Life moves forward at an increasing speed in this mysterious land. I really love the mentality that is kept between me and the other internationals. Quoting Massimo in response to a bit of doubt about going somewhere/doing something other than the obligatory work- “But we are on EXCHANGEEE!” Having an anticipated end-all date where I know my time here will close has encouraged me to take “No” out of my vocabulary. I know this attitude cannot be translated into EVERY part of life, but why not most? Why don’t we live our lives like this in the States? Why not take every opportunity to spend your time having fun? I think it is human nature to get caught up in work, but we should really push the limits. I of course do not mean to stray from the fact that our responsibilities are first and foremost the most important obligation. You have to do what you have to do, but why not enjoy your time while doing it?
I remember thinking that 5 months was going to be a long time, but now that I am here and almost 2 months in to my experience I find myself constantly regretting not taking a full year abroad. If this trip has done anything for me, it has removed my tunnel vision outlook of my future and what my life plans will be. I now see the world as my playground. If I ever said that I was bit by the travel bug before, I had no idea what it really felt like. I want to see everything. I want to live everywhere. I want to learn about every culture. I want to live a full life surrounded by beautiful scenery while sharing it with the people closest to me. Who wants to join me on this worldwide excursion?
3.15.2009
Real life or dream life?
Sometimes I need pinching because my life these days has been so jam-packed with excitement. I knew that Australia would bring good times, but I had no idea that it would be every day. Maybe I have been spoiled and that this will not be the case for the duration of my trip, but this last week was insanely fun. Let me recount:
• Friday, March 6th
The morning got off to a rough start but I was lying (happily) alone on Bondi Beach by 2:00. I wasn’t really alone though; my afternoon was spent with the ocean, sun, & Jack Kerouac’s On The Road. Perfection. About 6:00 I went home to quickly eat and change before going out to a Pre-Mardi Gras party. Mardi Gras in Sydney is a bit different than other versions of Mardi Gras, but equally as fun. It is the celebration of life and the recognition of Gay and Lesbian acceptance worldwide. SO- this party provided for some hilarious photos of heterosexual twenty-somethings dressed…um...alternatively. My outfit was an Indian headdress and yellow boa to represent the Village People, despite my obvious lack of being a buff gay man.
• Saturday, March 7th
Eager not to waste the day, Lauren and I got up early and traveled to Coogee beach with our Australian friends, Ed and Sam. The weather was beautiful and we spent a nice afternoon soaking the sun and enjoying each other’s company.
That evening we experienced the real Mardi Gras at Hyde Park and Liverpool St. The masses of people made it impossible to see the parade, so Lauren and I had to give up, but we were able to see the floats are they were lined up to go into the parade. They may not have been in full action, but I was able to get up close and take some interesting pictures. After attempting to watch the parade, Lauren and I continued onto Kings Cross to meet up with some friends. Mardi gras was definitely a let down because of high expectations, but it was an experience to say the least. I still had a really wonderful night, though.
Sam wanted to capture the reflection of the ocean in my glasses.
It was such a beautiful day at Coogee Beach.
Lauren and I ready to celebrate life!
Sydney Mardi Gras 2009
• Sunday, March 8th
Another early start as Lauren and I went to Paddy’s Market to get our weekly fruits and vegetables. Paddy’s Market is one of the best discoveries that I’ve made during my stay in Sydney. Every Thurs, Fri, Sat, & Sun a giant market is set up with multiple stands full of really fresh and cheap produce. For less than 15 Australian dollars I was able to get an eggplant, 3 pears, 3 peaches, a bunch of grapes, 5 corn stalks, 3 plums, 4 tomatoes, a bag of spinach, 1 green capsicum (pepper), 1 red capsicum, and 1 red onion. This would typically cost me $35-$45 in the grocery store. Needless to say, Lauren and I are planning to make our weekend trip to Paddy’s a routine. After Paddy’s, Lauren and I met up with some friends for dinner and then an evening movie at their house to escape from the rainy day that it became.
This bloke was outside of Paddy's Market all by his lonesome.
• Monday, March 9th
Class from 2-5 and then I hurried home to get started baking. The group of people that we spend the most time with has designed a dinner club, where we meet every Monday for a meal of some sort. Lauren and I decided to host this week but because we both had late class we decided to make it a dessert night. We baked carrot cake and brownies for our friends, and between 8 and 11 there were 10 or so people sitting around our dinner table sharing cakes and ice cream as well as 2 bottles of wine. We invited some new people to join our group, so there were new faces and lots to talk about. The night put a huge smile on my face. I miss the ability to offer hospitality like Lindsay and I so often did.
With all of this fun, I even have time to go to school. Who would have thought it? This building is home to 2 of my 4 classes at Sydney Uni. I feel so honored!
