Another great day in Boston. I'm starting to learn where everything is in my surrounding area, as well as other parts of Boston (contributing to this is my greater understanding and knowledge about the T system). Today, before work, I went to the Post Office to mail a few things, which happens to be located (conveniently so) right near my house. On the T, I read the "Metro" newspaper... a little newspaper highlighting events going on in Boston, as well as political/religious/etc. debates going on in the city. At work, we eat lunch outside, or "al fresco" as most like to call it, which is really wonderful because it's so nice outside : )
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_fresco_dining
I left work around 5:30 and despite my Tom Tom's estimate that I'd be arriving home at 6:05 p.m.... I pulled into the house parking lot at 6:35. Navigating your way through Boston rush hour traffic is like pulling teeth. Between stop-and-go, bumper-to-bumper traffic and weird round-abouts, I decided that I'd rather utilize public transportation anytime. After I got home, I went to meet all the Manzi fellows (my internship this summer is through a Colgate fellowship program, made possible by the gracious Mr. Jim Manzi) who were having a picnic at 7 on the river. It was 7:35 when I was walking and realized I still had a ways to go to get to the picnic site... so I turned around to avoid having to walk home in the dark an hour later! Epic bust. Instead of eating dinner on the river, I had a nice Ravioli dinner with some friends in the Phi Delt dining room.
After dinner, I watched an episode of "Pretty Little Liars" with my friend, Katarina. We wanted to watch a show the other night online... but we couldn't think of any shows we needed to catch up on. So instead, we started watching a series neither of us had seen before! It's one of those over-done, "I can guess what's coming next" sort of shows... but addicting, nonetheless. Who doesn't like a show about four teenage girls, faced with the sorrows of a dead friend (who's actually seemingly not dead), all while hiding secrets of the past?
Again, this afternoon, I was faced with the on-rush of crazed Red Sox fans as they headed to Fenway Park. I realized about an hour ago that the Sox game only added to rush hour traffic... probably making traffic worse than usual. I had to move my car from the spot it was in earlier... and again, I saw hundreds of fans leaving Fenway. Third night game in a row! It's actually pretty cool though how close I live to Fenway Park; from the doorstep, you can clearly see the stadium lights of the baseball park. Not many people can say they've lived that close to Fenway Park : )
Off to Lake Winnie, NH again tomorrow for some fun family reunion time!
P.S. I forgot to talk about our camp motto's, which I mention in the title of this post. There are several, such as "fair is not always equal" and "lead by example." My personal favorite is "fake it 'til you make it." I think I'm going to try to fake my way through things more (things which I don't have much confidence in), to see if people believe me (i.e. like I know more about a subject than I really do, or that I know how to do something, or that I'm more confident than I really am in certain activities). We've all done it, right? I think being able to "fake it" is a good leader quality, as sad as that sounds, because the people following a leader need to have confidence in the person leading them. Or else all hope is lost. Because people need to know there's someone above them (or beside them) who knows what they're doing. But that doesn't necessarily mean that leaders need to KNOW what they're doing, merely ACT like they know what they're doing.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Exploring the City
Work was great today! One moment that stands out in my mine (oddly) is when I sneezed... and of the eight people sitting around me, five said "bless you." You forget this simple social norm exists when you go to Australia and never hear it spoken once. In that moment, I was exceptionally thankful to be back in the U.S.
On my way back from work, I was accompanied by several Red Sox fans on the T. Apparently, there was another game today! I think I might be converted to a Red Sox fan... well actually, I don't know if converted is the right word because I was never a fan of any baseball team to begin with! I think all my Bostonian relatives would be glad to hear that : ) Instead of going home right away, I took the T to the Museum of Fine Arts... a really, really large art museum right next to Northeastern University. I went with my friends Leo and Julio, and my roommate, Janice. Instead of studying each and every art piece, we mostly caught up with each other, exchanging stories about work and our weekends. Although, we did pay close attention to one of the exhibits there... "Chihuly: Through the Looking Glass." Within this exhibit, there were nine large pieces, each representing something different. The art in this exhibit was all glass that had been blown and shaped... there were intricate, twirly designs, glass shaped like different mosses on logs, and glass shaped like chandeliers. It was awesome!
http://www.mfa.org/exhibitions/chihuly
After going through the museum, well actually only the first floor of the museum, we went to Panera for dinner. Also another thing I love about America--our pickles. I had a delicious chicken ceasar sandwich and soup... but I really had a craving for a pickle after seeing one on another girl's plate. So, I went back up to the register and politely asked the man working if I could have a pickle...he graciously brought me to the back counter and prepared a plate of four pickles... haha. I would do that. I took the T and walked back to my house. And of course, Janice and I ran in to all the Red Sox fans as they were leaving the game, which had coincidentally just ended. Also coincidentally, after I walked up the stairs out of the subway, I walked by four older men wearing Colgate stickers on their shirts. It took me a few seconds too long to process what I had just seen in order to muster a "go Colgate!" as they walked by. I'm almost positive the Colgate Club of Boston had arranged an event at the Sox game tonight... so these are the things I can look forward to upon becoming a Colgate alum : )
And now here I am, writing on my blog at 11:30 at night. Gotta go to bed now.. that's the working life for you!
On my way back from work, I was accompanied by several Red Sox fans on the T. Apparently, there was another game today! I think I might be converted to a Red Sox fan... well actually, I don't know if converted is the right word because I was never a fan of any baseball team to begin with! I think all my Bostonian relatives would be glad to hear that : ) Instead of going home right away, I took the T to the Museum of Fine Arts... a really, really large art museum right next to Northeastern University. I went with my friends Leo and Julio, and my roommate, Janice. Instead of studying each and every art piece, we mostly caught up with each other, exchanging stories about work and our weekends. Although, we did pay close attention to one of the exhibits there... "Chihuly: Through the Looking Glass." Within this exhibit, there were nine large pieces, each representing something different. The art in this exhibit was all glass that had been blown and shaped... there were intricate, twirly designs, glass shaped like different mosses on logs, and glass shaped like chandeliers. It was awesome!
http://www.mfa.org/exhibitions/chihuly
After going through the museum, well actually only the first floor of the museum, we went to Panera for dinner. Also another thing I love about America--our pickles. I had a delicious chicken ceasar sandwich and soup... but I really had a craving for a pickle after seeing one on another girl's plate. So, I went back up to the register and politely asked the man working if I could have a pickle...he graciously brought me to the back counter and prepared a plate of four pickles... haha. I would do that. I took the T and walked back to my house. And of course, Janice and I ran in to all the Red Sox fans as they were leaving the game, which had coincidentally just ended. Also coincidentally, after I walked up the stairs out of the subway, I walked by four older men wearing Colgate stickers on their shirts. It took me a few seconds too long to process what I had just seen in order to muster a "go Colgate!" as they walked by. I'm almost positive the Colgate Club of Boston had arranged an event at the Sox game tonight... so these are the things I can look forward to upon becoming a Colgate alum : )
And now here I am, writing on my blog at 11:30 at night. Gotta go to bed now.. that's the working life for you!
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
And This Raider Moves on to Boston
After arriving back in the United States, I drove to Boston, MA a mere seven hours later! Talk about a quick turn-around. Good family friends of ours, the Ecker's, were conveniently driving to Boston the day I needed to come here. So they helped me move in to my fourth story room on the edge of the Charles River. I live in a MIT fraternity, Phi Delta Theta, with about 35 other people. It's about half girls/half guys and everyone is so nice. Recently, we had a "southern soul food" night.... we all piled in to the huge dining room to eat fried chicken, waffles, and homemade macaroni and cheese. What college student doesn't love that combination of food? Move in day was pretty uneventful; I unpacked for a few hours and then slept for the rest of the day... jet lag's a (you know what).
