I are going to Skype. I really hope it is working today. After all the Skyping is done, Nicole, Emy and I are going for a walk. The rest of the day will be a lazy day.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Guitar Lessons???
Day two of class. It was a long day today!! I had a four hour class this morning which was Music and Children. In that class we will learn how to incorporate music into a classroom. I took this class because I know how important it is to have all kinds of education in the classroom. However, when signing up for this class I didn't know that we were going to have to play guitar and sing! What a surprise that was. The assessor said that it is not how well we play or sing, but rather how much we improve and how confident we are. This means that I am learning how to play guitar this semester!! We only have ten classes so I do not expect to be very good at the guitar, but I already know 2 chords so I am learning. I will definitely have to practice though.
After my Music and Children class I have to got straight to my Outdoor Education lecture. It was a little bit boring today because we just had to do some organization stuff. The class is only 50 minutes though so it flew compared to my four hour class. We talked a little about the trips we will be taking. The first one will be in week 3 so it is coming up fast. That will only be a 3 day trip, but it is not far from here. We will be doing a high wire course, a zip line, and other activities. Everything is already planned out for us and there will be teachers along. On the second trip, we will be gone for 4 days. We do have to travel a bit farther for this one though. This trip will be planned by the students though. We will be in smaller groups and have to decide where we are to go and what to see. Teachers will not be with us, but we will have contact with them via radios. This final trip is part of our test for the end of the session. It won't be until week 12 I believe.
Then I had an hour break before my Outdoor Education tutorial. This class is just a time to have smaller groups so we can practice skills and ask questions. We dove right in today and started learning how to read a topographical map and use a compass. It wasn't hard, but we have a lot to cover before our first trip.
Finally I am done for the day. There is a BBQ down at the Unibar so a few of us are going to go down there. Then there is an event at Tommy's so I am sure we will find ourselves there at some point tonight. Tomorrow my class has been cancelled already so I will not have anything planned. Hopefully I can make it to buy some school supplies and books.
After my Music and Children class I have to got straight to my Outdoor Education lecture. It was a little bit boring today because we just had to do some organization stuff. The class is only 50 minutes though so it flew compared to my four hour class. We talked a little about the trips we will be taking. The first one will be in week 3 so it is coming up fast. That will only be a 3 day trip, but it is not far from here. We will be doing a high wire course, a zip line, and other activities. Everything is already planned out for us and there will be teachers along. On the second trip, we will be gone for 4 days. We do have to travel a bit farther for this one though. This trip will be planned by the students though. We will be in smaller groups and have to decide where we are to go and what to see. Teachers will not be with us, but we will have contact with them via radios. This final trip is part of our test for the end of the session. It won't be until week 12 I believe.
Then I had an hour break before my Outdoor Education tutorial. This class is just a time to have smaller groups so we can practice skills and ask questions. We dove right in today and started learning how to read a topographical map and use a compass. It wasn't hard, but we have a lot to cover before our first trip.
Finally I am done for the day. There is a BBQ down at the Unibar so a few of us are going to go down there. Then there is an event at Tommy's so I am sure we will find ourselves there at some point tonight. Tomorrow my class has been cancelled already so I will not have anything planned. Hopefully I can make it to buy some school supplies and books.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
First Day of Class
Today was my first day of class. It is currently 10:22 in the morning and I have been done with class for an hour. It will be so nice only having one class on Mondays!! The class that I attended this morning was Mathematics Education I: something something something. It is definitely a class I need for my degree so that is great, but it sounds like it is going to be a lot of work. Oh well I am here to learn!
This class was really different than what I am used to. I walked into this bigish lecture hall and it wasn't even half full for class. There was a teacher in the room, but he didn't actually do the teaching. The actual teacher was at the Gold Coffs University. Lismore and another school watched the lecture on a live stream video. However, the lecturer will travel weekly to the different schools. So week 3 he will be in my class in Lismore and the rotation will continue throughout the session.
Another difference is the fact that we only have lecture once a week; I haven't decided if I am going to like this or not. Lecture is 50 minutes but then we also have a tutorial time. Mine is Thursday 4-5:50. I think this could be the equivalent of a lab. Most of the classes have a tutorial or workshop that go with the lecture even though they aren't science classes. And if there is not a separate tutorial time, the class is super long. I have one class that is 4 hours long!! Ahh.
Other than the slight differences I think this will be a great semester and a wonderful learning experience.
This class was really different than what I am used to. I walked into this bigish lecture hall and it wasn't even half full for class. There was a teacher in the room, but he didn't actually do the teaching. The actual teacher was at the Gold Coffs University. Lismore and another school watched the lecture on a live stream video. However, the lecturer will travel weekly to the different schools. So week 3 he will be in my class in Lismore and the rotation will continue throughout the session.
