My time in Australia seems like so long ago by now. I’m glad I’ll have the pictures, blog posts, journal entries, and memories to remind me of all my adventures abroad. Before leaving the US, I’m not really sure I believed that I would really go to Australia to study and travel for 4 months. I kept taking more steps to get there like applying for the program, saving money, and buying a plane ticket. However, I still didn’t feel like any of it was real until my best friend and I landed in Auckland, New Zealand before our semester started. That’s when our adventure began.
I never could have imaged all of the amazing, unique, crazy things that we did, but they just sort of happened and seemed like normal things. Sometimes we’d be doing something super awesome and just feel like it was a typical activity since we did awesome stuff a lot. Other times it would really hit us how lucky and blessed we were to get those amazing opportunities. At the Great Barrier Reef, my best friend and I looked at each other with the look that says “Is this really happening? Are we REALLY at the Great Barrier Reef snorkeling with a bunch of fish and coral surrounding us?” I’ll never forget that moment. I had a similar moment on the south island of New Zealand while sailing through a fiord call Milford Sound surrounded by impeccable mountains and awestriking views. The white sand and blue waters at Whitehaven Beach (creative name right?) were pretty incredible as well. I’m so thankful for all of the adventures and special moments that I’ll remember forever. I learned a lot about myself and the world on this journey. I learned that no matter where I go, I’ll always be the same person who enjoys hiking, watching movies, or going to SkyZone more than going into the city for a night. Everyone is unique, and I met some pretty cool people from several countries that I hope to visit sometime soon. It was really neat to learn about the culture in Australia but also the culture of other countries from my fellow exchange students. I have realized that some people know more about my own country than I do. Thinking about things with a global perspective can really impact how you form opinions or connect certain events to others. Not everything will go as you planned while studying abroad. You’re bound to miss a flight, bus, or some planned activity, but don’t worry. You’ll deal with it and learn from mistakes. Maybe you’ll go early next time just in case ;) I have definitely learned to go with the flow and trust that we’d figure things out. This experience has taught me to trust the locals more, see the best in people, problem solve, and make the most out of every situation no matter how tired I might be. Something good can come out of every experience. For me, studying abroad has increased my passion for traveling while also making me realize all the blessing that surround me back home. I’m glad I went on this wild adventure with my best friend, and I can’t wait for more to come.
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Monday: I woke up with a bit of a sore body from surfing and some new bruises, but the weekend was definitely worth it! I gardened in the morning; we weeded and cut the plants before spreading them over the soil to compost and go back into the soil. Then, we covered it with a light layer of mulch to get ready to plant things soon since it’s spring now. I left with some broccoli and walked straight to the mall to get some groceries. I didn’t get much because I’m trying to use up what I have, but I needed a few things. I was shocked to see a Christmas display up already! That was weird since it's getting warmer here instead of colder, so it doesn't feel like it's getting closer to Christmas. When I got back, I ate lunch and did a little school work before heading back to the mall to use the Wi-Fi so I could post some things for my blog and for school. After getting a few things done, I went back to the apartment and studied a bit more before cooking food for the week. I made some pasta with basil pesto, fresh broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, celery, parsley, and chicken. I watched some TV and worked on my sustainable communities paper. Tuesday: In the morning, I worked on my blog posts that I have to write for my sustainability class. I’m writing about community gardens and how they can be sustainable and benefit the members. Then, I went to the gym before showering, eating lunch, and heading to campus to study. My sustainable communities class ended with solutions to the issues regarding sustainability that the world has to face. My teacher talked about solutions in different categories such as culture, technology, politics, and economics. It was really interesting and gave me some hope for the future and possibilities. After class, I went to the library to find articles for my food, health, and environment. Kiley and I walked back together after studying and watching Netflix for a bit. I read some articles and took notes in the evening while watching some TV before heading to bed. Wednesday: I was supposed to have a nutrition lecture in the morning, but it turns out it was an online one. I tried to find it online, but I just ended up working on other stuff in the library until my sustainable communities tutorial. People presented about their projects like I did last week, and it was kind of interesting to hear about all the different areas of sustainability that people can get involved in. After class, I walked home and then went for a little walk. Then, I came back to study and eat dinner. Nicola came over to watch The Bachelorette with Kiley and I while I did some laundry and colored some pictures. We all needed a break from writing assignments. Thursday: I went to the gym in the morning because I knew I’d have to be sitting and studying most of the day. After I got home, I showered and started reading articles for a paper right away. I spent most of the day in the apartment studying and taking study breaks by doing some chores or watching a bit of TV. I had some delicious pasta with chicken, broccoli, kale, carrots, and basil pesto for dinner. Then, Nicola came over the Bachelorette finale together. I was kind of sad about who lost, but oh well. Batman Begins was on after that, so I watched Bruce Wayne turn himself into a symbol of hope for Gotham city before I went to sleep. Friday: I went to the mall to use the Wi-Fi so that I could look up some more articles. I also changed my schedule for ISU next semester a little bit because of the classes that I’m taking this semester and how they’ll transfer back. When I got home, I ate lunch and started reading articles and taking notes for my food, health, and environment paper about sustainable food systems. I had to take some study breaks because the work was pretty monotonous at that point. The thought of being done with school work by November 6th and then spending the rest of my time in Australia travelling and hanging out with friends is what got me through. After eating dinner, Kiley, Nicola, and I went for a walk and then got ice cream. It was nice to sit around and forget about our school work while enjoying some delicious ice cream. When we got back, Kiley and I watched part of Maleficent on TV before going to sleep. Saturday: I went to the gym, and Kiley and I went to Body Attack together. Then, I went back to the apartment to shower, eat lunch, and work on my food, health, and nutrition paper. I wrote quite a bit of it which was good, but it took a while to get through. Kiley and I played a game to have a break from studying all day. Then, we