The next day, I was determined to find out how I was going to get to work (in a town that's actually a suburb of Boston). So, like a rookie, I took a piece of paper with my work address and made my way down to the Kenmore Square T-Stop (the train line that runs through Boston). I was sitting at a large, somewhat confusing-looking map, when a woman walked up to me and asked me if I needed help. At first I put up my "No, it's okay, I can do this on my own...," I surrounded to her help after learning she used to work on the same street I was trying to get to. This kind woman showed me how to get to Waltham (the town where Drama Play Connection is, the non-profit I'm working for). After that, I walked around Kenmore Square (which is right near Cambridge, just across the Charles River); I saw Fenway Park and went to the grocery store. The following three days were nice... I went to work every day on "the T," like a regular working class woman. I had to figure out how to buy a ticket, how to know where to get off, how to catch the right train going in the right direction, and how to figure out when the trains arrived at the station. Thanks, studying abroad, for teaching me how to independently figure out all modes of transportation.
One night, I met up with a good friend, Leo, to go to Quincy Markets for ice cream. Another two afternoons I ran along the Charles River and strolled around the MIT campus. There are SO MANY things to do in Boston, so I plan on making a list tonight of things to do after I get out of work... because there's a solid three hours of daylight after work ends to enjoy the beautiful city!
Today, I drove back to MA from NH (huge family reunion in NH... always a blast!) at 6 a.m. in time to arrive at work by 9 a.m. I'm working at a summer theatre camp for kids with Asperger's Syndrome, Social Anxiety Disorder, etc. The past week, I've learned all about Asperger's, learned how camps runs, set up camp at Regis College, and today I read camper charts all day (to learn about the specific needs and impairments of each camper). Throughout the duration of the camp, campers learn about drama techniques, pragmatics... all in preparation to make their own full-length film, starring the campers themselves. So, during the week, campers attend workshops on drama pragmatics, attend field trips, and film scenes for the video. At the end of camp, there's a movie premiere showing the film they made... this year we'll be helping to produce "Ghostbusters"!
http://www.dramaplayconnection.com/
Because I only slept four hours last night, I think tonight is going to be an early night. But tomorrow I plan on taking advantage of the sunny afternoon in Boston!
Peace out Girl Scout.
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Oh, also! Today the Green Line on the T (that's the line I take... there's four different lines) was down, so I had to take the bus home. As I walked back to my house, I was greeted by hundreds of people in the streets, all milling about, eating, drinking, and taking pictures in preparation for the big Red Sox game tonight. Because there were so many people on the streets, I nearly hit a man next to me on the sidewalk with the luggage I was carrying. Instead of saying "Oh, you're fine," like an American, he said "You're alright"... a classic Australian phrase. Was he Australian? I'm not sure. But it sure made me feel like I was back in the land of kangaroos and boomerangs : )... a subtle reminder of the past five months of my life.
The next day, I was determined to find out how I was going to get to work (in a town that's actually a suburb of Boston). So, like a rookie, I took a piece of paper with my work address and made my way down to the Kenmore Square T-Stop (the train line that runs through Boston). I was sitting at a large, somewhat confusing-looking map, when a woman walked up to me and asked me if I needed help. At first I put up my "No, it's okay, I can do this on my own...," I surrounded to her help after learning she used to work on the same street I was trying to get to. This kind woman showed me how to get to Waltham (the town where Drama Play Connection is, the non-profit I'm working for). After that, I walked around Kenmore Square (which is right near Cambridge, just across the Charles River); I saw Fenway Park and went to the grocery store. The following three days were nice... I went to work every day on "the T," like a regular working class woman. I had to figure out how to buy a ticket, how to know where to get off, how to catch the right train going in the right direction, and how to figure out when the trains arrived at the station. Thanks, studying abroad, for teaching me how to independently figure out all modes of transportation.
One night, I met up with a good friend, Leo, to go to Quincy Markets for ice cream. Another two afternoons I ran along the Charles River and strolled around the MIT campus. There are SO MANY things to do in Boston, so I plan on making a list tonight of things to do after I get out of work... because there's a solid three hours of daylight after work ends to enjoy the beautiful city!
Today, I drove back to MA from NH (huge family reunion in NH... always a blast!) at 6 a.m. in time to arrive at work by 9 a.m. I'm working at a summer theatre camp for kids with Asperger's Syndrome, Social Anxiety Disorder, etc. The past week, I've learned all about Asperger's, learned how camps runs, set up camp at Regis College, and today I read camper charts all day (to learn about the specific needs and impairments of each camper). Throughout the duration of the camp, campers learn about drama techniques, pragmatics... all in preparation to make their own full-length film, starring the campers themselves. So, during the week, campers attend workshops on drama pragmatics, attend field trips, and film scenes for the video. At the end of camp, there's a movie premiere showing the film they made... this year we'll be helping to produce "Ghostbusters"!
http://www.dramaplayconnection.com/
Because I only slept four hours last night, I think tonight is going to be an early night. But tomorrow I plan on taking advantage of the sunny afternoon in Boston!
Peace out Girl Scout.
The T-line map.
"Raider Out"
I would like to apologize to everyone for not finishing out my Australia experience with one last post (before I write about my Boston experience)... so here goes : )
I can say with full confidence that the best decisions I've made regarding college are going to Colgate for my undergrad and leaving Colgate for a semester. I don't think I've grown so much as a person as I did these past five months. Traveling with 15 other wonderful students from Colgate, meeting and becoming friends with other Americans and Aussies alike, and experiencing all there is to experience in a foreign culture comprise one of the most influential experiences of my life. It all began with an unforgettable trip to New Zealand, where my friends and I were introduced to the in's and out's of international travel. From there, I experienced an "Orientation Week" worthy of any hardcore party-goer... complete with barbeque's, pub crawls, and other fun events. I spent many hours at my professor's house cooking and eating dinner with my fellow Colgater's, traveling to Jervis Bay and the capital, Canberra, driving up the east coast to Cairns, and down the coast to Melbourne. And within all this traveling I experienced the death of a close friend... an event that helped to define what I value most and how to make the most out of my life. This tragic event brought me closer to everyone I met in Australia... so even though you weren't there for my whole abroad experience, George, you were there in spirit : ) Running along the Pacific Ocean, standing and the Wollongong lighthouse looking out over the coast, skydiving over the beautiful beach, watching the sun rise on Fairy Meadow beach--these are things I will never forget. Not to mention the wonderful people I experienced all these things with : ) So, here's to lookin' at you Australia, for helping me to realize the importance of spontaneity, surrounding yourself with those you love, and challenging yourself... you'll always hold a special place in my heart <3
I can say with full confidence that the best decisions I've made regarding college are going to Colgate for my undergrad and leaving Colgate for a semester. I don't think I've grown so much as a person as I did these past five months. Traveling with 15 other wonderful students from Colgate, meeting and becoming friends with other Americans and Aussies alike, and experiencing all there is to experience in a foreign culture comprise one of the most influential experiences of my life. It all began with an unforgettable trip to New Zealand, where my friends and I were introduced to the in's and out's of international travel. From there, I experienced an "Orientation Week" worthy of any hardcore party-goer... complete with barbeque's, pub crawls, and other fun events. I spent many hours at my professor's house cooking and eating dinner with my fellow Colgater's, traveling to Jervis Bay and the capital, Canberra, driving up the east coast to Cairns, and down the coast to Melbourne. And within all this traveling I experienced the death of a close friend... an event that helped to define what I value most and how to make the most out of my life. This tragic event brought me closer to everyone I met in Australia... so even though you weren't there for my whole abroad experience, George, you were there in spirit : ) Running along the Pacific Ocean, standing and the Wollongong lighthouse looking out over the coast, skydiving over the beautiful beach, watching the sun rise on Fairy Meadow beach--these are things I will never forget. Not to mention the wonderful people I experienced all these things with : ) So, here's to lookin' at you Australia, for helping me to realize the importance of spontaneity, surrounding yourself with those you love, and challenging yourself... you'll always hold a special place in my heart <3
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Nan Tien Buddhist Temple
This past Sunday, Abby and I went to Nan Tien Buddhist Temple, the biggest Buddhist temple in the Southern Hemisphere. Nan Tien is a Chinese term which means "southern paradise."
