Thursday, October 30, 2008
Where has the time gone?!
I have officially finished classes at Sydney Uni! woohoo!!!!! This week was the last week of class, next week we have "study" break, and then the following two weeks are for final exams. I have a music listening test this coming Tuesday, and then on Wednesday I am leaving to go to Fraser Island and Hervey Bay with Ashley and Sarah for a few days. I am so excited that everything school wise is winding down! School was tougher than I expected, but there was not as much day to day work which made it much less stressful. Grading here is much harder and weighted differently, so it will be interesting to see how that turns out. But no worries, I tried my best and worked hard, so I should be good to go!
It's been an awesome experience to go to a big school for a semester, but I am really looking forward to going back to my small campus at Hope. It's weird to think that just three and a half months ago I had NO idea what Australia would be like, and now I am here and have gotten to know Sydney so well. It's sad to think that my study abroad experience that I have waited for for literally 3 years, is now coming to an end. It's been quite an adventure to say the least, but through all of the good and tough times, I have really grown up and learned more about myself. It's really amazing to me how living in another country for a few months really opens your eyes to the world. It's such a big place with so many different people from different cultures, backgrounds, and beliefs. It's stretched me so much from my comfort at Hope College and in St. Charles, and I couldn't be more thankful for it.
I have finals on November 17 and 20, and then I leave also on the 20th (a crazzy day!) for New Zealand. My final is scheduled from 9:00-11:10, so when it is over I will probably be jumping up and down because that means that school is offically over for 2008, and more importantly, I will be on my way to what I've heard is the most beautiful country I will ever see. I fly out of Sydney at 4:30, so between packing up my life and going to the airport, it should be an experience!Aussie is incredible and I will be sad to leave it, especially because I have so so many great memories here. BUT...all good things must come to an end I guess, and I couldn't be more excited to really unleash my adventurous spontaneous self in Queenstown--bungy jumping, jet boating, luging, zorbing, biking, and hiking. woohooo!!
I hope all is going well back home in IL and MI. Thank you for your continued prayers and for keeping in touch. I will still be posting some more before I get back on Dec. 7 to the States, so please keep reading :) Love you lots!!!!
xxx Megs
It's been an awesome experience to go to a big school for a semester, but I am really looking forward to going back to my small campus at Hope. It's weird to think that just three and a half months ago I had NO idea what Australia would be like, and now I am here and have gotten to know Sydney so well. It's sad to think that my study abroad experience that I have waited for for literally 3 years, is now coming to an end. It's been quite an adventure to say the least, but through all of the good and tough times, I have really grown up and learned more about myself. It's really amazing to me how living in another country for a few months really opens your eyes to the world. It's such a big place with so many different people from different cultures, backgrounds, and beliefs. It's stretched me so much from my comfort at Hope College and in St. Charles, and I couldn't be more thankful for it.
I have finals on November 17 and 20, and then I leave also on the 20th (a crazzy day!) for New Zealand. My final is scheduled from 9:00-11:10, so when it is over I will probably be jumping up and down because that means that school is offically over for 2008, and more importantly, I will be on my way to what I've heard is the most beautiful country I will ever see. I fly out of Sydney at 4:30, so between packing up my life and going to the airport, it should be an experience!Aussie is incredible and I will be sad to leave it, especially because I have so so many great memories here. BUT...all good things must come to an end I guess, and I couldn't be more excited to really unleash my adventurous spontaneous self in Queenstown--bungy jumping, jet boating, luging, zorbing, biking, and hiking. woohooo!!
I hope all is going well back home in IL and MI. Thank you for your continued prayers and for keeping in touch. I will still be posting some more before I get back on Dec. 7 to the States, so please keep reading :) Love you lots!!!!
xxx Megs
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Passion World Tour: Sydney
Inside my mind:
Oh my gosh. I just got back from the Passion World Tour and it was absolutely incredible. Christian musicians Chris Tomlin, David Crowder Band, and speaker Louie Giglio have traveled to 17 major cities across the world in every continent, performing and leading worship for a one night event aimed at university students. Sydney was their last stop on the tour, so it was really awesome to be there. Some of you may have heard of or been to a Passion tour; this was the first time I’ve gone and I cannot describe how powerful it was.
It’s been difficult for me to see God working here in Australia, because religion feels so non-existent. People never talk about going to church or even about believing in God. It’s been an adjustment to say the least. After tonight though, wow, God is really doing/ going to do some amazing things in Sydney.
My friend Ashley and my roommate Sarah are both Christians, so it’s been a huge blessing to have them in my life. Sarah heard about the tour randomly when talking with an STA travel agent, so she told Ashley and I about it. The three of us took the bus to the Sydney Entertainment Centre in Darling Harbour for the four hour event.
The place was packed with 8,000 people from all over Australia and New Zealand. It was overwhelming to see so many students all there to worship God. Louie Giglio, a renowned speaker, spoke in between Chris Tomlin and David Crowder, and I have to say that he is probably one of the best Christian speakers I have ever heard. The focus of the night was on reconciliation and how God is Mighty to Save. He read from 2 Corinthians 5:11-21. Verse 21 says, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” If you study that verse it is really mind-blowing. Jesus died for us so that we could become reconciled in him. Perfection took on our sin, our shame, all of our imperfections…because he loves us and wants us to be united with him in a personal relationship. I just think that’s so cool.
