Its been awhile...

Wow. Over two months since I posted anything. I have a defense. Really! I've been busy with papers and exams. I swear. It is totally true! Also, I haven't done much except one very long road trip which I will detail in full before the end of the week. I can't now, cause I'm on my way to Brisbane in a few hours.

However, I will give you a taste...the trip involves two girls, a camper named Chubby, dead Kangaroos, dingos and lots of open road...also, new shoes.

Dunes...

Hayley and I went to Stockton to play on the dunes. Alas, after a bus ride, a ferry ride and a two hour walk along the beach (pictured in the photo--we walked from the grass part all the way to the part you can barely make-out) we found no dunes. It was very sad. However, we did accomplish one very important thing: absolute procrastination!
I found a shell to add to my collection and I was very intrigued by the sea-foam. But, then I thought of the Little Mermaid and started to get a little bit of a sniffle. While walking back to the ferry I spotted the General Washington Hotel and had a bit of a giggle. Wonder if it's the same General?

Rod Steiger, Dr. Strangelove, Invasion of the Body Snatchers and Neigbours Or: How to Avoid Being Productive

Everyone has their favorite way to procrastinate. Some (and this seems to be a very popular way among the ladies here) clean. Others go surfing or boogie boarding. As I would rather chew off my own leg than clean and I have absolutely no desire to die by sharks or drowning, I have had to come up with another way to procrastinate. And last week I discovered it: the Achmuty Library's greatest secret--their collection of movies. The library has everything from The Fountainhead (based on Ayn Rand's novel starring the late great Gary Cooper) to The Illustrated Man (based on the book written by Ray Bradbury starring Rod Steiger).

As it was raining last weekend, I decided to go to the library and watch a movie for my Australian Pop Culture class. The movie was called Puberty Blues. Puberty Blues is the most terrifying film ever made based on the scariest novel ever written. It is a coming of age tale for girls set in the Australia of the 1970s. What makes it scary is that it is still relevant not just to Aussie girls but all teenage girls in the world, or at least the developed world. It is the story of two 13 year-old-girls who have sex, do drugs and drink to become part of the in-crowed. But, not to worry, they give it up and become surfer chicks in the end.

After watching that cinematic train wreck, I watched Invasion of the Body Snatchers. The 1956 anti-conformity Sci-fi flick based on the novel of the same name was once considered a B movie. But, it is now a classic having been remade twice and influencing everyone who is anyone in the movie business. It is one of the best movies I have seen in long time and also one of the most terrifying. What if Earth was invaded by space pods and everyone we know is the same but not? They have the same memories, they look the same and sound the same but they aren't the same. You go to sleep one night and suddenly your not you...

This week I have enjoyed Dr. Strangelove Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb and The Illustrated man. Dr. Strangelove is one of the funniest dark comedies ever made. An American general named Jack Ripper goes a bit crazy, finds a loop hole that allows him to launch a nuclear attack on Russia. What is worse, is Russia has a Dooms Day Machine--a nuclear bomb infused with some element or other that will destroy all of Earth and everything on it for 93 years--which will automatically go off if Russia is attacked. The title character is on screen for all of five minutes, but in those five minutes he delivers the some of the most hilarious lines in the film--a plan to survive underground for a hundred years. Lets just say you get the idea Dr. Strangelove was once a Nazi...

The Illustrated Man is typical Bradbury. Nearly two hours of subtle terror. There are no scary aliens or monsters, just scary humans who have extraordinary things happen to them. The Illustrated Man (played by Steiger) is man who fell for a women who illustrated his skin. The illustrations come to life and when you look at those illustrations you find yourself in stories that span time. Stories that always end badly--like being in a future where kids can use a device, think up anything they like and then kill you by feeding you to the lions that have imagined (another reason not procreate). It isn't even the stories that scary, really, but the fact that you can see the end coming a mile away and the characters don't.