Nan Tien is one of the branch temples of Fo Guang Shan, founded in 1967 by Venerable Master Hsing Yun,which has over 120 branches worldwide. The temple is one of the largest Buddhist temples in the southern hemisphere.
It was funded by and constructed under the auspices of the Mahayana Buddhist sect known as Fo Guang Shan, and completed in 1995. The sect itself was founded in Taiwan in 1967 by Venerable Master Hsing Yun, and has 120 branches throughout the world. The site of the Australian branch's temple was reputedly chosen by Hsing Yun due to its proximity to Mount Kembla, which is said to have an auspicious resemblance to a recumbent lion. It overlooks both Mount Keira (I hiked this mountain!) and Mount Kembla. The land was donated by the Australian government.
The Nan Tien complex was built using traditional techniques and materials by Chinese craftsmen, but with numerous modern features. Occupying a semi-rural hillside site several square kilometres in size, and set amidst landscaped gardens.
In addition to various meeting rooms, a museum, cultural, conference and accommodation facilities and a restaurant, the Nan Tien temple complex includes two massive prayer halls (known as the Great Mercy Shrine and the Great Hero Hall) within which are located multiple monumental Buddha and Bodhisattva statues, as well as a 7 level pagoda intended to house the cremated remains of 7000 people. The front hall houses the Thousand Handed Avalokitesvara (known as Kuan Yin in Chinese culture) and the main hall in the back houses the Five Dhyani Buddhas, Amogasiddhi, Ratnasambhava, Vairocana, Amitabha and Akshobhya. Both halls have thousands of tiny statues of Buddha on the walls. The complex also has amenities for monks, nuns and visitors, and a large garden with a pagoda.
The architecture of the complex is notable because it incorporates the features of several styles of Buddhism. The pagoda is distinctly Chinese, with flying eaves and an angular profile. The main temples incorporates features of Tibetan monastic architecture, with multi-storey painted temple buildings set atop high stone platforms (see the Potala Palace). The courtyards feature Japanese-style gardens, while the statues and shrines often incorporate bright, South-East Asian colour schemes, in contrast to the more sombre and austere styles favoured in China. The halls are carpeted, and pilgrims and visitors are required to remove shoes before entering, a practice more common in India, Korea and Japan than China.
The temple is one of Wollongong's major tourist attractions, and conducts regular weekend retreats for visitors interested in Buddhism in general, and Chinese culture in particular. Retreats can involve classes in tai chi, calligraphy and meditation.
Accommodation for retreat participants and members of the general public is available at the Pilgrim Lodge, a 100-room motel-style facility located in the temple grounds adjacent to its large lotus pond (Abby and I accidentally walked into this lodge and one of the monks seemed irritated we had wandered in there... oops).
It is regarded as an "orthodox" Buddhist temple by local Chinese Buddhists, in contrast with some other shrines which worship Buddhist, Taoist, and mystical heroes in the same building. It frequently hosts festivals.
Yes, I got that all from Wikipedia. It was easier than explaining all about the temple, and I learned a little bit in the process! Abby and I walked through the Main Shrine, the courtyard, and the pagoda. When we arrived at the temple, there were several (what we thought were) monks meditating around a pond. Later, we found out they weren't actually monks, just people on a weekend retreat meditating. It felt really weird walking near the people who were trying to meditate--this weird space where tourism and personal growth collide. How should people navigate the line between obnoxious, photo-taking tourist and honest-to-goodness citizen attempting to connect with their good kharma? I'm not sure... I guess questions like this surround all religious sites that have been turned into major tourist destinations.
Anyway, we actually did run in to a few monks. One thing that surprised me was I saw mostly female monks and their heads were shaved. You really only see male monks with shaven heads in the media, so it was sort of strange to see women in the same Buddhist garments with the same lack of hair.
So now it's exam time and I've started studying for my finals. And the end is near : (
Nan Tien is one of the branch temples of Fo Guang Shan, founded in 1967 by Venerable Master Hsing Yun,which has over 120 branches worldwide. The temple is one of the largest Buddhist temples in the southern hemisphere.
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Fo Guang Shan Buddhism is rooted in the Mahayana tradition which emphasises that Buddhahood is within everyone's potential reach. Fo Guang Shan followers strive to bring Buddhism into daily life and describe their philosophy as "Humanistic Buddhism."
The Nan Tien complex was built using traditional techniques and materials by Chinese craftsmen, but with numerous modern features. Occupying a semi-rural hillside site several square kilometres in size, and set amidst landscaped gardens.
In addition to various meeting rooms, a museum, cultural, conference and accommodation facilities and a restaurant, the Nan Tien temple complex includes two massive prayer halls (known as the Great Mercy Shrine and the Great Hero Hall) within which are located multiple monumental Buddha and Bodhisattva statues, as well as a 7 level pagoda intended to house the cremated remains of 7000 people. The front hall houses the Thousand Handed Avalokitesvara (known as Kuan Yin in Chinese culture) and the main hall in the back houses the Five Dhyani Buddhas, Amogasiddhi, Ratnasambhava, Vairocana, Amitabha and Akshobhya. Both halls have thousands of tiny statues of Buddha on the walls. The complex also has amenities for monks, nuns and visitors, and a large garden with a pagoda.
The architecture of the complex is notable because it incorporates the features of several styles of Buddhism. The pagoda is distinctly Chinese, with flying eaves and an angular profile. The main temples incorporates features of Tibetan monastic architecture, with multi-storey painted temple buildings set atop high stone platforms (see the Potala Palace). The courtyards feature Japanese-style gardens, while the statues and shrines often incorporate bright, South-East Asian colour schemes, in contrast to the more sombre and austere styles favoured in China. The halls are carpeted, and pilgrims and visitors are required to remove shoes before entering, a practice more common in India, Korea and Japan than China.
The temple is one of Wollongong's major tourist attractions, and conducts regular weekend retreats for visitors interested in Buddhism in general, and Chinese culture in particular. Retreats can involve classes in tai chi, calligraphy and meditation.
Accommodation for retreat participants and members of the general public is available at the Pilgrim Lodge, a 100-room motel-style facility located in the temple grounds adjacent to its large lotus pond (Abby and I accidentally walked into this lodge and one of the monks seemed irritated we had wandered in there... oops).
It is regarded as an "orthodox" Buddhist temple by local Chinese Buddhists, in contrast with some other shrines which worship Buddhist, Taoist, and mystical heroes in the same building. It frequently hosts festivals.
Yes, I got that all from Wikipedia. It was easier than explaining all about the temple, and I learned a little bit in the process! Abby and I walked through the Main Shrine, the courtyard, and the pagoda. When we arrived at the temple, there were several (what we thought were) monks meditating around a pond. Later, we found out they weren't actually monks, just people on a weekend retreat meditating. It felt really weird walking near the people who were trying to meditate--this weird space where tourism and personal growth collide. How should people navigate the line between obnoxious, photo-taking tourist and honest-to-goodness citizen attempting to connect with their good kharma? I'm not sure... I guess questions like this surround all religious sites that have been turned into major tourist destinations.
Anyway, we actually did run in to a few monks. One thing that surprised me was I saw mostly female monks and their heads were shaved. You really only see male monks with shaven heads in the media, so it was sort of strange to see women in the same Buddhist garments with the same lack of hair.
So now it's exam time and I've started studying for my finals. And the end is near : (
Monday, June 13, 2011
Happy Birthday Queen of England!
Yesterday, NSW celebrated a territory-wide holiday--the Queen of England's birthday. Many businesses were closed for the day... the library even shut down at 6:00 p.m. on a week day during exam week (must be a really important holiday then to tell students they can't study in the library!).
Below is an e-mail I received from the Director of Campus East describing the holiday:
Please be reminded that New South Wales celebrates The Queen's Birthday with a Public Holiday on Monday, 13 June, 2011.
Government departments, business and some services do not operate on that day. Campus East Administration will be open, as for weekend hours, from 1.00 p.m. to 4.00 p.m.
