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.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
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!
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Beaches, friends, and the Kangaroo Valley
It has been way too long since I’ve written! So much has happened…
Last weekend Katie and I went to Manly beach together, just the two of us. It was fun to enjoy our first day at the beach! We rode the ferry from Circular Quay to Manly (30 min.). It was a beautiful day and the perfect temperature. We had fun getting tan and drinking diet cokes on the beach.
Quick story…In L.A. when I was in the long line to check-in at Qantas, I met a guy from England traveling on his own for 6 months around in the US, Fiji, New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, Thailand, and China. We talked for about 40 minutes and exchanged emails so that he (Ryan) could contact me when he arrived in Sydney. Anyway, he arrived on Tuesday, so my friends and I met up with him at one of the bars downtown called Scruffy Murphy’s. It was so fun to catch up with him and his travels! It was such a random meet, but so fun.
I also met up with the Burchett family’s friend Liz Hawthorne. Liz is a student at Sydney Uni, and when the Burchett’s lived in Australia, the girls were friends with Liz, and have still stayed in touch with her. We finally had coffee on campus together after talking via facebook for awhile. She is such a sweet girl, and it was so fun to meet face-to-face! We are planning on getting together again before I leave.
This weekend was absolutely wonderful! I went with six other students from my program to the Kangaroo Valley. We volunteered for the weekend with CVA, Conservation Volunteers Australia, in Chakola, a camp recreation area. Chakola is Aboriginal for Lyrebird. It was a beautiful weekend—the weather was sunny and breezy, in the high seventies. We stayed in cabins with bunk beds and cooked together in the kitchen.
On our way to Chakola we stopped at Kiama Beach, home to the biggest blowhole in New South Wales. The beach and rocks were amazing. When we arrived we got settled and then got dressed in our “work” gear. This consisted of long sleeves, long pants, bright yellow neon vests, and fishermen’s hats—the traditional Aussie nature hat. We looked so goofy, but it was fun to get the whole Aussie experience. We raked the pathway down to Kangaroo River and stopped on the way to enjoy the green bush.
On Saturday we worked at a national park about an hour from Chakola. Our guide, Matt, came with us everywhere and we met up with another man from CVA and a girl from Wollongong. We went in the swampy area to pull these huge weeds that looked like mini trees, however, the land rover type vehicle got stuck in the mud! We spent most of our time there trying to get the car out, but finally managed to after a lot of stick gathering and digging. The rest of the day we chopped down weeds in the bush and poisoned them so that they wouldn’t grow back.
When we came back to Chakola my friend Lisa and I went to look for kangaroos and wallabies. The paddock (field) that was part of the property was filled with about 15 kangaroos/wallabies. It was hard to tell them apart since we were far away, but we saw them hopping around. We also saw a herd of cows, and they came running up to the fence, right by where we were standing. It was pretty cool to be face-to-face with six cows.
At night we had a bonfire with s’mores, and we also made muesli cookies for dessert. Muesli is my new favorite breakfast food. It’s similar to granola, but there’s more fruit and nuts. They have really good muesli bars here too…I’ll have to bring some back! Anyway, this morning we did some more weeding on the property near the river, and then ate lunch and headed back to Sydney. On our way we stopped at Fitzroy Falls, a gorgeous waterfall in the mountains (near the Blue Mountains). It was stunning! Australia is unbelievably beautiful. I have never seen such beautiful landscape. The mountains, green hills and valleys, rivers, waterfalls, etc. You all should spend the money and come sometime, because there is nothing else like it!
I was sick with a head cold most of the week, so I am finally feeling better. A weekend away did miracles. This week will be really tough since I have a consultancy report due for my science class, and a group media kit for my media relations class both due on Friday. My mom and dad arrive early Friday morning, and I absolutely cannot wait!!! Then it’s off to Melbourne and the Outback for SB 08 #2. Your prayers are always appreciated, and I will keep you in mine too.
xxx Megs
Last weekend Katie and I went to Manly beach together, just the two of us. It was fun to enjoy our first day at the beach! We rode the ferry from Circular Quay to Manly (30 min.). It was a beautiful day and the perfect temperature. We had fun getting tan and drinking diet cokes on the beach.
Quick story…In L.A. when I was in the long line to check-in at Qantas, I met a guy from England traveling on his own for 6 months around in the US, Fiji, New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, Thailand, and China. We talked for about 40 minutes and exchanged emails so that he (Ryan) could contact me when he arrived in Sydney. Anyway, he arrived on Tuesday, so my friends and I met up with him at one of the bars downtown called Scruffy Murphy’s. It was so fun to catch up with him and his travels! It was such a random meet, but so fun.