Another good way to procrastinate is by watching every single episode of Neighbours that is on youtube. Neighbours is the longest running show on Australian TV (22 years). It is a half hour soap but without the weird facial expressions at the end of every scene. Some devotee (more than one, actually) has taken the time to record the show everyday for at least two years and then posted them on youtube. I, and I suspect many others, have wasted entire days watching it. I don't why it's so compelling. It has become an addiction.

My friend Hayley who falls into the 'likes to clean' group of procrastinators is unwittingly helping me to further procrastinate by taking me to the dunes tomorrow. I will, in an effort to up my nerdiness, pretend to be Paul Atreides catching a ride on a Sandworm...

Things I forgot to mention in the last post....

1) My new shoes 2) First stop on the wine tour 3) Last stop on the tour 4) Elizabeth and Nathan (aka Don Carlos) during Mexican Night (don't ask)

I forgot to mention a few things in the last post. First, I changed my hair colour as you can see in the pictures. Hayley wanted to go darker and I got caught up the excitement. So, late one night while in Sydney we headed to Coles in Chinatown, bought some dye and coloured our hair. Hayley hates hers. Second, I bought some new shoes while in Melbourne. This is exciting and notworthy for two reasons: 1) I wanted to get them in Sydney, but thought I could buy them cheaper on-line. Turns out they are limited editions and only sold through one store--Hype. So, I bought them while in Melbourne and now I am a happy camper and 2) they make me feel like a 21st century Dorthy only instead of Oz I'm in OZ and instead of lions and tigers and bears there are kangaroos, platypuses (platypie?) and Koalas (which are not bears, actually). Third, I went to the Wildlife Center and the Aquarium while in Sydney. The last thing I forgot (how I forgot, I don't know) is the wine tour I took in July.

The wine tour was for a friends birthday. It was involved the group of friends I met at the hostel. We went to five or six wineries in the Hunter Valley. I got to try "O," which is amazing and Chile schnapps. One of the best days ever.

I think I also forgot to mention our theme nights, but I get the feeling there are some stories better left untold, but I've given you a photo as a hint...

Also, its been raining for three days.

Sydney and Melbourne

1)It reminded me of the show... 2) Me and the Opera House 4) Me and the bridge 4) On our way to the Twelve Apostles (I was car sick) 5) The Twelve Apostles

School has been kicking my butt, which is why I haven't written in over a month.

In August I went with a group of people to Sydney for the weekend. We really went for the Jason Mraz concert, but we also wanted to do a bit of the tourist thing.

We saw the bridge and the opera house like the good tourists we are. Although, I have to admit I wasn't much impressed. While I didn't really care for those attractions I will say the nerd in me loved the authors walk along the Sydney Harbor.

Hayley and I went to Manley one afternoon as well. Also not very impressive but the ferry ride back was awesome! The view approaching the harbor was gorgeous. We got there just as the sun was starting to set.

The Wake Up! hostel was nice and only a block from Chinatown. Hayley introduced me to Milk Tea (aka bubble tea)--a tea with milk afloat with tapioca globules. It's an interesting experience for ones taste-buds.

Hayley and I, feeling guilty for not doing our homework, went to the ANZAC Memorial. We had just gone over the ANZAC legend in our Australia in the 20th century class. Personally, I had never heard of the ANZACs before and, maybe because I'm an American, I don't get it. But, then I don't get a lot of things about the Australians. Like their sports obsession or why they take three words and make come out as one (ex: How are you? becomes howyagoin'?).

The concert was the highlight of the trip, of course. I have never spent $60 so well in my life! Loved it. He was funny, energetic, he involved the audience and he was on stage for two hours! It was fantastic.

Last Thursday I went with another group to Melbourne. I should have gone by myself or with a smaller group or with people I actually know well enough to have a conversation with. Maybe, I should have told the annoying, bossy girl who sucked all the air out of the room to F-off. But, alas, I was didn't and I paid for it. I didn't have as good a time as I should have. But that isn't to say the trip to Melbourne was a bust. I think it is one of my favourite cities. It actually felt like a city, whereas Sydney felt more like a very big home town.