Another difference is the fact that we only have lecture once a week; I haven't decided if I am going to like this or not. Lecture is 50 minutes but then we also have a tutorial time. Mine is Thursday 4-5:50. I think this could be the equivalent of a lab. Most of the classes have a tutorial or workshop that go with the lecture even though they aren't science classes. And if there is not a separate tutorial time, the class is super long. I have one class that is 4 hours long!! Ahh.
Other than the slight differences I think this will be a great semester and a wonderful learning experience.
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Lazy Saturday
On Saturday there wasn't much going on so a group of us walked into town in search of fabric for togas. Next Thursday there is a theme party at the Unibar and the theme is Jungle toga. There is a fabric store named Spotlight so we all went there to find a toga. They had some pretty neat fabric. Nicole is going to be a white leopard, Emy is a bird, Shaughn got a cheetah fabric, I got one that looks like snakes, and after much debate and conversation, Garrett got an elephant print. None of us have been to a toga party so we are looking forward to this one.
We walked around town a little longer and then decided it was time to make the trek back up the hill. Along the way there is a lady who sells fresh vegetables from her yard so we decided to stop there. She was not home though so we will have to go back another day.
When we finally made it back we had a quick lunch and then decided to go outside for awhile. The sun was out and it was a really nice day. Unfortunately the sun sets really early here so we were only able to sit outside for about a half hour before it started to get chilly.
We returned to my room and watch youtube videos on how to make a toga. Again we had a lot of time to waste so we turned on the oven (for warmth) and just talked. Eventually we made some dinner and then got ready to go out.
People are slowly returning to campus so again we met many people.
We walked around town a little longer and then decided it was time to make the trek back up the hill. Along the way there is a lady who sells fresh vegetables from her yard so we decided to stop there. She was not home though so we will have to go back another day.
When we finally made it back we had a quick lunch and then decided to go outside for awhile. The sun was out and it was a really nice day. Unfortunately the sun sets really early here so we were only able to sit outside for about a half hour before it started to get chilly.
We returned to my room and watch youtube videos on how to make a toga. Again we had a lot of time to waste so we turned on the oven (for warmth) and just talked. Eventually we made some dinner and then got ready to go out.
People are slowly returning to campus so again we met many people.
Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary
Friday! By far the best day! We went to the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary on the Gold Coast. It was a wonderful day!! The place is similar to a zoo, but they only have animals that are native to Australia. We started the morning out by meeting a blue-tongued lizard, a possom that is found in Australia, and a snake (all of which we were allowed to pet). The snake was so soft and cold!! We weren't allowed to hold it because there were too many of us and it would scare the poor thing. It was still fun to be able to touch it.
After the little presentation, we were just able to walk around and explore. The next animal we saw was a koala! They are so adorable. Most of them were sleeping, but once in a while one would get active. We saw many more animals native to Australia including: Tasmanian devils, turtles, crocodiles, dingoes, frogs, wombats, wallabies, and of course kangaroos. All of the animals were very interesting and we had a blast exploring, but the best part of the zoo was the kangaroos.
We could actually go into the cage with the kangaroos, feed them and pet them. There were so many and they were all different. We saw a mama kangaroo with a joey in her pouch, a joey that was just big enough to be out of the pouch and many more sizes and ages. At the end of the day we had to make one last stop at the kangaroos. When we arrived it was feeding time so all the kangaroos were down by the food and there were a ton. We fed some more and we even saw a couple bunch each other. They must have been really hungry.
It was such a great day! We were all exhausted so we took a nap on the way home. When we returned we made some dinner and then sat around talking for a long time.
Friday, June 17, 2011
Oh yeah, I am here for school..
Thursday we registered for classes in the morning. I got into the classes that I really wanted which I was really happy about. They do class really weird here though. I'm taking four classes: Outdoor Education, Music and Children, Mathematics and Education, and Economics. However, instead of have Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Tuesday, Thursday classes, they only have one day for lecture a week and then maybe a tutorial another day. So I have class Monday through Thursday, but Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday I only have one class for the whole day. I feel like I am going to have so much free time!! Nicole, Emy, and I are trying to figure out how our schedules work together so we can find time to go on a walk everyday and travel on the weekends.
After registration we had morning tea with the mayor. She was a really neat lady and it was nice to chat with her. We also got to try some pastries that are common in Australia. My favorite was this cookie sort of thing. It was like a shortbread cookie with strawberry icing and coconut sprinkles. Yummy! I also tried vegemite again. This time it wasn't so bad. They had it on a large saltine cracker with butter and vegemite. The butter helped the taste a lot.
