So something I've been struggling with the entire time I've been in Australia is the question of: how attached am I allowed to get? Do I completely ingratiate myself in the culture and the people here to the point where I'm bawling my eyes out when I leave and I spend my summer thinking about Australia? Or do I guard myself and my emotions to the point that I can walk away at the end with no problem? I figured it should be some sort of mixture of the two and this is what I've tried to do. And actually, I think I've been pretty successful. This is precisely why at this point in my trip I have so many mixed emotions! Quite bittersweet actually.
So at this point, I have 30 days left in Australia and a week of that is in New Zealand. Countless people have asked me how I feel about leaving Australia, if I will miss it, if I'll come back, etc. And I feel kinda bad but at this point I think I'm ready to just peace out! I miss too many people at home. I miss my mom's cooking. I miss simply getting into my car and driving and not having simple trips take hours.
Despite this, I know that at some point, when everything starts feeling normal at home again, I'm going to miss Australia. I've gotten into a routine here. I've gotten attached to the stupid buses that always let me down. I've made friends here that I will never see again once I get back to the states. Even after being here for 3 months, I still get really excited when I go into Sydney. I still stare out the window the entire time because I feel like I see something new every time. Sydney is the most fascinating, beautiful city I have ever seen and I will miss it so much! And at some point after I get home, it's going to hit me. One really bad day and I'll probably be wailing to go back to Australia. So please be patient with me. Try to understand when I talk about Australia so much that you feel like you've just spent 4 months there. And please feel free to tell me to shut up at any point.
BUT...I just have too much to look forward to this summer to keep my mind in Australia! Going to the beach with friends, pool parties at Sam and Thane's house, camping, and meeting up with ASC people at Cedar Point! Not to mention the fact that my best friend, Allie, is coming back to PBU in the fall which means my life can finally make sense again!
Basically, leaving here will be a very emotional experience but I CANNOT wait to see everyone at home <3
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Freedom and Buses
So the other day, I was scheduled to go to my service placement which is at a place called FRANS. It’s an organization that helps people with mental disabilities. I’ve worked with adults in a day program where we go on trips to the beach or the park and it’s always a really fun time. I’ve also worked with the kid’s program where we go to the playground or have music time. The kids are pretty low functioning so it’s hard to communicate and bond with them which has really put me out of my comfort zone. So through yet another miscommunication, my service placement was cancelled. This is a common thing in Australia. People here don’t seem to quite have the motivation for clear communication. It truly is a society where “no worries mate” reigns supreme. This mentality has its ups and downs, good and bad, but really, it doesn’t matter much what I think because it doesn’t make them move any faster or get back to me sooner or give me a clear answer on what my homework actually is. But I digress.
Okay, so this day was one of the best days I’ve had since being in Australia. Let me set the stage. I’m in Croydon which is about 1 town over from where I live in Burwood. It’s about 1pm and I literally have nothing to do…best feeling in the world. I start wandering around Croydon going into random shops, bought my mom a present like any good daughter would do. But it was about time for a plan. Trust me, one does not want to spend an entire free day in Croydon. It was almost an intoxicating feeling to just ask myself, “Where do YOU want to go today?” I didn’t talk it over with anyone, ask another opinion, or ask permission. I just hopped on the first train to Sydney (which happened to come one minute after I entered the train station. Score.) I rode the train down to Circular Quay, which is by far, one of my favorite places in Sydney. It’s right on the harbor and there is always something to see – aboriginal man playing a didgeridoo, man riding a unicycle, or a contortionist squeezing herself into a tiny box. Not only that, but the view is amazing with the Opera House and the Harbor Bridge right across from it. So I wandered around for awhile and ended up going to the Museum of Contemporary Arts, Billrich Gallery, Ken Duncan Gallery, The Rocks Discovery Museum, tons of shops and souvenir stores, and lastly, I spent about an hour in a book store. Now at this point, you may be thinking that I am quite possibly the most boring person in the world or the most easily entertained. The point of this day was not the places I went, even though I really did enjoy them. This was one of my best days because I was completely free to do whatever I wanted to do. I could have sat on the harbor in Circular Quay for hours that day and it would’ve been amazing because it would’ve been exactly what I wanted to do at that particular time.
