The Blue Mountains (a.k.a school-funded vacation)

The sound of my alarm at 4:45 a.m. was not a pleasant one.  Neither was the sound of a text at 5 a.m. reminding me that I did not get out of bed with my alarm.  I frantically packed and ran around my room to get out the door to catch a 5:30 train from central station to the glorious Blue Mountains.  Once we got there (after paying for a cab because I always WORRY too much), we were told by Cal (one of the “helpers” at BU) that the train didn’t really leave for another 20 minutes but he wanted us there on time.  Thanks a lot Cal; you owe me for my cab bill!  When we got on the train, everyone went back to sleep for another two hours.  I, on the other hand, had to read the entire story that we were supposed to have done by the time we got up there.  (The trip was with out Australian Literature class because we are reading Eden’s Lost, which is set in the Blue Mountains.)  Being up way too early wasn’t all that bad because I got to see the sunrise…gorgeous!

Once we got there, we got ‘brekky’ at a café and then got ready to go canyoning and abseiling.  Abseiling is essentially repelling.  We were driven in vans by the mountain equivalent of surfer dudes and, without much preparation, were suited up and sent down cliff sides.  The first drop we went down was only like 15 feet and then we went over three more leading up to one that was a little over 100 feet. SO COOL!  I wasn’t scared at all except for one ‘incident.’  I was told to begin abseiling by the guide (one is at each end of your rope) and so I went.  Silly me to trust someone who does this for a living!  The rope that I was depending on was caught on a lip of the rock and so I wasn’t able to go straight back.  When I stepped back to go down, I quickly flung about ten feet to my right and began to spin around.  The guides had no control of the rope and either did I.  In my spinning cliff side adventure I managed to bruise myself in three wonderful places, cut my back and scratch my entire calve.  I was scared but it was also fun –much more eventful than gracefully going down the rock.  And, even though it was out of my control and not my fault, appropriate that it happened to me –queen of bruises and scrapes for no apparent reason and clumsiest person around. 

After the DRY abseiling, we got into the vans and headed to another place on the mountain.  We ate some yummy sandwiches, grabbed our big yellow backpacks and hiked down a ton of stairs to where the canyoning began.  We had to change into wetsuits and put everything we had into our “wet packs.”  I felt nauseous and shaky but was cheered up a little by the spectacle of Ted attempting to get into Maisa’s wetsuit (he took the wrong pack…one of a short girl no less).  After we were sucked into our new skins and had our helmets and harnesses on, we headed to the opening of the canyon.  Basically, this part is indescribable.  Picture a crevice in between towering rocks filled with plants and rocks covered in algae and moss.  Pools of water leading to the waterfall rushed down from one pool to the next around us.  Every level was different.  To start, we had to grab our knees and jump into a pool, darkened with shade, backwards.  Then, we swam to the next part.  As we descended with the water, we slid sown rocks, walked through pools, swam in streams, and even walked horizontally at one point with our hands on one wall and our feet on another…rocks below.  It was thrilling and lots of fun.  It was also BEYOND freezing cold (literally).  Every so often, I stopped and took it all in.  The sun shone through the top of the canyon and reflected off the water and moist walls.  Colors of green and dark red glimmered and the dark water excited our senses.  It was one of the most beautiful environments I have even beheld.  Then we got to the end of the line, the place where you realize that the ONLY way out of this thing is down a 100 foot waterfall of ice water into another little pool.  I was at the end of our group and was freezing cold with fear and from the water/shade when it came time for my turn.  My hands were numb and tense and my body was shaking.  I just wanted to be on solid ground again and so I went for it without much thought.  It was not as thrilling as I thought it would be.  The adrenaline was so intense that I thought I was going to be sick afterwards.  The rock was smooth and slippery, water smacked me in the face (my contact almost came out), and you have to pay attention to the rope and don’t get to really enjoy what’s going on –at least a first timer doesn’t.  When I got to the end of the walkable part, it was time to jump.  That was the best part…until I hit the freezing water and had to get unattached from the ropes.  Once I was out of the water and changing out of my wetsuit I felt exhausted and overwhelmed.  I could have canyoned all day but I think I would have paid my life savings to be helicoptered out instead of abseil another waterfall ever again! 

After we hiked back up the giant mountain (interrupted by a GREAT view of the whole valley) we piled into smelly vans back to good ol’ Katoomba for a weekend of class.  Possibly the dirtiest I’ve ever been after a hike, I checked into the “guesthouse” and got ready for class.  Our class of 35 or so students filled every room in the place!  It was so unreal but so appropriate for the small mountain town.  That night, we had dinner in the dining room at long tables with candlelight.  Then, we met in one of the lounges for a movie screening of Eden’s lost.  There was a hilarious girl fight amongst two of the BU staff that we over heard from “class.”  After dinner, we all hung out in the girl’s room (somehow we got placed into a giant suite on the first floor with all the people we knew best).  Bedtime was early after such a long day.

