Orientation Day 4

Saturday, July 17th 2010
Today we had free time until 5pm when we had a 2 hour meeting and then a dinner cruise. One group of people decided to spend their day taking a trip to the beach and walking it but my legs were killing me from the day before so that was out. Instead Zoe, Rhianon, Nicole, Vessy, and I decided to walk to Paddingtons Market. Russ and Matt had told us that Paddingtons Market held heaps of unique, homemade items crafted by local Aussies. We thought the market was way closer and it took a long while to get there, we figured we were lost a couple of times because we had expected to have passed it at that point. But we made it and the market was very lovely. They had handcrafted silver jewelry, clothes, paintings, pasta, and so much more. They had one place that reminded me of John, were there were entomology bugs done up in frames. We spend 30min exploring and then realized we were hungry. We headed back hoping that we would run into a cheap pizza place- this didnt happen. Most of the stores on the street we walked were high end the food was expensive as well. We ended upon a chicken place that was wonderful (and only like 7$). We then finished walking back.
The girls were done at that point but I wanted to explore Paddy's Market as well so Alysa and I walked down to the Darling Harbour area and found it. Very different from Paddingtons. Paddys was more commercial goods that were very cheap. Items were around 10, 40, or 50 which was way better than the goods in most other stores that were 200 or 400! I had heard Kelly, a guy on our trip, had found a bathing suit with an aussie flag on it for 10 so I was looking for the same. There were many suits for men but only one venue that had female suits- these were 35 and not 10 so I decided against it. We looked around a bit more and then went back to the hotel to get ready for the cruise.

The 2 hour orientation session was helpful but long.

We then walked down to Darling Harbour to get on the cruise. As we waited for the boat to dock Matt asked us if anyone knew why it was called the Sydney 2000. Matt promised he would buy a drink for the person who guessed correctly so we all had a go. I decided to ask a random couple if they knew but they didnt. Turns out 2000 is the Sydney postal code-it was as simple as that.Once boarded we were given Champagne to toast to the night. Soon enough we passed the Sydney Opera House so Russ called everyone outside to the deck. Pretty but very difficult to capture on a moving boat.


The whole of the group. After the photo everyone rushed inside again because we were all so cold. They started off feeding us rolls which were good but we were hungry. We made friends with the waiter so that he would keep bringing us more rolls. He took a fancy to one of the girls at the table, Julie. Salmon was brought out on vegetables. Delicious!! And then desert which was chocolate cake. So full at that point. We had been talking to the waiter in and out and someone had told him it was Julies birthday (even though it wasnt) so he had the musician sing her happy birthday and brought out a big piece of cake with sparklers on it. It was really sweet but she was already full and so were we. Russ was at another table and he didnt seem to pleased.

After dinner there was still time on the ship so people did different things: Brooke did the worm with Matt and Megan from Hawaii did a hula dance. (i tried to take a video but it really didnt come out). She taught me some, or attempted too- its very difficult when on a boat with champagne.

The boat ended and we got off. Megan, Sam, Nicole and I decided we wanted to go out so we talked to Matt about places to go. By that everyone had disappeared and all we had decided was that they needed to go back to change shoes. So we walked to our hotel and then decided to stay and chat it up where it was warm. We watched some footy and tried to figure out were all our keys were so that we wouldnt get charged. Then packed up for the move out to Melbourne the next morning.

Orientation Day 3 Part 2

We got back to the hotel and decided our muscles needed a good dip in the hot tub, so about six of us got suited up and went to the pool. A half an hour chilling in the warm (not hot) tub we decided we needed to get back to prep for our night out. I gathered my things and ran to the elevator where it was freezing- isnt that always the case after the inside pool. Got into my warm shower back in the room which was lovely, got out and realized I had already lost my new cell phone. AHHHHHHHHHH. Got dressed and rushed to the pool to see if I left it there- I did!! thankgod.
Everyone got ready and we headed towards the Gaff- a pub a couple of streets up that Russ had set us up with. At the Gaff we were met by Harry who gave us Gaff VIP cards. The VIP cards gave us dinner for 6$ and beers 4$ spirits 5$ for as long as we are in Australia- pretty nice. We were also allowed to buy a 12$ drink card that gave us 4 drinks but didnt start till 9pm (and it was 7pm). The same night they were also having an event- a leather fettish event that required 22$ entrance fee and to be dressed up. The event was downstairs but we werent allowed to go see without paying- they did have to walk by us to get downstairs tho and that was interesting.