Anyway, Louie Giglio mainly read a girl named Ashley’s journal, a senior from the University of Florida. Bear with me- this is a long, but powerful story. In her journal she wrote about her life—her parents were divorced; her dad was an atheist and her mom remarried a Christian man, and together they raised their son. Ashley lived with her dad growing up, wanting nothing to do with Christianity. So anyway, Ashley describes herself as a huge party girl that likes to get drunk a lot. She also talks about her boyfriend and how she finds him in their apartment cheating on her with another girl. She kicks him out and decides that she wants another roommate to keep her company. Kristen responds to her ad and moves in. Kristen is a Christian, and for the first time, Ashley gets a different perspective on Christianity. Kristen (aka ‘Fruitcake’ according to Ashley) listens to Ashley when she rambles on about her “screwed up” life, rather than judge her as she feels her mom and brother do. After a few days of living together, Kristen and Ashley start talking and Kristen shares that she’s a Christian, and is living her life for God. Ashley just thinks it’s such a joke and the most absurd thing, hence the reason she calls her a Fruitcake. As time goes on though, Ashley becomes more curious about Christianity, and Kristen says to watch Louie Giglio speak because he can explain her questions better. They watch the Passion DVDs together, and something in Ashley changes. For the first time, she really understands that God loves her for who she is and for everything that she has ever done, good and bad. Ashley decides that she wants new life and restoration from her past. She asks Jesus to come into her life, and from then on God really transforms her; she deepens her relationships with her mom and brother and gets involved in a small group Bible study. She wrote out all of the lyrics of “Mighty to Save”, a worship song by Hillsong that the group sang together. It really touched her.
Some of the lyrics are:
So take me as You find me All my fears and failures Fill my life again I give my life to follow Everything I believe in Now I surrender Shine Your light and let the whole world see
We’re singing
For the glory of the risen King
At the end of the night Louie answered everyone’s question: Why on earth does he have Ashley’s journal? The answer: three months after Ashley became a Christian she was in a serious car accident, and sadly she lost too much blood to live. Ashley died in April at the age of 22. Ashley’s dad, who is now seeking faith in God, gave the journal to Louie and asked him to share it with as many people as he could, because that’s what Ashley would have wanted. That’s amazing to me. And what’s even more amazing is that Ashley’s dream of bringing God to the world is coming true through her very own words. She was an extremely talented writer. Although not physically here with us on earth, Ashley’s light is shining and the whole world can see.
I don’t know how many of you made it all the way through, but I had too many thoughts from the night in my head that I didn’t want to forget. So for my own sake, I’m glad it’s long J God IS working in Australia. It was so uplifting for me to be standing there thinking, “I’m in Australia surrounded by people of all races and backgrounds, worshipping the God of the Universe.” What an indescribable night.
Xxx Megs
Oh my gosh. I just got back from the Passion World Tour and it was absolutely incredible. Christian musicians Chris Tomlin, David Crowder Band, and speaker Louie Giglio have traveled to 17 major cities across the world in every continent, performing and leading worship for a one night event aimed at university students. Sydney was their last stop on the tour, so it was really awesome to be there. Some of you may have heard of or been to a Passion tour; this was the first time I’ve gone and I cannot describe how powerful it was.
It’s been difficult for me to see God working here in Australia, because religion feels so non-existent. People never talk about going to church or even about believing in God. It’s been an adjustment to say the least. After tonight though, wow, God is really doing/ going to do some amazing things in Sydney.
My friend Ashley and my roommate Sarah are both Christians, so it’s been a huge blessing to have them in my life. Sarah heard about the tour randomly when talking with an STA travel agent, so she told Ashley and I about it. The three of us took the bus to the Sydney Entertainment Centre in Darling Harbour for the four hour event.
The place was packed with 8,000 people from all over Australia and New Zealand. It was overwhelming to see so many students all there to worship God. Louie Giglio, a renowned speaker, spoke in between Chris Tomlin and David Crowder, and I have to say that he is probably one of the best Christian speakers I have ever heard. The focus of the night was on reconciliation and how God is Mighty to Save. He read from 2 Corinthians 5:11-21. Verse 21 says, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” If you study that verse it is really mind-blowing. Jesus died for us so that we could become reconciled in him. Perfection took on our sin, our shame, all of our imperfections…because he loves us and wants us to be united with him in a personal relationship. I just think that’s so cool.
Anyway, Louie Giglio mainly read a girl named Ashley’s journal, a senior from the University of Florida. Bear with me- this is a long, but powerful story. In her journal she wrote about her life—her parents were divorced; her dad was an atheist and her mom remarried a Christian man, and together they raised their son. Ashley lived with her dad growing up, wanting nothing to do with Christianity. So anyway, Ashley describes herself as a huge party girl that likes to get drunk a lot. She also talks about her boyfriend and how she finds him in their apartment cheating on her with another girl. She kicks him out and decides that she wants another roommate to keep her company. Kristen responds to her ad and moves in. Kristen is a Christian, and for the first time, Ashley gets a different perspective on Christianity. Kristen (aka ‘Fruitcake’ according to Ashley) listens to Ashley when she rambles on about her “screwed up” life, rather than judge her as she feels her mom and brother do. After a few days of living together, Kristen and Ashley start talking and Kristen shares that she’s a Christian, and is living her life for God. Ashley just thinks it’s such a joke and the most absurd thing, hence the reason she calls her a Fruitcake. As time goes on though, Ashley becomes more curious about Christianity, and Kristen says to watch Louie Giglio speak because he can explain her questions better. They watch the Passion DVDs together, and something in Ashley changes. For the first time, she really understands that God loves her for who she is and for everything that she has ever done, good and bad. Ashley decides that she wants new life and restoration from her past. She asks Jesus to come into her life, and from then on God really transforms her; she deepens her relationships with her mom and brother and gets involved in a small group Bible study. She wrote out all of the lyrics of “Mighty to Save”, a worship song by Hillsong that the group sang together. It really touched her.