The first day, we rented a car and drove the Great Ocean Road to the twelve apostles. It was really beautiful. A word of advice: remember your motion sickness pills. The highlight, was the trip back into Melbourne. We actually saw a Koala run across the road! In fact, we almost hit it. It's amazing how much more exciting seeing an animal can be when it isn't locked in a cage.

The rest of the weekend involved a museum, a big market and a lot of walking in the windy, rainy cold.

The Immigrant museum was nice. I would have enjoyed it better if I had been with people who were a bit more into the museum thing. It felt like they were there because it was raining outside.

The market was, well a market. They did have really, really , really good corn on the cob, though.

Sunday, we walked through the Bohemian neighbourhood. I hate the pretentiousness of it. People who want to be something interesting (like Bohemian) and yet miss the point entirelly and then try and sell you used clothes for hundreds of dollars. I had some really good pumpkin and lintel soup, though. And it was cheap!

We also went to the botanical gardens. It was really beautiful. I bet it is absolutely spectacular in spring and summer. While we were there we stopped by the Shrine of Rememberance. I wish I had more time at the Shrine, but everyone to go back to the hostel.

Melbourne has some amazing buildings, both old and new. The city really embraces the past and looks toward the future. I think it might surpass Sydney as the New York of Australia. At least I hope it does.

Duck Attack

I was attacked by a duck while walking to my Chivalric Society class this morning. The little bugger bit my ankle! To be fair, I was walking on a path close to were his babies were eating with their mom, but still!

I have a feeling spring time will be very interesting around here.

The First REAL day of classes

Today was the first day of real lectures and tutorials. My day started at 8 a.m. when I got ready for them, still half asleep because I was up until 2 a.m. reading about Australia's Liberal (actually conservative) party and why they don't want Australia to become a Republic. At 9 a.m. I began my 30 min walk to were my class, and the only recognizable form of coffee, is. My Australia in the 20th century lecture began at 10 a.m. after walking up three flights of stairs and spilling my coffee all over Ringo Stars head. The lecture was two hours long.

At noon I went to the student union and ate at Subway. Again.

At 1 p.m. I was in my Romantic and Victorian Literature seminar. We were 'discussing' Blake. Turns out it was more of a I'll tell you what I want to be said and lets see how well you can repeat it type of discussion. Blake deserves better.

At three I walked back to my dorm for a jacket and to drop off my gigantic Norton and then made my way back to were I was for my 4 p.m. AU in the 20th century tutorial. We had to do an icebreaker where you say two true things about yourself and one lie. We are a very boring group of people. The most exciting lie was "I am a Canadian."

Then we discussed the reading I did early this morning except I couldn't remember what I read!

Now, though classes are done for the day, I have to head to the library and watch Mad Max 2 and I still have to read 100 pages on Chivalry.

This is the 5th consecutive day of rain...

Rugby and Australian Popular Culture

Picture #1--Kelly and I waiting for the game to start. You can see the Rabbitahs in the background. It was taken by a very nice man who did his best to explain the game to us.

Picture #2--The Knights. Player 4 is the oldest on the team (well into his 30s) and plays better than most of the young guys. He was the star of the game, scoring 12 points (two touchdowns). He is called 'Mad Dog.'

Picture #3--A scrum. It was a penalty against the Knights so the guy standing to the side is about to the throw the ball into the scrum toward is team mates in order to regain possession.

Yesterday a group of us went to see the local rugby league (the Knights) play the South Sydney Rabbitahs. We kicked the bunnies tails!

I don't think most of the girls enjoyed the game or wish to repeat it. However, Kelly and I were thrilled. It was my second live game and Kelly's first. We had a very nice man sitting next to us who explained the rules to us. Rugby looks complicated, but isn't.

The captain rejoined the team for the first time in three weeks--since being injured in the Origins game (NSW vs. Queensland). The crowed really went wild for him. It was like Michael Jordan was on the field.

I intend to watch the next three games and will also see a Rugby Union game (England vs. New Zealand) in October. I'm so excited. After all, when will I ever be able to watch it again?

