Great Barrier Reef and Last week in Oz!

The Great Barrier Reef was awesome! It was so pretty! The town Cairns (pronounced cans) was so cute! and Green Island was gorgeous!

I have lots of plans for this last week in Australia and I have already been to many places around town that I wanted to see for the last time! Now on to New Zealand and then home for the holidays!!

My Birthday In Australia!

My birthday in Australia was so much fun! Me and Lauri went to the oldest chinese temple in Australia and walked around there, then we had lunch at observatory park and went to the QVB! Then we took the ferry home and made dinner for the family! At the end of dinner Jon (my host dad) brought out home made tiramisu and it was so good! They put candles on top for me to blow out! Then my roomies gave me gifts! It was so fun! Saturday night I spent the night at Gails girls house and we watched Finding Nemo and found it to be ten times funnier because they got the Australian saying down so well! And we have seen all those fish at the aquarium! And soon me and Jen will see them in real life at the reef!

We found Jelly Fish in Parramatta River!

Free concerts, fiestas and the Aquarium!

Sunday we went to catholic church and it was so pretty I really wanted to take pictures but inside you weren't allowed but heres a picture of the outside.


Then Monday was Labor day here so we had the day and the Sunrise news station was having a concert series like what the today show has and we went and saw Kelly Clarkson for free preform for the news! We were right in the front!

then we met the news casters which was like meeting Matt and Meredith! And they gave autographs and the man news casters has a brother who lives in Louisville and owns a horse racing race! He told me the name but I don't remember it now!
Then we went to the Aquarium and saw all kinds of awesome fish! They were all Australian fish and they glowed in dark or were transparent it was so cool!
Then we went to a Latin fiesta downtown and saw dancing singing and all sorts of crafts! 

Ill put more pictures up on facebook but I have class right now so I can't finish uploading!

3 weeks till the reef, 5 weeks till New Zealand, and lots of homework in between

Last night we went to Luna Park for photography to do light photography and it was so much fun!

Today I am doing homework and working on a paper that is due next week!

Saturday we went to see Lauren (one of our roommates) in a play at school it was Kiss Me, Kate! It was really funny and she did a great job!

This weekend we are going to the beach and of course working on more homework and looking into what hostel we want to stay on while we are in Cairns and things like that!

miss you!

Outback, Great Barrier Reef and Bondi Beach!

The outback was GREAT! I loved it! It was freezing though so I wasn't expecting that.  The dirt really is red and there really are kangaroos everywhere you look! We also found an Akidna which was cool!

After the outback on the way home we went to the blue mountains and saw the three sisters! me kaitlynn Kate and katherine had all already gone the weekend before that we got to walk through and rainforest and things like that to!

Now me Jenn, and Ranae are planning a trip to the Great Barrier Reef!! YAY! we will be snorkeling off the Green Island and hopefully getting a tan! We're going the weekend of Oct 21-23!

Green island is only 17 miles long and made of mostly beaches! we can swim off the side of the beach and be right on top of the reef in 10 minutes!

since we got back from the outback on wednesday and had the rest of the week off so me jenn kaitlynn and ranae went to Bondi beach one day and layed out! Then the next day we went over to Gails girls house and swam since we both live in concord they are just a 5 minutes bus ride away or about 20 minutes walking!

This weekend we are going Cogee beach and to the Baha'i temple in Sydney which is one of only 7 in the world, one on each continent! 

miss you all!

THE ZOO!

The Featherdale Wildlife Center was AMAZING! I got to pet a Kangaroo, a Koala, a wombat, a peacock, an emu, a lamb, a chicken, a goat, and a wallaby, and I held a two headed sphinx and a baby owl! the place was HUGE! and we stayed there for a long time! Then Alyssa spent the night and we all went to church this morning and I think were going to the beach later since its SO hot today!! Its actually only 66 but since the sun is seven times stronger here it feels around 78 and we are all sweating, and technically its still winter here for another 5 days. 

My psych test got postponed to this Wednesday so I'm still studying for that but it shouldn't be that bad i hope. 
That's all thats happening right now! OUTBACK IN ONE WEEK!!

I finally saw Roos!

Finally after 6 weeks in Australia, I saw wild kangaroos!! Heaps of them! we were driving home Friday night from Canberra the country's capital and the field on the side of the road were lined(!) with Wallabees! Which are really little Kangaroos! Canberra was awesome! We went to a couple museums and got to see a Jackson Pollock painting!  We went to the War Memorial and that was really cool!

Today I have a psych test, first and only test of the semester (for all my classes!) thats the good news, the bad news is that its a masters level class so I've been studying for days. 

I finally feel better after being sick for a week.  I still have the sniffles but its not that bad! YAY! This weekend we are going to Featherdale wildlife preserve and that's where we get to pet a kangaroo and hold a Koala Bear! Can't Wait!

