G’day! So much has happened over these past few weeks! I have been finding heaps of new things to get myself into, and my bucket list keeps getting shorter and shorter! To start with, I witnessed my first netball game last week. My roommate, Kelsey, plays on a team for Uni and I tagged along to a game to cheer. It’s similar to basketball but you can only be in certain areas of the court and you can’t move with the ball. Weird concept and kind of boring- but still fun to experience! I got sick last week which was no good. I’m not sure if it was the milk I drank or if I caught something in Fraser Island but after lots of sleep, water, and a few home remedies I learned in Africa I’m now feeling better.
Good thing I’m better because last weekend was Campus East’s Harbor Cruise up in Sydney. We got all dressed up and went out on a nighttime cruise of Sydney Harbor. We saw the opera house lit up as well as the bridge. It was a little chilly, but it was beautiful! After the cruise we went out in King’s Cross to a bar called Soho. King’s Cross is the red light district of Sydney and it was a little sketchy but overall I felt pretty safe. Thank goodness for sticking together! I only felt uncomfortable a few times. Our hostel was less than desirable to say the least. Although it was a cheap place to stay and had complementary toast in the morning, I would not recommend this place to my worst enemy. I slept with one eye open and showered well when we got home. Another fun adventure in King’s Cross was in the train station. We saw a man get arrested for having near 50 dirty syringes in his bag-sketch!
The day after the cruise Liz and I headed to Bondi Beach. Despite rumors my mom heard about Bondi being a nude beach, everyone there was fully clothed. Bondi is famous for the amounts of surfers it has. There was also a TV show filmed there. Liz and I laid out for a while, took in the sights and window shopped. We also enjoyed lunch on the beach- my new obsession: fish and chips. Sticky date pudding is another new food I’ve tried and although it’s extremely heavy and rich, it’s delicious.
I’ve been spending a lot of time outside as the weather is getting nicer. Rollerblading with Kelsey and some other girls is a new found hobby of mine as well as finding new spots along the beach I can run and walk to. Every time I’m outside I see new animals that we don’t have back home. There are different dogs here that I’m falling in love with, but since my dorm won’t allow animals I’m observing from afar. There is also a family of birds that hangs out outside of my room. Momma doesn’t like when I walk too close so I’m keeping my distance but still trying to see them up close- So cute!
Yesterday was the first day of spring, and we celebrated by watching the sunrise on the beach. It was cloudy and the sunrise wasn’t too great, but we still got a show watching crazy kids swimming in the ocean to commemorate the day. The most exciting part of waking up that early, however, was what happened AFTER the sunrise. Kelsey let me drive her car home! It was a little weird being on the left side of the road but not too different from home. The things that got me were the turn signal and parking. The turn signal is on the opposite side of the steering wheel so I kept accidentally turning on the windshield wipers. After about 4 tries at parking I finally gave up and let the car be crooked in the spot. It was weird hugging the opposite side of the car while turning into the spot and I couldn’t tell how far away the other cars were. At least we didn’t crash!
Today was a big day for me! Liz, Kelsey and I woke up early to explore the Nan Tien Buddhist Temple in Wollongong. The complex was huge-at least 20 acres (I’m not good with measurements) and had beautiful gardens all throughout. We made wishes at the wishing fountain and the wishing bell and we took pictures with little statues all around the temple. When we went into certain buildings we had to take off our shoes and we weren’t allowed to take pictures. The decorations were incredibly detailed with Buddha statues and intricate designs with deep reds and gold. My favorite room was where ashes of 7,000 followers and their families are stored. Each little box had numbers and symbols carved into it. It was a little eerie but the temple overall had a very calming effect.
The next fun event of the day was heading to the St. George Illawara Dragons rugby league game! The Dragons are a professional team and could be compared to the Colt’s. Rugby is awesome to watch and very intense! The guys are HUGE! Their legs looked like tree trunks. All I know is if one of them came running towards me I would let them pass. I guess I can cross professional rugby player of my list of possible jobs. The Dragons beat the Panthers in their last home game of the season!
Although I keep doing fun things, I am still attending classes (Boring- I know). I’ve now turned in a major assignment for all 4 of my classes and after getting my grades back I’ve earned 3 High Distinctions and 1 Distinction (A’s and a B+). I’m hoping that as my schedule keeps getting busier I can keep up the good work. Fortunately I have awesome parents who understand that this trip isn’t all about schoolwork and I need to experience everything I can while I’m here (hint, hint). As for the experiences, I will continue blogging and keep everyone updated about my crazy, fun life. I still can’t believe how lucky I am to be here and how amazing all of this has been. I have plenty of adventures planned, so stay tuned! Until next time- G’day, mate!
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