Today was my first Australian Popular Culture class. It was mainly an introduction to the course, but we did have to discuss a few questions we had been given. Like "What is Australian?" It was no surprise that everyone answered drinking (which is one of THE popular past-times here), nor was "sporty" a big surprise as 80% of their media consists of it. I was surprised at the self deprecation, though!

It isn't that Australians don't think highly of themselves. They just don't think of themselves very grandly. For example, one of the stories that came up was of an Australian speed skater who won a gold medal in one of the winter Olympics. The skater was dead last and then everyone else fell down and that's how he won. He wasn't very fast, he just didn't fall down. The Australians in the class explained that it was better winning a medal that way than if he had been faster than everyone else. Winning that way is more Australian. Even the 100 Years film I had to watch for my Australian history class showed that Australians still don't want to be truly independent of Britain. They call themselves weak and feel that they need Britain for protection. The people refuse to become a republic even though England has had nothing to do with Australian law for 40 years!

Autonomy Day 2008

Imagine being in a deep sleep and then rudely awakened by a fire alarm and a bull horn by your ear. That is what happened to me this morning.

I grudgingly woke up and went next door for what promised to be a nice normal brekkie (breakfast): bacon and eggs. Not Weetbix (a weird granola bar type thing you put in milk and eat really fast), not muesli, not their version of granola and yogurt and not their weird overly sweet cereal, but a real brekkie.

What I got was Canadian bacon. It was all fat and chewy. The only thing more disappointing was finding out what a BBQ is to an Australian.

The eggs were inhaled by the drunks before I got there.

After brekkie we went to the other side of Townies (the International House dorms) to see what was going on. Drunkenness. I did not participate. For me, booze should is best consumed after dinner.

After the disappointing morning I went back to my room and tried to sleep through the songs the DJs kept on repeat: I Kissed A Girl (and I liked it) and Hotel California.

Around 1030 I went down to the Bar On The Hill. The tiny bar-room was filled with couple thousand drunk students. Those who couldn't fit into the bar, braved the rain (its been raining for three days straight) and where jumping on one of those giant inflatable castles usually set up for kids at those out door events like fairs and birthday parties.

Since I am uncomfortable and claustrophobic in large groups and I hate being wet and cold, I went back to my room and spent the day watching The Goonies, Grease and Jane Eyre.

I'll post some pics later.

Sorry it has been so long...

I've been absent for two reasons: 1) I had to pay for the internet until now and 2) I'm lazy.

I lived in a hostel for elven days and I have to say they were some of the best days of my life so far. I have never had so much fun in my life and I know that without them I would not be the happy state I'm in. It's always easier to go through culture shock when you are going through it with everyone else.

After the hostel I moved into the dorms. The International House to be exact. Dorm life so different here. I have lived in co-ed dorms before, but here the guys are on the same floor and you share the same bathroom. Not that I mind, it's just different. At least the boys I live with are clean. I only get one meal a day, which is dinner. The rest I have to cook myself in our joint kitchen (and I can't cook, so its been interesting). I eat a lot of peanut butter sandwiches. Well, they call it peanut butter, but its not really.

Classes are also very different here. You have a lecture and then you go to a tutorial. Unless you have a seminar class (I have two) in which case you only have that two hour seminar. They put a great deal of emphasis on writing and research. You have to turn your papers in through a system called turnitin, which is suppose to keep people from plagiarising. It just makes life more complicated. I can't really explain how they are so different, they just are. The way people treat their classes, grades and even the professors are different.

The school has a reserve running through it, so walking to class everyday is kind of like walking through a zoo. The parrots are hanging out with the crested pigeons and the cockatoos are hanging out with the magpies. There are oyster-snatchers and some blue bird that is as big as I am.

About 20 minutes away there is another reserve. We went a week ago and got to pet Koalas (including a baby) and saw some Kangaroos and emus and some other crazy birds. Koalas are not as soft and cuddly as they look.

The beaches here are beautiful (except for the coal boats blocking the view the sunset). People love their sports here and they REALLY love their surfing and body-boarding. Rain or shin there are always people catching the waves. There are also these seagulls, some of which fly over from NZ for the winter, that just hang out on the beach. They rarely fly. They just stand there and soak there feet in the surf. The pelicans are incredible. I had no idea they were so big.