Some of the lyrics are:
So take me as You find me All my fears and failures Fill my life again I give my life to follow Everything I believe in Now I surrender Shine Your light and let the whole world see
We’re singing
For the glory of the risen King
At the end of the night Louie answered everyone’s question: Why on earth does he have Ashley’s journal? The answer: three months after Ashley became a Christian she was in a serious car accident, and sadly she lost too much blood to live. Ashley died in April at the age of 22. Ashley’s dad, who is now seeking faith in God, gave the journal to Louie and asked him to share it with as many people as he could, because that’s what Ashley would have wanted. That’s amazing to me. And what’s even more amazing is that Ashley’s dream of bringing God to the world is coming true through her very own words. She was an extremely talented writer. Although not physically here with us on earth, Ashley’s light is shining and the whole world can see.
I don’t know how many of you made it all the way through, but I had too many thoughts from the night in my head that I didn’t want to forget. So for my own sake, I’m glad it’s long J God IS working in Australia. It was so uplifting for me to be standing there thinking, “I’m in Australia surrounded by people of all races and backgrounds, worshipping the God of the Universe.” What an indescribable night.
Xxx Megs
Sunday, October 19, 2008
2 Great Weeks (Mom and Dad & Surfing!)
There is so much to catch up on! My mom and dad came to see Katie and I last week and we had the BEST time! They traveled around Australia and New Zealand, and then stopped back in Sydney for a few days before going home. We stayed with them in their hotel on Circular Quay (enjoying great breakfast and cappuccinos from the cappuccino machine!), went out to dinner at the Rocks, went on a coastal walk from Bondi to Coogee Beach, and climbed the Harbour Bridge. The Bridgeclimb was probably my favorite thing that we did together. We got all geared up with our climbing suits, harnesses, and strings holding our sunglasses, hats, etc., and then did a practice climb before going out to the Bridge. It was fun because our family got to be right in front of our group of 10 people. So we had a longer time to look out at the incredible views! It was so cool to see the Harbour from so high up. Sydney is really such a gorgeous city. And I was very excited that Mom and Dad both loved it too, even though they were a little afraid of the height and climbing down the ladders of the bridge J It was such a wonderful four days with them, and I know that their visit will get me through the last month and a half here. I feel like I’ve been here quite a long time, and although it has been INCREDIBLE, I am missing friends, home, and life back in the States. I am really just trying to live it up here as much as possible though, because I know it will come soon enough.
Now for this weekend…I learned how to surf! I went to Mojo Surf Camp with my friends and Katie and a few of her friends. We went to Crescent Head, about 6 hours from Sydney. The beach was beautiful and the weather was perfect. On Friday night we arrived, and Saturday morning we started surfing. The morning waves were perfect for learning, so I was able to get up a few times. We all felt very hardcore in our wet suits with our boards J I was a little surprised though at how hard it was to just swim out and get ready for the wave. It takes a lot of work! Standing up was one of the easier parts, and once you get up it is not too difficult to balance (depending on your coordination of course!). I finished off the weekend with a few bruises and a nice black eye. A wave knocked Danielle’s board out of her control and it whacked me right in the left side of my face. It reminded me of the time I got hit in the face with the shovel in Ecuador! Haha… The waves later in the afternoon were huge, so we were glad that we had some small ones in the morning. I didn’t realize how scary waves could be. So many times the waves would build so much, that by the time they got closer to the shore, they were7 or 8 feet tall. And if they didn’t break before you went over them, they consumed you. The waves were so powerful that they flipped me around upside down in the water. It was scary!
Overall it was an amazing weekend of surfing, relaxing on the beach, eating good food, and having bonfires at night. The instructors were really nice (finally some cute Aussies!) and helpful, so it was a really great time. After a couple of fun weeks with my parents and surfing, I will be back to the books this week, finishing up these last couple of weeks of class. I can’t believe I am almost finished with class! Crazy… Lots to do before then :/ Thanks for your continued prayers. I am really looking forward to seeing you all in 7 weeks! God Bless,
Xxx Megs
Now for this weekend…I learned how to surf! I went to Mojo Surf Camp with my friends and Katie and a few of her friends. We went to Crescent Head, about 6 hours from Sydney. The beach was beautiful and the weather was perfect. On Friday night we arrived, and Saturday morning we started surfing. The morning waves were perfect for learning, so I was able to get up a few times. We all felt very hardcore in our wet suits with our boards J I was a little surprised though at how hard it was to just swim out and get ready for the wave. It takes a lot of work! Standing up was one of the easier parts, and once you get up it is not too difficult to balance (depending on your coordination of course!). I finished off the weekend with a few bruises and a nice black eye. A wave knocked Danielle’s board out of her control and it whacked me right in the left side of my face. It reminded me of the time I got hit in the face with the shovel in Ecuador! Haha… The waves later in the afternoon were huge, so we were glad that we had some small ones in the morning. I didn’t realize how scary waves could be. So many times the waves would build so much, that by the time they got closer to the shore, they were7 or 8 feet tall. And if they didn’t break before you went over them, they consumed you. The waves were so powerful that they flipped me around upside down in the water. It was scary!
