the adventure begins...

Ello Mate!
I’m here…Australia is a beautiful place. When we landed at the airport, friendly customs people (that may be an oxy moron) greeted us and we stepped out into 90-degree weather. Good thing Marisa and I are quite the traveling fashionistas and had already changed into sundresses while stopping over in New Zealand. Our bus driver was hilarious and quickly described to us coffee obsessed east coasters how to order our coffee and where to get a custom-named “Boston coffee.” (They don’t have iced coffee like ours here; rather, their version of ice coffee is coffee+ice+ice cream.)
We bussed back to the UniLodge residence where over 600 people reside in apartment style residences. Thank goodness: Marisa and I were placed as roommates as we had requested! Our room is a small central room with a TV, dresser, kitchenette, desk, fan, and tiny little two-person dining table. We have our own bathroom (which I have become so accustomed to while living in the Hyatt). Then, there is a TINY spiral staircase (sure to be the source of many injuries considering I am very capable of tripping on mere air on a daily basis) that leads to our LOFT! Sounds so fancy and NYC-esque but its NOT. I have already hit my head on the ceiling light twice and Marisa has hit her head pretty bad on the lower parts of the ceiling twice too. I am very thankful I am not very tall now. We have gone to KMART and the grocery store (Coles and Bi-Lo) a few times in the Broadway Mall across the street to stock up our room with essentials (like a converter so I can write this on my laptop!) We don’t have Internet access yet so I haven’t been able to Skype or AIM with anyone yet. However, I DO like it hereJ
The weather here is much like southern Spain: humid, warm-hot, and muggy in a sort of entrancing way rather than uncomfortable one. Apparently Australia is in the middle of a draught so the locals LOVE the constant mist and sporadic rain. My hair (which has so straightener yet) does NOT love it.
So far, we have been busy with “orientation” (aka summer camp where you are herded around like cattle and told everything at least 5 times). The best part about it has been signing up for surf camp after the rep came to talk to us. After being told that there were only 30 spots, I RAN to the front of the room and made sure I was second on the list! Luckily, my friends are just as crazy as I am and all made it on the list. Sophie, Ted, Marisa, Steph, 25 our closest new friends and I will be tackling the waves at “7 Mile Beach” on February 1-3.
Also, I had my first interview with my internship advisor: Jeffery. He is an older guy who is completely still in the world of advertising and deals with accounts like I want to do. Rumor has it that his students get the BEST internships. He told me I was overly qualified and had wiggle room to not be sooooo focused on this and use it as an opportunity to work somewhere different than a straight-forward agency. He suggested that we work together to get my an “in-house” job where I would oversee the total package of communications for one company (all the ads, PR, and general image). He said we might be able to get me into a theater company or music company. He also wrote down that I want to be a chef and said he would see what he could find along those lines. He’s the only advisor that still works in the field, rather than teaching, so he wont be back from ASIA till the end of February. More on this then!
As for the fun-stuff….I have been TRAPPED in ‘camp.’ However, we have used our little bits of free time to see the front of the University of Sydney (BEAUTIFUL…it makes BU the ugliest school I have ever seen). I have never been there, but when I think of Oxford I see this school. Right in front of the University (and on our corner) is Victoria Park (a whole block of a public park…there are so many of those here!) The park has a public lap-pool and gym there. I think I’ll be running in the park and swimming (Mom: I told you I should have brought my swim-team suit...haha)
The girls and I went and got Gelato and the next day a group of us ate at @home Thai food on Glebe Street (an all-ethnic food street a block away). Last night we FINALLY ventured outside of our 4-blocks around school/home. Adam (the Aussie who studied abroad at BU last year) took us to meet his friends at a cool little bar and then drove us into the harbor area where we were going to go to a SUPER posh place called Argyle but a pair of flip-flops kept us out (dress code people…duH!) We went to a place called the Orient Hotel instead where I ordered MY FIRST DRINK EVER!!!!! Needless to say, the boys gave me LOTS of crap for ordering a Watermelon Bacardi Breezer. Whatever, I liked it. Then we walked along the boats and looked at the Harbor Bridge and Opera House at night. GORGEOUS!!! (pictures to come later!) That was the first moment that we all decided we really are in AUSTRALIA!!! I am SO lucky.
Today is more ‘orientation’…joy. This weekend we have optional excursions and school starts on Monday. That’s no fun.
I have a phone in my room and a cell phone. All incoming calls to me are free for me. Email me if you want my number to pay to call me. I would love to hear from you!!!! XOXO gabs