World Youth Day brought a ton of people from all over the world. Sydney got most of them, but there were thousands here as well. They had a small fair for the kids and in the fair they had camel rides. I was the only person over the age of 10 that rode one. It was great. A dream come true. Now if I could just get a couple camels for myself and ride them through the outback like Rachel Davidson did back in the 70s, I would be so happy!

Everything is so expensive here. Food, transportation, clothes, cds and books. Books are a minimum of 20 dollars for a mass market. A trade size can run you anywhere from 30 to 60 dollars depending on where you go. Borders is the cheapest place I've found so far but you still pay a good 5 to 10 dollars more than in the states. It's actually cheaper to buy the books online and have them shipped to you. About the only semi-cheap thing here is the beer. No wonder people drink so much here.

Speaking of drinking, tomorrow is Autonomy Day here at Uni. It is the day when students and faculty celebrate Uni's emancipation from the tyrannical University of NSW. Drinking starts at 3 a.m. and goes the rest of the day. I'm not sure what else happens, but it sounds crazy. It's not really my thing and I'm sure Reality at SJC would beat the pants off Autonomy day, but I'll participate if only for the free breakfast. A breakfast I don't have to cook.

Newcastle. Finally...

I made it! After six months of planning, getting tickets and visas and insurance, making plans, canceling plans, saying goodbye and spending 24 hours getting to the great continent of Australia, I made it!

I am setting in the computer lab of a hostel next to a beach. I am jet lagged and dirty and hungry (even though I just ate) and the excitement, the "oh crap I'm in another country halfway around the world" hasn't hit me yet. It will when I wake up and shower and eat and become a productive traveler instead of a sit and wait for sweet sleep to come traveler.

So, far everyone has been friendly. My driver was really nice and told me about places of interest (I would have enjoyed the trip a lot more if I wasn't motion sick). The flight attendants were nice (except one named Christopher who never spoke, but did through snacks in your lap when you were fast asleep), which is a relief. I believe the best way to judge a country is by there flight attendants.

There is so much more I could write, but I won't be able to think of anything until I sleep.

Things I've Learned On My Last Night in the USA...

1) It's hard trying to fit your life into one suitcase and a carry-on

2) Everything that can go wrong at the last minute, will go wrong

3) The new airline restrictions suck

4) Singing Dead Or Alive set on medium on Rock Band is not as easy as one would think. Especially if your a girl. However, it is easier than Weezer...

5) Instead of panicking about normal stuff, like making my connection, I am worried about my book supply. I have one book in my purse which must last me until I can find a bookstore in Newcastle. I have never had only one book on me at a time. What if my flights delayed for a day and I'm stuck having to choose between the Steele and Patterson sold at airports? Can my brain take it?

Two days and book to go...

So, I have two days left before I embark on my adventure to the land down under. I stopped working at the bookstore yesterday at 10:30 am and lazed about my room for the rest of the day. Today, I slept in and was planning on staying home and finishing the third book in the Twilight series (please don't judge me, I am planning on reading a classic next as penance). Instead, I went to my friends house (she has no phone or email) to ask if she was going with me to my other friends house for my going away party. She got me sucked into a couple of rounds of the band game (like Guitar Hero, but with more instruments) and then to Village Inn for lunch with her roommate. So much for enjoying my day of freedom before a big day of packing. I'm just not meant for social activity--at least not when I have a book I want to read.

Money and dodo birds

Apparently the traveler's check has gone the way of the dodo bird. Now, instead of not worrying about conversion rates and how much the bank is ripping you off, you have to worry about them. If you go to a bank and convert your money to a foreign currency you are charged a fee. If you leave your money the bank and use your ATM card they charge you a fee. Wells Fargo, by the way, charges 3 to 4 percent every time you use your card and 15 percent to convert the currency, which they call a conversion charge.

However, if you are traveling for a long period of time to Australia, you can open a bank account there, which is what I plan on doing. Still, I would be a much happier person if people quit nickle and dimeing me.

