The Fray Concert at Luna Park!

Last night, I went to Sydney with a big group of girls from my dorm. We got into Sydney early and went out for pizza before the show. I got a gluten free pizza...it was soo yummy!! I haven't had pizza forever! Sydney is incredible, they have so many options for me to eat! Almost everywhere I go, there is something I can order! It is so nice to have the flexibility to go places with my friends!! Then we walked to the train station and took it to Milson's Point. At the Milson's Point stop, we got off and walked to the entrance of Luna Park. We hung out in this little park that overlooked the Sydney Harbor Bridge and the Sydney Opera House. The view at night, with all the city lights was amazing! I took lots of pictures, but as usual, they will never do this place any justice. You must see it in person. I wish my family could come visit, they would absolutely love it here! I've been missing them a lot lately!
When the gate opened, we walked down and entered the venue. It was a really small show, only a few thousand people were there. We were able to make our way up through the crowd and we were right in the front in the center of stage. I was right next to the gate in front of the stage. It was probably one of the best concerts I have ever been to. There were three bands and The Fray was the last to perform. When they came on stage, everyone went crazy! I was singing and screaming the entire time, we even had a few crying moments. Isn't it funny how powerful music is? How it is capable of changing your mood, changing your mind....always making you think of someone, something? Brings back memories...helps create new ones. You can tie a songs to single moments in time...
The music was really intense and before every song the lead singer would tell a little story or something about his life that led him to write the song. He had so much passion and emotion, it was spreading over the whole crowd. He sang a song called Happiness (my favorite) and he talked about finding happiness and his journey to becoming himself. He talked about hardships and peer pressure and loneliness. Sometimes it can be a lonely road to success and independence and you're own personal happiness. It spoke so loudly to me and his performance of the song blew me away. He sang acapella and the entire crowd was silent, listening to his story. I can't put the experience into words. We arrived back in Wollongong at 3am in the pouring rain. It was the perfect night.

Happiness:
Happiness is just outside my window
Would it crash blowing 80-miles an hour?
Or is happiness a little more like knocking
On your door, and you just let it in?

Happiness feels a lot like sorrow
Let it be, you can't make it come or go
But you are gone- not for good but for now
Gone for now feels a lot like gone for good

Happiness is a firecracker sitting on my headboard
Happiness was never mine to hold
Careful child, light the fuse and get away
‘Cause happiness throws a shower of sparks

Happiness damn near destroys you
Breaks your faith to pieces on the floor
So you tell yourself, that's enough for now
Happiness has a violent roar

Happiness is like the old man told me
Look for it, but you'll never find it all
Let it go, live your life and leave it
Then one day, wake up and she'll be home
Home, home, home

Art Museum of NSW and Harbor Cruise!

Yesterday, I spend the day in Sydney! I had to wake up really early and catch a bus to Sydney for an Art field trip because the trains weren't running. I went with my two friends Kelsey and Erin from my class and we took the bus to central station. Our teacher had given us a map of the city and told us to meet him at the museum at 11 o'clock. It was quite an adventure to try and find the museum. Finally, hot, sweaty, and a little later than planned, we found the museum! We took a tour of the Yiribana exhibition at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. The exhibition was all beautiful,aboriginal art. It was really interesting to learn about the different artists and see the similarities of their work. After the tour, the girls and I decided to walk through the Botanical Gardens and head to Circular Quay for lunch. We ate at an outdoor pub called the Quay Bar, listed to live music, and had cold cocktails before the Harbor Cruise! Then, we walked through The Rocks, in an attempt to find our way to the dock where we would be meeting everyone and taking off. On our way, we found a little gluten free cafe that sold gluten free beer! So, I had to get one!! It was called Billabong and it was delicious! I was so excited to get to have a beer! Then, we met up with a bunch of friends from our dorm and found the harbor. We took a dinner/booze cruise from 6-9pm. It was a beautiful night and so much fun! It was an open bar filled with champagne, wine, and beer. Everyone had a blast!! When we got back, we went out in Sydney and met up with other friends from our orientation group and then headed back to Wollongong. I had a really busy, fun weekend, but now it's time to hit the books and get some work done before I leave for my spring break trip to New Zealand on Friday! Missin' home like crazy! Congrats to my Slam for Sudan champ...so proud of you bud!! <3