I also met up with the Burchett family’s friend Liz Hawthorne. Liz is a student at Sydney Uni, and when the Burchett’s lived in Australia, the girls were friends with Liz, and have still stayed in touch with her. We finally had coffee on campus together after talking via facebook for awhile. She is such a sweet girl, and it was so fun to meet face-to-face! We are planning on getting together again before I leave.
This weekend was absolutely wonderful! I went with six other students from my program to the Kangaroo Valley. We volunteered for the weekend with CVA, Conservation Volunteers Australia, in Chakola, a camp recreation area. Chakola is Aboriginal for Lyrebird. It was a beautiful weekend—the weather was sunny and breezy, in the high seventies. We stayed in cabins with bunk beds and cooked together in the kitchen.
On our way to Chakola we stopped at Kiama Beach, home to the biggest blowhole in New South Wales. The beach and rocks were amazing. When we arrived we got settled and then got dressed in our “work” gear. This consisted of long sleeves, long pants, bright yellow neon vests, and fishermen’s hats—the traditional Aussie nature hat. We looked so goofy, but it was fun to get the whole Aussie experience. We raked the pathway down to Kangaroo River and stopped on the way to enjoy the green bush.
On Saturday we worked at a national park about an hour from Chakola. Our guide, Matt, came with us everywhere and we met up with another man from CVA and a girl from Wollongong. We went in the swampy area to pull these huge weeds that looked like mini trees, however, the land rover type vehicle got stuck in the mud! We spent most of our time there trying to get the car out, but finally managed to after a lot of stick gathering and digging. The rest of the day we chopped down weeds in the bush and poisoned them so that they wouldn’t grow back.
When we came back to Chakola my friend Lisa and I went to look for kangaroos and wallabies. The paddock (field) that was part of the property was filled with about 15 kangaroos/wallabies. It was hard to tell them apart since we were far away, but we saw them hopping around. We also saw a herd of cows, and they came running up to the fence, right by where we were standing. It was pretty cool to be face-to-face with six cows.
At night we had a bonfire with s’mores, and we also made muesli cookies for dessert. Muesli is my new favorite breakfast food. It’s similar to granola, but there’s more fruit and nuts. They have really good muesli bars here too…I’ll have to bring some back! Anyway, this morning we did some more weeding on the property near the river, and then ate lunch and headed back to Sydney. On our way we stopped at Fitzroy Falls, a gorgeous waterfall in the mountains (near the Blue Mountains). It was stunning! Australia is unbelievably beautiful. I have never seen such beautiful landscape. The mountains, green hills and valleys, rivers, waterfalls, etc. You all should spend the money and come sometime, because there is nothing else like it!
I was sick with a head cold most of the week, so I am finally feeling better. A weekend away did miracles. This week will be really tough since I have a consultancy report due for my science class, and a group media kit for my media relations class both due on Friday. My mom and dad arrive early Friday morning, and I absolutely cannot wait!!! Then it’s off to Melbourne and the Outback for SB 08 #2. Your prayers are always appreciated, and I will keep you in mine too.
xxx Megs
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Spring is coming...
Uni is in full swing and I am very ready for spring break. Only 2 more weeks! I am so excited to see my parents, explore Melbourne, and camp under the stars in the Outback.
This past weekend I went to Cronulla with my friends to enjoy a day at the beach! It wasn’t quite warm enough to wear a swimsuit, but it was fun to sit and lay out in the grass overlooking the beach with huge waves and Aussie surfers. It was about an hour train ride from Sydney Central Station, so we just spent the morning and into the afternoon exploring Cronulla, getting some sun, and admiring the cutest Australian family ever! It was Father’s Day on Sunday, so there were tons of families out walking, playing catch, and riding scooters. My friends and I sat on a grassy hill, and a young couple came with their three little boys to play catch. Noah, Joel, and baby Will were adorable Joel came over and talked to me and Danielle. His accent was so cute, even though it was hard to understand him since he was only 2. Noah was probably about 6 and he was playing catch with his dad. It was so funny because he was just learning to catch, and when his dad threw the baseball it almost hit his face. Noah said, “Dad, you nearly whacked me in the face!” We all tried not to laugh, but it was SO funny and cute. I love kids with accents.