For international students who may be unfamiliar with this occasion, by way of background, The Queen's (or King's as may be the case) Birthday is usually celebrated in the United Kingdom on the first, second or, rarely, the third weekend in June. In Australia it is a Public Holiday on the corresponding Monday.
The Queen's Official Birthday does not coincide with when she was born. King Edward VII, whose birthday was on 9 November, in autumn, moved the ceremony to summer in the hope of good weather. Queen Elizabeth II celebrates her actual birthday on 21 April.
The only civic occasion of note associated with the day in Australia is the release of the "Queen's Birthday Honours List," in which new members of the Order of Australia and other Australian honours are named. In the United Kingdom, the major event is the annual Trooping of the Colour (also known as The Queen's Birthday Parade). See www.royal.gov.uk if you're keen.
For us at the University of Wollongong, the Public Holiday provides a day off from exams ... so happy studying!
Below is an e-mail I received from the Director of Campus East describing the holiday:
Please be reminded that New South Wales celebrates The Queen's Birthday with a Public Holiday on Monday, 13 June, 2011.
Government departments, business and some services do not operate on that day. Campus East Administration will be open, as for weekend hours, from 1.00 p.m. to 4.00 p.m.
For international students who may be unfamiliar with this occasion, by way of background, The Queen's (or King's as may be the case) Birthday is usually celebrated in the United Kingdom on the first, second or, rarely, the third weekend in June. In Australia it is a Public Holiday on the corresponding Monday.
The Queen's Official Birthday does not coincide with when she was born. King Edward VII, whose birthday was on 9 November, in autumn, moved the ceremony to summer in the hope of good weather. Queen Elizabeth II celebrates her actual birthday on 21 April.
The only civic occasion of note associated with the day in Australia is the release of the "Queen's Birthday Honours List," in which new members of the Order of Australia and other Australian honours are named. In the United Kingdom, the major event is the annual Trooping of the Colour (also known as The Queen's Birthday Parade). See www.royal.gov.uk if you're keen.
For us at the University of Wollongong, the Public Holiday provides a day off from exams ... so happy studying!
Monday, June 6, 2011
Last Time in Sydney
Yesterday, my roommate, Pat, and my friend, Abby, and I went to Sydney all day yesterday. We caught the 7:30 a.m. train from Fairy Meadow to Sydney. After arriving in the beautiful city of Sydney, we went to Paddy's Market, a market frequented by tourists on the hunt for cheap souvenirs. And I found just what I was looking for! A few great souvenirs for my family. After that, we got back on the train to head to a different part of Sydney. That's something I've learned since I've been here... Sydney is so big, there are several train stops within it. I've usually stayed on the "Inner City Circle," which brings you to the main part of Sydney. We got off at "Central" to go to the markets and then we got back on to head to "Circular Quay," where the famous bridge and Opera House are located. Actually, the train is situated above the roads and is surrounded by tall buildings. However, after several minutes of riding from Central to Circular Quay, all of a sudden there are no buildings anymore and you can see all across the Sydney harbor... at the sun glinting off the bright water, the metal of the Sydney Bridge beaming, people walking along the boardwalk near the ferries... it's just an incredible sight. I think that's one of the sights I'm going to miss the most after leaving here.
Anyway, after leaving Paddy's Markets, we went to Circular Quay to go to a different market. We ended up not being able to find it, so we went to St. Mary's Cathedral instead. According to Wikipedia, "
The Metropolitan Cathedral of St Mary is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney, seat of the Archbishop of Sydney Cardinal George Pell. The cathedral is dedicated to “Mary, Help of Christians”, Patron of Australia. St Mary’s holds the title and dignity of a minor basilica, bestowed upon it by Pope Pius XI in 1930." Also according to Wikipedia, St. Mary's Cathedral is the biggest cathedral in Australia (although not the tallest).
Anyway, after leaving Paddy's Markets, we went to Circular Quay to go to a different market. We ended up not being able to find it, so we went to St. Mary's Cathedral instead. According to Wikipedia, "
The Metropolitan Cathedral of St Mary is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney, seat of the Archbishop of Sydney Cardinal George Pell. The cathedral is dedicated to “Mary, Help of Christians”, Patron of Australia. St Mary’s holds the title and dignity of a minor basilica, bestowed upon it by Pope Pius XI in 1930." Also according to Wikipedia, St. Mary's Cathedral is the biggest cathedral in Australia (although not the tallest).
Abby and I standing in front of the Cathedral.
"Mary Helen MacKillop (15 January 1842 – 8 August 1909), also known as Saint Mary of the Cross,[1] was an Australian Roman Catholic nun who, together with Father Julian Tenison Woods, founded the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart and a number of schools and welfare institutions throughout Australasia with an emphasis on education for the poor, particularly in country areas. Since her death she has attracted much veneration in Australia and internationally. On 17 July 2008, Pope Benedict XVI prayed at her tomb during his visit to Sydney for World Youth Day 2008. On 19 December 2009, Pope Benedict XVI approved the Roman Catholic Church's recognition of a second miracle attributed to her intercession.[2] She was canonised on 17 October 2010 during a public ceremony in St Peter's Square at the Vatican." Saint Mary is the only Australian to be recognized by the Roman Catholic Church as a saint.
Inside St. Mary's Cathedral... photo credit to some random photographer off Google images.
Upon leaving the cathedral, we took an hour ferry ride to Sydney Olympic Park (where the 2000 Summer Olympics took place). Pat told me it took Australia seven years to build the Olympic Park, including all the sporting arenas and a small town, which served as a place for all the athletes to live. We went to an NRL game (National Rugby League)-- the South Sydney Rabbitohs versus the Melbourne Storm. It was great! They played at the stadium used in the Olympics. Below is some video footage I taped during the game.
Notice the three guys riding the bikes on the sideline... does this happen in American sporting events? Little warm-up while waiting to get back in the game?
After watching the rugby game, we headed back to Central via a train... the ferry was nice, but the train was faster to get back. Pat left and Abby and I to go visit his family, so Abby and I hopped on another ferry to go to a Manly, a beautiful suburb of Australia. Sadly, we had just missed "The Taste of Manly" food festival, which from what I collected, was tons of booths from local restaurants handing out free samples. Too bad we missed it! By the time we arrived in Manly it was dark, so we walked along the sidewalk, looking at all the stores. At the end of the main road was Manly Beach, a beautiful white, sand beach, stretching pretty far down the coast. On one section of the beach, there were several volleyball nets set up--permanent nets for volleyball games/tournaments. After eating dinner we got back on the ferry and headed back to Circular Quay. As we headed in to the harbor, we were greeted by the Sydney Opera House, all lit up for "Vivid Sydney," a festival of "light, music, and ideas." Huge light projections from across the harbor were beaming light patterns onto the side of the Opera House... swirling patterns, box patterns, dot patterns... all in different colors. It was one of the coolest things I've ever seen. All around the harbor, there were small light exhibitions. One building just outside the train station was my favorite... lights lit up the entire side of the building, changing to make different patterns. For a few seconds the building looked like it was filling up with water (as blue lights worked its way up the side of the building) and then right after it looked like some giant hand was throwing patches of paint all over the building. Pretty cool, right? There was an interactive light show... where kids could stand in front of a massive building... their shadows moved on the building wall, so that kids could pretend they were throwing pain on the wall.. and the building actually looked like it was being covered in paint (in the exact locations the kids were pretending to throw paint at). There was also an awesome fire show. You know that Christmas commercial a few years ago... where some Christmas light fanatics set up their house lights to blink on and off to the tune of a rock-style Christmas song (it was the Trans-Siberian Orchestra to be exact). Well, this show was really similar... shots of fire went in the air to the tune of "Firework," by Katy Perry. See below : )
Awesome light show! Wish I had video taped more.
Australian Sport
There are three main sports in Australia... NRL (National Rugby League), ARU (Australian Rugby Union), and AFL (Australian Football League). All very similar-looking at first glance... but much different upon further examination.