• Tuesday, March 10th
I have no class on Tuesdays, but today I had an interview for an internship opportunity with a non-profit organization called the Nature Conservation Council of New South Wales. I did my best to not get nervous and by 4:00 I was in their office being offered a position. This internship would have counted as a full time course, so I would have had to drop one of my classes or put it on top of my existing schedule. I was flattered by their offer, but after a lot of thought I decided that my time in Australia is limited and I must resist the temptation to do every opportunity put in front of me. Later in the week I explained my circumstance and offered my time as a volunteer instead of an intern. I’m still waiting for a response.
My interview was in city center, so after it was finished I met up with my friend Marc for an afternoon in the city. We visited his cousin at her posh shoe store that is located in an upscale shopping center called “The Strand,” located in the center of the city. I would have to use my entire trip’s budget to buy anything in there, but the building and its architecture was stunning. I will definitely be returning with my camera.
After the strand we made our way to Circular Quay where we spent the remainder of the afternoon in the Museum of Contemporary Art (which was free!). The exhibit we spent our time in was the art of Yayoi Kusama. It was a really unique experience and I suggest looking up some of her art. I got yelled at when I pulled out my camera to take some photos, so I have none of my own, but google has tons. Check her out!
• Wednesday, March 11th
Class from 12-2 then I sat in an on-campus coffee shop and tried to tackle some reading assignments. This coffee shop is really lame compared to Appalachian’s 5 different choices. At 4pm I went to a Sausage Sizzle for a club that I joined called the Fine Art Society (FARTS). There was free food and a lot of cool people with great friend potential. I sat down with a few girls while I ate my veggie patty and got to know a little about them beyond the surface. We all then traveled as a group downtown to the Art Gallery of New South Wales. At this gallery we viewed the 2009 Archibald Prize, a national competition in portrait painting that is apparently a really huge deal. It was a phenomenal exhibit but my favorite was the ArtExpress, which was presenting local high school student’s art. Their ability and concepts were mind blowing and it is obvious that Australian art programs are breeding a new variety of artists. The two back-to-back days of art was a real inspiration and I hope to do some art of my own in the near future.
• Thursday, March 12th
Thursdays are my full day of school with class from 10am-9pm. In the middle of the day I had a break from 12-2, so I took the opportunity to grab some lunch on campus. This was the first time I had ventured into the restaurant territory on campus, so I took some time exploring and finding the best option. The variety of food is really epic with literally every nationality covered. Some delicious falafel kebabs tempted me, but I landed on a grilled veggie burger paired with a pint of Tooheys at the on-campus bar/grill. They had a BBQ set up on the patio where you could watch the burger get cooked, so you know it’s fresh. I was so happy with my situation; the comfy couch, beautiful light shining through the window, and the burger ranking in as one of the best I’ve ever had… I knew that I needed to document the moment.
Graphic Design goes from 6-9 but I’ve had so much fun in the class that I don’t notice the time. This week we worked with texture and our teacher laid out baskets upon baskets of random things- pipe cleaners, tulle, sparkles, pine cones, paint, glue, foam letters, crayons, string, lace, etc. Really anything and everything you can think of… We had an hour to make 9 different textures by using these random things, but we couldn’t repeat any medium. At the end of the night we were all covered in some strange mixture of these things, but we had the best time getting really creative. This class is right up my alley.
At 9:00, still covered in paint and lugging my books around from a full day of class, I returned to Manning Bar for a school-sponsored party called Beach Ball. I didn’t know much about this event before buying my ticket, I just heard from a few 2nd year Uni Students that it was not to be missed for anything. So, I showed up and was caught off guard by the line wrapping down the street and around the corner. Apparently no one was going to miss this party. I was there alone at this point, so I waited in a 30 minute line and had some interesting conversations with the people around me. One thing that I found particularly shocking about this party was the number of police/drug dogs and paramedics patrolling the lines and inside the venue. I’m used to Legends with a single cop at the door to make sure no one is trying to sneak in booze. There were at least 30 cops here! I wasn’t breaking any laws, so I had no problem with their presence, but it makes me wonder what has happened at this party in the past to warrant such a large number? Anyways, the party was huge. There were 3 stories, each with a band/DJ, and outside the back was another tent with a stage set up. Hundreds of people packed out Manning Bar to share in a really fun night. This night I particularly missed my friends from home because we would have had such a blast on the dance floor together. My FagOut crew knows who they are… You were deeply missed! Aussies don’t have anything on us.
Looking down on the 1st floor rave.
Me, Josanne, & Lucia
Only a fraction of the masses at this party.
I must remind that this was school sponsored... best Uni ever!
Having fun with the broken lai.