Overall it was an amazing weekend of surfing, relaxing on the beach, eating good food, and having bonfires at night. The instructors were really nice (finally some cute Aussies!) and helpful, so it was a really great time. After a couple of fun weeks with my parents and surfing, I will be back to the books this week, finishing up these last couple of weeks of class. I can’t believe I am almost finished with class! Crazy… Lots to do before then :/ Thanks for your continued prayers. I am really looking forward to seeing you all in 7 weeks! God Bless,
Xxx Megs
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Mom and Dad's visit!
I just wanted you all to know that I uploaded photos onto the google website (below) from my mom and dad's visit! It was soooo great. I will write later to update you on this week, but I just wanted you to know that the pictures are up :) Have a great night!
xxx Megs
xxx Megs
Monday, October 6, 2008
More of the Outback
Day 2
The next morning we woke up at 5:45 to a beautiful rainbow and sunrise, ate brekkie, and then drove to Kata Tjuta where we did a 7 km hike for about 2.5 hours. This was by far my favorite hike. Kata Tjuta, also known as the Olgas, looks like a big clump of rocks from a distance, but up close there are trails that go in and out of the rocks. It is another sacred Aborigine ground along with Uluru. The lookout points on the hike were incredible.
Ashley and I had about 2 km left of the hike, and we decided to fill up our water bottles one last time to get us through to the end. I set my backpack and camera down on a bench to fill up my bottle at the water station, and then when I dragged my backpack off of the bench, my camera came out from underneath it and smacked into the ground. My heart stopped. I quickly picked it up, turned it on….and nothing. I stared at it in shock thinking that there was no way my camera could be broken. But, it was. Luckily all of my pictures were safe on my memory card, and Ashley said that I could take as many pictures with her camera as I wanted and she would take lots too for me. Most of you know that I love taking pictures, so to have this happen was a really big letdown. But I didn’t dwell on it, and told myself that I would enjoy every minute despite my loss.
After our hike, we drove to the Aborigine Cultural Center at the base of Uluru. We did a short walk-through, and then began our 2 km hike around part of Uluru. Craig talked a lot and pointed out the areas of the rock that the Aborigines used…the kitchen, lookout holes, wedding ceremony spot, etc. Everyone is given the option to climb up the rock; however it was closed because of high temperatures. Also, Uluru is very sacred land to the Aborigine people, so as an act of respect, they strongly encourage everyone NOT to climb. I asked Craig why they even offer climbing in the first place if it is disrespectful to the Aborigines, and he said that white man’s law is above Aboriginal law, so they can still offer it. This upset my friends and I because why is white man’s law above? The Aborigines were the first people to inhabit Australia, yet they are looked down on in society and disregarded because of their ‘stone age’ lifestyle. I am learning about them in my Australian Multicultures class, so hearing more about this on Aboriginal grounds was really intriguing.
After the hike we drove to the sunset viewing area of Uluru. We had dinner and spent time chatting with everyone on our tour…and watched tour bus after tour bus file in to park for the sunset. We had some time to kill, so Ashley and I took lots of jumping pictures with Uluru behind us. So fun! The sunset was unlike any other I have seen before. The clouds were perfectly positioned for the sunrays to beam out from them. Supposedly the rock changes color for sunrise and sunset, but all I could see was it getting darker as the light slowly disappeared. But it was amazing anyway.
We made our way to the Ayers Rock campground, were able to shower and use real toilets!, and then laid out our swags for bed. The stars were even better than the night before—I felt like I was being consumed by stars because they surrounded the entire sky, and were not just directly above me. I found the ‘southern cross’ and ‘scorpio,’ both constellations that we don’t have in the northern hemisphere. What a great end to another great day
xxx Megs
The next morning we woke up at 5:45 to a beautiful rainbow and sunrise, ate brekkie, and then drove to Kata Tjuta where we did a 7 km hike for about 2.5 hours. This was by far my favorite hike. Kata Tjuta, also known as the Olgas, looks like a big clump of rocks from a distance, but up close there are trails that go in and out of the rocks. It is another sacred Aborigine ground along with Uluru. The lookout points on the hike were incredible.
Ashley and I had about 2 km left of the hike, and we decided to fill up our water bottles one last time to get us through to the end. I set my backpack and camera down on a bench to fill up my bottle at the water station, and then when I dragged my backpack off of the bench, my camera came out from underneath it and smacked into the ground. My heart stopped. I quickly picked it up, turned it on….and nothing. I stared at it in shock thinking that there was no way my camera could be broken. But, it was. Luckily all of my pictures were safe on my memory card, and Ashley said that I could take as many pictures with her camera as I wanted and she would take lots too for me. Most of you know that I love taking pictures, so to have this happen was a really big letdown. But I didn’t dwell on it, and told myself that I would enjoy every minute despite my loss.