National Rugby League
http://www.nrl.com/
The National Rugby League (NRL) is the top competition of professional rugby league clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition (known as the Telstra Premiership due to sponsorship), is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand. It is the world's elite rugby league championship and, per season, is the single most viewed and attended rugby football competition in the world.
The National Rugby League is the present-day embodiment of Australia's top-level domestic rugby league competition, which in turn grew from Sydney's club competition, and which has been running continuously since 1908. The NRL formed in the aftermath of the 1990s' Super League war as a joint partnership between the sport's already-existing national governing body, the Australian Rugby League (ARL) and News Corporation-controlled Super League, after both organisations ran premierships parallel to each other in 1997.
NRL matches are played throughout Australia and New Zealand from Autumn until Spring. The season culminates in the premiership deciding game, the NRL Grand Final, traditionally one of Australia's most popular sporting events and one of the largest attended club championship events in the world. In addition, the NRL champions also play a world-series style contest against the premiers of the European Super League competition in the World Club Challenge.
Each team is given six attempts to make a "try" (or what we might call a touch down). There are no "downs." One team will attempt to work the ball up the field, some one will get tackled, and then their second attempt starts. This continues until they finish their six attempts to score a try. On their sixth attempt, players can try to score a "try" or they can just kick the ball far down field (upon which the ball is turned over to the other team). When a team scores a try, they can kick the ball through the field goal for extra points. A try is worth four points and the extra kick is worth two points. The ball can only be thrown backwards. I'm not sure of the particulars concerning out-of-bounds stuff. Below are the two teams I saw play yesterday!
The Australian Rugby Union (ARU) is the governing body of rugby union in Australia. It was founded in 1949 and is a member of the International Rugby Board (IRB) the sport's governing body. It consists of eight member unions, representing each state and territory. It is responsible for the Australia national rugby union team.
Rugby union is played between two teams – the one which scores more points wins the game. Points can be scored in several ways: a try, scored by grounding the ball in the in-goal area, is worth 5 points and a subsequent conversion kick scores 2 points; a successful penalty kick or a drop goal each score 3 points.[27] The values of each of these scoring methods have been changed over the years.
Each team starts the match with 15 players on the field.[28] During the match, players may be replaced (for injury) or substituted (for tactical reasons).[28] A player who has been replaced may not rejoin play unless he was temporarily replaced to have bleeding controlled; a player who has been substituted may return temporarily, to replace a player who has a blood injury, or permanently, if he is replacing a front-row forward.[28] In international matches, up to seven replacements are allowed; in domestic or cross-border tournaments, at the discretion of the responsible national union(s), the number may be increased to eight, of whom three must be sufficiently trained and experienced to provide cover for the three front row positions.[29] Players in a team are divided into eight forwards (two more than in rugby league) and seven backs. Forwards are generally bigger and stronger, and take part in the scrum and lineout, while backs are generally smaller but faster, more agile and often the main points scorers for the team.
The field of play on a rugby pitch is as near as possible to a maximum of 100m long, and 70m wide. There are several lines crossing it, notably the half way line, the goal line/try line (on which the goal posts are located), the "twenty two", which is 22m from the goal line, and the dead ball line, which ideally is at least 10m but not more than 22m behind the goal line.[5]
At the beginning of the game, the captains and the referee toss a coin to decide which team will kick off first. Play then starts with a drop kick, with the players chasing the ball into the opposition's territory, and the other side trying to retrieve the ball and advance it. If the player with the ball is tackled, frequently a ruck will result.
Forward passing (throwing the ball ahead to another player) is not allowed. The ball can be passed laterally or backwards, but cannot be thrown forward. The ball tends to be moved forward in three ways—by kicking, by a player running with it and passing it to a teammate who continues the run, or within a scrum or maul. Unlike in American football, "blocking" is not allowed, so only the player with the ball may be tackled or rucked. When a ball is knocked forward by a player with his/her arms, a "knock-on" is committed, and play is restarted with a scrum.
When the ball leaves the side of the field, a lineout is awarded against the team which last touched the ball. The lineout is usually awarded at the position where the ball left the field of play but if the ball is kicked directly into touch from outside the "twenty-two", or if a team plays the ball back into its own "twenty-two" and the ball is then kicked directly into touch, the lineout is awarded at a point opposite where the ball was kicked. To form a lineout, players from each team line up in parallel lines, at least 1m apart and at least 5m from the sideline; a player (usually, but not necessarily, the hooker) from the team that was awarded the lineout throws the ball down the gap between the two lines of players, who can jump or be lifted in an attempt to secure possession of the ball. Lineouts are one of the chief differences between the two rugby codes, as they do not occur in rugby league.
Games are divided into 40-minute halves, with a break in the middle. The sides exchange ends of the field after the half-time break. Stoppages for injury or to allow the referee to take disciplinary action, do not count as part of the playing time, so that the elapsed time is usually longer than 80 minutes. The referee is responsible for keeping time, even when—as in many professional tournaments—he is assisted by an official time-keeper. If time expires while the ball is in play, the game continues until the ball is 'dead', and only then will the referee blow the whistle to signal half-time or full-time; but if the referee awards a penalty or free-kick, the game continues.[31]
Tries are scored between the goal line and the dead ball line. The goal line is treated as part of the in-goal area and a try can be scored if the ball is grounded with any part of it touching the goal line. The dead ball line is out of play, and a ball that touches or crosses the dead ball line, or that is held by a player who touches or crosses the dead ball line, is out of play.
Rugby goalposts are H-shaped, and consist of two poles, 5.6m apart, connected by a horizontal crossbar 3m above the ground. Unlike some other sports there are no goalkeepers, and the section underneath the crossbar has no special meaning. The original pitch dimensions were in imperial units, but have since been converted to the metric system.
There are three match officials: a referee, and two assistant referees. The latter, formerly known as touch judges, had the primary function of indicating when the ball had gone "into touch"; their role has been expanded and they are now expected to assist the referee in a number of areas, such as watching for foul play and checking off-side lines. In addition, for matches in high level competitions, there is often a television match official (TMO; popularly called the "video referee"), to assist with certain decisions, linked up to the referee by radio.[32] The referees have a system of hand signals to indicate their decisions.
Common offences include tackling above the shoulders, collapsing a scrum, ruck or maul, not releasing the ball when on the ground, or being off-side. The non-offending team has a number of options when awarded a penalty: a "tap" kick, when the ball is kicked a very short distance from hand, allowing the kicker to regather the ball and run with it; a punt, when the ball is kicked a long distance from hand, for field position; a place-kick, when the kicker will attempt to score a goal; or a scrum. Players may be sent off (signalled by a red card) or temporarily suspended ("sin-binned") for ten minutes (yellow card) for foul play or repeated infringements, and may not be replaced.
Australian Football League
http://www.afl.com.au
The Australian Football League (AFL) is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football. The term is sometimes mistakenly used as the name of the code itself.
The AFL premiership season currently consists of 24 home and away rounds, followed by the finals series and the season concludes with the AFL Grand Final at which the winning team receives the premiership cup.
The AFL is the most attended sporting league in Australia[3] and one of the two most watched sports in Australia.[4][5] It is also currently the fourth-most attended professional sports league in the world in terms of attendance per match, with an average attendance of 38,417.[6] It is also the most financially strong sports league in the country due to substantial media and corporate sponsorship arrangements.
See Wikipedia for a full listing of the rules--there's just too many to copy and paste! I highly suggest looking; it's a pretty interesting game.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laws_of_Australian_football
National Rugby League
http://www.nrl.com/
The National Rugby League (NRL) is the top competition of professional rugby league clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition (known as the Telstra Premiership due to sponsorship), is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand. It is the world's elite rugby league championship and, per season, is the single most viewed and attended rugby football competition in the world.