I ordered steak and mash for 6$ and ate it with a monster energy drink (they were free outside) and chatted it up. At about 8:30 we had such a presence at the place that they gave us free shots when the song "Shots" by LMFAO came on. First 2 free alcoholic drinks of the night. I had to go to the bathroom after that huge monster and when I did they had run out of toilet paper and paper towels- but I found some cardboard. I told myself I might as well use the mens room next time if the womens doesnt have paper!
Finally it was 9 pm and I could go by my drink tickets. At this point so many people were already tipsy/drunk and I hadnt hardly had anything- I was worried they would want to leave soon and go to a diff venue but I took my chances and got the card. Started off with a rum and coke, which was gone in like 5 seconds so I had a vodka and cranberry. Chilling with Rhianon, Megan, Nicole and talking to the bartender (Joe) he decided to just make us a drink for fun, for free! I still didnt feel anything until I asked Joe (who was now our favorite aussie bartender and who was really from England) to make me a creation of his that was fruity. After much time and consideration he came back with something kinda funny coloured but nice with a watermellony taste- he said free of charge. This was way stronger than everything else he had been making and I had to sit down when I drank it. Chatting and dancing with the group until I met up with amanda and lamented very dramatically about the toilets ( had to go again). She told me they put new in- and I went to discover her claim. I came back very thankful to amanda as any drunk person who was given toilet paper would. I still had 2 drinks left on my stub so I got myself a vodka sunrise and danced around with everyone. Then people decided that they wanted to go to Kings Cross to party so I took a shot of rum (my last stub) and met with everyone outside.
We all walked down to kings cross- trying to be quite (not easy for me even when im sober). We walked around to one club were some people wanted to get in and were told that it was 20$ entrance. Most of us were not up for that and some of us didnt even have the funds anymore so we thought we could all go somewhere where everyone could get in- but some individuals didnt care to stick with the group and got in line to get in- jerk move (just sayin). I still dont see why they had to be so clickish. We (the non rich kids) then meandered around until we found a place that would get us in for free even thought it normally costs. It was ok- we got in, some people had a 7$ beer, then when they finished we decided we were finished. We walked towards the Gaff and some went back others and myself went to bed.

We got to the hotel Lobby. One of the things the lobby will do is hold on to your keys for you so you dont risk losing them and then give them to you to access when your there. We all asked for our different room numbers- 7303 was what I asked for.... they didnt have a key for that room. So I jumped on the elevator and hoped that someone was near who lived with me. It took me like 5 min for the drunk people next door to hear me. Everyone who had wanted to stay at the one expensive club and not keep with the group was there- apparently one of the girls had forgotten her id and so they had come back to drink in the room (losers). I got a key from them and got into my room.



Things i learned the next morning---
*I dont live in room 7303, I live in room 7301 (i had been asking for the wrong key at the desk)

*People are idiots------- one of the girls (shibhon- the same one who forgot her id the night bf at kings cross) had given her purse to another girl (katie) to hold. These two girls only met a couple of days ago fyi. Katie somehow never brought Shibhons pocketbook back and doesnt really remember what happened, due to the alcohol. Now shibhon is missing her credit cards, a 100$ room key, and 400$ cash. She uses the hotel phone to call her bank- an extra 30$ in calls.--- like i said idiots

Orientation Day 3 Part 1

Friday, July 16, 2010Today we woke up crazy early to go to the zoo and the blue mountains--- and it was totally worth it. We got on a bus and Matt put on a funny video about Kangaroos. Heres some fun facts...