After our hike, we drove to the Aborigine Cultural Center at the base of Uluru. We did a short walk-through, and then began our 2 km hike around part of Uluru. Craig talked a lot and pointed out the areas of the rock that the Aborigines used…the kitchen, lookout holes, wedding ceremony spot, etc. Everyone is given the option to climb up the rock; however it was closed because of high temperatures. Also, Uluru is very sacred land to the Aborigine people, so as an act of respect, they strongly encourage everyone NOT to climb. I asked Craig why they even offer climbing in the first place if it is disrespectful to the Aborigines, and he said that white man’s law is above Aboriginal law, so they can still offer it. This upset my friends and I because why is white man’s law above? The Aborigines were the first people to inhabit Australia, yet they are looked down on in society and disregarded because of their ‘stone age’ lifestyle. I am learning about them in my Australian Multicultures class, so hearing more about this on Aboriginal grounds was really intriguing.
After the hike we drove to the sunset viewing area of Uluru. We had dinner and spent time chatting with everyone on our tour…and watched tour bus after tour bus file in to park for the sunset. We had some time to kill, so Ashley and I took lots of jumping pictures with Uluru behind us. So fun! The sunset was unlike any other I have seen before. The clouds were perfectly positioned for the sunrays to beam out from them. Supposedly the rock changes color for sunrise and sunset, but all I could see was it getting darker as the light slowly disappeared. But it was amazing anyway.
We made our way to the Ayers Rock campground, were able to shower and use real toilets!, and then laid out our swags for bed. The stars were even better than the night before—I felt like I was being consumed by stars because they surrounded the entire sky, and were not just directly above me. I found the ‘southern cross’ and ‘scorpio,’ both constellations that we don’t have in the northern hemisphere. What a great end to another great day
xxx Megs
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Spring Break 08 Part I: Melbourne
One of the ways I experience God is through His creation—and I cannot even explain to you the beauty of His creation that I saw this week on my spring break. I’m going to write a few different entries to distinguish the parts of my trip, so feel free to read as much or as little as you like.
First, my friends and I went to Melbourne where we spent Saturday through Monday. I traveled with my friends Ashley, Jana, and Lauren. Ashley and Jana are two of my close friends from my program, and Lauren is my Canadian friend from Toronto who we all met at our orientation in July.
It was great because we spent time with Ashley’s flatmate, Gigi, and her two friends. We also had dinner with Jana’s flatmate, Tanya and her friends—they both live outside of Melbourne. It was the first time we had been shown around a city by locals, so it was awesome. Melbourne (MEL-BIN) is very different from Sydney; it is smaller, and therefore easier to travel on foot rather than on buses. They use a tram system instead of buses, so we rode that once to check it out. The city also has more of a European feel with several side streets, cafés, and small shops. I really liked it because it felt a lot less touristy than Sydney, making us feel like we blended in more as locals too.
The city is laid out in a grid, so we found our way around easily. We went to Chinatown with Gigi and her friends for Dim Sum, walked around the botanical gardens, took naps back at our dark-dreary-and gross hostel, and then went out to a Japanese dinner at Chocolate Buddha in Federation Square (with Tanya and her friends). Lots of Asian food in one day!
Melbourne is known for its huge sport culture, and it just so happened that the AFL (Australian Footy League), equivalent to our NFL, had their ‘superbowl’ on Saturday afternoon. The Hawthorne Hawks defeated Geelong (both Melbourne suburbs), and since the Hawks were the underdog, it was an even bigger victory! Fans were celebrating in Federation Square, so it was fun to be part of the excitement.
On Monday morning after our Great Ocean Road tour, I went for a run on the path in the botanical gardens, and then Lauren and I went to the top of the Rialto Towers to see a view of the city on the 360 degree skydeck. It is such a beautiful city, and if you ever get the chance to go there, don’t pass up the opportunity! That night we had dinner with Gigi and her friends again (who were the sweetest girls ever), at this Italian restaurant where they reluctantly gave us a free bottle of wine and 20% off for their horrible service (we had to wait an hour to order because there was this big Uni sports team there, and then another hour and a half for our food!) I think all of us were a little surprised because the employees were really the first rude Australians we had encountered! I guess I shouldn’t expect everyone to live up to the Australian stereotype as the ‘friendliest people you’ll ever meet’
I walked around Melbourne Uni with the girls, while my friends stopped to get books at Border’s. It seemed smaller than Sydney Uni, and although it had cool architecture too, I am definitely biased toward Sydney. But I am glad that I could see where my friend Ben studied when he was here in Australia last semester.
Okay, now it’s off to The Great Ocean Road tour that we took on Sunday! Unbelievable.
First, my friends and I went to Melbourne where we spent Saturday through Monday. I traveled with my friends Ashley, Jana, and Lauren. Ashley and Jana are two of my close friends from my program, and Lauren is my Canadian friend from Toronto who we all met at our orientation in July.