On Tuesday I spent the night at Katie’s house in Gladesville, two bus rides away (about 40 minutes) so we had fun watching my skydiving video, eating Domino’s pizza, watching “The Guardian”, and relaxing. The next day I went to Kate’s favorite coffee place, Angela Jane’s, in Drummoyne where her school is, and studied for a bit before heading back to Sydney Uni for class. It was nice to get out of my apartment for the night and be with my sister. I am so happy that we are here together!
This weekend Kate and her friends and my friends and I are going to see a symphony perform at the Opera House. I am so excited, because although I have seen the Opera House many times, I have never been inside. The Sydney Symphony is performing a show called ‘Crime Time’, and they’re playing music from ‘crime’ movies like the Bond series, Secret Window, and the Sixth Sense. It should be great. I am also happy because it will count as one of my required concert viewings for my music class. It may be warmer this weekend as well (about 76 degrees) so I think my friends and I are going to go back to Wollongong and hang out on the beach.
I hope you are all doing well now that school has started and fall is on its way. I think about you often and miss you, no matter how much fun I am having! Have a great weekend.
Love,
Megs xxx
This past weekend I went to Cronulla with my friends to enjoy a day at the beach! It wasn’t quite warm enough to wear a swimsuit, but it was fun to sit and lay out in the grass overlooking the beach with huge waves and Aussie surfers. It was about an hour train ride from Sydney Central Station, so we just spent the morning and into the afternoon exploring Cronulla, getting some sun, and admiring the cutest Australian family ever! It was Father’s Day on Sunday, so there were tons of families out walking, playing catch, and riding scooters. My friends and I sat on a grassy hill, and a young couple came with their three little boys to play catch. Noah, Joel, and baby Will were adorable Joel came over and talked to me and Danielle. His accent was so cute, even though it was hard to understand him since he was only 2. Noah was probably about 6 and he was playing catch with his dad. It was so funny because he was just learning to catch, and when his dad threw the baseball it almost hit his face. Noah said, “Dad, you nearly whacked me in the face!” We all tried not to laugh, but it was SO funny and cute. I love kids with accents.
On Tuesday I spent the night at Katie’s house in Gladesville, two bus rides away (about 40 minutes) so we had fun watching my skydiving video, eating Domino’s pizza, watching “The Guardian”, and relaxing. The next day I went to Kate’s favorite coffee place, Angela Jane’s, in Drummoyne where her school is, and studied for a bit before heading back to Sydney Uni for class. It was nice to get out of my apartment for the night and be with my sister. I am so happy that we are here together!
This weekend Kate and her friends and my friends and I are going to see a symphony perform at the Opera House. I am so excited, because although I have seen the Opera House many times, I have never been inside. The Sydney Symphony is performing a show called ‘Crime Time’, and they’re playing music from ‘crime’ movies like the Bond series, Secret Window, and the Sixth Sense. It should be great. I am also happy because it will count as one of my required concert viewings for my music class. It may be warmer this weekend as well (about 76 degrees) so I think my friends and I are going to go back to Wollongong and hang out on the beach.
I hope you are all doing well now that school has started and fall is on its way. I think about you often and miss you, no matter how much fun I am having! Have a great weekend.
Love,
Megs xxx
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Picture Slideshow!
Hey all! I created a photo album/slideshow of my pictures thus far. I tried to put it directly into my blog, but couldn't figure it out. You can go to www.picasaweb.google.com/meghanfore to view the slideshow. Just copy and paste the URL into the browser, click the album, and then click the slideshow button in the left hand corner. Enjoy!
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
"You belong in Bondi!"
Today has just been one of those really good days. Nothing too exciting has happened, but as I walked around through the campus I was just thinking about the fact that I’m in Australia, across the other side of the world, meeting new people and interacting with people from all different backgrounds and places in life. How cool is that?
This morning I woke up, and instead of going to the gym like I would normally do, I decided to catch up on my journaling. I sat out on my apartment balcony, just reflecting on my life here while the sun shined on me coming in and out of the clouds. Then at 9 am two of my best friends Emma and Emma and I talked on Skype for an hour and a half. The video finally worked, so I got to see their beautiful faces! I cannot even tell you how great it was to talk to them. To talk to two girls—besides Kate of course—who really know me was so refreshing. We have a past and previous life together, whereas here, I’ve only known people for about two months.