• The adult male Kangaroo is called buck, boomer or jack.
• Adult females are called doe, flyer or jill.
• Young kangaroos are called joeys
• A group of kangaroos is called a mob
• Kangaroos are the only large animals that move by hopping.
• They cannot move backwards.
• on land kangaroos can't move their hind legs independently, only together. But when they are swimming (they are good swimmers) they kick each leg independently.
• The mating times of each female jill differs- therefore its up to the alpha male to remember when each female is ready to mate again
• If a female doesnt feel like mating she can fertilize one of her own eggs
• The different female teats can give different types of milk- one teat can provide milk for a developing embryo in her pouch while another teat feeds the young joey that bounces around her finding refuge in her pouch.
• A female kangaroo can have three babies at the same time: an older joey living outside the pouch but still drinking milk, a young one in the pouch attached to a teat, and an embryo awaiting birth.

We arrived at the zoo and right away I made friends with a bird who enjoyed the petting through the bars of the cage.

And then I turned around to see where everyone had gone too (I had been petting this guy for a while now he began to talk to me) and there were kangaroos that were just jumping around freely.. no cage!!



There were emus walking around too!






The Koala Bears had their own place except for one section where you could pose with them : )










So cute! The zoo was soo big that you needed longer than we were really given but ill go through some of the animals I was able to meet.

Here is a Black Swan- very different to the white swans we have in the states.


Not sure exactly about this one-- im guessing some sort of pelican?

This was real cute- one of the guys in study abroad had this bird just land in his hand- how fantastic is that!

Kanga and Owls.
This is a wombat they are completely adorable- just like everything else in this zoo. To me, a wombat is kind of like a fuzzy version of a pig :)

These are australian penguins. If youve ever seen happy feet then I imagine they crafted their character from this penguin. (That statement was in no way saying I liked the movie happy feet, very much the contrary) None the less adorable penguin.


Ok- i cant get enough of the roo!!
The left image is of an albino kangaroo. kinda weird really.
The middle picture is rat kangaroo.
The right image is a either a wallaby or a walleroo- a type of kangaroo and yet it has a different name (?) I honestly dont know the difference between a walleroo, wallaby, and kangaroo. Something I must find out in the future.

I fail- i dont know what he is called. I do know that he is not poisonous (asked this first) and then proceeded to pet him.

This animal is poisonous and therefore behind glass! thankgod

We really only had no more than 2 hours at this zoo at my camera was low of battery and space. We got on the bus and headed an hour towards the blue mountains. Matt put on another video about a prehistoric tree that had been found in the blue mountains.

Apparently the blue mountains are so vast that there is much, and i mean heaps, that they havent even set foot into. One day they came across the Wollemi pine, a tree which dates back to the dinosaurs age. There were less than 100 of the trees in one of the canyons of the blue mountains. The location of these trees are secret and accessed by helicopter. Individuals who are take to see the trees are blindfolded on the trip. Essentially the find of the Wollemi pine is like finding a living dinosaur- very miraculous.



The blue mountains have been given their name due to the blue haze that hovered above the mountains produced by the oil from the plentiful Eucalyptus trees.





The hike into the blue mountains was over 400 stairs that were sometimes metal others stone. At times the size of the stairs were just enough for my foot to land- no bigger. We only traveled down the mountain (thankgod). The mountain itself is more actually a canyon, greater and older than the grand canyon in america. They tell you here that when the grand canyon was just a little river, before it was a canyon, the blue mountains were already carved completely.





To get out of the canyon we road the steepest train in the world- it was about a 60 degree incline and a little nerve wracking at times. The ride was very much welcomed- due to the workout that we had coming down the mountain. We then got on the bus and I unsuccessfully tried to get some shut eye while Matt put on a strange aussie show "We Can Be Heros". I thought the show was pretty lame but some people here think its great.

The day doesnt end there.... Part II.....

Orientation Day 2

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Today Ross and Matt gave us a wonderful walking tour of the city of Sydney. Absolutely wonderful... well see for yourself!This is the reflecting pond outside the WWII memorial. Super Pretty and really a wonderful place to reflect, chill, and relax.








This is the wounded solder inside the WWII memorial. He is supported by three women- the present, the past, the future-- his sister, mother, and wife.