It was great because we spent time with Ashley’s flatmate, Gigi, and her two friends. We also had dinner with Jana’s flatmate, Tanya and her friends—they both live outside of Melbourne. It was the first time we had been shown around a city by locals, so it was awesome. Melbourne (MEL-BIN) is very different from Sydney; it is smaller, and therefore easier to travel on foot rather than on buses. They use a tram system instead of buses, so we rode that once to check it out. The city also has more of a European feel with several side streets, cafés, and small shops. I really liked it because it felt a lot less touristy than Sydney, making us feel like we blended in more as locals too.
The city is laid out in a grid, so we found our way around easily. We went to Chinatown with Gigi and her friends for Dim Sum, walked around the botanical gardens, took naps back at our dark-dreary-and gross hostel, and then went out to a Japanese dinner at Chocolate Buddha in Federation Square (with Tanya and her friends). Lots of Asian food in one day!
Melbourne is known for its huge sport culture, and it just so happened that the AFL (Australian Footy League), equivalent to our NFL, had their ‘superbowl’ on Saturday afternoon. The Hawthorne Hawks defeated Geelong (both Melbourne suburbs), and since the Hawks were the underdog, it was an even bigger victory! Fans were celebrating in Federation Square, so it was fun to be part of the excitement.
On Monday morning after our Great Ocean Road tour, I went for a run on the path in the botanical gardens, and then Lauren and I went to the top of the Rialto Towers to see a view of the city on the 360 degree skydeck. It is such a beautiful city, and if you ever get the chance to go there, don’t pass up the opportunity! That night we had dinner with Gigi and her friends again (who were the sweetest girls ever), at this Italian restaurant where they reluctantly gave us a free bottle of wine and 20% off for their horrible service (we had to wait an hour to order because there was this big Uni sports team there, and then another hour and a half for our food!) I think all of us were a little surprised because the employees were really the first rude Australians we had encountered! I guess I shouldn’t expect everyone to live up to the Australian stereotype as the ‘friendliest people you’ll ever meet’
I walked around Melbourne Uni with the girls, while my friends stopped to get books at Border’s. It seemed smaller than Sydney Uni, and although it had cool architecture too, I am definitely biased toward Sydney. But I am glad that I could see where my friend Ben studied when he was here in Australia last semester.
Okay, now it’s off to The Great Ocean Road tour that we took on Sunday! Unbelievable.
Part II: The Great Ocean Road…I don’t think anything could be greater
On Sunday morning my friends and I got picked up from our hostel at 7:30 am by the ‘Go West’ tour bus. There were about 20 of us on the day-trip, and all of us absolutely loved it. All I can say is…stunning. I really can’t put into words how beautiful the drive on Great Ocean Road is, which in total is about 3 hours from Melbourne and goes all along the coast. We stopped at Bells Beach on our way, had tea and bikkies (biscuits), and then kept driving to the start of The Great Ocean Road. The hills and the valleys were SO green, cattle grazed in the open fields, and small towns overlooked the Pacific Ocean. It’s weird to think that it’s still the Pacific Ocean way down here in Australia…but very cool to think that even though I’m so far, we still have that in common!
We stopped in Apollo Bay, one of the cute towns, for lunch and then made our way to Otway National Park, where we did a short hike through a rainforest. We also stopped to see koalas just hanging out in eucalyptus trees too. Very cool.
Now for the best part: the 12 Apostles. The 12 Apostles are a group of twelve rock formations that sit in the water just off of the coast. I smile every time I think about them, which may sound weird, but it is literally the most beautiful landscape I have ever seen in my life (even though the Grand Canyon is up there too…). Oh, it’s amazing! If you are ever going to Melbourne, you MUST do a tour of the Great Ocean Road just to see this. It was really windy and cold, but the wind made the waves breach more, making the Apostles look even prettier. To think that God created this makes me even more anxious to see heaven someday—how beautiful and magnificent He is. I don’t understand how people can see scenery like this and not believe in God. It blows my mind.
To end a great trip, Ashley, Jana, and I spontaneously decided that we wanted to ride in a helicopter over the 12 Apostles. It was optional in our tour, and we thought that since we loved it so much, how cool would it be to see the entire coast from up above? Plus, none of us had ever been in a helicopter, so that made it that much more perfect. It was spectacular. I was so excited because we got to wear the microphone headsets, and I sat in the front next to the pilot. It reminded me of ‘The Bachelorette’ when Deanna took my favorite bachelor Jason up in the helicopter haha. The views were incredible, so you will have to check out my pictures to get a small glimpse of what it was like. All in all, it was a wonderful trip that I would recommend to anyone.
Now onto another huge highlight of my spring break…The Outback!!
We stopped in Apollo Bay, one of the cute towns, for lunch and then made our way to Otway National Park, where we did a short hike through a rainforest. We also stopped to see koalas just hanging out in eucalyptus trees too. Very cool.
Now for the best part: the 12 Apostles. The 12 Apostles are a group of twelve rock formations that sit in the water just off of the coast. I smile every time I think about them, which may sound weird, but it is literally the most beautiful landscape I have ever seen in my life (even though the Grand Canyon is up there too…). Oh, it’s amazing! If you are ever going to Melbourne, you MUST do a tour of the Great Ocean Road just to see this. It was really windy and cold, but the wind made the waves breach more, making the Apostles look even prettier. To think that God created this makes me even more anxious to see heaven someday—how beautiful and magnificent He is. I don’t understand how people can see scenery like this and not believe in God. It blows my mind.