Illawara Dragons Rugby Game

Friday night, I went out to dinner and to my first rugby league game in Wollongong!! We saw the Illawara Dragons play the North Queensland Cowboys. Kay and I went with our other two friends from our IFSA-Butler orientation group, Alex and James. We went to the beach all afternoon then headed back to our dorm to shower and get ready for the night. Then, we walked to meet Michelle, our orientation leader and at at Mama's Pizzeria. Then we walked to the stadium and watched the rugby match! It was really fun and super intense! They play two forty minute halves and they absolutely kill each other! I couldn't believe how tough all the players were! The Dragons are ranked 2nd in their league right now and there were over 13,000 people in the stadium! We had a great time and it was really nice to get a chance to spend time with friends from orientation!

Ahh...Success!!

After skydiving on Sunday, I woke up Monday morning stiff and sore and tired. I woke up to a bad start that would begin a week filled with many more discouragements. Friday, I jogged to the pharmacy to pick up my prescription at the pharmacy and my credit card payment hadn't cleared yet, so I wasn't able to charge the medicine on my card. So, I left and woke up early Monday morning and jogged back to the pharmacy to pick up the prescription. Unfortunately, because I hadn't come back Friday afternoon, they had sent the medicine back. So, they told me they would have to re-order it and I would have to come back the next day to pick it up. So I jogged home, and jogged back the next day, to FINALLY pick up my medicine!! After many unsuccessful attempts, I had finally succeeded! Then, on Wednesday morning, I woke up and went to breakfast and as I was sharing my spring break plans to fly to New Zealand and Fiji, with others at my table, a boy that I didn't know spoke up and told me some very shitty news! Apparently, Fiji is in extreme political unrest right now and they are advising Americans and Australians to stay out of Fiji. He told me that it would be like traveling to Afghanistan right now. Discouraged, and really mad, I went back to my room to do some research of my own. I found the travel advisories and emailed them to my mom and talked with her about my options. We decided that it probably wouldn't be the best idea to travel there alone, under these circumstances. So, I set out to change my plans, in hopes of getting a refund on my tickets and road-tripping with some girls from my dorm up the coast all the way to Cairns. After about an hour on the internet and the phone, I realized that the tickets I had bought were non-refundable and non-transferable and because of this, there was no one that I could directly contact to help me. Instead, I had to email this automated email system about questions or changes that I had. It was awful! Finally, I think I have arranged to cancel my tickets to and from Fiji, and get a return ticket from Auckland instead. So, hopefully I will be spending 9 days on the North Island of New Zealand. My friend Lily from my dorm and her friend are also flying into Auckland and then taking a bus trip around the whole North Island. So, if all my plans work out, I am going to go with them!!
SO...finally after the week from hell, I think I have finally had some success! Now, I am beginning my weekend! Friday, I am going out to dinner and to a rugby game with my friends from orientation and then Saturday I am going on a field trip with my art class to an art gallery in Sydney and then on a dinner/booze cruise of the Sydney Harbor! It should be a really nice weekend!!

Skydive the Beach!!

Today I went SKYDIVING on the beach in North Wollongong!! It was the most incredible experience of my life! I absolutely loved it and I want to do it again...like everyday haha!! We had a beautiful day and I could see up the entire coast, from like Byron Bay to Jarvis Bay(which is a really long way!!!). We arrived at the skydive place and filled out a few forms and then we headed outside to suit up and meet our instructors. My instructors name was Max and he was so badass! He was originally from Italy and he had sleeve tattoos all over his arms! I was so pumped! He did an interview with me before we got on the bus and we got to talk and get to know each other. We drove about 20 minutes in the van, before we reached the small airport where we were going to take off. Then, we boarded the plane and Max and I boarded last, because we wanted to be the first to jump! There was 16 people crammed in the plane and just a tiny, see-through door between me and the wide-open sky!! We flew up 14,000 feet and then we got ready to jump. He told me that he wasn't going to tell me when we were going to go, so I wouldn't be scared. I secured my goggles and he pulled open the door and I was just kneeling, waiting to free fall! Then wam, he just pushed me over the edge and we were flying!! I was terrified that I was going to lose my stomach, like I was on a roller coaster, but that wasn't the feeling at all! The plane is flying horizontally, so fast that when you fall out of the plane, you kind of make a rainbow, instead of falling straight down as if you were bungee jumping. I free fell for 60 seconds, until we reached 4,000 feet, but it literally felt like 10 seconds. It all happened so fast! When he pulled the chute, he had me hold the handles an steer the chute while we floated around in the sky; it was amazing! I got to see the whole coast and the city of Wollongong from above. It was so beautiful! After about 3-4 minutes of floating, it was time to land. As we zoned in on the landing strip, a gust of wind hit our chute, and we were coming in really fast. Instead of landing on his feet, my instructor told me to life my feet and we came in fast and hard, landing on our butts in the middle of the field! It was really cool!! Then he unhooked me and I got to go see my friends that all came to watch! It was awesome! After everyone finished, we hung out and waited for our video and pictures! It was such a great experience and I am so glad I did it!! My certification lasts for 2 months and if I can find 5 more people that want to go skydiving, I can go again for free!! I had an incredible day and I can't wait to go again!!