The next morning we were up at 8am for another formal meal in the dining room.  After breakfast, we had class in the lounge and then had a day of free time.  The weather was really cold in the mountains – good thing all I had was a hoodie.  Anyways, with our free time we went to lunch at this crazy Christian cult hippie restaurant where we sat upstairs in a fake tree.  It was another world in there – they looked like the people on Big Love at the compound.  Strange.  Then, we walked to the “Chocolate Factory.”  We were really excited as we followed the city signs to this landmark.  After a mile walk we arrived at a chocolate café that happens to make their chocolate.  It was NOT a factory…in fact it was based in a house with a swing set in the front yard.  BUT, to their credit…they had really good gummies and chocolate!  We continued walking down the same road to see the three sisters.  The tourist stop has a GIANT viewpoint where you can see the WHOLE valley, the mountains, the emu in the rock and the three sisters.  We looked over the edge, took pictures and took it all in.  While we were waiting for the bus to take us back to town (the walk was longer than we expected!) I went into a store where the man told me that this was the clearest day of the year to see everything; it is normally more covered in fog.  We were all really glad that we made the trip out there after finding that out.  When we got back, we went to the IMAX Theater and saw a film about the landscape of the Blue Mountains.  It was awesome, especially since it showed canyoning and the cliffs we abseiled.  It was almost impossible to explain to everyone what we did the day before and this really sealed the deal that we were AWESOME! 

That night we had dinner with everyone and then class in the lounge.  Sharon brought pastries and encouraged wine as we read plays out loud for class.  Some people developed accents as the night went by and others slurred words or slowed down dramatically in their normal speed of voice.  It was hilarious –oh Australia. 

The next morning, we got up super early again, had class and then headed out on school escored adventures.  We started at the three sisters, which were LOST in fog (good thing we had gone the day before).  Ted, Soph and I hiked down to the base of the first one.  SO cool—(but creepy).  Next, we went to some tourist site where the oldest train car (for Blue Mountain mining) sits.  We rode it and it reminded me of Thunder Mountain!  So fun but NOT long enough.  We hiked through the forest down to the bottom of the giant buckets that carried us back up to the top.  It was a beautiful view.  Next, we rode a bus to some other town where we had lunch at an art café.  The exhibit there was WEIRD to say the least – themes include birds, Victorian lesbians, and dogs.  Oh and the artist invented a creepy children’s book character that is a talking pudding.  WHAT?!  The food was good though…

After a great, but exhausting, weekend…we headed back to Sydney Central Station on the train.  I can’t wait to take the train somewhere else and explore!

                             

Back to Reality….