• Friday, March 13th
The morning was slow but Lauren and I decided to use our day off for some sight seeing in Sydney. We caught a train to Hyde Park and walked to the Australian Museum. When we got there we went to pay and the guy working at the front desk informed us that it was closing in 25 minutes. We must have looked deeply disappointed because he waved us through and said to just go have a look around for free until close. With only enough time for 1.5 rooms, we made it worth our trek into the city. A nice museum worker gave us some individual attention and showed us around some neat things in the dangerous species room as well as in the explorer room. He pulled out a bearded dragon for us and only us to play with. This was funny because a man came up right behind us obviously wanting a turn and the guide just ignored him and put the dragon away. We’re just special I guess?
The dingo didn't eat my baby.
Chiara's Backyard Birthday BBQ
If you're upside down in the Southern Hemisphere does it mean that you're really right side up?
The International's group!
I may or may not have gotten burnt at the beach earlier in the day.
Hey, who's reading this? Let me know you're out there...
• Friday, March 6th
The morning got off to a rough start but I was lying (happily) alone on Bondi Beach by 2:00. I wasn’t really alone though; my afternoon was spent with the ocean, sun, & Jack Kerouac’s On The Road. Perfection. About 6:00 I went home to quickly eat and change before going out to a Pre-Mardi Gras party. Mardi Gras in Sydney is a bit different than other versions of Mardi Gras, but equally as fun. It is the celebration of life and the recognition of Gay and Lesbian acceptance worldwide. SO- this party provided for some hilarious photos of heterosexual twenty-somethings dressed…um...alternatively. My outfit was an Indian headdress and yellow boa to represent the Village People, despite my obvious lack of being a buff gay man.
• Saturday, March 7th
Eager not to waste the day, Lauren and I got up early and traveled to Coogee beach with our Australian friends, Ed and Sam. The weather was beautiful and we spent a nice afternoon soaking the sun and enjoying each other’s company.
That evening we experienced the real Mardi Gras at Hyde Park and Liverpool St. The masses of people made it impossible to see the parade, so Lauren and I had to give up, but we were able to see the floats are they were lined up to go into the parade. They may not have been in full action, but I was able to get up close and take some interesting pictures. After attempting to watch the parade, Lauren and I continued onto Kings Cross to meet up with some friends. Mardi gras was definitely a let down because of high expectations, but it was an experience to say the least. I still had a really wonderful night, though.
Sam wanted to capture the reflection of the ocean in my glasses.It was such a beautiful day at Coogee Beach.
Lauren and I ready to celebrate life!Sydney Mardi Gras 2009
• Sunday, March 8th
Another early start as Lauren and I went to Paddy’s Market to get our weekly fruits and vegetables. Paddy’s Market is one of the best discoveries that I’ve made during my stay in Sydney. Every Thurs, Fri, Sat, & Sun a giant market is set up with multiple stands full of really fresh and cheap produce. For less than 15 Australian dollars I was able to get an eggplant, 3 pears, 3 peaches, a bunch of grapes, 5 corn stalks, 3 plums, 4 tomatoes, a bag of spinach, 1 green capsicum (pepper), 1 red capsicum, and 1 red onion. This would typically cost me $35-$45 in the grocery store. Needless to say, Lauren and I are planning to make our weekend trip to Paddy’s a routine. After Paddy’s, Lauren and I met up with some friends for dinner and then an evening movie at their house to escape from the rainy day that it became.
This bloke was outside of Paddy's Market all by his lonesome.Class from 2-5 and then I hurried home to get started baking. The group of people that we spend the most time with has designed a dinner club, where we meet every Monday for a meal of some sort. Lauren and I decided to host this week but because we both had late class we decided to make it a dessert night. We baked carrot cake and brownies for our friends, and between 8 and 11 there were 10 or so people sitting around our dinner table sharing cakes and ice cream as well as 2 bottles of wine. We invited some new people to join our group, so there were new faces and lots to talk about. The night put a huge smile on my face. I miss the ability to offer hospitality like Lindsay and I so often did.
With all of this fun, I even have time to go to school. Who would have thought it? This building is home to 2 of my 4 classes at Sydney Uni. I feel so honored!• Tuesday, March 10th
I have no class on Tuesdays, but today I had an interview for an internship opportunity with a non-profit organization called the Nature Conservation Council of New South Wales. I did my best to not get nervous and by 4:00 I was in their office being offered a position. This internship would have counted as a full time course, so I would have had to drop one of my classes or put it on top of my existing schedule. I was flattered by their offer, but after a lot of thought I decided that my time in Australia is limited and I must resist the temptation to do every opportunity put in front of me. Later in the week I explained my circumstance and offered my time as a volunteer instead of an intern. I’m still waiting for a response.