ate dinner before meeting Nicola to take the bus in to the city. We went to a candle lighting festival in Canberra. It was pretty cool; there were Asian food stalls selling all different kinds of food. We also saw some sumo wrestlers put on a show for everyone, and there were a couple of live bands that performed music throughout the festival. We walked along and saw the candle display while it was still light out and then we went back after the candles were lit and the sun had set. It was a pretty unique experience to see so many candles lit. There were also lights that shined on some of the trees and changed colors over time. I’m really glad we went because it was a fun event, and we ran into some of our exchange friends from Hong Cong and China while we were there. We listened to the band for a while and then took the bus back to Belconnen. I watched some of Forrest Gump on TV while finishing a few things before going to bed. Sunday: I slept in a little bit in the hopes of feeling less tired in the morning. I woke up feeling a little more refreshed, but on Sundays I always feel like relaxing and not being productive. Kiley and I went to church, and then I made lunch and did a few things. We got ready and left with Nicola for the mall. We wanted to plan out Tasmania and book hostels, tours, ect. Kiley and I also worked on planning Melbourne since we’re going from Canberra to Melbourne and then meeting Nicola in Tasmania from there. We got pretty excited since we were looking at everything and the adventures to come. However, we couldn’t get too excited yet since we still had final papers, projects, and tests to get done. We also had some troubles finding tours that left on the right days, but we found some cool ones. After we finished booking some things, Kiley and I got groceries and then walked home in the rain. We weren’t in the best mood, but we spent the rest of the day watching movies, relaxing, studying, and playing games. Monday:
I woke up still feeling not the best, and it was raining. It was such a great start to the day. Gardening was cancelled because of the rain, so I tried to get a little more sleep. I had some weird dreams about Thanksgiving, and then I got up in the hopes of being super productive since I wasn’t motivated at all the night before. I wrote quite a bit for my sustainable communities paper which was good to get out of the way. It helped that I had made an outline on the bus to Wet N Wild on Saturday. I also cooked a little, and Kiley and I made our plans for traveling to Melbourne and Tasmania after we’re done with classes. It was a pretty chill day for me just spent in the apartment trying to feel better and get some work done. Tuesday: I went to the gym for a little bit in the morning and then I came back to the apartment to shower, do a few things, and eat lunch. Then, I walked to campus to study before my sustainability class. The lecture was about personal ecological footprints and how we can reduce our impact on the environment. I thought it was pretty interesting because he talked mostly about the things that he had already changed in his life. After lecture, I went back to the library to finish up my presentation for the next day and read a few articles for another class. The reading never seems to stop here. That night was trivia for “Stone Week.” Trivia was pretty fun. We got free pizza and french fries aka “hot chips” which made everyone pretty happy. Our team didn’t do very well, but we had some fun, so that’s all that matters right? We walked back after and got ready for bed and studied a little. Wednesday: I woke up feeling much better which was nice. There was a guest lecturer in nutrition who talked about the links between food, disease, and cancer. Then, I talked with my parents and practiced my presentation on community gardens to them. It helped me get a bit of my nerves out before my sustainability class. The presentation went well, so I’m glad that’s over. Then, I worked in the garden for a while planting a few things and weeding more. I got to take home some fresh broccoli, leeks, kale, parsley, and mint leaves. I walked back to the apartment and read some articles before watching the Bachelorette with Kiley and doing some laundry. I ended the night with a few last minute school things and reading my book. Thursday: I went to the gym in the morning and then looked at my nutrition presentation for a little bit before eating lunch and then heading to campus. I worked on a few university things, and then my group met up to practice our presentation and make a few changes before our tutorial. We wanted to get our presentation over with, so we decided we wanted to go first or second. Our group ended up going second, and we were glad when we finished. They said that everyone did pretty well, so I’m hoping for the best. When I got back to the apartment, I made some delicious fried rice with chicken, leeks, celery, broccoli, and carrots. It smelled good, and it tasted light and delicious. Kiley and I watched the Bachelorette together and ate dinner. Then, we watched Gaurdians of the Galaxy and colored some pictures to relieve some stress and embrace our inner child. Friday: Well, I was a little tired that morning because I had to register for classes back home at 1am. I didn’t fall asleep before then, and I couldn’t get to sleep until after 2am. Then, for some unknown reason, I woke up at 7:30 and couldn’t get back to sleep. I finally got out of bed and went to the gym. After showering and eating lunch, Kiley and I got chai tea lattes at “Chatterbox” to celebrate getting my presentations and her practical done. We had some good life talks about what it’ll be like when we get home and how this journey has been so far. We also helped proofread some of Nicola’s assignments since she was stressed out. We walked back and finished packing for surf camp! Then, I worked on some school stuff for a little while before we left. The bus ride was longer than expected, but we made it to surf camp around 9:30pm. We had a meeting and split ourselves into rooms, and then we went to bed. Saturday: Our group was second, so we ate breakfast and started a little later in the morning. It was pretty rainy and very cold most of the day, but our group got lucky and didn’t have any rain during our surf lessons. We learned the surfing techniques and safety rules on the beach and then headed into the water for the first session. The wetsuits definitely helped to keep us warm, and the water actually felt warmer than being outside. We had around an hour and a half in the water with our boards. At first, all I did was slide off the board on my stomach or not paddle enough to stay in front of the wave. As the session went on, I got a better sense of balance and picking good waves, but surfing was much harder than I was expecting. After our first session, we walked back for our lunch break. We all changed into warm clothes and enjoyed our lunch. It rained a little more during lunch. Putting our wet swimsuits and wetties (of course there’s a shorter version of wetsuits for surfers ;) back on was a little rough, but we pushed through to get better and have fun. Before our second session, they taught us about making sure it was safe to surf and how to tell if the conditions were good. There was a cross wind, so the current kept wanting to push us down the beach. That was pretty tiring to fight while holding a surf board, but it wasn’t too bad. I got up a few times during this session which was a pretty cool feeling. I thought I would be better than I was, but I shouldn’t have expected so much from myself