Canberra: National Capital Exhibition, Australian War Memorial, Parliament

Yesterday, I went to the capital of Australia. It is a small town called Canberra, about three hours away from Wollongong. I woke up at 6 o'clock and left my dorm at 7 and walked about 20 minutes to catch the bus that was leaving from campus. Little did I know, when I signed up for this trip, that it was hosted by International Student Affairs. I just so happened to be the only American on the bus, crammed full with 65 people. For the first time on this trip and the first time in my life, I experienced what it was like to be the minority. I made my way to a seat, three wide with a Vietnamese boy and an older Indonesian man. It was a very interesting, and hot trip to say the least. About an hour and a half into our trip, we stopped in Goulburn for "morning tea and biscuits." I had a cup of coffee, stretched my legs, and went to the bathroom before we got back on the road for another hour and a half ride. When we arrived in Canberra, our first stop was at the National Capital Exhibition. It was a really cool exhibition of different historical facts about Canberra and the capital. You could watch a movie, or look at the different displays. There was also a great little cafe and an lookout where you could see Parliament and the rest of the small city. Then, we drove up a long hill and went to another really amazing overlook and took more pictures, before going to the Australian War Memorial and having lunch. The War Memorial was very interesting and informative. I learned a lot about Australian history and the people who lost their lives in war. I took lots of pictures and then laid outside in the grass and ate my lunch, read, and enjoyed the beautiful sunshine!! After about 2 hours there, we headed for our last stop at the Parliament building. It was incredible! I took tons of pictures inside and out! I cannot even explain the amazing architecture and beauty of this building! It was breathtaking! While waiting for the bus, I met a group of 3 Indonesian people. One man from Bali, a 40 year old student studying to get his PHD in Civil Engineering, really blew me away! He told me about his journey to Australia to study and better his education to support his wife and two small children. He told me that he would have to be away from them for four years and just thinking about how much he misses them, brings tears to his eyes. It was very amazing to talk with him and to hear how hard he worked to get where he is and the extremes that he would go to, to support his family. It reminded me a lot of my own father at home and it made me really sad; but, at the same time, it made me feel really lucky! It was a life changing conversation. After a tiring afternoon, we all packed back on the bus and rode for another hour and a half before we stopped at McDonald's for dinner. I walked around in search of mustard to put on the sandwich that I brought, but Australians don't use condiments other than butter, cream cheese, and hummus so I was out of luck! Instead, I climbed back on the bus and ate my sandwich dry. Sick of being crammed in with the two guys, I walked up to the front where the tour-guide was sitting and asked if she would mind if I sat with her. She collected her things and moved over so that I could sit beside her. It was right in the front of the bus and had so much more room than my previous seat!! I was in heaven. As we drove, we began to talk and I learned so much about her life and her culture! She was a 31 year old Muslim, Indonesian woman and she was in Australia studying to get her masters in Education. She was incredibly interesting and we chatted about American stereotypes about Muslims and different religious and cultural beliefs. She was also a very incredible, strong woman, who left her husband behind in Indonesia to come and study. When talking about her religion, she told me that, "It doesn't matter what clothes you wear, it is your heart that tells you if you are a good person." When I departed on the trip, I certainly had pre-existing stereotypes and I won't lie, I was intimidated, and even turned off when I realized who I would be traveling with. After finishing the day and creating all of these new friendships, it has completely changed my perspective and opened up my mind! I will never forget what she told me! This day was truly life changing and I am really glad that I did it on my own and was forced to make new friends and experience new things. We arrived back in Wollongong around 9:30pm and I was exhausted! I came back to my room, uploaded pictures, and went to bed!! Incredible day!