My interview was in city center, so after it was finished I met up with my friend Marc for an afternoon in the city. We visited his cousin at her posh shoe store that is located in an upscale shopping center called “The Strand,” located in the center of the city. I would have to use my entire trip’s budget to buy anything in there, but the building and its architecture was stunning. I will definitely be returning with my camera.
After the strand we made our way to Circular Quay where we spent the remainder of the afternoon in the Museum of Contemporary Art (which was free!). The exhibit we spent our time in was the art of Yayoi Kusama. It was a really unique experience and I suggest looking up some of her art. I got yelled at when I pulled out my camera to take some photos, so I have none of my own, but google has tons. Check her out!
• Wednesday, March 11th
Class from 12-2 then I sat in an on-campus coffee shop and tried to tackle some reading assignments. This coffee shop is really lame compared to Appalachian’s 5 different choices. At 4pm I went to a Sausage Sizzle for a club that I joined called the Fine Art Society (FARTS). There was free food and a lot of cool people with great friend potential. I sat down with a few girls while I ate my veggie patty and got to know a little about them beyond the surface. We all then traveled as a group downtown to the Art Gallery of New South Wales. At this gallery we viewed the 2009 Archibald Prize, a national competition in portrait painting that is apparently a really huge deal. It was a phenomenal exhibit but my favorite was the ArtExpress, which was presenting local high school student’s art. Their ability and concepts were mind blowing and it is obvious that Australian art programs are breeding a new variety of artists. The two back-to-back days of art was a real inspiration and I hope to do some art of my own in the near future.
• Thursday, March 12th
Thursdays are my full day of school with class from 10am-9pm. In the middle of the day I had a break from 12-2, so I took the opportunity to grab some lunch on campus. This was the first time I had ventured into the restaurant territory on campus, so I took some time exploring and finding the best option. The variety of food is really epic with literally every nationality covered. Some delicious falafel kebabs tempted me, but I landed on a grilled veggie burger paired with a pint of Tooheys at the on-campus bar/grill. They had a BBQ set up on the patio where you could watch the burger get cooked, so you know it’s fresh. I was so happy with my situation; the comfy couch, beautiful light shining through the window, and the burger ranking in as one of the best I’ve ever had… I knew that I needed to document the moment.
Graphic Design goes from 6-9 but I’ve had so much fun in the class that I don’t notice the time. This week we worked with texture and our teacher laid out baskets upon baskets of random things- pipe cleaners, tulle, sparkles, pine cones, paint, glue, foam letters, crayons, string, lace, etc. Really anything and everything you can think of… We had an hour to make 9 different textures by using these random things, but we couldn’t repeat any medium. At the end of the night we were all covered in some strange mixture of these things, but we had the best time getting really creative. This class is right up my alley.
At 9:00, still covered in paint and lugging my books around from a full day of class, I returned to Manning Bar for a school-sponsored party called Beach Ball. I didn’t know much about this event before buying my ticket, I just heard from a few 2nd year Uni Students that it was not to be missed for anything. So, I showed up and was caught off guard by the line wrapping down the street and around the corner. Apparently no one was going to miss this party. I was there alone at this point, so I waited in a 30 minute line and had some interesting conversations with the people around me. One thing that I found particularly shocking about this party was the number of police/drug dogs and paramedics patrolling the lines and inside the venue. I’m used to Legends with a single cop at the door to make sure no one is trying to sneak in booze. There were at least 30 cops here! I wasn’t breaking any laws, so I had no problem with their presence, but it makes me wonder what has happened at this party in the past to warrant such a large number? Anyways, the party was huge. There were 3 stories, each with a band/DJ, and outside the back was another tent with a stage set up. Hundreds of people packed out Manning Bar to share in a really fun night. This night I particularly missed my friends from home because we would have had such a blast on the dance floor together. My FagOut crew knows who they are… You were deeply missed! Aussies don’t have anything on us.
Looking down on the 1st floor rave.
Me, Josanne, & Lucia
Only a fraction of the masses at this party. I must remind that this was school sponsored... best Uni ever!
Having fun with the broken lai.The morning was slow but Lauren and I decided to use our day off for some sight seeing in Sydney. We caught a train to Hyde Park and walked to the Australian Museum. When we got there we went to pay and the guy working at the front desk informed us that it was closing in 25 minutes. We must have looked deeply disappointed because he waved us through and said to just go have a look around for free until close. With only enough time for 1.5 rooms, we made it worth our trek into the city. A nice museum worker gave us some individual attention and showed us around some neat things in the dangerous species room as well as in the explorer room. He pulled out a bearded dragon for us and only us to play with. This was funny because a man came up right behind us obviously wanting a turn and the guide just ignored him and put the dragon away. We’re just special I guess?