knowing how clumsy I am ;) I wasn’t awful, but I wasn’t great either. I think that surfing takes a while for most people to get the hang of. Hopefully I get the chance to try more in the future and get better. After our second session, we all hurried to shower and get clean and warm. We had dinner which was pretty good. I was so hungry after the fun, tiring day spent in the waves, so I ate a lot of the yummy food. After dinner, everyone hung around before heading to a pub nearby. It was pretty interesting because they said we’d be able to dance and stuff, but there were little kids there when we arrived. After some of them left, some surf instructors showed up, and a live guitar player started singing. We danced and did the limbo. After a little while, we left to get some sleep since we were exhausted. Sunday: We were part of the earlier group on Sunday, so we had breakfast sooner. As we got our wet swimsuits and wetsuits on, we had to push through because it was cold. We walked down to the beach, and the second we got out in the open, the sand started hitting us in the face. I shielded my eyes, but it didn’t help much. We walked to get our surf boards and got them back to the beach. The instructors said we could try to surf for 10 minutes to see how the wind affected everything. I tried to surf two waves, and then they yelled for us to get out of the water. They said people could get swept out to sea, and the boards were dangerous because they could get picked up by the wind and hit people. I agree the current was strong, and it was pretty hard to keep control of our boards. However, it was still sad to have to call it quits. We walked our boards back and walked back to camp to shower and change. Some of us went on a walk while others did yoga before lunch since we had extra time. After lunch, we still had a little time before we left, so some people went for another walk. I didn’t feel good because I was still permanently cold from the day before even with all my clothes and 2 blankets on, so I just laid in bed and read a book. It felt nice to relax and try to warm up again. We had a last meeting with everyone and then got on the bus back to Canberra. The ride seemed long again, but Kiley and I played Heads Up. We did the movies and music categories; it was nice to keep our minds off of the ride. When we got back to Canberra, we walked back to Weeden Lodge. I started some laundry right away and unpacked everything else after. We watched some X Factor and then one of the newer Transformers movies while I caught up on my blog and did some school work. Monday: I woke up to volunteer at the garden for a little while before meeting Kiley and Nicola at Chatterbox (a local coffee shop) for Kiley’s birthday. Kiley and I both got chai tea lattes, and Nicola got hot chocolate. It was very tasty, and there’s something special about just meeting at a coffee shop in the morning. After that, Kiley and Nicola went to campus for class. I left for the mall to get some ice cream so that I could mix up some peanut butter and vanilla ice cream with Tim Tams, Oreos, Peanut Butter Cups, Nutella, and Peanut Butter. I tried a bit of it, and I was quite impressed with myself to be honest. Then, I cleaned up my mess and made lunch before studying a little. We met some friends at Skyzone to jump around and have a blast to celebrate Kiley’s birthday. The boys were late as usual, so we started jumping without them. Then we all jumped and butt bounced and flipped our way around on the trampolines. Kiley even taught a mini jump fitness class! We left after tiring ourselves out and headed back to our apartment for the surprise ice cream. Not going to lie, I think everyone enjoyed it quite a bit. ;) We played Heads Up which was really fun while we finished all the ice cream and ate some chocolates provided by Nicola. Then, some of us walked to campus to give people at Frisbee some chocolate, but no one was there, so that’s too bad for them I guess! We walked back and then Kiley and I watched some of Divergent on her laptop while we ate Peanut M&Ms and Tim Tams to end the night off well. Tuesday: I woke up and went to the gym despite my lack of motivation for anything since it was the second night in a row I didn’t sleep well at all. I walked to the mall because I needed some orange juice for my sore throat. Then, I ate lunch and got ready to head to campus for my sustainable communities lecture and studying. I spent most of my time researching and watching a little Netflix. I walked back to do some laundry and eat dinner before meeting everyone at the mall. We went to the movie “The Girl on the Train.” When we sat down in those comfy recliner chairs again, it was a lovely feeling. The movie made you think and was pretty interesting. I prefer more funny/lighthearted movies, but it was pretty good for an intense one. After we got back, I got ready for bed and went to sleep pretty early since I was tired. It was a fun night though. Wednesday: My alarm didn’t wake me up for once because my body woke itself up which is a much nicer way to start the day. I got ready for the day, boiled some eggs, and did a few other things with my extra time. Then, I walked to campus for my nutrition lecture and sustainable communities tutorial. I Facetimed with my parents in between the two classes, and it was kind of hard for me because I miss them a lot. I was getting really stressed out about all of my presentations and papers, but my sustainability class was good which made me feel a little better. It made me more confident about what I’m researching about and how to move forward. After class, I worked in the garden on campus and weeded and mulched some of the garden beds. I left with a little bit of celery, broccoli, and kale. I love getting some fresh food whenever there’s extra. I went to the library to research and work on my presentations. I studied until we met for trivia and free pizza. Trivia was fun, but as usual, we didn’t do very well. Kiley, Nicola, and I hurried back to catch most of the Bachelorette. Don’t you just love those cheesy love shows? Thursday: Well, I woke up with the same sore throat and stiff neck as the days before. I decided to skip the gym and focus on what I could do when I wasn’t feeling great physically. I did laundry and, you guessed it, I read more articles for my big projects and presentations to come. Every day it seems like I’m getting nothing done, but I know that even a little progress will make the next 3 weeks a little easier. Then, I walked to campus and studied a bit before meeting my group to work on our nutrition presentation about food security. We got a fair amount done, so I’m feeling better about that class for now. I walked back to the apartment to work on figuring out my schedule for next semester and prepare more for my sustainability presentation next week. Nicola came over to watch the Bachelorette with us again which was fun! We all did some school work while we watched, and then Kiley and I watched Captain America because it was on TV, and we needed a break. Then, it was time for bed which is always welcome after a long day. Friday: I got ready and headed for the mall to get groceries since I was out of orange juice, and my throat was still hurting. I got a few other things while I was there, and then I came back and made broccoli cheese soup with a bunch of yummy things. Unfortunately, being the clumsy person I am, I cut myself while cutting carrots, so I had to deal with that. It wasn’t too bad though. I pretty much spent the day getting ready for going to a waterpark in Sydney the next day, studying, and