Spring Break Plans!!

Yesterday was Saint Patrick's Day!! I went to class and the gym and then came back to I-House for lunch and a nap. I got a care package from my family filled with magazines, food, coffee, money, cards, and pictures!! It was so nice...I loved it! Later at night, we all got dressed up in our green gear and headed to catch the bus to Glass House and Ivory. We hung out and danced all night...it was a blast!!
This morning, I woke up and planned my adventures for when I am in New Zealand and Fiji in a couple weeks! I planned a bus tour of Auckland, New Zealand, as well as a sailing/snorkeling/whale watching trip and a Sabeto Valley and Garden of the Sleeping Giant tour while I am in Fiji. I'm so excited for Fiji, my hostel is right on the beach! It should be a blast!! I am nervous to travel alone, but I think it will be really awesome at the same time!! I am going to hang out today and tomorrow and enjoy the 83 degree, sunny beach weather ;) and then on Saturday I'm heading to Canberra to explore the Capital and Sunday I am SKYDIVING with a big group of kids from my dorm!! This weekend should be incredible!!

Success!

Today was a much better day than yesterday! My bitching paid off and Jeanette bought heaps of gluten free food and different sauces and marinades. She cooked my dinner herself and brought it out to me at my table. It was so great! It really means a lot that she took the time to make it right!
I had class this morning and then I went to a B.A.T class (Butt, Abs, and Thighs) haha and literally worked my ass off. Then I came back for lunch and a nap! I woke up at 4:15 and took the bust to campus, only to find out that my tutorial had been canceled. So, I came back for dinner and met up with Kayla to go to our "Unicrew" meeting back at campus. We decided to join "Unicrew" and volunteer on campus and in the community! It should be a great cause and a great way to meet new people! Today, I also registered for the Sydney Herald Half Marathon on May 16th! There is an International House (my dorm) team and a few other people are running it as well! I can't wait! Tomorrow, I only have one tutorial and one lecture and it is Saint Patrick's Day!! A bus will pick us up and take us out downtown in Wollongong and then bring us back at the end of the night! It should be a blast! Then, it is the beginning of another four day weekend...ahh life is good:)

Long Monday...

Today felt like the longest day ever! I had class from 11:30am-6:30pm and by 6:30 I was exhausted and so ready to be done! For some reason, it was just one of those days where nothing seemed to go right...my hair didn't even look right! Then, when I got back for dinner they hadn't made me anything that I could eat and they tried to feed me a salad with dressing that I didn't know if I could eat. She held it out and asked, "Can you eat this?" I'm like...how the hell do I know? You made it!!! I was really frustrated and at my wits end for the day, so I just asked for a bowl of cereal. Still hungry, I went back up and asked for some bread so I could make some toast. The foreign, clearly oblivious, woman who had just tried to feed me the salad, brought be back two slices of white bread. I flew mad, the leading ingredient in white bread is friggen flour (GLUTEN!!!!) The woman that I have been trusting to make my meals for the past month doesn't know that there is gluten in bread!?!? That is very scary and NOT ok!! Finally, completely disgusted, I got slices of frozen bread and little packets of peanut butter. I trudged back to my floor to warm up my bread in the microwave and get something into my stomach. After choking down the bread, I came back to my room and wrote a very long, very heated email to Jeanette (the head of the cafeteria, who I love!) and reamed her out. Not really her, just the service and the accommodations and the lack of respect and knowledge that the kitchen staff has suddenly been showing this week. I told her that she can give me money to buy my own food, or make me meals to bring back to my room, but this woman is no longer going to be cooking for me because she has no idea what she is doing! I told her that her staff needs to be educated about Celiac's Disease and what it really means. Unlike vegetarians and vegans who chose their diet, I am allergic and I get very sick!! I refuse to risk it and waste this wonderful experience feeling like crap! I spend too much money on a meal plan to eat cereal for dinner, or be sick all the time! I am finally learning to stand up for what I want and need from people and demand the service that I pay for!! Feels so good! WHEW!! Now that I'm done venting, I'm going to go watch Taken with Kay.
This weekend, I'm going to Canberra, the Capital of Aussieland :) and then Sunday, I am finally going skydiving with a big group of people from my dorm!! I'm so excited!! (Lots of amazing, scary, hilarious pictures to come!!!)
Missin' everyone at home <3

And the weekend comes to an end...