The dingo didn't eat my baby.We left the museum and hopped a train to Newtown to meet up with our international friends for a Birthday BBQ. Chiara is Italian and she prepared a full spread for 20 or so people in her back yard. It was a really nice evening with traditional Italian food, homemade sangria, and a good group of people to share it with. Lauren and I left for an hour to go home and shower because we thought we would be going out on the town later in the night, but we ended up only coming back to the BBQ and staying there.
Chiara's Backyard Birthday BBQ
If you're upside down in the Southern Hemisphere does it mean that you're really right side up?• Saturday, March 14th
At the BBQ the night before the same group of internationals planned a beach get-together, so we met up with a few of them at Circular Quay around 12:30 to catch a ferry to Manly beach. The ferry was beautiful and gave us a unique view of the harbor. We relaxed on the beach all day until the rain clouds rolled in and we left to take cover at a nearby café. After going home for a short rest and showers, we went back out to celebrate Angelo’s birthday (another Italian!). The apartment was full of Italians, Germans, French, and Mexicans. I really love networking with all of these international students. I can’t wait to visit them all in their home countries after I can save the money to do it.
At the BBQ the night before the same group of internationals planned a beach get-together, so we met up with a few of them at Circular Quay around 12:30 to catch a ferry to Manly beach. The ferry was beautiful and gave us a unique view of the harbor. We relaxed on the beach all day until the rain clouds rolled in and we left to take cover at a nearby café. After going home for a short rest and showers, we went back out to celebrate Angelo’s birthday (another Italian!). The apartment was full of Italians, Germans, French, and Mexicans. I really love networking with all of these international students. I can’t wait to visit them all in their home countries after I can save the money to do it.
The International's group!
I may or may not have gotten burnt at the beach earlier in the day.With Mossimo, one of my many Italian friends.
Our new Mexican friends.
The Lynches minus Ian.
This environment is not conducive to the University standard of learning, but I promise that I am learning more about this World and myself every single day. This unique education is more valuable than a Harvard degree. I am sincere in saying that I am in love with the life that I live.
Our new Mexican friends.• Sunday, March 15th
In the first few hours of the day Lauren and I took advantage of the cloudless sky by laying out at the park with our homework. At about 2:30 the Lynches came and picked us up to spend the evening with them! First we went to Bynum’s Rugby match where I got a Rugby 101 lesson, and then we spent the remainder of the night at their house for a family BBQ. Theresa’s parents were in town from Canberra and they’ve very generously offered for Lauren and I to stay with them in Canberra for a weekend so that we might get a taste of the nation’s capital. We are definitely going to take them up on this. I just love spending time with the Lynches! I’m so very lucky to have them here to fill my family void.
In the first few hours of the day Lauren and I took advantage of the cloudless sky by laying out at the park with our homework. At about 2:30 the Lynches came and picked us up to spend the evening with them! First we went to Bynum’s Rugby match where I got a Rugby 101 lesson, and then we spent the remainder of the night at their house for a family BBQ. Theresa’s parents were in town from Canberra and they’ve very generously offered for Lauren and I to stay with them in Canberra for a weekend so that we might get a taste of the nation’s capital. We are definitely going to take them up on this. I just love spending time with the Lynches! I’m so very lucky to have them here to fill my family void.
The Lynches minus Ian.Hey, who's reading this? Let me know you're out there...
3.12.2009
“Travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living.” - Miriam Beard
I’ve made it out of my first week of Uni alive and am now knee deep in my second week. Almost everything about the way this University runs is different from Appalachian. Not that this is necessarily bad, but definitely different and hard to get used to.
The noted differences so far:
- Every subject (class) is made up of 1 two-hour lecture and 1 one-hour tutorial. Because of this it is possible to only have a couple hours of class a day or a full day of class. Take me for example- see class schedule in last post.
- Almost nobody has class on Fridays (!), so instead of Thursday night as college night at the pub, it's Wednesday. The saying is no longer “Thursday is the new Friday," it’s “Wednesday is the new Thursday.” Too bad I have class at 10am on Thursday. No Wednesday pub nights for me!
- All classes have a Minimum of 2 hours of reading due before each meeting. I need to stress word MINIMUM in this statement.
- Teachers hardly mention homework, they just expect you to figure it out by looking at their WebCt or Blackboard site.
- There is no such thing as a rental system at their bookstore- just really expensive books and no options for used books. Their bookstore needs to take some serious notes from ASU’s University Bookstore.
- You have to wait in a queue (line) for everything on campus. Everything.
- Classes don’t have quizzes or midterms or homework assignments. Final grades are made up of one final exam plus a project and/or research paper.
- Grades are given on a bell curve, and not the good kind. There are no A’s, B’s, etc… only High Distinction, Distinction, Credit, and Pass. These are given out on a quota basis, so only 2ish people get the HD, 10ish Distinction, and so on. Personally I am only looking for a big fat P, which is not as easy as it sounds.