Spring Break has come and gone and the second half of our program has begun. I am working Tuesday-Friday at SMART (an advertising agency with amazing people and amazing clients). I work 9-5 doing interny thing (getting coffee so often that the guy lets me come behind the counter now and ordering couriers to the point that the man knows where I’m from on the phone and asks me a new question every time – borderline scary) and important things too (powerpoints of client presentations, editing press releases, planning corporate events, etc.). I really do love coming to work everyday! I especially love my lunch breaks in the local park where I read, write in my journal or nap. The weather has been incredible making those breaks the best!
Everyone also takes one class during this part. Sophie, Marisa, Ted and I are in Australian Literature with Sharon (the woman in charge of the summer travel writing program). We have this class twice a week. So far, we have read one book called My Brilliant Career by Miles Franklin. I really liked it because it was a Victoria novel, Jane Austin-esque. The main character was enough to make you want to scream but that’s why I loved it I think. The tension of the novel has got to be intentional in order to provoke the lovers in the story. But this isn’t a term paper about it so I won’t bore you…
Other than that, life has been GREAT! It was very strange adjusting to the city life and the flow of things again after such a freeing break, but I think most of us have succeeded in doing so.
Dad and Tori got here last Friday and I have been spending lots of time with them ever since. We (Marisa, Ted, Dad, Tor, and I) walked the whole city and saw the Botanical Gardens, the Opera House, Sydney Harbor at Circular Quay and the Domain. We went to an Easter Vigil service on Saturday night at St. Mary’s Cathedral by Hyde Park (where the Pope is coming for World Youth Day this summer). It was sooo moving (but a little long at the end of that day!). The service started out pitch black and the priests, etc. came from the back of the church and forward lighting everyone’s hand-held candles along the way. Once everyone was holding a light, the choir sang giving me chills all over. Incredible.
The next morning, EASTER, we went to the Darling Harbor Convention Center for Easter service by Hillsong Church. They were definitely excited about the day and a little intense for me. But hey – HE HAS RISEN! We danced a lot and then made our way to a sidewalk café in the harbor for breakfast. We toasted the day with Mimosas and I sat in appreciation that I was with a group of people that means the world to me (Ted, Marisa, Dad and Tori).
That day, Dad moved into his apartment in Coogee (a beach suburb). We set up the house, walked down to the beach, met up with Soph/ Seph/ Jen so they could meet Dad and Tori and then went home to rest. OH and we got ice cream from a south American place Marisa and I LOVE. BEST EVER! That night, Ted came and met us and we all went out to dinner at a Thai Eatery by the beach. It was AMAZING – sooo gooood. Dad is keeping us healthy while he is here…I normally can’t afford so many food groups on one plate! After dinner, we all hung out at home and then went to sleep.
The next day, we went grocery shopping for our ‘family’ of five and then hung out at the beach all day. Afterwards, we went home and I got to COOK! We made fig and balsamic glazed albacore tuna steaks, pasta with sun-dried tomatoes and basil sauce and salad with gab’s dressing (a favorite of Dad’s and Ted’s). Later on, Marisa made us brownies. We were each in our own little cooking heavens! After, we finished an excellent day by watching High School Musical One and Two. YESSSSSSSS. Trey would have been proud!
Unfortunately, the four day Easter weekend came to an end and I am now at work. Whenever there is a lull I get to blog. Haha.
Tuesday was just another day at work and then class and working on a project; no fun. I ate a $2 dollar sushi roll for dinner; just a little taste of what life will be like again once dad leaves...bummer! Wednesday, though, was FUN FUN FUN. I went to work knowing that I was going to get to model for an 'Impulse' ad (Unilever product). When I arrived, I was asked to call Tori and invite her to be another model for the shoot. The pictures are a replica of an ad that ran already and will be used for inter-industry publications and communications as well as for award ceremonies and accreditation. We dressed up as different girl personalities (I was the flirty/girly one, Tori was the rebellious, clubbing one and another girl, Cynthia, was the fancy, pretty one). We sat in various street locations as beggars, "begging for romance." The pictures are adorable to say the least! We kept getting thanks and praise for filling in but I saw it as something I should be grateful for. It was SO much fun; how many people can say they modeled in Australia!? Tori and dad went to the beach, I worked, then we all met up near my home for dinner. Dad took Marisa, Ted, Steph, Tori and I out for Spanish tapas on Glebe Street. It was INCREDIBLE!!! We had sangria, paella, fried zucchini, tuna croquettes, avocado salad and lamb skewers. YUM. Atfer, we went to an art exhibit that closed ten minutes after we got there...I'm going back! We, then, got dessert at our favorite place, Badde Mannors, and Marisa, Ted, and I went back with the fam to the beach house. There was an incredible lightning storm after we were all settled in that lit up the sky with such elegance. It was breathtaking. We stayed up late watching Marisa make muffins for the morning and then slept only to wake up to a beautiful, sun-sparkling ocean view.
On Friday, Tori moved into the Unilodge for the night and got to go out with the 'Big Kids'. We eneded up going dancing at a place in the Rocks with a bunch of BU kids. That was a blast as Tori got to meet the people I'm surrounded with and talk to some actual Australians. The next day, Dad came and checked out BUSC (our school building), walked through Sydney University (witnessed the Harry Potter-like place with his own eyes), and then we walked to Newtown. Dad and Tori thought the walk was pretty long (I had never noticed since this is the first week I've had a car here). We got to a GREAT cafe and enjoyed a YUMMY and filling lunch in a beer garden/patio. Afterwards, we looked in some shops (of course) and a cool used bookshop. When we were all done, we went back and collected Marisa and Ted and headed to Coogee. By the time we made it back, there was only time for an hour at the beach before it go really cold. Ted and I enjoyed the sun, Dad went on a run along the cliffs, and Tori and Marisa relaxed in their favorite spot: in front of the TV. haha. That night, Tori and dad went to the Opera and saw an Italian Comedy about royalty, Marisa baked and took a bath in our spa tub and ted and I went out to dinner on Coogee Bay Road and watched the waves roll in in the dark (my favorite!).
The next day, we woke up bright and early and went to Hunter Valley (the Napa of Australia). It was incredible!!! So pretty. After driving two hours to get there, we followed a great itinerary created by Ted's boss and had a ton of fun. We sampled champagne, chocolate (best 'caramel kiss' everrrr) and great wines. I learned so much about them and came to an important life conclusion. I HATE red wine (too bad for red meat pairing) and love dry, oaky whites like the bottle of Verdehlo that I bought. The wineries were all so unique and welcoming. My favorite one looked like an old mission with white washed walls, high ceilings and open verandas with a calming breeze. Towards the end of the day, we went to lunch at Cafe Enzo and enjoyed the most refreshing food in a piazza-type garden. It was so relaxing! At the end of the day, we headed back and all plopped in front of the TV for the rest of the night.
On Monday, dad and tori enjoyed the beach while the three of us had to go to a cemetery for literature class. NOT FUN and therefore will not be retold here but merely stated for a record of where I was. That night, we celebrated dad's birthday. Ted came up with the BEST idea ever for dad and the second he suggested it, I started planning because I knew it would be the greatest plan. We took dad, without him knowing, to a cliff rock in Vaucluse in a national park and watched the sunset with wine and cheese. Tori and I bought a bottle at the winery (sneaky sneaky) and Ted and Marisa bought wine from the one winery that was closed back in Sydney. Dad LOVED it to say the least. We talked, laughed and took amazing pictures. It was a golden memory that will never be forgotten.
Tuesday reality struck and I had to go to work...bummer! I was so sleepy the whole day and had a LOT to do (I need sleep!) That night, Ted and Marisa came to Coogee and we cooked dinner- chicken with fig, fresh tortellini, broccoli and salad. YUM! After getting gelato and watching the nighttime waves, we went to sleep. On Wednesday, I didn't go to work and instead visited the Hyde Park Barracks with dad and tori and then went to Darling Harbor for lunch. We ate at a sea food place in the harbor where dad got kangaroo that we all got to try! It was SOOO yummy...like steak but without the same taste. So juicy! YUM. After all that, dad and tori brought me back to the lodge (in time to do an assignment due that night) and left for the airport. Having them here was incredible but it still doesn't feel like they have left...since I didn't stay with them the whole time I feel like they are just around the corner!
This week is almost over and then I will be off to the Blue Mountains...the adventures keep on coming :)
That's all for the Schaefer adventures (plus Ted and Marisa)...until our next trip around the world!
xoxo

REAL WORLD ULTIMO SPRING BREAK ’08!!!