To end a great trip, Ashley, Jana, and I spontaneously decided that we wanted to ride in a helicopter over the 12 Apostles. It was optional in our tour, and we thought that since we loved it so much, how cool would it be to see the entire coast from up above? Plus, none of us had ever been in a helicopter, so that made it that much more perfect. It was spectacular. I was so excited because we got to wear the microphone headsets, and I sat in the front next to the pilot. It reminded me of ‘The Bachelorette’ when Deanna took my favorite bachelor Jason up in the helicopter haha. The views were incredible, so you will have to check out my pictures to get a small glimpse of what it was like. All in all, it was a wonderful trip that I would recommend to anyone.
Now onto another huge highlight of my spring break…The Outback!!
Part III: Camping in the Outback...I am living my dreams
Some of you may know that I absolutely love doing adventurous things (I guess skydiving and scuba diving kinda give that away ). But I’ve got to tell you, camping in the Outback has probably been my favorite.
My friends and I flew from Melbourne to Alice Springs, Northern Territory (central Australia). Let’s just say that everything you hear about the Outback is true, 100%. I looked out of the plane window and saw red desert sand scattered with bushes and sticks…for miles and miles and miles. It literally was never ending! It seemed that there was absolutely nothing there—no wonder everyone lives on the east coast—plus it is not technically summer yet, and it was already in the mid-40s (°C), which is about 110°F.
We all walked off the plane inside to the small terminal (only one), grabbed our bags, and then took a shuttle to our YHA hostel. After our hostel in Melbourne, this one looked like a resort! It was small, but looked like a little community. There was a pool in the center, with the rooms surrounding it. I even got to lay out for a little while! We somehow got an eight person room for just us four, so it was nice to have the extra space. We repacked our camping clothes into our backpacks for the tour (we were leaving early the next morning on The Rock Tour, a 3-day 2-night camping trip to Uluru, the largest rock in the world, Kings Canyon, Kata Tjuta, etc.), and then headed off to Woolworth’s, our favorite grocery store. After going out for meals in Melbourne, all of us decided that we were going to spend the least amount possible on food for the two nights we were in Alice Springs. Good thing I love peanut butter and jelly.
Day 1
Craig, our Aussie tour guide, picked us up in The Rock Tour bus from our hostel at 6 am. After picking everyone else up from their accommodation, we were on our way to Kings Canyon and Curtain Springs. There were 18 other people on the tour from all over the world: two young couples from Denmark and Italy, girls from Japan, Korea, Germany, South Africa, a few from the U.S. too, a guy from England, and my favorite new friend, Hanneke Duisterwinkel. Any guess where she’s from?! Holland! Go Dutch. I was so excited when she told me that, and of course I told her that I go to school in Holland, Michigan…and then I began to list off all of the crazy Dutch last names of my friends. I asked what her last name was, and she had to write it down for me to understand what she was saying in her accent. Haha. Oh Dutch people…I love you
Anyway, our first hike was through Kings Canyon, which I will describe as a large rock formation in the middle of the Outback. There were a couple of trails that you could follow, depending on how far you wanted to go. We hiked for 3.5 hours (7.5 km), stopping for lunch and to see the ‘Garden of Eden’, a small body of water. We hiked up Heartbreak Hill (bringing back memories of my City2Surf run!), and then enjoyed the beautiful lookout at the top. Everyone had to carry 3 liters of water, and drink at least 2 to avoid dehydration. Thankfully it was a little cloudy and breezy, so the weather was very bearable, and actually pretty nice. I realized my love for hiking all over again when I was out there with my backpack, bandana, and water bottles…no wonder moving out West appeals to me! It’s too bad that there aren’t any mountains to climb and hike in Illinois or Michigan. It was a great hike, and by the end we were all ready to head off to camp and make dinner.
I should tell you that when I say ‘camping,’ I don’t mean luxurious summer camp like Covenant Harbor in Lake Geneva, WI. No…this was REAL camping. I mean intense! Obviously the Outback has a few petrol (gas) stations off of the main (and only paved) road, but besides that there is nothing but flat desert land. So after all of the water we drank, everyone had to go to the bathroom. Craig nonchalantly said, “Oh yeah, there’s tons of toilets out here…just grab some paper if you need it!” So that was that, and we all wandered out of the bus and found a toilet (aka a dead shrub/bush) where we could dig a hole…I’ll leave you to imagine the rest ;) I was laughing when I was out there, just thinking, “wow, I’m in the middle of the Outback…” haha it was an experience for sure, but I didn’t mind, and got used to it for the rest of the trip.
When we got to camp (about half a mile off of the road) in Curtain Springs, Craig cooked an amazing dinner for us. We had a noodle and vegetable stir fry dish and sautéed chicken. He cooked it over the fire, and all of us took turns stirring the big pot. It was 9 pm by the time everything was ready, so you can imagine how hungry we were! Craig was like, “who’s first?” Then Ashley said, “Oh Meghan is” (of course I’m always first in line and will never miss a meal ;) And then Craig responded, “Oh great, you can be the server, thanks.” Haha I laughed in my head, and then gladly took the serving spoon. I liked serving everyone though, even though Craig said I was a little too generous with the serving sizes. Oh well
We cleaned up and then got our swags and sleeping bags out of the trailer. A swag is basically a mat with a covering so that you can put your sleeping bag inside of it. Very comfortable. It wasn’t cold like I thought it would be at night, so I just slept inside my sleeping bag on top of the swag. When I looked up at the night sky I saw millions and millions of stars. It was incredible. And before I fell asleep, I was thinking about how much my fellow adventurous friends would love this experience. I wish you could’ve been there with me!