- They looove to talk about America in classes. In most cases this is not a good thing. For example- my Media Globalization class should be renamed “American Media And All The Ways It Is Messing With The World.” I sit rather low in my seat during that class because the facts are undeniable.
These differences mixed with not having a firm friendship base have showed me many things about myself that I otherwise might never have learned. For starters, I’ve discovered that I am both more independent and dependent than I ever previously thought. I am more independent in the respect that I have made my way through a month (Can you believe it’s already been a month?) of uncertainties practically alone and have come out stronger and happier than I thought I could ever be. My sense of self and independence in this foreign land is empowering and liberating. I frequently find myself envisioning trips to other cities with my bookbag as my only companion. Time spent alone is becoming less and less painful. This brings me to my next point…. My previous dependency on friends has become a lot more obvious. Being without my closest friends or anyone that knows more about me than what I put on the surface has put me on edge. It’s not that I rely on them for my happiness, I just miss having someone to express my true self with instead of the usual “Where are you from? What do you study?” small talk conversation. Sometimes I just want to wear a sign or hand out a business card with this worthless information on it because I am so sick of answering the same few questions. Before this trip I might have claimed that I could do just fine without the company of many others, but I really miss having heaps (look at me with my Oz lingo) of people to merely sit and converse with. I was having a conversation with an Aussie girl about this because she had just returned from living in Denver for a year. She was able to identify very closely with this and she brought up a good point. She reminded me that my struggle with not having friends in Australia will be carried onto the US because when I return no one will be able to truly grasp this new person that I’ve become during my travels. This of course was upsetting and although I know this is reality, I am positive that the friends that matter most to me will more than likely embrace this change and encourage its process. I’m so blessed to have a number of really wonderful people in my life who are hopefully awaiting my return as much as I miss their presence. The plus side to my loneliness is that I am open to nearly anyone who is open to me. I’ve met some great people with good hearts and I hope that we can get closer or that I might find someone with whom I feel comfortable showing the real me.
The noted differences so far:
- Every subject (class) is made up of 1 two-hour lecture and 1 one-hour tutorial. Because of this it is possible to only have a couple hours of class a day or a full day of class. Take me for example- see class schedule in last post.
- Almost nobody has class on Fridays (!), so instead of Thursday night as college night at the pub, it's Wednesday. The saying is no longer “Thursday is the new Friday," it’s “Wednesday is the new Thursday.” Too bad I have class at 10am on Thursday. No Wednesday pub nights for me!
- All classes have a Minimum of 2 hours of reading due before each meeting. I need to stress word MINIMUM in this statement.
- Teachers hardly mention homework, they just expect you to figure it out by looking at their WebCt or Blackboard site.
- There is no such thing as a rental system at their bookstore- just really expensive books and no options for used books. Their bookstore needs to take some serious notes from ASU’s University Bookstore.
- You have to wait in a queue (line) for everything on campus. Everything.
- Classes don’t have quizzes or midterms or homework assignments. Final grades are made up of one final exam plus a project and/or research paper.
- Grades are given on a bell curve, and not the good kind. There are no A’s, B’s, etc… only High Distinction, Distinction, Credit, and Pass. These are given out on a quota basis, so only 2ish people get the HD, 10ish Distinction, and so on. Personally I am only looking for a big fat P, which is not as easy as it sounds.
- They looove to talk about America in classes. In most cases this is not a good thing. For example- my Media Globalization class should be renamed “American Media And All The Ways It Is Messing With The World.” I sit rather low in my seat during that class because the facts are undeniable.
These differences mixed with not having a firm friendship base have showed me many things about myself that I otherwise might never have learned. For starters, I’ve discovered that I am both more independent and dependent than I ever previously thought. I am more independent in the respect that I have made my way through a month (Can you believe it’s already been a month?) of uncertainties practically alone and have come out stronger and happier than I thought I could ever be. My sense of self and independence in this foreign land is empowering and liberating. I frequently find myself envisioning trips to other cities with my bookbag as my only companion. Time spent alone is becoming less and less painful. This brings me to my next point…. My previous dependency on friends has become a lot more obvious. Being without my closest friends or anyone that knows more about me than what I put on the surface has put me on edge. It’s not that I rely on them for my happiness, I just miss having someone to express my true self with instead of the usual “Where are you from? What do you study?” small talk conversation. Sometimes I just want to wear a sign or hand out a business card with this worthless information on it because I am so sick of answering the same few questions. Before this trip I might have claimed that I could do just fine without the company of many others, but I really miss having heaps (look at me with my Oz lingo) of people to merely sit and converse with. I was having a conversation with an Aussie girl about this because she had just returned from living in Denver for a year. She was able to identify very closely with this and she brought up a good point. She reminded me that my struggle with not having friends in Australia will be carried onto the US because when I return no one will be able to truly grasp this new person that I’ve become during my travels. This of course was upsetting and although I know this is reality, I am positive that the friends that matter most to me will more than likely embrace this change and encourage its process. I’m so blessed to have a number of really wonderful people in my life who are hopefully awaiting my return as much as I miss their presence. The plus side to my loneliness is that I am open to nearly anyone who is open to me. I’ve met some great people with good hearts and I hope that we can get closer or that I might find someone with whom I feel comfortable showing the real me.