getting some things in my room cleaned up. We met everyone around 7 to celebrate Coby’s birthday by cooking and eating dinner together. Chicken fried rice with everyone was pretty fun. Once we ate all our delicious food, we had some dessert and played a game with jellybeans where there are 2 flavors for each color of bean. One is good, and one is bad. For example, I got toothpaste instead of Blue Berry, but that wasn’t nearly the worst. There was vomit, booger, and dog food. I stopped participating after the toothpaste, but some of the guys ate quite a few. As it got later, we girls were reminded that we had to get up at 6am the next day, so we walked home and headed for bed. Saturday: We woke up bright and early for our trip to a waterpark called Wet N Wild in Sydney. It was kind of weird to bus around 3 hours and be in weather nice enough for swimsuits and pools, but Sydney is much warmer than Canberra. I did a little school work on the way and shut my eyes for a few minutes. When we got there, we tried to get into the wave pool, but it was just too cold. We decided to start it off with a waterslide to force ourselves to get wet. It turns out the wave pool was the coldest water. Kiley, Nicola, and I went around and did almost every waterslide and some of them twice or more. Some of them made me scared I would fall out, but overall they were pretty fun and exhilarating! We were somewhat cold most of the day, but it was much warmer in the sun. I think my favorite things were the wave pool and the racing water slides. The racer slides didn’t have long lines, and I thought they were a blast! We got all changed and prepared to return to Canberra weather after spending a great day in the sun and water. We were all pretty exhausted by that point, so we didn’t mind trying to sleep or just listening to music on the ride home. We got back a little before 9, so I watched some of The Incredible Hulk before going to bed. Sunday: I woke up with the plan of going to church and Body Balance again, but my body had other plans. My sore throat was worse, so I was coughing loudly, and I could barely breathe out of my nose. I decided to skip both things and get myself ready for the day. Then, I walked to the mall to use their Wi-Fi to watch a video from a church called Cornerstone at home and then work on some homework. I have 2 presentations this coming week on top of a lot of other work, so I’m trying my best to stay on top of everything. I posted my blog and then walked home. Then I got ready for the famous flower festival in Canberra in the spring called “Floriade.” Kiley’s friend John from swimming at the gym offered to take us with him. We joined him and two of his little neighbor girls. I didn’t know until we left, but it was the last day of Floriade, so I’m glad we went even though I had lots of studying to do. We spent some time walking around and looking at the beautiful flowers. It was mostly tulips and pansies that were still in bloom, and they were super pretty. Each bed of flowers had a different color scheme/design that made up a picture from above. We saw some reptiles and explores some little shopping stalls selling mostly artistic, unique things. Then, we ate some ice cream before leaving. The girls and I skipped across the bridge back to the car, and for a moment I felt like I was their age again. On the way back, we stopped at Mount Ainslie to see a great view of Canberra. We also saw a few old churches and a Greek war memorial with cool mosaics. John told us about lots of things as we passed them which was interesting. When we got back, I really didn’t want to do anything productive. I tried my best to study, but I’m not sure how much it really worked. However, the day was well spent, and I’m super glad we got to see Floriade. Monday: We spent the day on buses and planes getting back from the Whitsunday Islands to Canberra. On the way to the airport from Airlie Beach, I had some time to call my parents, so it was nice to catch up with them after the week. We got back around 7:30pm, so we did all of our laundry and unpacked everything before getting back into some school work. I went to bed early because I was quite exhausted from the amazing spring break I just had. Tuesday: I got up and prepared for the day and left for campus. I had lecture in the afternoon, and I’ll be honest, I wasn’t very productive. I spent most of the day watching Netflix and replaying the previous week in my head. It was really hard to get back into the mindset of studying. In the evening, I cooked some food and read a few articles for my food, health, and nutrition class. I went to bed somewhat early again because I still hadn’t recovered from the crazy break with not much sleep and a jam packed schedule. Wednesday: I had my nutrition class and my sustainable communities tutorial. They were both pretty interesting. It was still hard for me to focus though. After my tutorial, I worked in the community garden on campus. We removed a lot of things to make room for planting new spring crops. I got to take home some fresh broccoli, parsley, spring onions, and beetroot. When I got back to the apartment, I studied some and made some dinner. Kiley and I watched some TV and then went to bed. Thursday: In the morning, I went to the gym, and then I went to the mall because I wanted to get some things for Kiley’s birthday the next week. I went to campus to study after I ate lunch. I got a little bit done, but I still wasn’t too productive. I had my nutrition tutorial in the afternoon where my group decided which parts of the presentation we would research and talk about. After class, I headed home where Kiley and I made some vegetable stew with the fresh garden produce and some other things we already had. It was really tasty, so it inspired me to make more of it later. We invited Nicola over to watch The Bachelorette together. It’s always fun watching those cheesy shows with more people. Friday: I went to Body Pump with Kiley, and it made me realize how out of shape I am. It’s one of those classes where if you don’t do it for a little while, it’s really hard. It was a challenge, but I felt good after I finished it. I showered and read some articles. Then, I wrote a discussion post that was due that evening. Then, I ate lunch and headed to the library to write another post for the same class. I spent quite a bit of time researching some things for other class projects and then headed back. We watched a classic chick flick called “The Other Woman” and enjoyed making fun of it. Saturday: We went to Body Attack in the morning to start the day off right. Then, I showered and ate lunch, and Kiley and I walked to campus together. We sat by each other at the library to prevent each other from watching Netflix or getting too distracted. It didn’t work the best, but we both got a fair amount of work done. We also started looking at classes we’re going to take at ISU next semester since registration is coming up. It’s so weird to think about that when we’re here. We headed back after I opened a bunch of articles to read when I don’t have Wi-Fi at the apartment. I realized when I got back from break that all my end of the semester projects are coming up pretty quickly, so I need to start researching and getting some stuff together. We watched the movie “Clueless” which was super cheesy, but we didn’t mind because we have fun laughing at those kinds of movies. I also started watching “Man of Steel,” but it went too late, so I went to bed. I know, I get pretty crazy on the weekends. Sunday: We woke up and went to church which was nice. The message was about being