Later that afternoon we went bowling. They called it ten pin bowling rather than just bowling, but it was exactly the same as we do it in America. Of course we turned it into a little competition, boys against girls. Unfortunately the girls lost :(
That evening we went out and met some more Aussies. We had a great night!
After registration we had morning tea with the mayor. She was a really neat lady and it was nice to chat with her. We also got to try some pastries that are common in Australia. My favorite was this cookie sort of thing. It was like a shortbread cookie with strawberry icing and coconut sprinkles. Yummy! I also tried vegemite again. This time it wasn't so bad. They had it on a large saltine cracker with butter and vegemite. The butter helped the taste a lot.
Later that afternoon we went bowling. They called it ten pin bowling rather than just bowling, but it was exactly the same as we do it in America. Of course we turned it into a little competition, boys against girls. Unfortunately the girls lost :(
That evening we went out and met some more Aussies. We had a great night!
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Hello Sun!
The sun finally came out today!! It was such a beautiful day, but we were stuck in orientation meetings for a good part of the day :( Nonetheless I enjoyed the warm weather and got many of my questions answered.
We also had a little bit of time to go shopping this afternoon. All of us just needed to pick up a few things that were forgotten on our last trip. It was nice to get away from campus for a bit.
When we returned we had a light snack and some drinks. Then we headed down to the Unibar for some free food and to watch some rugby. It was apparently the biggest game of the year or something. Most of the Americans decided it was pretty boring compared to our own football, so we left at half time. We enjoyed learning the rules of the game though. Maybe next time we will get more into it.
Tomorrow is another busy day fun of events and meetings.
We also had a little bit of time to go shopping this afternoon. All of us just needed to pick up a few things that were forgotten on our last trip. It was nice to get away from campus for a bit.
When we returned we had a light snack and some drinks. Then we headed down to the Unibar for some free food and to watch some rugby. It was apparently the biggest game of the year or something. Most of the Americans decided it was pretty boring compared to our own football, so we left at half time. We enjoyed learning the rules of the game though. Maybe next time we will get more into it.
Tomorrow is another busy day fun of events and meetings.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Let the Fun Begin
Today, Tuesday, was the official beginning of "O" week, which stands for Orientation week. There are many events planned for this entire week to help us meet people and have fun.
The entire morning was spent listening to presentations about safety (not exactly fun-we did get a free lunch though.) After lunch we went on a bus tour of Lismore. II am finally starting to know where everything is located and all the different things there are to do in town.
We also learned of upcoming events for the week; there should be some pretty fun things to do all week. It's not all fun though. Tomorrow we have to register for class, (yes, we are actually here for school.) Thursday there is some free bowling and Friday we get to feed a Kangaroo! There are many more events going on, but I cannot name them all off the top of my head.
Here in a short while though, we will be heading down to the Unibar on campus for a bbq and games.
The entire morning was spent listening to presentations about safety (not exactly fun-we did get a free lunch though.) After lunch we went on a bus tour of Lismore. II am finally starting to know where everything is located and all the different things there are to do in town.
We also learned of upcoming events for the week; there should be some pretty fun things to do all week. It's not all fun though. Tomorrow we have to register for class, (yes, we are actually here for school.) Thursday there is some free bowling and Friday we get to feed a Kangaroo! There are many more events going on, but I cannot name them all off the top of my head.
Here in a short while though, we will be heading down to the Unibar on campus for a bbq and games.
Monday, Free Day
Monday was a free day for us. Since there was nothing planned for the day we all tried to sleep in. The key word is "tried." I was up and going at 5:30.
There was a little break in the rain so Emy, Nicole and I decided to go for a walk. Lismore is a very hilly town so it turned into quite the work out which we were okay with. It was so nice to be able to get some fresh air and see the town. However, it started raining again on our way back to campus.
With an afternoon of rain ahead of us, we decided to hole up and watch movies. It was nice to wrap up in a blanket and actually be warm for a bit.
Later that evening we went to the rec room to hang out with some other students. This turned into quite the night and we actually stayed out until midnight!! (Finally starting to bet jet-lag)
There was a little break in the rain so Emy, Nicole and I decided to go for a walk. Lismore is a very hilly town so it turned into quite the work out which we were okay with. It was so nice to be able to get some fresh air and see the town. However, it started raining again on our way back to campus.
With an afternoon of rain ahead of us, we decided to hole up and watch movies. It was nice to wrap up in a blanket and actually be warm for a bit.