Being the only girl out of the three at my house who brought a straightener didn't turn out well, my straightener is officially dead.  Laurie broke it, still trying to figure out how (well she was the last to use it, so we're blaming her hah).  So I'll be excited to get back home and get one like Haley's!

Hand dance!

So over the weekend Wesley had a retreat and all the ASC kids had to go and we were all expecting like Bible studies, small groups, normal Christian college stuff.  But it was not like that at all.  We had a new age spiritual leader as the main presenter so we had to do stuff like meditation and find our inner guide, and then we had to hand dance with each other and let our souls mingle (that's what she actually said).  Anyway the point is that the retreat was two days of weird but I met a lot of Australian students so it was worth it.

Then when we got home Saturday night we all got dressed up and went to the opera house! It was sooo pretty and we saw the Bangarra dance theatre preform Belong which was Aboriginal dancing! It was sooo good! I would definitely go see it again! But I think the next show were going to see will be an actual opera!

Me and kaitlynn!

Friday we are going to Canberra which even our professor says is super boring.  We are going to 6 museums, some type of government house and having a picnic all in one day! It takes 3 hours to get there and 3 back, and in Canberra its cold! Like it snows there (Im wearing layers), and its suppose to be raining Friday, and all this week into next week.  Its not raining too bad right now but its super cold! 

And I woke up Monday morning with a sore throat and it never went away but has gotten a bit worst and is accompanied by a runny nose and throbbing headache, I'm hoping it will pass because I have 3 papers, a test, and an oral presentation all due next week! I forgot that I came here for school (a 4 month vacation would be quite nice).  It's weird not moving into Asbury's dorms, I think its about that time of the year.  But its been REALLY nice not having to eat caf food! 

All keep you updated on the cold and the Canberra trip!  miss you!

Taco Tuesdays!

So last we had Taco Tuesdays at one of the homestays in concord! It was so good! Lots of good ideas came out of the dinner!

Tasmania trip planning is underway and so far on the maybe do to do list is: whitewater rafting, hiking through the rainforest, Kayaking, and national park visiting! Should be a jam packed long weekend adventure! I can't wait!



Today the only class I have is psych at 6-9pm lucking one of my Australian friends gives me a ride after class so I get home at 9:20 instead of 10:45 (buses run at funny times at night here).  Also it means I don't have to walk through the sydney streets alone at night (Yay Australian friends)!

This weekend is spiritual revival camp which for us ASCers is a required participation event so I will be sleeping in a cabin and hoping to not freeze to death at night.  I'll take lots of extra sweaters with me!

We discovered the library is a treasure trove of movies we all got library cards and plan on having many many movie marathons!

Miss everyone in the states!! But not enough to want to come home just yet =)

Weekend Fun!

We went to the beach this weekend! YAY! Finally after two weeks in Australia living right next to the water we finally made our way to Manly Beach! It was beautiful! and unfortunately it was also COLD! We all stuck our feet in and took tons of pictures and planned on coming back when the weather is warmer.  On Saturday Me, Kaitlynne and Lauren (2 of my three housemates) went to the rocks again and spent lots of time there we found tons of stuff we are going to back for when its closer to the time we leave.  I bought Joel and Ardire some candy, from two really nice old men! Then we walked to the Opera House which is so pretty inside and out! Were going to a show this saturday!! Its Aboriginal dancing! I'm so excited! The walk to get to the Opera House was really nice as well we took the path that led us through Kings Street Wharf and it was so pretty we decided to go back soon and take lots of pictures! Sunday I decided to try a different church from Hillsong so I went with Lauren to a Christian Reform Church it was a lot different from Hillsong thats for sure! There were only 25 people there!! But they were all so sweet and we went to a womans house after and played with her kids and had tea then she drove us to a train stop! It was a good weekend! This weekend we are going to camp which is like spiritual revival I think! It should be fun!  My homestay is still fabulous! I think more than anything I'll miss the girls I'm living with when I go back home! They are so wonderful!! I'll have to get someone to take pictures of the four of us so I can upload them here!  I miss everyone back in the states! Especially Gabe, playing with Leonidas (the Pilatos puppy) is not the same!

some Aussie words that I think are funny:
Ace! : Excellent! Very good
Arvo : afternoon
Bathers : swimming costume
Bikkie : biscuit (which is a cookie) (also "it cost big bikkies" - it was expensive)
Bottler : something excellent
Bottling, his blood's worth : he's an excellent, helpful bloke.
Cobber : friend
Cockie : farmer.
Heaps : a lot (they say this ALL THE TIME)
Vego : vegetarian

Festivals, Church, Class

First off CONGRATULATIONS KATIE AND CLAY!!! Hope you guys had a wonderful wedding and I can't wait to hear all about it! 