thankful for all the little blessings in our lives, and it was refreshing to be reminded of all the things I take for granted. After church, we went to a fitness class called “Body Balance” which is similar to yoga, so we got a nice relaxing start to the day. Then, we had lunch and headed to the mall to use the Wi-Fi and then get groceries. I wrote my blog post about spring break, and then I got the food I needed to make a vegetable stew similar to the one we had earlier in the week. When we got back, we studied a little, and then I made my stew. It had a chicken broth base with carrots, sweet potatoes, broccoli, tomatoes, five kinds of beans, parsley, spring onions, and rosemary. It was quite delicious, so I decided to share some with Kiley since her birthday was the next day and because it made a lot. We watched part of Kung Fu Panda while we studied a bit, and we watched the beginning of Transformers 2 while we got ready for Monday. Spring Break in Cairns and the Whitsunday Islands: September 24-October 1 This post only includes some of the highlights from all that I did over spring break. If you want to read about all the awesome stuff, you’ll have to wait for the details later! They arranged a trip to Cairns for a big group of exchange students from the University of Canberra. We spent a lot of time together staying at hostels, jamming out to music on the busses with our awesome drivers, and enjoying all of these crazy fun things. Cairns: 1. There’s a free lagoon/pool right along the side of the ocean where you can spend the day. Some friends and I spent the majority of a day applying sunscreen, swimming, and relaxing. It was a day well spent in my book. 2. You won’t run out of ice cream shops in Cairns. There are around 15 near the beach to choose from, so we had to try a different one almost every night we were in Cairns. My favorites were “Nitrolate,” “Cold Rock,” and a local shop with a deal on some delicious choices. 3. Cairns is a great place to see the Great Barrier Reef. Let’s just put it this way…everyone should see this marvelous wonder of the world in their lifetime. It’s absolutely incredible, and it was definitely my favorite thing we’ve experienced while in Australia so far. Just to give you a little motivation, you should see it sooner rather than later because climate change and increasing acidity in the oceans is causing coral bleaching. It’s worth the trip to the land down under to snorkel or scuba dive with the hundreds of species of beautiful sea creatures. 4. You could also visit Fitzroy Island, go deep sea scuba diving, or even wear an underwater helmet that allows you to breath without wearing a snorkel. There are plenty of attractions to experience this tropical place in whatever way you like best. Cape Tribulation area: 1. Port Douglas is a charming town where celebrities often go for some R&R. We spent some time there briefly where we could hike up to get a good view of the famous 4 Mile Beach. We also got to swim in the clear water and enjoy the cool feeling ocean while we soaked in the sun. 2. There are waterfalls and swimming holes galore. We got to see a new waterfall or swim in a creek or jump off a cliff into a swimming hole basically every half an hour. Nothing beats that feeling of falling while you wait to plunge into the water below. Don’t worry, we had a bus driver/guide who knows every safe place to swim and jump in. 3. There are plenty of hikes through the rainforest where you can explore the unique flora and fauna and hope that nothing will kill you ;) The hike we did was pretty hard and steep; I didn’t finish it because I ran out of water, and it was much too hot and humid not to have water. A few from our group finished and said the view was pretty nice. Fun things around Cairns: 1. The Atherton Tablelands offer incredible views of the land below and have many cool things that surround them. We saw the Cathedral Fig Tree which is a giant tree that’s super old. They have unique characteristics where they work together with other plants to grow. 2. Milla Milla falls is the famous destination for hair product commercials where the girl will flip her hair back, and it makes a circle of water. My friend Kiley and I did it at the same time and made a heart with our hair, so that was pretty cool. We could also go behind the waterfalls and see it from the other side. 3. We were able to spot some platypuses in a creek close to our hostel one evening I know what you’re thinking, and the answer is yes, I’m fairly certain that the correct plural of platypus is platypuses. It was pretty cool to see them in their natural habitat swimming around since they’re only found in eastern Australia. 4. We went mountain biking and canoeing which was pretty awesome. The biking was on a road through the rainforest where volunteers have planted trees and successfully bridged the gap between two big sections of rainforest to protect endangered species. While we canoed, we saw some cool birds and water dragons which look like big lizards. 5. There’s a giant lake that was created by a crater years ago and filled up with pure rain water, so it’s extremely clear and clean. We got to jump in after our bike ride which felt absolutely wonderful. We swam around for a while before we had to move on to the next fun thing. Whitsunday Islands: 1. There’s another free lagoon there on Airlie Beach. Kiley and I spent some time there after walking along the beach path for a while. We even saw a beach side wedding on a cliff while we walked, and we found a sand sculpture of a crocodile that was pretty sweet. 2. If you go to the Whitsundays, and you really should, you have to take a boat cruise out to the islands and see the beauty. We sailed past some of the 74 islands on our way to Whitsunday Island. The sunshine and the breeze make for the perfect conditions while you look at the water in hopes of seeing a turtle or some dolphins. We did get to see one huge turtle on our cruise, but we weren’t fast enough with our cameras. 3. We snorkeled near Hook Island, and it was amazing. This part of the Great Barrier Reef had completely different fish and coral. I’m glad we got to see the reef in two different areas to see the differences. We enjoyed our time swimming around and discovering more brightly colored fish or finding ourselves surrounded by so many fish that we felt like we couldn’t move. It was pretty incredible. 4. Some say that Whitehaven beach is the nicest beach in the world, and I would have to agree with them. Its pure white sand feels like sugar on your feet. The sand never gets hot, so you can walk barefoot or lay down for as long as you want. We walked for a while to enjoy the feeling of the sand before we got in the incredibly clear, blue water. That feeling where the beauty of the nature that surrounds you strikes you to the core happened to me in these moments. Swimming on that beach with my best friend talking about life and how blessed we are is something I will never forget. This may sound like something out of a dream, and sometimes I feel like it didn’t even happen, but it did. I experienced these awesome things, and you can too. Don’t be afraid to go after a dream just because some people think it’s unrealistic. Monday:
Today, I started the volunteering I have to do for my sustainable communities class. I’ll be working on the community garden on campus and researching the benefits that community gardens have for the environment and the health of the people around them. I worked with the student in charge of the garden for an hour and a half in the morning. He told about how the garden is set up and what he plans to do with it this spring (it’s spring here now). Then, I did a few things at the library before going back to the apartment to eat lunch and take a nap. I didn’t sleep well, so it was much needed. After my short nap, I felt way more awake, so I worked on a lot of school things. Tuesday: I went to campus early in the morning hoping to get some stuff done, but I ended up watching some Netflix too, so I wasn’t super focused. I had class at 2:30, and that was interesting. I went home after that to start packing for our trip to Cairns starting this weekend. We had Ultimate Frisbee training that evening where Kiley and I attempted once again to explain why we’re the Cyclones and how universities in the US have mascots. They don’t have anything like that here or a central sport like football that everyone goes to support. Frisbee was pretty fun, but we were pretty tired by the end of the day. Wednesday: It was raining again when I woke up. Apparently it’s a tradition that every Wednesday it has to rain. I had my nutrition lecture in the morning about public health, and I learned about soft systems methodology in my sustainable communities tutorial. That was pretty interesting because you can apply it to almost any issue. In between the two classes, I talked with my parents on the phone which was nice. It distracted me from how cold I was, and we got to catch up on life. Then, I walked home in the rain and put on some warm clothes. I did some laundry and read some articles and worked on my nutrition paper. Thursday: I had a dream where I arrived back home, and my dog came running out to see me with her tongue out and her ears down. Well, she can’t see because she’s blind now, but you get the idea. It was basically the cutest thing ever. Then, I woke up and remembered where I was. Australia. So far from home. It made me kind of sad. However, then, I remembered that I’m leaving for Cairns the next day. I’ll get to see the Great Barrier Reef, the rainforest, and do a ton of other fun activities. Anyway, I got up and went to the gym and then came back to the apartment to get ready for the day. I had to clean a lot because there’s a room inspection next week to make sure we’re not making a mess of the place. I packed some more for the trip and read some articles. After that, I ate lunch and then left for campus to study. I finished my nutrition report due Friday, and I turned it in early so I don’t have to think about it anymore. I also read some articles for food, health, and nutrition while watching some Netflix before I walked back. I watched some TV, made dinner, and tried to finish packing and cleaning. Friday: I woke up early because there was a lot to do before we left for spring break. I cleaned a little more and went to the gym after breakfast. At the gym I recharged my prepaid phone plan so that it doesn’t run out over spring break. I showered, ate lunch, finished packing, and did the last of my laundry before Kiley and I left to catch the bus into the city and then the bus to the Sydney airport. For the rest, you’ll have to wait until after spring break. Here we go…time to see the Great Barrier Reef and have the time of our lives here in Australia! :) Monday: I slept sooooo much the night before. It was glorious. Then, I woke up and did a ton of muddy laundry from the weekend and cooked some food for the week. I also read some articles for school before I left for campus to study more. I spent some time studying and got back in the evening. I watched some TV and just relaxed since I was so sore from Frisbee that weekend. Then, I went to bed early because I was pretty sleepy. Tuesday: I woke up early and got ready for the day by making lunch and putting away some clean clothes. I headed to campus and studied while watching some Netflix before my sustainable communities lecture. It was about equity and inclusion, and it was pretty interesting. I walked back to the apartment after that because I was really cold. I cooked some food and worked on writing a report for my nutrition class. We had Ultimate Frisbee training which was good. I was pretty sore and running around with blisters still fresh from the weekend, so it wasn’t as fun as usual. This wasn’t the best day for me. I got really homesick and wasn’t very motivated to study or do anything, but that happens sometimes when you’re away from everything familiar. I’m just hoping that I bounce back so that I can enjoy every moment of this adventure in Australia. Wednesday: I woke up and got ready fast to try to beat the rain. It didn’t start raining for another 2-3 hours, so I was safe. There were 3 speakers that presented in my nutrition lecture about food wastage and how there are so many people that are food insecure. I really enjoyed learning about it because wasting food is something that really makes me mad. Saving food provides food to those who don’t have money to purchase nutritious food for themselves, and it helps the environment by reducing greenhouse gasses emitted from food waste. Then, I studied at the library a little before meeting someone to talk about volunteering at the garden on campus for my sustainable communitites class. I walked home in the rain and studied a lot after that. I have a report for nutrition due in a little over a week, and I had several weekly things to do as well. Thursday: I went to the gym in the morning and then studied and did laundry before eating lunch and heading to campus. I studied for my nutrition quiz and worked on a paper. Then, I had my nutrition tutorial where we signed up for groups for the final presentation on food security/sustainability. I think the project will be pretty interesting especially since I don’t know much about these programs in Australia. After that, I went back to the apartment to see the finale of The Bachelor Australia with Kiley. I was kind of mad about who won, but I got over it. Friday: This week it has been hard to find motivation with the cold and rainy weather every day. However, I finally woke up to a sunny morning on the way to the gym after getting groceries. I showered, cooked, did laundry, and ate lunch before walking to campus with Kiley for some studying. I took my nutrition quiz which went alright. It wasn't the best, but it’s not my major, so I can’t complain. I worked on my blog (for all you reading…you’re welcome ;), and then Kiley and I planned some stuff for our trip over spring break coming up. We headed back to eat, study, and relax by watching some TV. Saturday: When I woke up, I read my book a little, which was a nice way to start off the day. I continued to attempt getting the mud out of a white shirt I wore for the Frisbee tournament last weekend, but I finally gave up and accepted the shirt’s fate of staying mud spattered. Then, I read an article about the effects that food availability and environment have on what people eat, and consequently, their nutrition. I worked on school stuff for a while. Kiley and I went for a walk around the lake to enjoy the first sunny day in a while. It was a nice change and a must needed break. We talked about the future and how it’s interesting how the more we learn in college, the more we realize we don’t know. It’s kind of a funny thing. Megamind was on TV, so we had to bring out the inner child and enjoy that. Sunday: Kiley and I went to church in the morning and followed with Body Balance. It’s kind of like Yoga. It was a nice relaxing start to the day. Then, we ate lunch and got our stuff ready to walk through the rain to the mall. We didn’t want to walk all the way to campus, so we used the Wi-Fi at the mall. I opened some pages to use when I got back to the apartment where I don’t have Wi-Fi, and I worked on my nutrition report. It was raining harder on the walk back, so I got all comfy in warm clothes to study some more, watch TV, and do some chores. It was a pretty chill but productive day which was much needed. Monday:
We got up early to go for a walk on the beach with Kiley’s parents before they had to leave for Cairns. It was a lovely morning outside. We cleaned up the apartment and finished packing up our stuff before checking out. We said goodbye to Kiley’s parents where they waited for their bus to the airport. It was hard to say goodbye, but Kiley was going to see them the next weekend in Sydney. Kiley and I headed to Gloria Jean’s (a coffee shop) with all our stuff to use their Wi-Fi for planning our spring break trip. We talked with some friends on the computer. After sitting for a while, we decided to take advantage of being at the beach by changing into swim suits and getting in the ocean. It was pretty chilly with the sun behind the clouds and the wind blowing, so I sat on the beach for a little bit while Kiley inched her way into the ocean. When the sun came out, it was much warmer. I ran into the ocean because I knew from Saturday that getting in slowly is much worse. Once in the water, it didn’t feel very cold which was nice. We had a blast jumping over the waves and trying to swim with them. Then, we showered and changed in the lockers by the beach. We did some more stuff on the computer before heading to the stop where the shuttle to the airport picked us up. From the time we arrived at the airport till the time we got to our gate, it took twenty minutes. It’s so different from the US where that can take 1-2hours if it’s busy. Our flight was short and sweet. We got to Canberra at 9pm and took a taxi back to our apartment in Belconnen. We unpacked our stuff and got some things ready for the week before going to sleep. The trip to Mooloolaba was overall awesome, and I can see why it’s such a popular holiday destination. Tuesday: I got groceries in the morning and then did a little laundry before heading to campus. I worked on school stuff until my sustainable communities lecture about industrial agriculture. I learned about permaculture and how a compromise between natural ecology and technology works better than the current monoculture agriculture that’s going on around the world. It was pretty interesting for me since I’m from a state that basically lives off of agriculture. Then, I headed back to the apartment to read some articles another class. Ultimate Frisbee training was fun. It makes me want to play again when I get back, but I wish ISU had a team that was less competitive and more for fun. After ultimate, we were supposed to meet for trivia night, but it was already over. I was sad we missed it, but we usually see that group of friends at cooking class and on weekends too. I worked on my blog and read some more articles before bed. Wednesday: I had a horrible night of sleep the night before, so I just got up early since I couldn’t fall back asleep. I did some laundry that morning and got ready for the day. I had my nutrition lecture where the professor goes through everything super fast as usual. However, it’s still interesting. I wish I had more time to soak in what she was talking about rather than just taking notes the whole time. Then, I talked with my parents before my sustainability tutorial. I’m still trying to figure out what I’m going to do for my volunteering project in this class, but I’m making some progress. After class, I spent some time at the library and then headed back to the apartment. I wanted to go to Body Attack at 6:30, but I realized when I got there that it started at 5:45, so it was almost over. So sad. Anyway, I just did my own workout and then came home and watched TV and studied a little before bed. Thursday: I got up a little later than normal because I wanted to recover from the lack of sleep the night before. I felt much better that morning. I headed to the gym and lifted weights before going to a fitness class. Then, I came back to the apartment to shower, get ready for the day, and work on my blog. I did some laundry actually in the washer this time (I know…don’t freak out). I had to clean my sheets and things that don’t fit in my sink. I also cleaned a lot and took out the trash and recycling. I cleaned my room and cooked a little. Then, I studied before leaving for cooking class. This week was “Spring Italian,” so naturally, loving Italian food, I was quite excited. We made a basil based pesto to go with our homemade pasta. It was soooo good. We all enjoyed our dinners and thanked the chef who is in charge and taught us how to cook everything. We were so sad that we won’t have any more cooking classes because they’re pretty expensive for the university. After we left, we watched some TV and then went to bed. Friday: I woke up without much energy, so I started the day by doing some household things. Then, I headed to campus. I read some articles and worked on my blog a little. I spent quite a bit of time in the library before walking home in the rain. I got home pretty wet and cold, so I cuddled up in warm clothes and made some dinner. I read some more for school and did some laundry. Then, I went to bed early in preparation for the Ultimate Frisbee tournament that started the next day. Saturday: Our first game started at 9, and we did pretty well all day. We won three out of four of our games. It was a lot of fun except for the constant rain. It was a little cold, but it wouldn’t have been bad at all if my clothes hadn’t soaked through and made me colder. The mud was fun though; it made for good cushioning when people dove for the disc. Our team played pretty great most of the day considering we had never played together before. Some people on my team *cough* Josh and Ryan *cough* wanted me to write about them in my blog. So, they’re on my team and they call Kiley and I “Kilyssa” and they’re pretty obnoxious but fun. Anyway, after all our Frisbee games, we all went home to shower before meeting for dinner at an outdoor area with a bunch of food trucks. It was an entertaining and interesting night out in the city. We met Kiley at the bus stop where she came in from Sydney with her family, and then some of us took a bus back to our place. We went to bed ASAP, but we still didn’t get a lot of sleep since we were picked up the next morning around 7:45. Sunday: For the second night in a row, I didn’t sleep well at all, but I got up anyway. We got ready and were picked up by some fellow Frisbee players. They served some breakfast at the fields, so we had some fruit. Our first game started at 8:30. We scored the first point pretty easily with Kiley and me working together. Our team won two out of our three games on Sunday. It was heaps of fun despite all of us being a little stiffer and some of us having stomach aches. For our last game, we played a team we had played the day before, and it was lots of fun because that team is good and tries hard without being too serious or intense as far as fouling or calling unnecessary fouls. We finished up and got a ride home since we were exhausted and had lots of studying and other stuff to do. Lucky me, I found two blood blisters on my feet when I took off my borrowed cleats (thank goodness for Sam’s extra cleats). I would’ve been slipping around all weekend, but borrowed cleats tend to leave you with blisters. Kiley and I got groceries after showering and did laundry and studied the rest of the night before going to bed early. It