Later that evening we went to the rec room to hang out with some other students. This turned into quite the night and we actually stayed out until midnight!! (Finally starting to bet jet-lag)
Byron Bay
Sunday was our trip to Byron Bay!! I wish the internet was not so slow so that I could upload pictures from this trip. It was so beautiful despite the cold rainy weather.
Byron Bay is about a 40 minute drive from Lismore. When we arrived, the bus took us to the Lighthouse. It was an amazing sight! We decided to walk down the cliff to the beach which was an excellent choice. Everything was so lush and gorgeous. It was just a peaceful place. When we made it down to the beach we actually saw some dolphins!!
We had planned to go swimming and some other stuff, but it was rather chilly out. Looking back we probably could have swam though because the water was much warmer than the air.
Since it was raining, we spent much of the trip walking around downtown and going in shops. Which was fun in itself. There were a lot of need little seaside shops with local crafts. It is such a nice, laid-back community there.
We were exhausted after this day of exploring; so, again, we call it an early night.
Byron Bay is about a 40 minute drive from Lismore. When we arrived, the bus took us to the Lighthouse. It was an amazing sight! We decided to walk down the cliff to the beach which was an excellent choice. Everything was so lush and gorgeous. It was just a peaceful place. When we made it down to the beach we actually saw some dolphins!!
We had planned to go swimming and some other stuff, but it was rather chilly out. Looking back we probably could have swam though because the water was much warmer than the air.
Since it was raining, we spent much of the trip walking around downtown and going in shops. Which was fun in itself. There were a lot of need little seaside shops with local crafts. It is such a nice, laid-back community there.
We were exhausted after this day of exploring; so, again, we call it an early night.
Rain, Rain Go Away
I got a little behind on blogging because of a converter mishap so I am going to play catch-up real quick.
It started raining on Saturday morning. Actually raining is an understatement, it started (and has yet to stop) pouring on Saturday.
Since it was raining we just took a bus into town to do some shopping. It seemed like there was so much we needed that we didn't think of. Who knew it would be freezing cold at night!? As I said before, everything is very expensive in Australia. This in mind, the girls and I became bargain hunters over night. We spent the whole day searching for the best prices on everything we needed and talking each other out of stuff we did not.
Still being a little jet-lag, we called it a night early and went to bed around 8 (which is a half hour later than the night before!)
It started raining on Saturday morning. Actually raining is an understatement, it started (and has yet to stop) pouring on Saturday.
Since it was raining we just took a bus into town to do some shopping. It seemed like there was so much we needed that we didn't think of. Who knew it would be freezing cold at night!? As I said before, everything is very expensive in Australia. This in mind, the girls and I became bargain hunters over night. We spent the whole day searching for the best prices on everything we needed and talking each other out of stuff we did not.
Still being a little jet-lag, we called it a night early and went to bed around 8 (which is a half hour later than the night before!)
Friday, June 10, 2011
I Have Arrived!
Yesterday I got into the Brisbane Airport around 5:40 local time. There was a bit of a delay in Dallas because the bus that was suppose to pick up the flight crew broke down. It wasn't a long delay though. The flight actually went pretty quickly. Each person had their own individual TV and we were able to pick from all kinds of movies and TV shows.
About an hour into the flight we were served dinner. I was pretty impressed by this meal. We had the choice between fish and chicken. I had the chicken which came with some vegetables and potatoes. We also got a salad, roll, and key lime pie. Later we got a snack bag which had chocolate, shortbread, potato sticks which were like potato chips, and a bottle of water. In the last few hours before we landed we were served breakfast. We could have a hot breakfast or cereal. I chose the hot breakfast which included scrambled eggs, an English muffin, sausage, fresh fruit, yogurt, and orange juice.
Other than eat I slept for about 8 hours. It was dark almost the entire trip. The sun had set just before we took off and it was rising as we came in for landing.
The sunrise was so beautiful. It was just getting light as we went over the coast. I was sitting by the window so I was able to see the outline of the coast and the water. I fell in love with Australia then.
Once I got to the airport, I had to go through customs which did not take long as we were the only flight that had come in. However, after customs I had to just wait. The representative from SCU didn't get to the airport until 8 and after that we had to wait for other exchange students. The last ones were supposed to get in at 9:35, but they did not get in until almost 11. So by the time we got out of there and to Lismore, it was already after 2.
The drive to Lismore from Brisbane was a lot of fun though. They drive on the left side of the road so it really threw us off when we looked in the car next to us and there was no one where the driver should be. They also have some different signs. Instead of a deer crossing sign, they have a koala crossing sign. They drive in km/hr instead of mph so the speed limit was 100. Also they call "passing," "overtaking." So one sign said "Stay in left lane unless overtaking."