It’s true; we had the BEST spring break out of everyone in the program doing the ONE thing we were told we were NOT allowed to do. Hey, you only live once, and you really only live in Australia once. Don’t tell us what to do!
After papers and finals tried to take over our lives, the ‘family’ (Ted, Grant, Marisa, Sophie, Steph and I) pilled into our Tarago (glorified mini-van) and departed up the Gold Coast. We went on a nine day road trip from Sydney to Hervey Bay (Fraser Island) and back. Ted and I were the designated drivers. Driving was a blast!!! Seriously, all countries should drive on the left and have roundabouts (even in the middle of a highway) - it’s so much cooler! We even got to do some minivan off-roading. Good thing we paid for the complete insurance.
We went to incredible places, some popular and some not. It was a blast getting to choose our own path and discover places that a travel agency would never think to send you to. We camped every night in sets of three in our two little tents (though some opted for the backseat of the Tarago sometimes). Luckily, every town here has a campsite (or more) and so we were never without showers and bathrooms (thank goodness considering six of us were crammed into one car for more than a week). It was the adventure of a lifetime and will remain one of my BEST Aussie tales.
Day One: Ted and I picked up the car and then our children. Ted drove us out of the city and completely freaked out while going over the massive harbor bridge when he realized that the six lane passage was made up by three lanes going the opposite direction of us without a center divider. Talk about a forced, quick adjustment! (But obviously, we are good drivers because I am home, alive, and writing to you now). We drove to a small town called Forrester where everyone was pretending they were in Florida, sitting around, over half-way to dead (no offense old people, but think about it: we were on spring break… not quite the party one would hope for). We set up camp in the dark (after a 3 hour drive) and got dinner at an Asian restaurant and fell asleep fairly early.
Day Two: The first of many EARLY mornings. We packed up (which got faster/easier everyday) and got on the road. Our next site was along a beautiful river. We were no more than 25 feet from it while we slept! That night, we BBQd and it started POURING rain. We hung out in a common lounge room we found and then ducked into our tents for the night. When the rain stopped, I snuck out and watched the fishies jumping out of the water by our site. Camping is the best!
Day Three: Early morning, drove to Lennox Head where there is a Tea Tree Oil Lake. The water, when you move it around, looks like gasoline in water – rainbowish. We found a tree with a rope attached and everyone spent time jumping into the water. I swam a lot and loved every minute of the fresh water. We got lunch there and then drove a short distance to Byron Bay. This place was my FAVORITE!!! We found a campsite along the beachfront (can’t see it from the tent, but you can walk there!). It started pouring again when we got there; we are so used to random rain now so it didn’t bring us down. We went out for cocktails and then to another place for dinner. So nice! We decided that there had been enough driving going on and so we stayed the night and planned on staying for the day the next day in order to go to the beach.
Day 4: We went to the beach ALL DAY! Then, at night, we got dinner at the grocery store, ate on the rocks by the water watching the sunset and listening to hippies play aussie instruments. Then, on the way back to the Tarago I suggested that we go and play in the water – night swimming and surprisingly, no one thought I was crazy and so we did! That was my favorite moment of spring break. I couldn’t help but wish I had a camera out there with me. It was dusk, I was with my best friends, and I was starring back at Australia. The cove wrapped around us and a never-ceding horizon sat behind me as I looked at the sun touched hills behind the beach city of Byron Bay. I cannot and will not be able to ever describe the beauty that overwhelmed me in that moment.
On the way home, we drove to the lighthouse and explored on foot. It was dark and scary and exhilarating all at the same time. Ted and I took a path to the most western tip of Australia. It was amazing; how many people can say they did that?! (Everyone else freaked out and thought we died; sorry guys, it was worth it). That night, we went back to camp and had heart to heart discussions, watched the waves, and went to sleep.
Day Five: We left Byron Bay, although I never wanted to, and made our way to Nimbin. On the way, we stopped in Nightcap National Park and hiked through a rainforest to a waterfall. I love love love rainforests so I was clearly very happy. Funny sidenote: Sophie got locked in the bathroom there and I thought she was a goner (that part isn’t funny). Then, we went to Nimbin. If you haven’t heard anything about it…it’s the drug capital of Australia. It’s full of unproductive hippies selling stuff to lame people like us who are amused by their love of pot and everything natural. They are the anti-corporation corporation. They capitalize on their lifestyle. Every store sold the same ‘hand-made’ earrings and unless the small town has one kitchen, they are all selling the same ‘cookies.’ They FREAKED me out. DO SOMETHING WITH YOUR LIVES HIPPIES! Geesh. An hour there was more than enough for me. I got a pair of earrings and got out of there! In the car later, Sophie and grant created Hippie alter egos for us. So dead-on and amusing! I, Morning Glory, own a used book shop and rewrite all the stories to have a happy ending. We drove from there, through Brisbane (a city…ew!) to Port Macquarie. We had lunch there and decided it would be a fun place to come back to – slightly commercialized beach town. We got to Hervey Bay LATE that night. Luckily, we were able to wake a dude up and get him to let us into what turned out to be the BEST site we had complete with a $4 rate and fluffy grass. NICE. We went out to Mexican dinner and came back and hung around the pool for a few hours before going to bed.