was a great weekend of Frisbee and meeting new people! Monday: I was going to wake up early to workout, but I found out that my alarm was set for the evening instead of the morning, so I woke up at 7:45. We met Kiley’s parents at The Chatterbox which is an espresso bar across the street from Weeden Lodge. It was so cute, and I had the richest hot chocolate of my life with some delectable homemade marshmallows. I also had avocado toast with a poached egg, some basil, and tons of feta cheese. Yummmm. Kiley also had a delicious chai tea latte that made me want to go back so badly. After breakfast, we said goodbye to Kiley’s parents until the next weekend. We headed to campus from there to study at the library. I did some reading and a quiz for sustainable communities. We were on campus for quite a while trying to get ahead on things. Then, I went home and did laundry and ate dinner before watching some TV and studying a bit before bed. Tuesday: In the morning, I got up early to swim at the gym. Then, I went back to the apartment and got my stuff ready to head to campus. I worked on some stuff for my Food, Health, and Environment class. I researched and wrote some discussion posts. It was good to get some school stuff done before my sustainable communities lecture. We learned about politics and economics and how those things are most of the reason that we aren’t making very much progress with a more sustainable world. After class, I worked on some more school stuff and then headed home to eat dinner before ultimate Frisbee training. It was super fun again. I just love that game, and I have missed it a lot. I’m excited to play in an upcoming tournament with some new Aussie friends. After ultimate, Kiley and I met some friends at The Well (a restaurant on campus) for Harry Potter trivia. We were over an hour late, so our team wasn’t doing the best, but it was pretty fun to see what I could remember from the books and movies. We headed to bed after trivia because it had been a pretty full day. Wednesday: It was pouring when I left for campus, so I wore my raincoat. Little did I know, it didn’t actually work to reflect rain if it’s more than sprinkling. Lucky me, I got to wear wet clothes all day with my shoes and socks soaked through. I had my nutrition class and sustainable communities tutorial in the morning through afternoon. I talked with my parents on the phone a bit in between classes which was nice, and I got to see my dog on Facetime. On the way home, it was sunny which was nice. I put on fuzzy socks right away and cooked some food. I also did a bunch of laundry, worked on my blog for my new internship with the study abroad center at ISU, and studied for some classes. Thursday: I woke up super early for Body Attack and such. Then, I came back to the apartment to do some laundry and school work. I packed a little for the weekend and headed to campus to study and for my nutrition tutorial. I learned a lot and then walked back to the apartment to meet Nicola, Kiley, and some other exchange students for the cooking class that evening. There were a lot more people than the week before because we all invited more people. We made some healthy Mexican food. We had burritos with chicken, homemade salsa, homemade guacamole, rice, smoked yogurt, peppers, and a sauce with several yummy ingredients. It was delicious as usual. I love the new tradition we have of going there, cooking food, hanging out with friends, and enjoying a free meal together. After cooking class, we watched some TV and finished getting ready for the weekend before going to bed. Friday: We woke up at 5am to catch our 5:30 cab to the airport. Someone took the cab we had called for the night before, but we called and got one soon enough. Our flight left around 7, and we arrived in Brisbane around 9. We had to wait until 10:30 to catch the bus to Mooloolaba. When we got there, we put our stuff in the apartment Kiley’s parents were staying in by the beach. It was so nice outside. We hung out and walked around for a little while before meeting Kiley’s brother for lunch. Then, we walked around and explored all the triathlon things going on. For dinner, we went to the banquet for the half iron man athletes where they had a little cultural show about the area and talked about past iron man winners and venues. We were in a giant circus-like tent which was pretty cool. After dinner, the athletes had a meeting with information about the race on Sunday. Kiley and I left before the meeting and got some peanut butter ice cream before heading back to the apartment for bed. Saturday: We woke up somewhat early to jog and walk along the beach. Then, we ate breakfast and went to a coffee shop to use the Wi-Fi for some future traveling and such. We got some stuff done and then went to the beach for some ocean time! The water was quite chilly, but when the sun was out, it didn’t feel too bad. The worst part is always getting in the water; that took a while. After we were in, we were fine and enjoying all the waves. We tried to swim with the waves and ride them into the beach even though we didn’t have body or surf boards. It was a fun challenge, and it got me really excited for surf camp. As always, there’s the salt in the eyes and throat that burns, but you got to do what you got to do. It was super fun to float over the waves before they broke over and tumbled into shore. We left the ocean wet, cold, salty, and a little tanner than before. Who can complain? From there, we went back to shower and change. We met everyone at Kiley’s brother’s apartment where he stayed with his girlfriend and her parents. It was really nice with a beautiful view of the beach. They made chicken, quinoa, and salad for dinner which was all very tasty. We had a fun time telling stories and talking about the race the next morning. We headed back to the apartment after dinner and watched a movie while getting ready for bed. Sunday: We got up early for the Iron Man 70.3 World Championship. Although, all of the athletes got up much before we did. We caught Kiley’s brother on the beach before his wave started. As we watched them swim, I couldn’t imagine trying to swim 1.3 miles in the ocean with all the waves. We spent most of the race in a spot where we could see the competitors bike out, bike in, and run their two laps. It was crazy to see the best iron man athletes in the world race so fast. It was a great thing to see, and the weather was perfect. It was around 75 degrees Fahrenheit with a breeze and mostly sun the whole day. Kiley’s brother and his girlfriend both finished the race. They both had some complications, but they did it which is what matters most. I was impressed by everyone that participated. After the race, we got some food. We talked about the race and hung out a bit before going back to the apartment to change into warmer clothes for the evening. We had dinner at a well-known burger place in the area. It was pretty busy, so it took a long time to get our food, but it was delicious once we got it. There were some fried pickles and fried Oreos ordered by Kiley’s brother. They were celebrating after the race and rewarding themselves for all the hard work they did that day. Kiley and I shared some drinks in honor of her 21st birthday since her parents won’t be here for it. We said goodbye to Kiley’s brother, his girlfriend, and her parents. Then, Kiley, her parents, and I got some ice cream to enjoy since it was our last full day together. We packed most of our stuff and then headed to bed. |
AuthorA.J.Sporrer Archives
December 2016
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