While there are definitely some differences, there are some things the same. We saw McDonalds all over the place. Probably just as much as you see it in America if not more. They also have a Kmart which is like their Walmart.
Once we got to campus we were shown our rooms and then we went shopping in town. We live in an apartment-like dorm. I will have 5 other roommates. One of my roommates is a girl on exchange from Pennsylvania. The rest of my roommates I have not met yet because they are still on Holiday.
Last night we had some pizza which is different from our pizza in America. The sauce is sweet and more like BBQ sauce than pizza sauce. It was good though and we definitely welcomed warm, free food. That was probably our last warm meal for awhile as everything is so expensive. I will probably be living off bread, peanut butter and apples for the next four months.
Today we are going into town again. We will have more time to shop for things that we need as well as explore the town a little.
About an hour into the flight we were served dinner. I was pretty impressed by this meal. We had the choice between fish and chicken. I had the chicken which came with some vegetables and potatoes. We also got a salad, roll, and key lime pie. Later we got a snack bag which had chocolate, shortbread, potato sticks which were like potato chips, and a bottle of water. In the last few hours before we landed we were served breakfast. We could have a hot breakfast or cereal. I chose the hot breakfast which included scrambled eggs, an English muffin, sausage, fresh fruit, yogurt, and orange juice.
Other than eat I slept for about 8 hours. It was dark almost the entire trip. The sun had set just before we took off and it was rising as we came in for landing.
The sunrise was so beautiful. It was just getting light as we went over the coast. I was sitting by the window so I was able to see the outline of the coast and the water. I fell in love with Australia then.
Once I got to the airport, I had to go through customs which did not take long as we were the only flight that had come in. However, after customs I had to just wait. The representative from SCU didn't get to the airport until 8 and after that we had to wait for other exchange students. The last ones were supposed to get in at 9:35, but they did not get in until almost 11. So by the time we got out of there and to Lismore, it was already after 2.
The drive to Lismore from Brisbane was a lot of fun though. They drive on the left side of the road so it really threw us off when we looked in the car next to us and there was no one where the driver should be. They also have some different signs. Instead of a deer crossing sign, they have a koala crossing sign. They drive in km/hr instead of mph so the speed limit was 100. Also they call "passing," "overtaking." So one sign said "Stay in left lane unless overtaking."
While there are definitely some differences, there are some things the same. We saw McDonalds all over the place. Probably just as much as you see it in America if not more. They also have a Kmart which is like their Walmart.
Once we got to campus we were shown our rooms and then we went shopping in town. We live in an apartment-like dorm. I will have 5 other roommates. One of my roommates is a girl on exchange from Pennsylvania. The rest of my roommates I have not met yet because they are still on Holiday.
Last night we had some pizza which is different from our pizza in America. The sauce is sweet and more like BBQ sauce than pizza sauce. It was good though and we definitely welcomed warm, free food. That was probably our last warm meal for awhile as everything is so expensive. I will probably be living off bread, peanut butter and apples for the next four months.
Today we are going into town again. We will have more time to shop for things that we need as well as explore the town a little.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Today's the Day
The day has finally come! After a long year of planning and getting everything ready, I am finally ready to take off for Australia! I will be studying Elementary Education while I am abroad for the next 4 months.
I leave today, June 8th. I will get there early Friday morning (in Kearney it will be Thursday afternoon-there is a 15 hour time difference).
My dad will be driving me to the Denver airport this morning. My plane takes off at 3:50 headed for Dallas, Texas. If things go as planned, I will have a three hour lay-over and then be on my way to Brisbane, Australia.
While I am studying in Australia, I am going to keep this blog so that I can remember everything that I did and also share with whoever wants to read. As of now the plan is to blog daily. I know that I will be busy while in Australia, and I won't always have an internet connection. However, I will try my best to blog as often as I can.
I better go finishing packing so we can head out, but I will blog again as soon as I have a moment when I arrive.
I leave today, June 8th. I will get there early Friday morning (in Kearney it will be Thursday afternoon-there is a 15 hour time difference).
My dad will be driving me to the Denver airport this morning. My plane takes off at 3:50 headed for Dallas, Texas. If things go as planned, I will have a three hour lay-over and then be on my way to Brisbane, Australia.
While I am studying in Australia, I am going to keep this blog so that I can remember everything that I did and also share with whoever wants to read. As of now the plan is to blog daily. I know that I will be busy while in Australia, and I won't always have an internet connection. However, I will try my best to blog as often as I can.
I better go finishing packing so we can head out, but I will blog again as soon as I have a moment when I arrive.
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