Today concludes the first of my many wonderful four day weekends :) I woke up early this morning and Kay and I jogged up to the gym, where we took a body pump class and jogged back. I was terrible at the time, but I'm so glad I did it and got it over with! When we got back, it was time for brunch! It was delicious! Sunday is the only day we get "hot breakfast" here, so everyone is always really excited for eggs and hash browns and sausages!! Then, we layed out on our lawn and read in the sun for the rest of the morning...it was a beautiful, sunny day here! Then, I came in for a much needed nap!! When I woke up, I printed off job applications for Office Works and The Outback Steak House, which are both right down the road from school, along with a couple resumes and set out to drop them off! It would be great to have a little money to take home with me/pay back my parents for all the help they've given me this semester!! Then, I came back for dinner (gluten free pasta!!) it was great!! After dinner, we walked to blockbuster to try and find a movie to watch tonight. We really wanted to get The Time Travelers Wife, but it doesn't come out on video here until March 18th :( (It takes a few extra months for new movie/music releases to get to Australia). So, we just came back and we're going to watch whatever happens to be playing in the "Red Room" instead. I also searched on craigslist for a job for when I return to Chelsea this summer. I was hoping to get something fairly local because I'm going to be living at home this summer. I applied at Applebees and a summer camp in Barre, but it seems like jobs are pretty scarce! If anyone has any ideas let me know! I will be back at the end of June!!
I start classes again tomorrow; I have class from 11:30am-6:30pm, so it should be a pretty busy day! I've pretty much finished all my homework and I'm excited for the next couple weeks of fun trips! I'm going to Canberra (the capital of Australia), a Wollongong rugby game and dinner with my orientation group, and The Fray concert!! Then, in two weeks I leave for Fiji and New Zealand!! Should be a blast! Hope all is well at home...missin' everyone like crazy! Stay in touch!!

A month is already gone...

It has been a really relaxing weekend so far of homework, Grey's, and beach time. Yesterday, I did some homework and went to my Body Pump class. I ended up buying a three month gym membership so that I can go whenever I want while I'm here. I love taking the classes, they are great! Then, last night I went out to the pub for a little while with everyone and then we walked to check out the Beach Bar, a bar right on North Beach that we have never been to before. Unfortunately, by the time we got there, it was already closed. So, I came back pretty early and watched t.v. with everyone in the red room. This morning I got up around 10 for breakfast and then walked down to the beach with a few friends. I layed out and read for a while and then came back around 2 for lunch. I went to office works on the way home, and my friend Sarah and I got a great deal on a printer!! We decided to buy a printer and share it. It was only 36 bucks each for the printer, ink, and paper!! I'm psyched! You have to pay for printing here and I spent like 10 dollars in the first week trying to print my lecture notes and assignments. I will definitely put the printer to good use and it will pay for itself more than once I'm sure!! Tonight, I'm just going to relax and have dinner and do some work. I'm really tired today and I just feel like takin' it easy. I have busy weekends for like the next month!! I can't believe I have been here for a month already. Time is flying...

I Love Long Weekends!!