I'm still getting use to the whole no internet at home thing.  I find myself thinking "Oh, I'll just go google that"  well I can't, and sometimes its annoying but most the time its refreshing! And when I do get to use the internet its something I no longer take for granted.  This trip has taught me so much already.  I feel like I've been here for a long time, the group has meshed together so well its like we've all been friends forever. 


Okay so life in Australia goes like this: Its winter here but I'm wearing short sleeves and wondering how if its 71 degrees now, how am I going to feel when its actually summer and in the 90's.  the sun here is 7 times stronger than what I'm use to so it feels warmer than 70.  But its nice compared to what the first week here was like, which was freezing.  Class is going great! I have my first photography class today and I am so excited about it! I dropped Hip Hop because I really can't dance (sorry JJ hah)! My psychology class is awesome! I love it already, my lecturer is from TN but the rest of the class is Australian (expect me and 2 other ASCers). 
So far I've been to the Rocks which is like an outdoor market and its super cute! Yesterday we went down there to the Aroma Festival which had chocolate by the tons, and so much coffee that I'm sure people won't sleep for weeks but it was fun! Then we went to Hillsong for church and met a guy from Norway who is studying Abroad at the University of Sydney. 

My host family is so amazing, they are wonderful cooks too!  I am so glad that I get to have this experience!  We are all setting up trips to the Great Barrier Reef and Tasmania! I'm so pumped for both!

Well that's all I can think of right now, I'll update again soon!

Australian Fun!!!

First off Australia is NOT America (hah Of course I knew that).  It's so weird watching the Australian family I'm living with interact because they have the tendency to cut each other down instead of build them up like Americans do.  But I learned that if people do that it means they like you, so I guess our family is full of love!  They are some of the nicest people I've meet, they are so open and nice (to us Americans hah)! They are Greek Australian so the food is AMAZING! I'm definitely not missing caf food! They give us the whole top floor so we all have our own rooms then share a living room with a TV and DVD player we have watched quite a few movies so far, but its strange because they own 1 Australian movie then the rest are American made.  The Australian movie  making is a lot different than Hollywood, in that its apparently not good at all.

Next on the list: Hip Hop.  This was my first class and the only one I've had so far and if its an indicator of whats to come...oh goodness! ITS SO HARD!! Yes everyone is right I am definitely not coordinated...at all.  So JJ I wish you were here so we could laugh together but the other people in the class are great and two live with me so I'm making them help me!

Australia is BEAUTIFUL!!! The landscape is breathtaking and the people are so helpful! Everyone is nice, even the bus drivers! Taking public transportation everywhere has been a challenge I've already gotten lost once and thats just going to happen a lot I can feel it.

The school I'm going to is so DIFFERENT from Asbury! Like they have dance class and music rock class and people are constantly singing and dancing in the student center its so fun! They are so nice and love Americans so everyone wants to be your friend! I'm thinking this would be heaven for JJ (JJ you know why).  The first Chapel is on Wednesday and I'm excited to see what it will be like. 

Hopefully I'll get better at blogging more often, if not, sorry! I can't wait till we go to the outback in September! A whole week sleeping outside and not showering sounds gross but I actually think it will be amazing!! This is the best decision I ever made to come here! I'll never forget this opportunity!

See you guys in November! Miss you all!
Love You!
Jen

We Are FAMILY!

I finally got my homestay assignment!!! Its so good to know where I will be spending most of my time in Australia.  I don't know much about the family but I do know that they have three kids 17 (girl), 15 (girl), and 13 (boy).  They have taken on ASC students in the past and they have done very well there.  I'm not the only ASCer staying with them, they are also taking on three other girls, I'm so happy that I have someone to ride the bus with since the university is 45 minutes away from home (which from the past blog's of other students is about the normal distance for everyone).  Also I think if I was by myself riding the bus I would get off on the wrong stop multiple times a week, which still might happen.  The house is in Concord which from what I can tell looks like a cute little town in the Australian business district. 

I also got my service placement! While in Australia I have to do 35 hours of community service in a placement of my choice.  There were three choices and they try to place everyone where they want.  I chose working with the Elderly in a retirement home, they didn't say what we would be doing but I hope its fun.   I'm sure I will enjoy whatever it ends up being. 

I have my schedule for next semester and its pretty awesome! Monday I have hip hop 2:30 to 5 and 1 Corinthians from 6 -9. Tuesday I have The View from Australia which is the service placement class from 9-5 (super long I know!) and Wednesday I have hip hop 2:30 to 5, then my psychology masters class from 5:30 to 9, I don't have class Thursday (which I am renaming Beach Day) and Friday I have Indigenous history, culture and identity (which is a required class along with the one I have Tuesday) from 8-5 but this is the class that go on field trips and things like that. 