3.04.2009
Heaps of Good Times
From Boone to Australia!
It’s amazing to me how well we as humans are able to adapt to new surroundings. I must admit that during my first week here I felt as if it might never happen, but I now have successfully assimilated into the Australian culture. I feel totally at home in this new city and almost so much so that I feel like I’ve been here for ages. I’ve even picked up some new slang like “Heaps” “Mate” and “No Worries.” Ex: “Oh, No worries, mate! I’ve got heaps of room at my apartment. Bring all’ve your mates ovah!”
Most of this sense of home is from the ability to put my things in drawers and have a place that I can finally call my own, instead of a crummy hostel (even though the roach problem seems to be everywhere in Australia). I live about a 20-minute walk from campus, down a main road. Lauren and I had a tireless search for accommodation and once we found a place that we actually felt like we could see ourselves living in, we snatched it. It’s not the nicest place, but wayyyy better than anything else we’ve seen. It’s also a bit cheaper as well as roomier. The house has 10 rooms, all filled but one, but the room across the hall from me has 2 girls in it. It is an international house with 5 girls from Malaysia ( I can’t keep their names straight, so I don’t really try), 1 guy from Saudi Arabia (Moteb, or Nemo as he’s asked us to call him), 1 guy from just outside of Dubai (Arafat), and 1 guy from Egypt (Wallit). It’s so funny to hear the different languages seeping through the walls and even though our cultures are all very different we still work well as roommates. Everyone is very courteous of each other. After being in the house for less than 3 hours last Saturday, Lauren and I were warmly greeted by Nemo with a cup of traditional Saudi Arabian “café” which reminds me more of tea than coffee. Then, the second night we were in our new house Nemo took Lauren and I out to dinner in a Lebanese part of town (about 30 minutes by train), where we had a huge meal accompanied by the traditional hookah. He even gave us nicknames- Lauren= She-nu & Me= Lee-nu. It was a great experience and after returning to the city center he then showed us around Darling Harbor. I haven’t had the opportunity to get to know any of the roommates as well as Nemo, but I hope that as time goes on everyone will open up a bit more. I must make it a point to not clam up and to be more open to new people and new cultures! So far I’ve really enjoyed my living situation despite living on a busy road and in the traffic pattern of incoming airplanes. I don’t plan to spend much time here anyways…I’m in Australia, who cares where I rest my head? All that matters is where I spend my days.
I'll post photos of the apartment soon.
Most of this sense of home is from the ability to put my things in drawers and have a place that I can finally call my own, instead of a crummy hostel (even though the roach problem seems to be everywhere in Australia). I live about a 20-minute walk from campus, down a main road. Lauren and I had a tireless search for accommodation and once we found a place that we actually felt like we could see ourselves living in, we snatched it. It’s not the nicest place, but wayyyy better than anything else we’ve seen. It’s also a bit cheaper as well as roomier. The house has 10 rooms, all filled but one, but the room across the hall from me has 2 girls in it. It is an international house with 5 girls from Malaysia ( I can’t keep their names straight, so I don’t really try), 1 guy from Saudi Arabia (Moteb, or Nemo as he’s asked us to call him), 1 guy from just outside of Dubai (Arafat), and 1 guy from Egypt (Wallit). It’s so funny to hear the different languages seeping through the walls and even though our cultures are all very different we still work well as roommates. Everyone is very courteous of each other. After being in the house for less than 3 hours last Saturday, Lauren and I were warmly greeted by Nemo with a cup of traditional Saudi Arabian “café” which reminds me more of tea than coffee. Then, the second night we were in our new house Nemo took Lauren and I out to dinner in a Lebanese part of town (about 30 minutes by train), where we had a huge meal accompanied by the traditional hookah. He even gave us nicknames- Lauren= She-nu & Me= Lee-nu. It was a great experience and after returning to the city center he then showed us around Darling Harbor. I haven’t had the opportunity to get to know any of the roommates as well as Nemo, but I hope that as time goes on everyone will open up a bit more. I must make it a point to not clam up and to be more open to new people and new cultures! So far I’ve really enjoyed my living situation despite living on a busy road and in the traffic pattern of incoming airplanes. I don’t plan to spend much time here anyways…I’m in Australia, who cares where I rest my head? All that matters is where I spend my days.