I will add the rest of the trip tomorrow!
My friends and I flew from Melbourne to Alice Springs, Northern Territory (central Australia). Let’s just say that everything you hear about the Outback is true, 100%. I looked out of the plane window and saw red desert sand scattered with bushes and sticks…for miles and miles and miles. It literally was never ending! It seemed that there was absolutely nothing there—no wonder everyone lives on the east coast—plus it is not technically summer yet, and it was already in the mid-40s (°C), which is about 110°F.
We all walked off the plane inside to the small terminal (only one), grabbed our bags, and then took a shuttle to our YHA hostel. After our hostel in Melbourne, this one looked like a resort! It was small, but looked like a little community. There was a pool in the center, with the rooms surrounding it. I even got to lay out for a little while! We somehow got an eight person room for just us four, so it was nice to have the extra space. We repacked our camping clothes into our backpacks for the tour (we were leaving early the next morning on The Rock Tour, a 3-day 2-night camping trip to Uluru, the largest rock in the world, Kings Canyon, Kata Tjuta, etc.), and then headed off to Woolworth’s, our favorite grocery store. After going out for meals in Melbourne, all of us decided that we were going to spend the least amount possible on food for the two nights we were in Alice Springs. Good thing I love peanut butter and jelly.
Day 1
Craig, our Aussie tour guide, picked us up in The Rock Tour bus from our hostel at 6 am. After picking everyone else up from their accommodation, we were on our way to Kings Canyon and Curtain Springs. There were 18 other people on the tour from all over the world: two young couples from Denmark and Italy, girls from Japan, Korea, Germany, South Africa, a few from the U.S. too, a guy from England, and my favorite new friend, Hanneke Duisterwinkel. Any guess where she’s from?! Holland! Go Dutch. I was so excited when she told me that, and of course I told her that I go to school in Holland, Michigan…and then I began to list off all of the crazy Dutch last names of my friends. I asked what her last name was, and she had to write it down for me to understand what she was saying in her accent. Haha. Oh Dutch people…I love you
Anyway, our first hike was through Kings Canyon, which I will describe as a large rock formation in the middle of the Outback. There were a couple of trails that you could follow, depending on how far you wanted to go. We hiked for 3.5 hours (7.5 km), stopping for lunch and to see the ‘Garden of Eden’, a small body of water. We hiked up Heartbreak Hill (bringing back memories of my City2Surf run!), and then enjoyed the beautiful lookout at the top. Everyone had to carry 3 liters of water, and drink at least 2 to avoid dehydration. Thankfully it was a little cloudy and breezy, so the weather was very bearable, and actually pretty nice. I realized my love for hiking all over again when I was out there with my backpack, bandana, and water bottles…no wonder moving out West appeals to me! It’s too bad that there aren’t any mountains to climb and hike in Illinois or Michigan. It was a great hike, and by the end we were all ready to head off to camp and make dinner.
I should tell you that when I say ‘camping,’ I don’t mean luxurious summer camp like Covenant Harbor in Lake Geneva, WI. No…this was REAL camping. I mean intense! Obviously the Outback has a few petrol (gas) stations off of the main (and only paved) road, but besides that there is nothing but flat desert land. So after all of the water we drank, everyone had to go to the bathroom. Craig nonchalantly said, “Oh yeah, there’s tons of toilets out here…just grab some paper if you need it!” So that was that, and we all wandered out of the bus and found a toilet (aka a dead shrub/bush) where we could dig a hole…I’ll leave you to imagine the rest ;) I was laughing when I was out there, just thinking, “wow, I’m in the middle of the Outback…” haha it was an experience for sure, but I didn’t mind, and got used to it for the rest of the trip.
When we got to camp (about half a mile off of the road) in Curtain Springs, Craig cooked an amazing dinner for us. We had a noodle and vegetable stir fry dish and sautéed chicken. He cooked it over the fire, and all of us took turns stirring the big pot. It was 9 pm by the time everything was ready, so you can imagine how hungry we were! Craig was like, “who’s first?” Then Ashley said, “Oh Meghan is” (of course I’m always first in line and will never miss a meal ;) And then Craig responded, “Oh great, you can be the server, thanks.” Haha I laughed in my head, and then gladly took the serving spoon. I liked serving everyone though, even though Craig said I was a little too generous with the serving sizes. Oh well
We cleaned up and then got our swags and sleeping bags out of the trailer. A swag is basically a mat with a covering so that you can put your sleeping bag inside of it. Very comfortable. It wasn’t cold like I thought it would be at night, so I just slept inside my sleeping bag on top of the swag. When I looked up at the night sky I saw millions and millions of stars. It was incredible. And before I fell asleep, I was thinking about how much my fellow adventurous friends would love this experience. I wish you could’ve been there with me!
I will add the rest of the trip tomorrow!
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