But all good things must come to an end. And in this particular case, hunger did it for me. Too cheap to buy my own food in the city, I started heading home. I walked through the Rocks and back to Town Hall which is quite the trek. Town Hall is where I catch my bus to go home but I’m feeling pretty good so I keep walking towards the next bus stop without looking at the bus times. Now, anyone who uses public transportation knows this is living on the wild side. See, you run the risk of the bus coming at that exact moment when you’re in between the bus stops and then what?! The next one may not come for a half hour to an hour. The thing about public transportation is that it teaches valuable lessons. Lesson #1 – Bravery. It is completely acceptable to abandon all pride and take off after a bus with the speed that only an American can reach when there is food waiting on the other end. Lesson #2 –Cardio. You have already abandoned all chances of dignity by sprinting down the street waving frantically at the runaway bus. It’s even worse if you have to collapse into the bus driver’s lap, desperately gasping for breath. Lesson #3 – Patience. Some days you’re just not feeling the cardio workout as you tearfully watch your bus disappear into the horizon. Sit your butt down and WAIT. Lesson #4 – Flexibility. These buses don’t seem to care about my schedule…don’t they know who I am?! They could be early or late or simply not show up at all. Now’s the time to resist the urge to continually bang your head into the bus schedule. Instead, practice breathing deeply and muttering “No worries, mate” under your breath sarcastically. This is public transportation in a nutshell.
Okay, so this day was one of the best days I’ve had since being in Australia. Let me set the stage. I’m in Croydon which is about 1 town over from where I live in Burwood. It’s about 1pm and I literally have nothing to do…best feeling in the world. I start wandering around Croydon going into random shops, bought my mom a present like any good daughter would do. But it was about time for a plan. Trust me, one does not want to spend an entire free day in Croydon. It was almost an intoxicating feeling to just ask myself, “Where do YOU want to go today?” I didn’t talk it over with anyone, ask another opinion, or ask permission. I just hopped on the first train to Sydney (which happened to come one minute after I entered the train station. Score.) I rode the train down to Circular Quay, which is by far, one of my favorite places in Sydney. It’s right on the harbor and there is always something to see – aboriginal man playing a didgeridoo, man riding a unicycle, or a contortionist squeezing herself into a tiny box. Not only that, but the view is amazing with the Opera House and the Harbor Bridge right across from it. So I wandered around for awhile and ended up going to the Museum of Contemporary Arts, Billrich Gallery, Ken Duncan Gallery, The Rocks Discovery Museum, tons of shops and souvenir stores, and lastly, I spent about an hour in a book store. Now at this point, you may be thinking that I am quite possibly the most boring person in the world or the most easily entertained. The point of this day was not the places I went, even though I really did enjoy them. This was one of my best days because I was completely free to do whatever I wanted to do. I could have sat on the harbor in Circular Quay for hours that day and it would’ve been amazing because it would’ve been exactly what I wanted to do at that particular time.
But all good things must come to an end. And in this particular case, hunger did it for me. Too cheap to buy my own food in the city, I started heading home. I walked through the Rocks and back to Town Hall which is quite the trek. Town Hall is where I catch my bus to go home but I’m feeling pretty good so I keep walking towards the next bus stop without looking at the bus times. Now, anyone who uses public transportation knows this is living on the wild side. See, you run the risk of the bus coming at that exact moment when you’re in between the bus stops and then what?! The next one may not come for a half hour to an hour. The thing about public transportation is that it teaches valuable lessons. Lesson #1 – Bravery. It is completely acceptable to abandon all pride and take off after a bus with the speed that only an American can reach when there is food waiting on the other end. Lesson #2 –Cardio. You have already abandoned all chances of dignity by sprinting down the street waving frantically at the runaway bus. It’s even worse if you have to collapse into the bus driver’s lap, desperately gasping for breath. Lesson #3 – Patience. Some days you’re just not feeling the cardio workout as you tearfully watch your bus disappear into the horizon. Sit your butt down and WAIT. Lesson #4 – Flexibility. These buses don’t seem to care about my schedule…don’t they know who I am?! They could be early or late or simply not show up at all. Now’s the time to resist the urge to continually bang your head into the bus schedule. Instead, practice breathing deeply and muttering “No worries, mate” under your breath sarcastically. This is public transportation in a nutshell.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