The National Rugby League is the present-day embodiment of Australia's top-level domestic rugby league competition, which in turn grew from Sydney's club competition, and which has been running continuously since 1908. The NRL formed in the aftermath of the 1990s' Super League war as a joint partnership between the sport's already-existing national governing body, the Australian Rugby League (ARL) and News Corporation-controlled Super League, after both organisations ran premierships parallel to each other in 1997.
NRL matches are played throughout Australia and New Zealand from Autumn until Spring. The season culminates in the premiership deciding game, the NRL Grand Final, traditionally one of Australia's most popular sporting events and one of the largest attended club championship events in the world. In addition, the NRL champions also play a world-series style contest against the premiers of the European Super League competition in the World Club Challenge.
Each team is given six attempts to make a "try" (or what we might call a touch down). There are no "downs." One team will attempt to work the ball up the field, some one will get tackled, and then their second attempt starts. This continues until they finish their six attempts to score a try. On their sixth attempt, players can try to score a "try" or they can just kick the ball far down field (upon which the ball is turned over to the other team). When a team scores a try, they can kick the ball through the field goal for extra points. A try is worth four points and the extra kick is worth two points. The ball can only be thrown backwards. I'm not sure of the particulars concerning out-of-bounds stuff. Below are the two teams I saw play yesterday!
Australian Rugby Union
Rugby union is played between two teams – the one which scores more points wins the game. Points can be scored in several ways: a try, scored by grounding the ball in the in-goal area, is worth 5 points and a subsequent conversion kick scores 2 points; a successful penalty kick or a drop goal each score 3 points.[27] The values of each of these scoring methods have been changed over the years.
Each team starts the match with 15 players on the field.[28] During the match, players may be replaced (for injury) or substituted (for tactical reasons).[28] A player who has been replaced may not rejoin play unless he was temporarily replaced to have bleeding controlled; a player who has been substituted may return temporarily, to replace a player who has a blood injury, or permanently, if he is replacing a front-row forward.[28] In international matches, up to seven replacements are allowed; in domestic or cross-border tournaments, at the discretion of the responsible national union(s), the number may be increased to eight, of whom three must be sufficiently trained and experienced to provide cover for the three front row positions.[29] Players in a team are divided into eight forwards (two more than in rugby league) and seven backs. Forwards are generally bigger and stronger, and take part in the scrum and lineout, while backs are generally smaller but faster, more agile and often the main points scorers for the team.
The field of play on a rugby pitch is as near as possible to a maximum of 100m long, and 70m wide. There are several lines crossing it, notably the half way line, the goal line/try line (on which the goal posts are located), the "twenty two", which is 22m from the goal line, and the dead ball line, which ideally is at least 10m but not more than 22m behind the goal line.[5]
At the beginning of the game, the captains and the referee toss a coin to decide which team will kick off first. Play then starts with a drop kick, with the players chasing the ball into the opposition's territory, and the other side trying to retrieve the ball and advance it. If the player with the ball is tackled, frequently a ruck will result.
Forward passing (throwing the ball ahead to another player) is not allowed. The ball can be passed laterally or backwards, but cannot be thrown forward. The ball tends to be moved forward in three ways—by kicking, by a player running with it and passing it to a teammate who continues the run, or within a scrum or maul. Unlike in American football, "blocking" is not allowed, so only the player with the ball may be tackled or rucked. When a ball is knocked forward by a player with his/her arms, a "knock-on" is committed, and play is restarted with a scrum.
When the ball leaves the side of the field, a lineout is awarded against the team which last touched the ball. The lineout is usually awarded at the position where the ball left the field of play but if the ball is kicked directly into touch from outside the "twenty-two", or if a team plays the ball back into its own "twenty-two" and the ball is then kicked directly into touch, the lineout is awarded at a point opposite where the ball was kicked. To form a lineout, players from each team line up in parallel lines, at least 1m apart and at least 5m from the sideline; a player (usually, but not necessarily, the hooker) from the team that was awarded the lineout throws the ball down the gap between the two lines of players, who can jump or be lifted in an attempt to secure possession of the ball. Lineouts are one of the chief differences between the two rugby codes, as they do not occur in rugby league.
Games are divided into 40-minute halves, with a break in the middle. The sides exchange ends of the field after the half-time break. Stoppages for injury or to allow the referee to take disciplinary action, do not count as part of the playing time, so that the elapsed time is usually longer than 80 minutes. The referee is responsible for keeping time, even when—as in many professional tournaments—he is assisted by an official time-keeper. If time expires while the ball is in play, the game continues until the ball is 'dead', and only then will the referee blow the whistle to signal half-time or full-time; but if the referee awards a penalty or free-kick, the game continues.[31]
Tries are scored between the goal line and the dead ball line. The goal line is treated as part of the in-goal area and a try can be scored if the ball is grounded with any part of it touching the goal line. The dead ball line is out of play, and a ball that touches or crosses the dead ball line, or that is held by a player who touches or crosses the dead ball line, is out of play.
Rugby goalposts are H-shaped, and consist of two poles, 5.6m apart, connected by a horizontal crossbar 3m above the ground. Unlike some other sports there are no goalkeepers, and the section underneath the crossbar has no special meaning. The original pitch dimensions were in imperial units, but have since been converted to the metric system.
There are three match officials: a referee, and two assistant referees. The latter, formerly known as touch judges, had the primary function of indicating when the ball had gone "into touch"; their role has been expanded and they are now expected to assist the referee in a number of areas, such as watching for foul play and checking off-side lines. In addition, for matches in high level competitions, there is often a television match official (TMO; popularly called the "video referee"), to assist with certain decisions, linked up to the referee by radio.[32] The referees have a system of hand signals to indicate their decisions.
Common offences include tackling above the shoulders, collapsing a scrum, ruck or maul, not releasing the ball when on the ground, or being off-side. The non-offending team has a number of options when awarded a penalty: a "tap" kick, when the ball is kicked a very short distance from hand, allowing the kicker to regather the ball and run with it; a punt, when the ball is kicked a long distance from hand, for field position; a place-kick, when the kicker will attempt to score a goal; or a scrum. Players may be sent off (signalled by a red card) or temporarily suspended ("sin-binned") for ten minutes (yellow card) for foul play or repeated infringements, and may not be replaced.
Australian Football League
http://www.afl.com.au
The Australian Football League (AFL) is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football. The term is sometimes mistakenly used as the name of the code itself.
The AFL premiership season currently consists of 24 home and away rounds, followed by the finals series and the season concludes with the AFL Grand Final at which the winning team receives the premiership cup.
The AFL is the most attended sporting league in Australia[3] and one of the two most watched sports in Australia.[4][5] It is also currently the fourth-most attended professional sports league in the world in terms of attendance per match, with an average attendance of 38,417.[6] It is also the most financially strong sports league in the country due to substantial media and corporate sponsorship arrangements.
See Wikipedia for a full listing of the rules--there's just too many to copy and paste! I highly suggest looking; it's a pretty interesting game.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laws_of_Australian_football
Monday, May 30, 2011
Missionaries in Wollongong
On Sunday, when I was walking from Madeline's soccer game back to uni, I ran in to some unexpected people. As I was walking, a guy in a black jacket and dress clothes walked toward me and eagerly said "Hello!" I looked behind me, thinking he was talking to someone behind me... but nope, he was definitely talking to me. He walked up to me and introduced himself as "Elder ..." (name withheld for confidentiality... because I'm not sure if it's appropriate to flash a missionaries name all over the internet in some random girls blog). He continued to tell me about Jesus's "Plan of Salvation" and how he knew that there was truth in the plan because he had discovered it himself. We talked about the meaning of life for a few minutes... actually... and then I asked him a few questions about Mormonism. Come to find out, he's staying in Australia for 15 months (all the way from England) and he hadn't started uni yet, so he must have been about 18 years old or so. While we were chatting, another missionary came up to talk to us. This second missionary had completed a year of college in Arizona, but stopped to go on a mission in Australia.
I appreciated talking to those two missionaries so much I asked to take their picture. After a brief moment of awkwardness, they obliged.
I appreciated talking to those two missionaries so much I asked to take their picture. After a brief moment of awkwardness, they obliged.