Day Six: FRASER ISLAND – the turning point destination. We left our baby Tarago on the mainland and rented a four wheel drive beast of a car. Seriously, Indiana Jones status. Ted was our trusty driver for this one. We took a ferry over to the Island from Hervey Bay for our adventure. The roads were dirt ( and not nice, groomed dirt either) through dry forests and then we arrived on a white sand beach where we drove feet from rolling waves (you can't swim though because of tiger sharks that fill the water). Driving on the beach was amazing. The girls, all lined up in the backseat flew around like crazy but enjoyed the views and the wind in our hair. We drove awhile and ended up at a shipwreck site of a ship that operated in both WWI and II. SO COOL! There were strict warning signs saying not to climb on the boat, but the fine was only $20 so I took the chance and climbed away! Owell. After that, we walked through a lazy river and set off on more bumpy forest roads to Lake Mackenzie. Sophie had told us it would be beautiful, but that is an understatement. The lake was just the right temperature, filled with clear-aquamarine water and is surrounded by lush forests and white sandy beaches. We were told the island is covered in dingos but, of course, the second I set out to find one...one comes right by where our towels were. No dingo for Gabs; owell, the walk I went on was even better - gorgeous and exhilarating. I slept like a baby on the ferry ride back and we made a group decision to stay another night in the Bay before driving more. Day Seven: From there, we drove to Noosa. It's a gorgeous, Laguna-beach like place that is definitely a 'go with your parents' type of vacation spot...super expensive!!! We ate the BEST breakfast ever by the water. Then, we walked over to the national, water-side park that flourishes on the claim that you will DEFINITELY see a koala…even while still in the parking lot. We went on a short hike and did NOT see ONE. But, we did find a natural swing made out of a branch that Ted sung on like a five year old boy/ George of the jungle. And, we found HUGE spiders, a butterfly and a monitor lizard. The lizard was awesome, but he had a nub tail. After Noosa, we got on the highway with the intention of not stopping for quite a while until we saw the sign for the “Place where fun is made!” How could we resist? We turned off the highway at the GINGER FACTORY! Haha. It was SUPER touristy and after trying on animal hats intended for children and trying ginger beer (super weird soda, like root beer but gross) we hopped back on the road. This was the ONLY moment when we went the wrong way…Ted decided to not listen to my directions (he will never live this down). We turned around and headed to Port Macquarie to fill up our last tank of gas. There, we went straight to the beach. We fully intended on driving further that day but it was TOO nice out. There was a cricket match on the beach and a DJ blasting music that you could hear out in the ocean too. So fun! Ted and I let everyone lounge on the beach and drove to find a place to camp/check-in. The first place we checked out was PERFECT!!! The owner was super friendly and showed us that a baby Koala, a Joey, was outside in the tree. He said its mother had been hit by a car and it was a local Koala now. I took pictures of the lazy thing as it yawned and stretched. It was SO cute. Unfortunately, it had moved on by the time everyone came back with us for the night. Ted and I set up the tents where we claimed a spot and went back to the beach for a nap and sunset. We bought food to make and went to the site and BBQ’d that night.
Day Eight: We woke up early, again, and drove to a secret beach called Seal Rocks. We drove along the coast (and down a dirt road complete with potholes) and saw various lakes and beaches and then arrived at a dead end where there sat a campsite. We paid to park at the site for a day and then went down a path to a private surfer’s beach. It was beautiful. There were some surfers and a handful of other people on a beach surrounded by rolling hills with white sand. We laid out and played in the water. I have never swum so far out in the ocean as I did on this trip. It was an incredible last breath of fresh air before piling in the car to get home on time to turn in the car. Once we were in the car we drove through “heaps” of traffic and we eventually on the harbor bridge entering our city.
(hmmm I thought it was nine days; i must've missed something..are you suprised?)
The trip was incredible and worth every cent and every minute. We were still friends in the end and had seen places that would never have been seen if we were on a planned vacation. I fell in love with this country more every single day. We are the luckiest kids around. I am so grateful for the friends I spent the time with and the opportunity that was afforded to me. I miss spring break a little more everyday!