On the up-side, if you are a member of AAA, exchange your currency with them. They don't charge you a fee, but it's still less than what it should be.

Stuff

Well, I signed up for classes but I still have to register in July. I only have three classes, which is a bit weird, but I'm just gonna go with it!

It is so bazzar to have everything but the packing done. I even got my hair cut!

Finally....

I got the news last Wednesday: The University of Newcastle has accepted me. I will be heading to the land Down Under on June 29, 2008. I have my health insurance and a visa. Now all I need is a place to stay (a dorm room would be awesome) and life will be grand! I'm so excited!!!!!

Sigh....

Well, the Study Abroad office is losing a few staff members due to lack funding. A lot of it, I think, is because a number of students have had to give up on going abroad because they can't the funding they use to and because of the plane tickets. It's kinda sad. Sometimes I hate money. But, it will all work out in the end. Maybe this will open a bigger, better door for them!

Update...

I was called a few weeks by the Study Abroad office. They told me I needed to take a couple of quizzes (in order to test my knowledge of the process and Australia) by May 1. I definitely passed one and I'm waiting to hear about the other (I think I got it though).

According to K (the Study Abroad gentleman), I haven't officially gotten in, but "I got it."

I hope I hear from them (Newcastle and about the test) soon. I hate not knowing.

How to pick a guidebook...

Guidebooks are suppose to be useful, but I have discovered they serve only to deprive you of your money and confuse you.

Yesterday, I went to Barnes and Noble and looked through all the Australia guidebooks I could find. Not one cost less then $25! Only one of the books mentioned the city I will be going to. And only two of them mentioned rugby (which is a deal breaker), and one mentioned it only in reference to Sydney. All of them gave different suggestions on where to stay. All of them had a different idea of what the word affordable means.

I decided that guidebooks are really there to make you feel like you are in control while your trying not cry in the middle of a strange country because you are lost and confused. I mean, I have million guidebooks. I carried three of them with me to Venice and I never used them. Therefore, what guidebook one gets and the reason one picks it isn't important.

I picked my new guidebook--Lonely Planet Australia--because it mentioned rugby the most...

Waiting...

I still haven't heard if I'll be studying in Australia next semester, but it doesn't really matter. I've decided if I don't get the exchange I'll go for the summer.

Update. Well...not really

Haven't heard anything yet. Of course, the Study Abroad office did say it would be about a month before they heard anything...

I keep being reminded about the part in Serendipity when John Cusack's character is being reminded of Sarah (I think he keeps hearing her name)and he takes it as sign and goes off to find her. Well, I'm hoping that because I keep hearing about Australia in weird places and meeting Australians (one from Newcastle actually)that it's a sign that I will be accepted and off I will go!

But, then it could be I sign that I won't be going. But, I won't think that way. I refuse.

To prepare for my trip I am reading the hilarious book In A Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson.

Fun facts I have learned from Sunburned Country:

1. 10 of the worlds most venomous snakes are in Australia

2. The only continent more inhospitable than Australia is Antarctica

3. If the critters don't kill you, the ocean will

4. If an Aussie says "Look out. It's a Blue Bottle." They are not referring to an actual bottle, but a jellyfish that you don't want to tango with.

5. Aussie might just be the craziest bunch in the world and yet they are very lovable.

Plans, I Think...

I have a new application to fill out. I might be going to Newcastle instead of CQU. I want to go to Australia, whatever the cost, but I really, really hope I can get to CQU.

Just got a few books at the library about Australia. I'm excited to read them.

The story so far...

I've been planning a semester abroad to Australia since December. I still have no idea if I'm actually going, but here's hoping!

So far I've applied to CQU (Central Queensland University). I'm also looking at Newcastle and Sydney just in case.

The application process for CQU was the easiest I have ever had to do. Choosing what classes to take was a bit harder, but I think I did okay.

So, why Australia? Well, I don't know excactly. It's one of those places I've always wanted to see. They have rugby, the Great Barrier Reef and camels. What's not to love?

Right now I'm waiting to hear if I'm going to CQU or if I need to apply elsewhere.