And so to document my first encounter with missionaries.
Smiling Saves Lives
Here's looking at you, George : )
"The Dining Room is named to honour George Matchett, a resident of Campus Easy in 2010 and 2011 who tragically drowned on 23 March, 2011, aged 21 years. A smile can save a life."
My friend Anthea (the one singing in the video a few posts below) wrote and sang this song for George shortly after he died. George's family invited her to this song at this funeral and she also sang it at a campus event. The picture in the video was taken from a Campus East candlelight ceremony we had on the beach the day he died.
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Glow Worms, Soccer Games, and BBQ's
Over the past week I've been doing a lot of fun things!
To start, last Tuesday I went to a "family dinner" in some of my friends apartment. Once a week, they invite over a bunch of people to cook and eat a meal together. This past week, I'd say the theme was Australian barbeque... complete with sausages, steak, and hamburgers. My friends, Wado and Anthea, were the chefs this week; Anthea made an awesome potato with cheese dish (similar to au gratin potatoes) and Wado made pavlova, a signature Australian cake-like dessert. Anthea told me her family often eats this dessert on Christmas... as they all sit on the beach. Huh... much different than Christmas in 'ol CNY.
To start, last Tuesday I went to a "family dinner" in some of my friends apartment. Once a week, they invite over a bunch of people to cook and eat a meal together. This past week, I'd say the theme was Australian barbeque... complete with sausages, steak, and hamburgers. My friends, Wado and Anthea, were the chefs this week; Anthea made an awesome potato with cheese dish (similar to au gratin potatoes) and Wado made pavlova, a signature Australian cake-like dessert. Anthea told me her family often eats this dessert on Christmas... as they all sit on the beach. Huh... much different than Christmas in 'ol CNY.
The pavlova Wado made looked really similar to this (see link below for a wonderful description of this scrumptious dish).
On Thursday night, my roommate Madeline, my other friend Gabby, and I went to Exeter, a town approximately two hours away from Wollongong. Madeline told me a few weeks ago there was a really great glow worm dell in Exeter... so we took a little over-night trip to go see them (see post from NZ to find out what a glow worm dell is). We took the free shuttle bus to the train station where we would catch a bus to Exeter... however, things got a little tricky when we saw the bus we were supposed to be riding stopped at a red light (after we had gotten off the free shuttle, and were standing on the sidewalk). So the three of us were standing on the sidewalk, motioning to the bus driver (stopped at the red light in the middle of traffic) that we needed to get on the bus driver. The driver must have been having a good day or something because he opened the door to talk to us... "Where are you guys heading to?" "We need to go to Exeter!!"... and after a few moments of thinking, "Well you better hurry up and get on the bus!" So we crossed a busy lane of traffic to hop on the bus after it had already left the station... thank God for that bus driver! Probably could have gotten fired for doing that. Anyway, two hours later, we got off the bus at Exeter... a tiny town in the middle of miles of Australian farm land. The town population is actually around 400; they have one post-office and one general store. C Square doesn't seem so small anymore, does it? Madeline's dad is from Australia, so she has a ton of family here. We walked to her aunt and uncle's house (who live in Exeter); she also has two cousins who live there (a boy and a girl, approximately Collin's and my age, respectively). As soon as her aunt opened the door, I knew it was going to be a night well spent. Her aunt was wearing an apron and the smell of beef stroganoff wafted out the door. Deni, Madeline's aunt, busied herself at the counter cutting carrots and broccoli for our dinner; she was so welcoming and friendly. Madeline's uncle, Matthew, was also very welcoming. We all talked around the counter as dinner cooked and continued to talk as we ate dinner (which was like heaven in a bowl... I forgot how good food is not from a dining hall). Matthew drove us to the glow worm dell around 9:00 p.m. and for 45 minutes, Gabby, Madeline, and I walked down to the dell and looked at all the glow worms. Peak glow worm viewing time is from December to February (the Australian summer), but there was still a ton of glow worms to look at. While we were waiting for Matthew to pick us back up, we saw a wombat running across the road and into the bushes! My first wombat sighting! It looked like a small, but really thick-muscled, dog. Apparently, according to Matthew, they could really mess up a car if you ran in to one. After arriving back at their home, we drank apple cinnamon tea and ate cupcakes. Get cuter Harden family. We went to bed and got up the next morning at 6:00 a.m. to catch the bus back to Wollongong. And yes, we made it on time.
Wombat.
Yesterday, Saturday, I went to the UOW men's soccer game. There's actually three teams (an A, B, and C team), so we watched most of the B and A team games. I went with Madeline and my friends Robbie, Will, Justin, and Zach. After watching the soccer game, we went back to Robbie's apartment and made dinner--an Aussie style bbq again! However, in addition to hamburgers and steak, we had shrimp! Not that I'm a big shrimp lover... but we literally did "throw some shrimp on the barbie." Turned out really delicious.
Today, I went to Madeline's soccer game. She's on the girls B team. She was so excited that I came to her game! But that's what good friends do, right? : ) Besides that, I've been studying for a Spanish exam that I have tomorrow.
For some reason, the internet isn't working very well so I can't upload any of my photos to my blog... so I'll do that soon when the internet is working again.
Tengo estudiar para mi examen de espanol. Espero que mi examen esta facil. Felicitaciones si usted cuenta de lo que esto dice.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Wonderful Weekend
First off, I'd like to apologize for not blogging for a few days! Second, hope everyone back in the U.S. is doing well : )
This past Friday I had a physics test... and I pretty much showed it who's boss. Or at least I think I did; we'll see when I get it back! I was so tired from studying so much, so pretty much of all Friday afternoon I enjoyed several episodes of Season 7 of "House." I finally learned how to stream movies on the internet here so I took full advantage on Friday (Dad, let's catch up soon!). On Friday night I went to a local bar with a bunch of my friends... one of my friends describes it as "a room that sells beer." I played some pool and enjoyed people watching... seemed like all of Wollongong's working class was there. I met an Irishman at the bar--I think that's the first person I've met who lives in Ireland currently (outside from maybe two family members)! After that, a bunch of my friends and I went to Aldi's (yes, the same one that we have in the U.S., but not as wide of a food selection) to get food to cook for dinner. We headed over to Koolabong, which is another residential university area, although all the living spaces are like small apartments. We made TONS of chicken fried rice, actually more all of us could eat.
On Saturday I went to the beach for the first time in several weeks! I know, you'd think Australia is hot all the time... but that's a sad misconception. It was probably 70 or 75 degrees, which is much hotter than it has been lately. It was nice to lay on the beach, but in no way did I get a tan or step foot in the cold water. I did work for part of the afternoon and watched a movie at night with a bunch of my friends in the "Projector Room." The projector room is like a mini-movie theater, although fit with big comfy couches instead. We watched "Shutter Island"-- awesome movie! Mostly because Leonardo DiCaprio is in it, but also because it's one of those psycho-thrillers that you just need to watch again (knowing the information you learned in the end).
Sunday was also just a really enjoyable day. I did a lot of homework in the morning and then at 12:30 I headed over to the "International Food Fair" that Campus East held in one of our huge parking lots. All day Saturday and part of Sunday, teams of students took over the dining hall to cook food for their respective country. Total, there were 23 teams each cooking food from different countries. So at the food fair, there were 23 booths with about 3 delicious dishes each. I'd say I tried food from about half the countries... my favorite was definitely India by far. They had butter chicken and naan... mmm, so good! I had pad thai, which is Thai food, and fried rice from Malaysia. I had crepes from France and kangaroo meat from Australia. Needless to say, everyone was stuffed by the end of the fair. There was also some cultural performances, including an Indian dancer and two of my good friends actually who've written some of their own songs. After the food fair, I played soccer with about fifteen of my friends... also an enjoyable experience : ).