Then I went to my Media class at 11 am, and afterward my group for the campaign proposal we have due on Friday got together. The three girls in my group are all really nice, and we all have worked well together, doing our share of the work (sometimes hard to come by these days!). One of the girls Emma is Australian, and Sarah is an international student from Singapore who has lived in Australia for a couple of years. Kim is also from the US, in Connecticut. I ate my ‘sack’ lunch, and then walked back to my apartment to put some jeans on (the weather is so weird!). I stopped at Hoochie Mammas, the café and coffee place that Sydney University Village students get money to, and bought a flat white coffee. The Aussie guys there are SO awesome…probably in their late 30s. Two of my favorite guys were working as usual (one of them always says “Hi darling” (“daling” with the accent) to all of the girls that come in. We all love it! Or like today, he said to me, “Thanks love” when I picked up my coffee. Anyway, while I was paying with my U-card, this guy (I should know his name by now…) said to George the other guy, “She could pass as an Aussie, couldn’t she Georgie?” He smiled and shook his head yeah, and then I laughed and said, “Why, because I have blonde hair?” And he shook his head yeah again and said, “You belong at Bondi.” (Bondi Beach). Haha I just laughed and smiled, thinking ‘Yes! I look like an Aussie! Now I just need to work on my accent!” Needless to say, it made me feel good, and kept me smiling till my next lecture.
We watched a movie in my Australian Multicultures lecture today about a Chinese family who moved to Australia. The unit we’re studying now is about Australasia. It was really interesting and funny to see the drama they faced when they first arrived from Hong Kong. I have another group project in that unit as well, and so my group met afterward to discuss our presentation. I got blessed with another good group, and the two girls are also really fun to talk to and hardworking. It’s refreshing to know that school isn’t meant to be a big stressor here, which I find SO amazing since studying sometimes consumes me at Hope. “No worries” is the mindset here, so I am constantly keeping that in mind and living life to the full! Tonight I am going to the Hillsong college group, and then just chilling and studying a bit. Thanks for your support and prayers everyday—they don’t go unnoticed!
Love, Megs
This morning I woke up, and instead of going to the gym like I would normally do, I decided to catch up on my journaling. I sat out on my apartment balcony, just reflecting on my life here while the sun shined on me coming in and out of the clouds. Then at 9 am two of my best friends Emma and Emma and I talked on Skype for an hour and a half. The video finally worked, so I got to see their beautiful faces! I cannot even tell you how great it was to talk to them. To talk to two girls—besides Kate of course—who really know me was so refreshing. We have a past and previous life together, whereas here, I’ve only known people for about two months.
Then I went to my Media class at 11 am, and afterward my group for the campaign proposal we have due on Friday got together. The three girls in my group are all really nice, and we all have worked well together, doing our share of the work (sometimes hard to come by these days!). One of the girls Emma is Australian, and Sarah is an international student from Singapore who has lived in Australia for a couple of years. Kim is also from the US, in Connecticut. I ate my ‘sack’ lunch, and then walked back to my apartment to put some jeans on (the weather is so weird!). I stopped at Hoochie Mammas, the café and coffee place that Sydney University Village students get money to, and bought a flat white coffee. The Aussie guys there are SO awesome…probably in their late 30s. Two of my favorite guys were working as usual (one of them always says “Hi darling” (“daling” with the accent) to all of the girls that come in. We all love it! Or like today, he said to me, “Thanks love” when I picked up my coffee. Anyway, while I was paying with my U-card, this guy (I should know his name by now…) said to George the other guy, “She could pass as an Aussie, couldn’t she Georgie?” He smiled and shook his head yeah, and then I laughed and said, “Why, because I have blonde hair?” And he shook his head yeah again and said, “You belong at Bondi.” (Bondi Beach). Haha I just laughed and smiled, thinking ‘Yes! I look like an Aussie! Now I just need to work on my accent!” Needless to say, it made me feel good, and kept me smiling till my next lecture.
We watched a movie in my Australian Multicultures lecture today about a Chinese family who moved to Australia. The unit we’re studying now is about Australasia. It was really interesting and funny to see the drama they faced when they first arrived from Hong Kong. I have another group project in that unit as well, and so my group met afterward to discuss our presentation. I got blessed with another good group, and the two girls are also really fun to talk to and hardworking. It’s refreshing to know that school isn’t meant to be a big stressor here, which I find SO amazing since studying sometimes consumes me at Hope. “No worries” is the mindset here, so I am constantly keeping that in mind and living life to the full! Tonight I am going to the Hillsong college group, and then just chilling and studying a bit. Thanks for your support and prayers everyday—they don’t go unnoticed!
Love, Megs
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