More of the memorial...

This is Capt. Cook.
In April in 1770, Captain James Cook first sets foot in New South Wales at Botany Bay. He brought record back to England that he had found a place that offered much promise. The winter seemed to be very pleasant and he expected the summer months to be very fruitful. What he did not understand is that England's winter months occur during Australia's summer months- therefore making the season he came upon summer, Australia's peak season but very bleak compared to European standards.

This information was later used when the English were looking for a place to deposit criminals. In 1788 Captain Arthur Phillip, commanding the First Fleet, sails into Port Jackson, establishing the first colonial settlement at Sydney Cove. It turned out that the great promises given by Capt. Cook were not seen as they expected.



This is a pig fountain in front of the Sydney Hospital. It is said to be lucky if you rub either his nose or another undesirable location. None the less its a pig statue-- therefore I MUST have a picture of it!! : )



Harry's Famous Meat Pie known as "The Tiger". A meat pie is essentially an individual sized pie crust filled with meat and gravy. Harry's Tiger is unique but amazing- the meet pie is topped with mash (aka mashed potatoes-duh), peas and gravy. AMAZING!!!!! If i get back to the states and you want to impress me- make me one of these : )

The original Aussie baths---- yah what??
Back in the day, when women didnt show even the skin on their ankles, women came to this contraption to bathe. Where the wooden rods are there would be towels that would come down. Where the men are sitting are stairs. The women would walk down the stairs into the shallow water near the land and get undressed. They would then wade out to the deepest end at the end of the wooden contraption, splash around some and go back to the entrance to put their clothes on. And with the hanging towels they were never immodest.


This is Matt- one of our OL. Within the Sydney Botanical Gardens Matt went out with a piece of bread and one of the white cockatoo parrots came over and landed on is arm to feed. We were given some bread to try ourselves and out of 32 people some of us got lucky with them- just not myself. The birds are friendly, totally exotic (to me), and completely natural here in Australia!


Isnt She Beautiful! View from the Botanical Gardens at the famous Sydney Opera House and Bridge.
In 1956 the NSW Government called an open-ended international design competition and appointed an independent jury. The competition provided broad specifications to attract the best design talent in the world; it did not specify design parameters or set a cost limit. The main requirement of the competition brief was a design for two performance halls, one for opera and one for symphony concerts. Jørn Utzon, a small building architect, was chosen to build his design for NSW.
Utzon's Opera house ended up causing many issues. After a couple of years, and the Opera house not being completed, the party in office was voted out. The new party put much pressure on Utzon to make the buildings faster and using less money. All the pressure got to him and Utzon left the country- never seeing his final creation.
In 1973, 17 years later, Sydney Opera House was completed. The project took $102 million to complete. Originally, they planed the building to be completed in 1963 and costing $7million. The project was 10 years over due and over budget over 14 times!!!
Utzon's architectural creation was not meant to resemble sail boats or shells. Rather the buildings are Utzon's architectural interpretation of ocean cliffs. The white are clouds, the brown base of the building are rocks and the water the building is surrounded by is the water surrounding the cliffs.

This is our orientation group (minus matt and ross) in front of the famous scene-- im the cutie in the front : )


The walking tour finished and we were able to do as we pleased.
Some people decided to go back to the hotel or shop but Nicole, Rhianna, and I decided to go to the Museum of Contemporary Art. What we found there was very interesting, however they wouldnt let us take pictures. Outside the museum was this guy trying to sell his Didgeridoo CD's. It was interesting music........




At the end of the day we decided "happy hour, sushi, then drinks". Life doesnt happen as planned though. Instead we did happy hour (aka an 8$ WP shooter), walk around until we find food (difficult because we couldnt decide), and then bed. HA- we are such the party animals... NOT!

Orientation Day 1

Wednesday, July 14th, 2010

Not much happened. we got off the plane only to hang in the airport until all the other students got there from their different planes. Then we hit the road. We got in a bus and headed down the freeway- an experience I never thought would be scary. However, driving on the opposite side of the road can be a little frightening.

