PERTH

While my peers all headed to beaches in Fiji or the Gold Coast for spring break, I headed to Perth : the quaint supposedly boring city located on the opposite coast of Sydney. I'm surprised how much of a trooper I am about flying after sitting 20 hrs just to get here, 5 hours was weaksauce this time around.

What amazes me the most about this time in Australia is that I'm still blessed with so much. I'm sure everyone had a good time, but I'm positive that no one had a time like I did. Everything is still catered to me, even if my parents aren't the ones to hand it on a silver platter. I'm always thankful and a little confused as to how I could be so lucky, not complaining..but still..how..why???

Perth is beautiful and I have to admit, I like it a lot more than I like Sydney. It's so much more comfortable to me because it's more Minneapolis than Sydney is. I was closer to home there than anywhere else I've travelled to. The people I met a long the way, I'll never forget. As I boarding the plane, teary eyed and aching I couldn't help but wonder if I preferred not meeting everyone. It would have been so much easier, and I wouldn't experience such a void. But along with everything else, these people were brought into my life for a reason. It shows how easy it is for me to really care about people, and difficult it is to leave when you're unsure when you'll meet again.

North of Perth : Pinnacle

Two hours north of Sydney is this desert looking place, by the ocean. It was beautiful, and a great day to go, it wasn't too hot, just crisp and windy. It was very cool to see all the different shaped stones protruding from the sand as if they grew right out of the ground.  I think it was believed that these were originally tree trunks gradually concreted with sand over thousands of years...who knows? Very cool place, I loved seeing them in person.

South of Perth: Margaret River

About two hours south is Margaret River. An area sprinkled with vineyards and chocolate factories, caves and beautiful forests, it was another tourist 'must-see'. Despite my vow never to go wine tasting, I didn't feel like I had a choice but to sip a few glasses while I was there. I don't have a taste for alcohol, although I doubt many people drink it for taste so much as the effects. Either way I'm not interested. It was fun nonetheless, these little road trips allow me to see as much of Perth as I can in the short time span I do have.

The Kari Forest was my favorite. I'm no artist but I want to draw this when I get back. The mystical stillness, the way the light glittered the trees and the seemingly endlessness of the forest was beautiful. It reminds me a lot of avatar minus the glow in the dark features of course. This was THE highlight of all the road trips, I'd never seen anything like it and I doubt I ever will.

Strawberry Field

It's the little things that really stand out to me. For a strawberry lover such as myself, this was utopia! I loved picking my own strawberries, all ripe and sweet just the way I like them. It was a beautiful day as usual, Perth's weather is perfect! Strawberries are picked and packaged by hand, made to order. Everything is fresh and business was BUSY. The field looked endless with tiny red specs scattered in the leaves. This was my FAVORITE. 

What sold the entire experience for me was my new little friend Mary. I have a hard time with people my age but I'll meet a child and come out a friend. Interesting how real children are. I can't ever say that about a peer. She taught me how to pick strawberries ( there is a specific technique to it btw) and from there we became the best of friends lol. Very cute this little one, nothing like an Aussie accent on a little asian girl. Mine is in the works but it's a sorry excuse for a cool accent I'll tellya that.

So many more things to document, but I feel like this entry is more photos and captions than anything else. It would have been a lot more interesting if I'd done it right away. I've neared almost two weeks after and the zest for the trip is a bit lost and my recollections aren't as accurate.

Today is my time out day for I'm feeling every overwhelmed with unfavorable emotions which facilitate the homesickness I hadn't experienced for weeks. I'm sitting out of the halloween festivities and decided that I will regain my sanity this weekend.

Faith

I'm finding that I learn so much more when my professor passes off the baton and lets someone else lecture. Not surprised, but I learn so much more when we go one field trips rather than twiddle our thumbs in class. Although I've seen and experienced a lot here, one of my most memorable experiences is when our class went to the Gallopie Mosque in a very diverse city whose name doesn't seem to come to my mind at the moment. The reason why is because I'd never been given the opportunity to see what other people believe, how other religions operate, and the basis on which their faith lies. Being a very spiritual person myself, I was rather intrigued by all I was learning. Through this experience, I've broadened my own opinions about religion and I feel like they weren't originally as accurate only coming from the narrow perspective of a little Catholic girl. It's important to know your specific beliefs, but also as important for you to try and understand them in relation to others. They're not all entirely different. I never fully understood how similar everything is. If you do have faith, no matter what it may be, it will play the same role in your life.