Internship... then off to Spring Break!

So, as you can see, I was a terrible blogger for a month and now I’m a serial blogger (3 in 24 hours).  Since Melbourne, life has been CRAZY.  Just like when I went MIA during midterms (post surf camp), I have duck back under my rock for finals.  Yesterday I presented a project in Brand Advertising and Promotion class and have a final today, a paper due tomorrow (finished last night, thank bob), and a final tomorrow AM. 

This week, Jenn (Sophie’s best friend in life) arrived to study at one of Sydney’s Universities.  We made family dinner on the roof, went to a fancy club called Argyle (rustic settings, an outdoor courtyard, fancy chandeliers and loud music) and went to Coogee beach: TAN AGAIN!  Other than that, I’ve been running a lot – getting to explore more of the city and enjoy some “me time.”

Yesterday, I had my interview for my internship.  I will be working (YES I GOT THE JOB!) for an integrated advertising agency called SMART INC. (http://www.smartinc.com.au/).  They are based in Melbourne but have an office in Sydney in Surry Hills.  My advisor, Jeffrey, took me and sat in on the interview.  It was a cool, old building with ultra modern, yet comfortable, decorations inside.  There was a girl who worked there from BU recently so they know what to do with an intern (Australia doesn’t have a strong internship culture so it’s important to b placed somewhere that values teaching and using interns).  Jamie, the Managing Director, interviewed me (shoeless).  He told me that I get to do as much as I want; I just have to be positively aggressive and take initiative.  I cannot wait to go to shoots, sit in on meetings and help write briefs.  I start when we get home from spring break and couldn’t be more excited.  I’ll write more after day one and tell you what it’s really all about!

We (Soph, Steph, Ted, Grant, Marisa, and I) leave for Spring Break on Saturday.  We are road tripping in a mini-van to Frasier Island and stopping anywhere and everywhere in-between.  (This will make for a great story I’m sure!).  Stay tuned. xoxoxo          

MELBOURNE!

After a long-stressful-sleepless week of school, we took off on the BEST field trip everrrr to MELBOURNE (pronounced mel-burn or “mel-bin” if you’re annoying).  Melbourne is Sydney’s rival city (and Boston’s sister city).  It is situated southwest of Sydney and takes 45 minutes to fly there.  We were once again herded together to fly there.  Once we arrived, we made our way to the Victoria Hotel in downtown Melb.  For some horrible reason they thought it would be a good idea to give us roomies other than our Sydney ones.  I’m sorry, but I didn’t even know the person I was assigned to and didn’t want to live with a stranger in a foreign city in an already foreign country.  Luckily, Sophie felt the same and we pulled a switcheroo! 

The first day was filled with a walking tour that led the groups to Victoria Markets.  It looked JUST like the swap meet and did the same thing as Paddy’s market.  After a HOT lunch (it was seriously 90 degrees most of the time there), we wandered the area and headed back into town.  After that, we listened to tour guide Sophie and went to Chapel Street: shops, shops, and more shops!  Ted bought shirts, I got earrings (and talked to the store girl for a good 30 minutes…people here are so much more genuine) and Soph got MAC makeup (too bad it costs three times more here than at home, sad life).  After shopping, like ZOMBIES with lack of sleep and heat, the boys went to an Irish pub with a beer garden.  The bar is inside an old church.  We guzzled waters and watched old men busk songs like “Devil Went Down to Georgia.” Later that night we went to their “little italy.”  We ran into Jonney, Matt and Co. there but stopped looking for a place to eat and left them when we found a typical Italian auntie persuaded us to stay by offering free dessert and drinks with dinner…she must’ve heard out wallets crying!  Dinner was amazing…I got vegetable and veal tortellini and sat outside (like in a piazza).  LOVED IT!   Our three-hour dinner ended and we rushed back to get ready for the night.  We went to a building that has 7 different floors with various bars and restaurants.  On the top is “Rooftop.”  WE, other random BUs and other friend Nikki took in the sights with a 360 view while sipping on super fancy pantsy cocktails.  SO PRETTY!  Our night ended late and we went home to ZZZZZZ.

Then, morning came tooo early!  We went on a tour of Melbourne called “Grids and Lanes” and got to see many artsy alleyways, boutiques, amazing cafes and my personal favorite: GRAFFITI!  Melbourne is the number one place in the world for incredible street art.  I died; it’s oddly breathtaking.  Imagine the world to truly be your canvas.  There is a newly imposed zero tolerance law now because of vandalists abusing the art form…hopefully Melbourne maintains its edgy city feel! 

After the tour, we got lunch in a small alleyway: a yummy, healthy frittata!  Then, we took a tram (I’m sure you’re supposed to pay for them but we didn’t know how…owell, thanks Melbs!).  The tram took us to St. Kilda beach.  Ted, Steph, Grant and I walked the boardwalk and pier and enjoyed an outdoor restaurant.  Soph and Marisa tanned and have far surpassed us in color. 

We got Mexican food that night and it was delish.  Ted, Steph and I headed back early to hit up the city while the rest of them relaxed and watched the sunset.  We met up with Jonney, Matt and Co. and went across the river (best view ever!) to Crown casino.  It was my first time in a casino NOT on the walkway carpets!  I didn’t gamble though.  (A. I’m poor. B. It’s not that enticing.)  Ted, Steph, and I went to a karaoke bar across the way while people gave away their lunch money to the tables.  When we walked in, we jokingly told Ted he had to sing and he agreed, haha.  After a few drinks, he was ready for his big performance to a song we picked out: “Baby Got Back” by Sir Mix-A-Lot.  INCREDIBLE!!!  I took pictures, Steph rocked out, and Ted “made all his dreams come true.”  If that wasn’t bonding, I don’t know what is.