Street signs differ hear: merge (USA)= form one lane (AU), yeild (USA)= give way (AU), 65 (mph USA)= 110 (kilo AU).
Arriving at the World Tower Apartment Hotel we had some orientation sesh's and were able to go to our room-- room 7301 on the 73 floor!

View from my hotel room... mmm


For dinner we went out at a group to Darling Harbor in a restaurant (Black Bird?) where I tried Kangaroo for the very first time. According to Ross (the OL)its legal to kill kangaroo that have become a nusance being overpopulated. However heaps of aussies dont like to eat the meat because the animal is their national animal. Its like eating a bald eagle to Americans. Who Cares---- Kangaroo is the ISH!!! The meet is very tender but also must be cooked on the rare side because jacks dont have much fat so the longer it gets cooked the tougher it gets. I also got SOTB at the bar because it was happy hour, cept it was like 10$ so not the happies of hours for my wallet.

I hit the sheets right after because I was bushed (at abour 7pm Oz time). I got a phone call from Peter (my cousin) at 8 and in my sleepy state im sure he probably thought I was all drugged out or something.

30+ hours in the airport/air

I boarded the plane on Monday the 12th at 1:45pm heading to LAX. The plane was full and the man next to me took up more than his seat. Hoping that they would play an enjoyable movie I was disappointed to find some Miley Cyrus film on the screen so I attempted to sleep. Every once in a while I would wake up conscious that my mouth was wide open as I tried to sleep sitting up. I maybe got a couple hours of sleep in before exiting my first plane and wondering around the airport looking for my next- which apparently was located in a whole different section requiring a bus.

I was able to find a pay phone and give Chrissy a quick ring, letting her know to contact the parents and let them know all was well. I then sat around talking to strangers and watching Monk on my laptop until my friend Amanda showed up where we made camp on the floor playing Oregon Trail and trying to guess who the other Study Abroad kids were. We decided one lonely looking fellow looked about our age, so I nominated myself to go over and invite him to come sit and chat with us. "Aeropostale", as we dubbed him, came over to chat with us and we realized we were going to Australia for different reasons than what we thought- him being there for vacation and not study abroad, and us for study abroad. We had a good time until around 9:30pm when the Quantas flight people came around checking the carry on bag weights. Thanks to my sister who had me pack all sorts of books in carry on I was 10kilos over the weight of 15kilos. Amanda and "Aero" helped me rearrange everything so that my 25kilo bag only weighted 15 and my other bag had some of its excess weight.

We then boarded a two story airplane. On our seats we were given a pillow, blanket, snack bag, earphones, eye mask, toothbrush and toothpaste. I loved the freebeez and I probably would have taken them all home if I didnt ask myself, "what would chrissy do?" The flight provided all sorts of movies and I ended up watching some aussie films- Triangle (a horror) and I love you too (romantic comedy), along with some of The Office. They served dinner at 3am Eastern Time so I was all out of wack already. Chicken, mash, bread, lemon squash, mushrooms, cheese, and a brownie. then was bed time. I woke up maybe a couple times in the night until maybe eight hours later when I could hear Amanda playing trouble. Breakfast came and I got a hot breakfast that was so unlovely to eat that it doesnt deserve much mention. Amanda had suggested I get some wine with dinner since it was free (how i like australia already!) but the flight attendant never brought me back one so I ended up ordering one for breakfast- Scrubby Rise- a bitter red wine that was not enjoyable compared to the samplings of her wine i had- Cricket Pitch.

The plane touched down at 6:30 am Australian time. We got off and waited in line for travelers validation to be in Australia. After two hours there I went to pick up my luggage at the dock where only 2 other Study Australia people were waiting, most everyone else had had their luggage lost in the flights. Once done there we traveled through customs where I had no problems and waited with the group for everyone to arrive.

All in all the flights were so confusing in the sense of losing track of time that falling into the time difference wasnt too hard. The time difference is 14 hours ahead but I didnt feel a hard adjustment. I did loose a whole day of my life- July 13th 2010 did not exist what so ever in my life.... kinda scary