My hour of internet purchased only to speak to my sister, whom I'm unable to get a hold of, is expiring. BOO.

at last.

It's been a while since I've been able to blog. There is so much to document its ridiculous. I can procrastinate  on homework without giving the slightest bit of mind but skipping blogs just ruins messes with my head. There really isn't a custructive way to do this but to start where I left off and go from there. Most of this may sound like rambling, but that's simply how my brain operates.

Back in Sydney

A week in Perth was all the time it took for me to make it feel like home and fall in love with its residents. LOVELY for the dreadful flight back to Sydney where I sulked and spited the fact that I was returning. Okay, maybe it wasn't that dramatic but I really wasn't ready to go back to school and work in Sydney yet. It was fun, but I was welcomed/overwhelmed with Sydney's hectic life and responsibilities so I won't have time to upload any blogs/images till later. BOO. I'll procrastinate with my assignments but I really enjoy blogging right away, good reflection time for reals.

On a different note, today was the most stressful work day I've had here. Now let me start by saying that when working with kids, it takes a while for me to lose my patience and I'm not typically phased by it. Toddlers were unbelievably demanding today. Throwing food, running around inside,  shouting, chewing on all sorts of things, painting on the tables, screaming in protest of sleep time...you name it. The repetitive reprimanding wasn't getting through to them. AND I"M ONLY AN INTERN. I can't imagine what it must be like for the full timers. Good grief. BUT I have to add that the kids and I are pretty attached so I can only imagine my last day....=/
Okay, that is it for my rant.

On another note, I am already half way through my program and to be honest, I'm not ready to go back yet. Too much to do, and the thought of not coming back for a while--i hate it. There, I said it, I don't want to go back. Not like it'll make a difference, I'll still be on a plane back to the states whether or not I like it. Who knows? Maybe things'll change in a few weeks and I'll be packed a week ahead all ready to roll.

alright that is it for now, till I have time to sit at my quaint little cafe.
G'day

sand dunes, whale tail, and wine...lots of wine..

The CAPA International Program here in Sydney has various organized trips offered over the course of the semester. Since I opted out of the surf trip last minute, the port stephens trip is the only one I decided to go on. I'm not one for jampacked itineraries and schedules, I like to decide where I want to go, when, and for how long. The only thing that made this trip in particular the one I would go on was, the price, and the wide spectrum of activities we'd be doing. Not sure I enjoyed much of the trip, but it was definitely an experience of a lifetime, something I can say I've done and never feel the need to do again lol.

First stop: Shark and Stingray Feeding

Eyes on the Top, mouth on the bottom it felt like I was feeding its belly.

Let me start by tell you how ridiculous it feels to be in a wet suit. It's like trying to squeeze into a sticky jumpsuit that's ten sizes too small. I felt like my circulation was being cut off by the hems. It was interesting trying to feed the little stingrays and sharks because there mouths are so far under that you feel like you're shoving food right to their bellys.  I spose I knew this from finding nemo but it still caught me by surprise. Interesting the things you learn from Disney cartoons lol, gotta love that!We were provided with little portions of squid, being the little viet girl I am, I wanted to toast it up and eat with with hoison sauce....mmmm. I've been deprived of real vietnamese food for far too long. You can't see, but I was dry and I was the only dry member of the group. As comfortable as I thought I had become around animals, I didn't have the gull to stand in a tank with little stingrays. I got in the water up to my knees and ran back out cussing when a shark was swiveling in my direction. I'm getting used to animals, but I'm not trying to move mountains, sharks and stingrays were not going to touch me. Right before I left, my roommate convinced me to climb in a tank with a bigger shark, he wasn't swimming too fast so I felt a bit more comfortable. Honestly, I only did it for the picture. I enjoyed feeding them from the dock just as well, I don't feel like I was cheated out of the experience. I mean I still fed them, that's legit.