I'll post photos of the apartment soon.
She-nu, Lee-nu, and Nemo at dinner in Bankstown
Darling Harbor
Lauren and I (and my new boots) in Darling Harbor
Sydney Uni O-week= Lot's of free stuff/fun
Lauren entered a "skulling" contest. Skull is the Aussie word for "chug."
I spent my last week of freedom before Uni with some new friends, both Aussie and International. I’ve been really lucky to find a group of girls from Europe who put together a “Dinner Club” where we all get together every Monday night for dinner and socialization. Our group consists of 11 or so people from Holland, Italy, France, America, and Spain. I’ve only spent a few days with them but I really enjoy their company. We’re also planning a group trip to the coast for a Surf Camp weekend. I’m really excited about that! Lauren and I have also met a few Aussie boys who are very welcoming and have taken us on a few beauty-filled adventures around Sydney including a trip to a “locals-only” beach and to the Botanical Gardens. I feel really blessed to have made a few very key Aussie friends because Sydney is such a diverse town that the Australians are a bit hard to pick out, let alone make friends with. I just hope that I get the chance to meet some more and see what real Australia is all about…not just China Town, oh I mean Sydney.
At a free concert after O-Week day 1 with our new International Friends.
Free Cabaret at an on-campus bar with more International friends.
Welcome to Curl Curl Beach!
A beach with no people on it is a very rare sight in Sydney. This is proof enough that this is a legit "locals-only" beach.
Tourists?
I started Uni on Monday, so I’m still very new to the campus and student lifestyle. Classes so far have been good but I fear that the unfamiliar Australian style of teaching is going to take a bit of getting used to. I introduced myself to my teachers in the 2 classes I’ve already been in and I’m hoping that they remember my name/face for when I come to them in a month with no idea what is going on. Every Uni class has a large lecture class with a smaller tutorial attached to it. I’m used to my small 8-20 person classes in the GAIT department where we get to interact with the instructor on a one-to-one basis the majority of the time. Adjusting to the test/paper-only grading policy is going to be hard. I signed up for a Graphic Design class today and I’m really looking forward to it. The only thing I didn’t like about the Graphic Arts and Imaging Technology dept at ASU is the lack of emphasis on design. I love that I can use the programs efficiently, but I feel handicapped because I don’t even know the principles of graphic design and layout. I think this class will help me a lot in the long run plus add to my portfolio. I’m such a computer nerd, it’s sick.
So my weekly schedule is as follows:
•Monday:
2-4pm Principles of Media Writing lecture
4-5pm Principles of Media Writing tutorial
•Tuesday:
No class! Beach day!
•Wednesday:
12-2pm Advertising: Creative Principles lecture (I’m also super excited about this class!)
•Thursday:
10-12pm Media Globalization lecture
2-3pm Advertising: Creative Principles tutorial
3-4pm Media Globalization tutorial
6-9pm Graphic Design
•Friday:
No class again! 3 day weekend begins…
It’s beginning to sink in a little more that I am not a tourist, but a real resident. Today I got out of class at 1 and was lying on Bondi Beach by 3:30. I really love that I have become so comfortable with the public transport here that I can navigate my way to pretty much anywhere in the city. I could definitely get used to this city lifestyle. Sydney really is the perfect city- It’s on the beach, 1.5 hours to the mountains, awesome public transport, clean, and a “winter” that never gets below 50 or so degrees. Remind me again why I am leaving?
Also, in recent news my best friends in the whole universe may be traveling across the world to see me!!! I don’t think anything else could make this experience more satisfying.
So my weekly schedule is as follows:
•Monday:
2-4pm Principles of Media Writing lecture
4-5pm Principles of Media Writing tutorial
•Tuesday:
No class! Beach day!
•Wednesday:
12-2pm Advertising: Creative Principles lecture (I’m also super excited about this class!)
•Thursday:
10-12pm Media Globalization lecture
2-3pm Advertising: Creative Principles tutorial
3-4pm Media Globalization tutorial
6-9pm Graphic Design
•Friday:
No class again! 3 day weekend begins…
It’s beginning to sink in a little more that I am not a tourist, but a real resident. Today I got out of class at 1 and was lying on Bondi Beach by 3:30. I really love that I have become so comfortable with the public transport here that I can navigate my way to pretty much anywhere in the city. I could definitely get used to this city lifestyle. Sydney really is the perfect city- It’s on the beach, 1.5 hours to the mountains, awesome public transport, clean, and a “winter” that never gets below 50 or so degrees. Remind me again why I am leaving?
Also, in recent news my best friends in the whole universe may be traveling across the world to see me!!! I don’t think anything else could make this experience more satisfying.
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