The next morning came even earlier than the one before.  WE got up, grabbed muffins and hopped on a bus to the Great Ocean Road.  Ted was my riding buddy for the day as we starred out the window.  Basically, we road on the bus ALL DAY (9AM-10PM) and stopped every 30 minutes or so along the coast to see something.  We went to an Aboriginal cultural center, a beach town to get lunch and ice cream, a rainforest (went on a walk and saw a baby waterfall and big tree).  We stopped on the side of the road to see multiple koalas just sleeping.  They are LAZY (sleep 20 hours a day!).  We wanted to see it move so one of the boys shook the tree branch beside it, causing it to wake, crawl and sleep again. Geesh!

Then, we saw the main attraction: THE TWELVE APOSTLES!  You can’t see them all from one place, but you can see a good chunk.  They are natural rock bridges (arches and the arch collapses with time into the water).  Now, they look like huge rock monuments.  Close to shore, excellent for cliff jumping (too bad Jonney informed me I absolutely could not jump there because I would die…no fun!). 

Our next stop was another view of the apostles: A bridge that still stands (but the bridge from shore to it has fallen).  Funny story…an adulterous couple was found and documented on TV on the rock the day it split from the mainland- karma much?  We also got to stop at a gorge where we played in the water, climbed on rocks into a cave, collected pretty shells for jewelry, saw Ted’s butt through his white boxers (great swimming idea Tedward) and enjoyed our surroundings.  I had many conversations on that beach about how Australia is slowly starting to feel like home.  It’s going to be impossible to leave!   

We picked up snacks at a grocery store and headed home to Melbourne.  I saw the prettiest sunset I’ve ever seen during the fun bus ride home.  That night, we went back to the rooftop bar and walked along the river…I LOVE that city!

The next morning was filled with RAIN…boo.  We went on the “Art of Melbourne” tour and saw that Melbourne truly is a culture center.  We started off in the main art museum where we saw aboriginal art, a “Black in Fashion” exhibit (complete with a Christian Dior dress I would kill to wear!), a vespa and gorgeous cityscapes and colonial art pieces.  Next, we walked down alleys of graffiti…it really gave me a new perspective on art.  We also got to go to some smaller, private galleries because our guide, Peter, had connections.  It was exhausting, yet so fulfilling. 

After, we got lunch in a bookstore, window shopped and went back to the hotel in time to leave.  Melbourne was the most insatiable place I have ever been – a blend of home, NYC, Sydney and Italy (AKA: made for me!).  Good luck keeping me in the states now…start looking into moving here please!

All in all, the trip was an incredible experience and I wake up knowing how lucky I am everyday.  We have another paper to write (I’m writing mine on Graffiti in Melbourne and its integral role as a piece of the city’s spirit).  Then, we leave for SPRING BREAK in less than a week.  So much to do! Xoxo gabs  

Some Recaps...

OK…so here’s the deal: It’s been forever since I posted a blog but a really good one comes after this one. But just so not too much gets left out, here’s what went down between surf camp and Melbourne. 

1. We went Lawn Bowling with our “Sports” module for Anthropology class.  It was horribly boring and completely pointless and lost on me.  My favorite part was watching the old men, dressed in all white, who get really competitive, play in the sweltering heat.  Plus, my crazy teacher who is probably the coolest man ever but has a funny high voice, made us a yummy BBQ!
2. Ted, Soph, Steph, Grant and I went to a bar called “Friend in Hand” and watched our first official crab race – a big deal here for some reason.  It was LAME but we had fun naming our crabs. Hehe.
3. I made dinner for the “family” and “adopted children”: pasta with my famous sauce, from Christmas Eve, and salad with my dressing and Poppop’s favorite grilled vegetable. Go Italian alla gabs! 
4. Jonney taught me how to play pool and I’m a natural.  We kicked team Ted and Matt’s butt.  Poppop would have been so proud…I was finally doing what should be done on a pool table and not shooting pretty balls into pockets with my bare hands. 
5. Went to Bungalow 8 and danced the night away.
6. Went to a BBQ at Adam’s house and made a crazy shot in pool!  (I’m addicted now).  He lives across the street from a national park and we took beautiful pictures there.  There is also a big rock there perfect for cliff jumping that I am definitely going back to!
7. Saw part of the Chinese New Year parade in China Town and got Chinese food for dinner.
8. Went to the beach and the boys ATTEMPTED to surf.  The waves were NOT their friend but the sun was mine and I came home nice and tan.  We made the BEST dinner that night on the roof: steaks, avocado and salad. YUM.
9. The mall had a huge gas fire and closed all day…no groceries!  We went out for Mexican on Glebe St. that night and Marisa met a cute boy and Jonney got food poisoning…a big group can’t always win all the way around. 
10. Many, many “Office” parties in Grant and Ted’s room.  I always fall asleep on the floor…I am my mother’s daughter.
11. Out to dinner in the harbor with Grant’s parents (THANKS!) and drinks by the opera house. 

So…then we had midterms and over 5,000 words of papers to write and basically a sunny week was lost to my laptop and me L But, the week ended with a trip to MELBOURNE!!!  (Read the next one!)    

SURF CAMP

“SURF CAMP DOESN’T COME IN A JAR! SURF CAMP COMES FROM WHO YOU ARE.” This was the song of the weekend that Marisa, Ted and Grant LOVED to sing (it’s an adaptation from the “Bug Juice” song on Disney).