Yesterday, I had a late lecture from 4:30 to 6:30 and I was just sitting in class listening and all of a sudden a little green bird flew right in the window and was circling around the room!! Then, it landed in the purse of a girl who sat right behind me!! We were all screaming and laughing, so surprised that this bird had just flown right through our classroom!! A frantic, older lady in the course, ran to the girls purse and took out the bird with her hands and ran outside to let it free. When she opened her hands, the bird wouldn't fly away. It just sat on her finger and hung out for like 30 seconds and let her pet it. It was the coolest thing....Only in Australia!!
I also registered for my classes at SMC for next year yesterday as well. I have four required classes that I still have to take (two Elementary Education and two Psychology classes) and it worked out so that I have no early classes and Friday's off! It was perfect!! The semester before I left for Australia I had 18 credits, a full-time job, and an 8:15 class almost everyday!! Now, I am finally lucked out and got a convenient schedule!! got an offer yesterday from South Burlington Elementary School to student teach in the second grade next year in the spring semester!! I am really excited; I've been e-mailing with the teacher and trying to get to know her better! I will go in for a more formal interview when I return to the States!! I am so relieved that I finally got an offer...I took SO much time completing paperwork, resumes, cover letters and all that jazz to send to all the schools in the district!! I can't believe everything is finally coming together!!
So..it is Thursday here today, and now that I have enrolled in my new class I have Thursday and Friday off every week!! So, I'm going to do some homework and laundry and go to the gym and relax all weekend!! This Sunday, March 14th, I have officially been in Australia for one month! I can't believe it...time really does fly!! I will be back home, enjoying a VT summer in three months!!

Crazinesss!

So, I officially can't sleep past like 7am here. When the sun comes up, it is a lost cause!! I have been up at seven o'clock for the past two weeks and then I just keep going to bed earlier and earlier haha! Today was the last day to enroll/withdraw from classes, so I woke up and withdrew from my Cognition and Perception course and enrolled in the Psychology of Physical Activity. I was really unhappy in my Cognition and Perception class and it didn't interest me at all!! So, now, with my new schedule, I only have classes Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday! I'm so pumped!! Later..I need to run to the bookstore and exchange my Cognition and Perception books and pick up the book for Physical Activity!!
I just talked to Kayla and we decided that we are going to Cairns/Great Barrier Reef on May 20th-23rd and possibly doing a boat cruise when her parent's come to visit!! I can't wait!! I have also planned a trip to Canberra to see the nation's capital, Parliament, and all the other government buildings next Saturday. Then, March 30th a bunch of the girls and I bought tickets to see the FRAY in Sydney!! I am so excited, I have so many fun trips planned for this semester!!
Today, I have class at 11:30-12:30 and then I'm going to do a body pump class with the girls. Then, I have another lecture from 4:30-6:30 and then I'm done for the week!! I am pumped for a relaxing weekend on the beach with everyone!!

Lots of traveling!!

Yesterday, I had three classes and I did the bodypump class again at the gym. I have officially come to terms with the fact that that class is going to make me permanently sore!! In between my busy schedule, I weknt to the backpackers world office and booked trips to melbourne/victoria and byron bay/nimbin (where we will attend the mardi grass festival. I'm so excited! April is going to be an awesome month!! New zealand and fiji for spring break and then melbourne and nimbin back to back weekends!! It should be a blast! Today, I have three more classes and a really busy day! I'm going to be on campus from nine thirty this morning until six thirty tonight!! It is a beautiful day here today...seventy five and sunny as usual ;) and I'm soaking up every minute of it, but missin everyone at home!

Sydney Opera House and Coogee

I don't think words or pictures could ever begin to describe this breathtaking place and this amazing feeling...but I guess I have to try. Yesterday, Kay and I caught the train from Wollongong to Sydney to see A Mid Summer Night's Dream at the Sydney Opera House. We got to Sydney and walked around, took pictures, and browsed in the little shops along Sydney Harbor. Then, we ate lunch (one of the ten pbjs we brought)on the lower deck of the Opera House. At one o'clock, we went upstairs to find our seats. We were in the front row of the lodge and we actually had pretty good seats. I could see really well! The set was cool and the House was packed, but it was really confusing! I guess I'm not a huge fan of the opera haha, but it was a great experience and a really cool place! I'm glad I went! After the play, we walked around and explored Sydney and the Harbor. We saw wedding parties taking pictures everywhere along the boardwalk...it was a beautiful day! Then, we found this awesome little restaurant called the Quay Bar to eat dinner. We desperately needed a break from pbjs and cold drinks!! We ate dinner and listened to a live band for about an hour. Then, we grabbed a bus to Coogee to meet some friends from orientation. It was a bit of an adventure to find their apartment, but when we did it was totally worth it! Their apartment is in the center of the cutest little beach town and it has an ocean view. We hung out and then took a walk along the beach and went to the Coogee Hotel and Bar. After a long, sweaty night of dancing to a live band, we walked along the beach and sat on these rocks that overlook the Pacific Ocean. We looked at the stars and listened to the waves; it is the most peaceful place on earth. It felt as though I could see forever and the water never ended. It was an absolutely perfect night. This morning, I woke up early and walked down the beach and got a coffee and took pictures. Now, I am sitting on the front deck, waiting for everyone to wake up and thinking that I never want to leave. I am sitting here, overlooking the most beautiful coastline and trying to let this weekend sink in because it doesn't feel real. I feel so lucky to be having this experience and having so much fun! I am in the most beautiful place in the world and I can't stop smiling :)

Weekend in Sydney!