Sand Dune Boarding : Anna Bay

 

The only other sand dunes I'd been around were the ones in Vietnam, this was very reminiscent of that experience except for the fact that it poured right before we made it out there. Just before we were able to slide down the sandy slopes, we were draped with rain all nice and damp. Every grain of sand caught onto my face, hands, feet, clothes, I was covered. I wasn't too happy about it, but I spose it was a detail that made my experience a little bit more interesting. The pictures aren't as cool without the sand stuck like another skin layer. It was fun, I loved the rush down, but it balanced with the dreadful walk back up. The slopes were very vertical and as you can imagine, going up was just the same. No stairs, nothing steady just a ton of determination and sweat that went into that journey

Whale Watching

   

I can't speak for anyone else, but my whale watching experience was similar to staring into the night sky in hopes of finding a shooting star. Except, I've seen more shooting stars than I have seen whales. 3 hours it was that we were at sea, in the rain and the challenging waves. All for a few puffs from a whale's blow hole and the tail of one, just ONE. I'm not sure if it made since, but I expected to see a school of them, splashing on our boat, coming in and out of the water. It was hardly as glamorous. Once the rain stopped (as you can see in this picture) I was drenched by a wave. I was the ONLY person to get this wet on the boat, which the man in the tan thought was very funny. I was a good sport on the outside, but I was very bitter on the inside, very bitter indeed. So, one would think, oh it's raining out on the deck, why not go inside? Well, the inside of the boat was where all the sea sick passengers gathered and vomitted. I'm not good around vomit, the smell and the sounds are enough to set me off, even if I'm feeling just fine... It was cool to be out in open water, feeling the waves (after a little while you feel a bit woozy, even for a little swimmer such as myself), and seeing a bit of the whale's tail. Again something I can say that I did, I can't tell you enough how happy I was to being on solid ground.

Wine Tasting: Four different wineries

Wine tasting felt too extensive to me, I'm positive it's because I don't fancy it much. I learned a lot though; I didn't find that I enjoyed much of these experiences but I take it that not many get the privelege to as well as the fact that there's so much I can learn from all these experiences ( especially since I wouldn't typically like them). Australia is famous for their wines and beers, Australians know it, and they love it. So many wineries, so many different types and beers as well. I was able to taste, compare and really learn what wine is like, how it's paired with different foods, and many other things. I'm glad I went although most of the time I poured the contents of my little glass to my friends.

It was a tiring weekend, but I feel like it's all a part of being here in Australia so I wouldn't take any of it back.

As I get nestled into routine, and gradually more and more comfortable I'm enjoying my life here a ton. I'm no longer overwhelmed with differences, I am able to look on the brighter side of things, and finally be myself. I've come to realize that although I'm very resistant to change, if given the time I'm really able to adapt well and eventually the change becomes my regular and I return to happy ann again.

I find that my classes here are jokes. Literally, but in between the time wasting and incomplete syllabus I'm learning a lot about the country. I've already acquired so much from these last few weeks, I can't imagine what it'll be like come a few more. Being one who learns from experience, I've gained heaps of knowledge, I should have invested my tuition money into travels. Think of what I'd be like after living in a few different countries...I could be a very good cultural studies teacher.

Another thing, I used to complain about my lack of internet access, but since I've gotten here, I haven't been glued to youtube, facebook, or any other sites. It's refreshing, I honestly can't remember the last time my laptop was so neglected. It's sad to think about all the time I spent online. I'm afraid that once I am back in my old contexts that I'll go back to my old habits. I don't want to, so I'll make an effort to keep off my computer screen and actually live.

I finally called my mom the other day, it was a really good talk. I was so homesick initally that I couldn't stop crying as I dialed, so I never made a call. About a month in I've regained my bearings and I'm finally able to talk to my parents, I think they were feeling neglected but I feel like I needed to wait till I wasn't a mess. Instead of bawling and complaining I'm able to tell them about my life. whooot.

Well that's it, I'll be flying out to Perth which is the opposite side of Australia. It's exciting that I'll be all over Australia before I leave, I'm seeing the entire country first =) I'm not a fan of flying another 5 hours to get there, but if I do the time I'm sure I'll get a lot out of it.

Until next time,
Good day