Surf Camp was AMAZING to say the least. Not perfect by any means but worth every moment. We (Marisa, Ted, Grant, Steph, Sophie, Jonney and I) left on mini buses (typical surfer buses: blue, VW van style, school bus seats) Friday night to “Seven Mile Beach” that is two hours south of Sydney. The bus ride was SO much fun…just like a road trip! Our bus driver, Adam, was completely insane…burnt out from too many waves and some other things we’re guessing. After an adventure of a ride, we got to camp.

It was trailer park heaven…we had a pod of “cabins” that surrounded the common co-ed bathroom and a cluster of picnic tables. There were 4 and 6 person cabins (meaning two or three bunk beds). We had to compete for a four-person cabin so us girls could stick together and thankfully the trivia questions to earn keys were about European capitals and Sophie saved the day with her knowledge. Thanks Soph! We were given the absolute bare essentials there but I never cared; it was glorified camping!

The first night, most kids went to sleep but since we are all on the “go big or go home” mentality while here, we went to the beach in the pitch black dark. That was the very first time I felt semi-homesick. It felt like standing in the ocean at home…plus, it’s the same ocean! The water here is SOO warm. After exploring the camp (which we couldn’t actually see because it was so dark – it rained earlier and there weren’t even stars to give us light), we went back to sleep.

7AM came nice and early the next day! The boys made us promise to go “all natural” over the weekend so hair and makeup wasn’t necessary in the morning – so liberating…you really get to know a group of people when everyone let’s their physical guard down. Anyways, breakfast was buffet style and we all tried to shake ourselves awake. Then, we were fitted for wetsuits and headed down to the beach in a big pack (there were probably 50 or so of us…not everyone from our school either). At the beach, we were given surfboards (big foam boards that make surfing easy) and separated into groups. We got VERY lucky and placed in Kristy’s group with Ted, Marisa, Sophie, Steph and I. Kristy is 18 and lives an hour away in another surfer town. It was so fun to learn from someone who just does it as a side-job because she loves it so much. Her passion made us all comfortable and excited. My 8-foot board and I got up on waves my FIRST try!!! The waves are long and shallow here making them very easy to ride once you’re up. The photographer was on the beach in front of us and by the time I got out to him I was completely goofing off and hamming it up for the camera to entertain myself. Not surprised are you…

We surfed for two hours and then went back for lunch. I have never been SO hungry in my life! After lunch and a nap, we went back out for another two hours. This is how life should be lived EVERYDAY! The second session was just as fun and we learned how to “shuffle” (move up and down our boards). That afternoon, we ate ice cream, went to the local bar, showered and napped in hammocks. SO RELAXING! I am so glad we went; it was such a nice break from city life. That night we had BBQ dinner and all went to the bar we had been to that afternoon…this time wasn’t fun. It was like a community rec center at night complete with 6-year-old girls and 70 year old men in matching Hawaiian shirts. GROSS. We went home early and got to admire A MILLION stars in the sky…gorgeous!

The next morning was more of the same thing…4 hours of surfing separated with lunchtime. We learned how to turn our boards and paddle out and over the waves. I had so much fun! That morning, Sophie and I caught the same wave and ended up holding hands and high-fiving on the wave. It was totally awesome dude! Jonney surfed away from his group in the AM and caught some waves with us and Grant did the same in the afternoon.

In the afternoon, I mostly played around in the deeper water: floating over waves and talking to my fellow boarders. Everyone is giving me grief about not aggressively surfing in the afternoon but I don’t care because I had so much fun. I have never been so unafraid of the ocean. I even had a million complications with my dumb contacts but everything was worth it!

Leaving camp was sad…it went by way too fast! I bought all of my pictures though so I can vicariously live through them. I am hoping to rent boards at the local beaches and keep up my new skills. We all bonded, I got a cool wet-suit rash and an awesome tan and am well rested for the assignments coming my way. (EWW). Thanks for sending me Grams and Poppop!!!

Last night, I was so tired from Surf Camp (and my butt has never been so sore) that I couldn’t fall asleep. That meant that I was awake at 2AM when there was a gas explosion in a restaurant around the corner. Our whole building shook and I woke up Marisa who didn’t feel a thing. The boys slept through my phone calls too. But, it totally freaked me out. I listened to the sound of sirens until I completely fell dead asleep. Don’t worry…we’re all alive.

Today, Ted and I are watching the Super Bowl at BUSC (the school building) and then heading over to a cheesy bar called CHEERS to watch with everyone else. I don’t understand football beyond making touchdowns and the commercials here AREN’T AMERICAN!!! Lame. Owell, it’s better than doing homework J

This week, we start our modules in Anthropology. I’m in the one about Sports (there was also classes on Aboriginals and Culture to choose from). We are learning about Australian sports and how they interact with the country’s culture. I am SO excited! We even get to go to a stadium and an Olympic site. I’m in the class with Jonney, Ted and Grant. The girls are in the culture class…silly.

As for adjusting…I now have three homes. I am in love with Boston, OC, and Sydney. I feel completely at home. I buy AUS brands regularly (like chocolate cookies called Tim Tams - think Thin Mints minus this mint). However, I am still NOT in tune with the whole “no worries” thing. People talk slower, work slower and have no worries literally. It’s very hard to let go of the American mentality of GO GO GO. We’ll see how that goes!

Today is another rainy day and supposedly the rest of the week will be the same…bummer. Until later, xoxo.