I still have not figured out how to fit all my stuff in one suitcase in case you were wondering. 

Funnel Web Spider, Box Jellyfish and other deadly things

To prepare for our semester abroad, ASC requires us to read In a Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson.  It's a very good book, I like how I can relate to him and his travel know how (or lack there of) because really the places I've traveled so far in my short life (which is not many) are completely different than Australia.  At least that's what I can tell from reading up on the country "down under".  Anyway, there I was reading on the couch at my grandparents house after church one day and I'm laughing at how Mr. Bryson describes his failed attempts at wake boarding, when all of a sudden he starts describing the sea life of Australia.  Now I know about sharks (which are not concentrated in the Sydney area, but as my mom said "It only take one" hah) and that they are something you definitely want to stay away from, I also know about stingrays and how they are not a creature you particularly want to tango with, but what I didn't know about was Box Jellyfish.  Normal jellyfish yes they hurt and you probably want to stay away from them.  Box jellyfish however hurt to a point I'm not sure I can really wrap my mind around.  According to the book a boy was stung by one and when he got out of the water it looked like someone had whipped his body multiple times and even after they pumped him full of morphine he continued to scream.  That is on the top of my I Hope This Doesn't Happen To Me list but knowing my luck it will happen on the first day, oh did I mention the fact that these lovely creatures and I will be sharing the ocean since they are located in the Sydney region.  I was getting a little weary of the water after that laundry list of sea killers when Mr. Bryson thought it would be a good idea to move onto the things on land that can kill you.  Surprising the list is even longer.  First of all the top ten most poisonous snakes all live in Australia.  Some I've heard of but most are completely foreign to me.  At first I thought this book should include pictures of these snakes so if I saw one I could run, but then I realized even if the snake wasn't poisonous I would still run, so a picture is irrelevant.  What I found most disturbing is that one of the most poisonous snake is no bigger than an earthworm and I likely won't see it until I step on it or it bites me in which case I will most likely die.  At this point I'm wondering why they didn't make us read this book BEFORE we applied just so we would know what we were getting into.  But I thought to myself lots of people live there and they don't die by snake bits so that's encouraging. I got over the snake scare pretty quickly and continued reading.  I learned that the most deadly insect on earth lives exclusively in Sydney (hey that's where I'm going!) and its a lovely little thing called the Funnel Web Spider (I know not an insect but that's what it said in the book).  This spider is often found in the home and it is important to check your shoes and clothes in the morning to be sure that one is not in there.  It can kill you in ten minutes if you don't get immediate medical help but the good news is that you won't know since immediately after it bites you, you start violently convulsing and then turn blue and then die.  Yeah I was pretty nervous after reading this, I was wondering if that author really wanted people to visit Australia or if he was warning them to stay away.  I was telling my mom and my sister about this and my mom said the only safe place is home and that's where I should stay (I countered that by reminding her there's a bear in the neighborhood and no one seems to be interested in catching until it attacks something) and all my sister said was "I'll pray for you everyday" well as comforting as that may be I was still reeling in my mind about how I was going to protect myself from all the wildlife in Sydney that could kill me.  I never figured it out but I decided to chance it and be excited about the semester in front of me anyway.  
Something else that I am having a problem with is packing.  While I am in Australia I will experience their winter spring and summer season.  Winter to Australia is a mild 55-60 but according to my travel info it can, on rare occasions, reach 30 degrees, the spring is around 75 to 80.  The real killer is the summer which will be the bulk of my visit, which is normally around 105-110 degree Fahrenheit!  Going back to my book, in the outback it get up to 140 degrees! What!! That's like my skin will melt off hot! And yes we are spending a week there, I'm hoping its during the winter!! so my problem is how am I going to pack sweater, hats, gloves, pants, shorts, tanks, dresses, shoes, hair stuff, towels (yes we have to bring our own), and all the other stuff they want us to bring in ONE 50lb bag!?! Unheard of, right (suggestions are welcome)? If you know me, you know that this will my biggest obstacle.  But I think it will also help me to see that in reality I don't need all the stuff I think is a necessity.  So I am excited to see how packing unfolds.  
In other news hip hop is on my schedule for the semester and I couldn't be happier! Even though I have no rhythm, and my coordination needs some work I think it will be a fun class and something that Asbury would never consider putting on their schedule.  
I am also really excited to be living with a host family there and get the chance to see how they live and how different it is (maybe they have tips on how to keep deadly spiders out of my bed) and I also think it will be much better than living in a dorm! 
So now you know my thoughts on my pre-Australia journey, and as soon as I actually get there I will update you on all things Sydney and I'll be sure to tell you all about the bugs I encounter and how I handle the situation and I can tell you right now it won't be good but it will most likely be funny! 

Jen 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Don't Mess With Me Funnel Web Spider