This past Friday I had a physics test... and I pretty much showed it who's boss. Or at least I think I did; we'll see when I get it back! I was so tired from studying so much, so pretty much of all Friday afternoon I enjoyed several episodes of Season 7 of "House." I finally learned how to stream movies on the internet here so I took full advantage on Friday (Dad, let's catch up soon!). On Friday night I went to a local bar with a bunch of my friends... one of my friends describes it as "a room that sells beer." I played some pool and enjoyed people watching... seemed like all of Wollongong's working class was there. I met an Irishman at the bar--I think that's the first person I've met who lives in Ireland currently (outside from maybe two family members)! After that, a bunch of my friends and I went to Aldi's (yes, the same one that we have in the U.S., but not as wide of a food selection) to get food to cook for dinner. We headed over to Koolabong, which is another residential university area, although all the living spaces are like small apartments. We made TONS of chicken fried rice, actually more all of us could eat.
On Saturday I went to the beach for the first time in several weeks! I know, you'd think Australia is hot all the time... but that's a sad misconception. It was probably 70 or 75 degrees, which is much hotter than it has been lately. It was nice to lay on the beach, but in no way did I get a tan or step foot in the cold water. I did work for part of the afternoon and watched a movie at night with a bunch of my friends in the "Projector Room." The projector room is like a mini-movie theater, although fit with big comfy couches instead. We watched "Shutter Island"-- awesome movie! Mostly because Leonardo DiCaprio is in it, but also because it's one of those psycho-thrillers that you just need to watch again (knowing the information you learned in the end).
Sunday was also just a really enjoyable day. I did a lot of homework in the morning and then at 12:30 I headed over to the "International Food Fair" that Campus East held in one of our huge parking lots. All day Saturday and part of Sunday, teams of students took over the dining hall to cook food for their respective country. Total, there were 23 teams each cooking food from different countries. So at the food fair, there were 23 booths with about 3 delicious dishes each. I'd say I tried food from about half the countries... my favorite was definitely India by far. They had butter chicken and naan... mmm, so good! I had pad thai, which is Thai food, and fried rice from Malaysia. I had crepes from France and kangaroo meat from Australia. Needless to say, everyone was stuffed by the end of the fair. There was also some cultural performances, including an Indian dancer and two of my good friends actually who've written some of their own songs. After the food fair, I played soccer with about fifteen of my friends... also an enjoyable experience : ).
Two of my good friends, Jessie and Jesse, cooking the chicken fried rice.
Jessie and I!
The food fair--almost everyone from campus went! Or at least I think because there were so many people there.
Indulging in some Australian "fairy bread"... buttered bread with sprinkles on top. That's all you got Australia? Who am I to complain... I love bread and butter.
Team USA! Reppin' buffalo wings and peanut butter cookies.
I liked the Indian food so much I felt it necessary to take a picture of the students in front of their booth.
Team China and Team Sweden come together. My friend from Sweden, Isak, is a pro motocross racer in his home country... sweet. Or should I say svede?
This isn't actually a picture of the Indian food I ate, but pretty much an exact replica. You can never go wrong with some butter chicken and naan.
Today, I've been in the library most of the day preparing for a psychology examination I have tomorrow. Wish me luck!
My friends, Anthea and Wado, singing one of George's favorite songs, "If I Die Young." The third guy (playing the guitar) was just an addition only for this song. Actually, my friend's name is Sam Wade, but Australians add "o" to a lot of things they say... so instead of being called by just his last name, "Wade," it's been transformed into "Wado."
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
National Campaigns
When I went to Cairns a few weeks ago, I noticed that all along the highway there were signs warning people about driving while tired. Several signs pointed toward pull-over areas... there were even billboards with sad, tired looking men, telling drivers to "Pull over before you crash." One night, when were driving at 3:00 a.m., we tried desperately to find one of these pull-over areas, but it was to no avail. Right when you want to sleep, you can't find a sleep area, right? I think I noticed these signs the most in Cairns because that's one of the only times I've been in a car here; usually I take a train or bus to get from point A to B.
Another "national campaign" of sorts is one regarding the protection of people against UV rays. We're closer to the equator here in Aussie Land, so it's pretty important to keep protected at all times. A slogan they have here is "Slip, slap, slop"--slip on a shirt, slap on a hat, slop on some sunscreen. Clever, huh? Below are some advertisements, found at your local pool and beach.
Take note of the "mate." This billboard DEFINITELY came from Australia.
Another "national campaign" of sorts is one regarding the protection of people against UV rays. We're closer to the equator here in Aussie Land, so it's pretty important to keep protected at all times. A slogan they have here is "Slip, slap, slop"--slip on a shirt, slap on a hat, slop on some sunscreen. Clever, huh? Below are some advertisements, found at your local pool and beach.
Another campaign they have here is one against smoking; almost all cigarette packages have grotesque pictures of the negative effects smoking has on your body. According to a local newspaper, "As part of the toughest antismoking legislation in the world, which is expected to go before parliament later this year, all packets would be the same colour – an ugly olive green – and will come plastered with graphic health warnings including pictures of diseased eyes, rotting teeth and young children in hospital." The article where this quote came from dates April 2011, and I'm almost positive I've seen of these cigarette packages around already. Actually I'm sure I have, or else I wouldn't have been prompted to look up this information about smoking. With a government that provides most everything for everyone, they're bound to take the tax payers dollar and put it toward anti-smoking campaigns. That was pretty harsh actually... but you get my drift.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Aussie Music
This is my favorite Aussie song! Actually I just looked up the band on Wikipedia and they're from England, but this song is pretty popular in Australia.
I first heard this song on "Triple J," Australia's most popular radio station. "Triple J" is broadcast nationally; it plays all sorts of Aussie band music.
http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/
And just for kicks, here's my new favorite song... by the one and only Lady Gaga ("The Edge of Glory").
More About Australian Culture
Remember that post I wrote about the conservation efforts in Australia? Well I have another effort by UOW that cuts down on pollution... they offer free parking to students driving cars carrying three or more passengers. Usually once or twice a week, one of my Aussies friends, Alice, drives me and another girl to uni because we're all in the same Spanish class. So there you have it, Australia rewards those who car pool.
Another thing about Australia that's different... no one says "God bless you" after you sneeze. I can't tell you how many times I've sneezed in class, in the dining hall, or in the library, and NO ONE around me acknowledged it with a "God bless you." The other day, for the first time, someone said that to me after I sneezed at uni. I was immediately surprised because I though, "Oh my goodness, Australians do acknowledge sneezes," but then I remembered that guy might not have been Australian.... he could have been from anywhere around the world.
The other day I said to my roommate "It's ten of 3" and she had no idea what I was talking about. Apparently they only say "It's ten to 3." Also, Australians only say "It's ten past 4," not "It's ten after 4." We both speak English, but the language barrier continues to persist!
One of my good Australian mates, Andrew Griffin, or "Finn" as many of my friends like to call him, walked in while I was writing this post (he looks like the character "Finn" on the show "Glee). Finn is one of the most athletic Australians I know; he plays tennis, footie, and rugby--the three main sports played here. I promised Finn a shout-out in my blog--so here's to you Finn!
Another thing about Australia that's different... no one says "God bless you" after you sneeze. I can't tell you how many times I've sneezed in class, in the dining hall, or in the library, and NO ONE around me acknowledged it with a "God bless you." The other day, for the first time, someone said that to me after I sneezed at uni. I was immediately surprised because I though, "Oh my goodness, Australians do acknowledge sneezes," but then I remembered that guy might not have been Australian.... he could have been from anywhere around the world.
The other day I said to my roommate "It's ten of 3" and she had no idea what I was talking about. Apparently they only say "It's ten to 3." Also, Australians only say "It's ten past 4," not "It's ten after 4." We both speak English, but the language barrier continues to persist!
One of my good Australian mates, Andrew Griffin, or "Finn" as many of my friends like to call him, walked in while I was writing this post (he looks like the character "Finn" on the show "Glee). Finn is one of the most athletic Australians I know; he plays tennis, footie, and rugby--the three main sports played here. I promised Finn a shout-out in my blog--so here's to you Finn!
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