Tomorrow, I am going to the Sydney Opera House to see A Mid Summer Night's Dream. I am going with my Kayla and two friends that we met at orientation. We are going to catch the train at 9:20 in the morning and head into Sydney and attempt to find where we're going. The play begins at 1:00 and it is three and a half hours long with three intermissions!! I am really excited and I can't wait to go!! We talked to Jeanette (the love of my life/cafeteria lady) and she hooked me and Kay up with food for the whole weekend because we were going to be away! She gave us cereal and fruit and sandwiches to take!! She is so awesome!! Now, we don't have to spend a million dollars to eat in Sydney...we're pumped!! After the play, we are going to take a bus to Coogee and meet up with some other friends that we met at our IFSA-Butler orientation. There is 11 people and they have a huge house right outside of Sydney. We are going to hang out with them and stay there for the night, then catch the train back to Wollongong on Sunday morning!! I will post a blog and lots of pictures when I get back!!

Uni Week 1

This week was my third week in Australia and my first week of classes. As this week comes to an end, I am feeling much more familiar with the University campus and the city of Wollongong. I have learned where all of my classes are and I am pretty confident in maneuvering around campus! This week I only had classes Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday because tutorials don't start until next week. But typically I will only have Friday's off. This morning I woke up and hung out around my dorm and ate breakfast, then Kayla and I went to this class at the gym called Body Combat and worked out. It was so intense!! The instructor is a martial artist and he is so fit! He kicked our but for whole hour!! I am already feeling really sore...I'm dreading waking up tomorrow haha! If we're not too sore, tomorrow there is a class called Body Pump that we are going to try!
After Body Combat, we rode the bus into town and picked up a few things we needed and then headed back for a nap and dinner :) Ever since the earth quake in Chile, it has caused pretty poor weather here in Wollongong. There was a tsunami warning on Sunday and it has been dreary and rainy ever since. Hopefully the sun will come out so we can go to the beach tomorrow afternoon!!
I am pooped, so I'm going to head to bed, but I hope everything is wonderful in VT and you're still enjoying all the snow! I miss everyone like crazy! Stay in touch...I love to read your posts!! <3

First Day of Classes!

I started classes at the University of Wollongong yesterday. It was a very long and confusing day for me! haha I had to figure out the bus schedule and find my classes...even just making my way around campus seemed like a chore!! There are almost 20,000 students enrolled at the University and like a million buildings it feels like!! Yesterday, I had Assessment and Intervention and a Language and Learners class. Unfortunately, I didn't make it to Language and Learners. When I wrote up my schedule, I saw that the class was from 15:30-17:30. So, after my first class, I came back to my room to eat lunch and nap. I set my alarm for 4:30 and thought I would catch the 5:00 bus up to class. When I arrived at building 25, there was a big wave of students coming out of the lecture hall, so I waited until they left and then went in and took my seat. I sat for a while, and when a couple girls came in I asked them what class they were there for? They said they were there for a culture class, so I went up and asked the professor and showed him my blackberry with my schedule on the screen. He looked at it and told me that 15:30 is 3:30, not 5:30. I was so embarrassed!! That had been my class that I saw coming out of the lecture hall and I had missed the whole thing!! I had written all of my afternoon classes at the wrong times (for some reason, I was thinking 11:00 was 1 o'clock instead of 13:00). Thank god I realized it on the first day, so I went back to my dorm and redid my entire schedule!! Then, I went for a run and had dinner and just hung in my dorm for the rest of the night. Today, I'm off to a better start! I had Cognition and Perception at 9:30 this morning and I have my second Assessment and Intervention lecture at 2:30-3:30. My last class an Aboriginal Arts class that I have tomorrow. I think I will learn my way around campus quickly and by the end of the semester, I should be an old pro!!