So I definitely thought I could do a little better with this blogging thing. Apparently not. I’ve just been so incredibly busy! Okay, so after I went to Canberra (couple weeks ago!), I went to the Great Barrier Reef. The Great Barrier Reef is northern Australia, up in Queensland, so I had to fly there. So super early in the morning, I headed to the airport with 7 other Americans from the ASC group. We stayed in a hostel in a town called Cairns (pronounced Cans because Australians don't say "r's"). Sunday wasn’t terribly exciting but we explored the town some and did some shopping. Then Monday was Reef Day! I left at about 7:30am and it took about an hour and a half to get out to the reef by boat. Now about this boat ride…I’m the kind of girl who’s totally up for riding roller coasters 14 times and has never gotten carsick or bus sick. But what did I spend an hour of that boat ride doing? That’s right. I actually lost track of how many times I threw up. I also was not alone. There were about 7 or 8 other people right there with me which, as you can probably imagine, doesn’t help when you’re already feeling sick. It’s at this point that I’m not only regretting coming to Australia but regretting my entire existence. Then, all of a sudden we stopped, and everything was right with the world. First, I went snorkeling and then scuba diving and it was absolutely amazing! I chased Nemo into his anemone about 4 times, played with sea cucumbers, and took my flippers off and did flips on the bottom of the ocean. I saw the most amazing and funky looking fish swimming around blue and gold metallic coral. Fish and coral of every color and huge squishy sea clams that closed up when you touched them! It was by far the most amazing thing I have ever experienced.
The next day, I went to the Daintree Rainforest! It was so incredibly gorgeous! (Lots of pics on FB) The guide took us all over the rainforest and to a pretty beach and a few look-out points. I got back late that night and met a bunch of friends at P.J. O'brien's for the $10 meal :)
It’s amazing how much culture I’m getting here. I knew I would get a lot of Australian culture but that’s not even the beginning of it! I live with a Greek family so I’m experiencing Greek food, traditions, and culture. My host brother, Anthony, knows more about American politics than I ever have and he’s got me pretty up to date on American, Australian, and Greek politics. I also live with Amir and Negin who are from Iran. I’ve learned so much about Iranian culture and I even went to a Persian festival! Hung out with a bunch of Persian people, had a BBQ, and saw some Persian dancing. I also met a lot of cool people on my trip to the Great Barrier Reef. There was a man from Zimbabwe who’d travelled all over the world, a couple from the Netherlands, and 3 Canadians who were on their way to go hunting in New Zealand. It’s so easy to meet people if you’re open to it and everyone always has really interesting stories!
So this was my reef experience :)
The next day, I went to the Daintree Rainforest! It was so incredibly gorgeous! (Lots of pics on FB) The guide took us all over the rainforest and to a pretty beach and a few look-out points. I got back late that night and met a bunch of friends at P.J. O'brien's for the $10 meal :)
It’s amazing how much culture I’m getting here. I knew I would get a lot of Australian culture but that’s not even the beginning of it! I live with a Greek family so I’m experiencing Greek food, traditions, and culture. My host brother, Anthony, knows more about American politics than I ever have and he’s got me pretty up to date on American, Australian, and Greek politics. I also live with Amir and Negin who are from Iran. I’ve learned so much about Iranian culture and I even went to a Persian festival! Hung out with a bunch of Persian people, had a BBQ, and saw some Persian dancing. I also met a lot of cool people on my trip to the Great Barrier Reef. There was a man from Zimbabwe who’d travelled all over the world, a couple from the Netherlands, and 3 Canadians who were on their way to go hunting in New Zealand. It’s so easy to meet people if you’re open to it and everyone always has really interesting stories!
So this was my reef experience :)
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Down Under
It's been awhile since I last blogged because I've been sooooo busy!! Since last time, the ASC took a trip to Canberra. We went to the Indonesian and New Zealand embassy. We also went to the Aboriginal Tent Embassy which is basically a bunch of people camped out in front of the Parliament building. The Aboriginal people have quite the sordid past and even now, Australia barely recognizes them as a people group. An Aboriginal woman talked to us while we were there and explained what they were trying to accomplish which was very interesting. She was especially hoping that Obama would come visit them when he comes to Australia in a couple months. The next day we went to an Art Gallery, National Museum, and the War museum. We didn't have a lot of time in any of them but they were so interesting! I especially liked the National Museum.
I'm really starting to get into a routine here and things are starting to feel normal which is good, I think. Today was my last day of classes for 2 weeks!!! Next week is "travel week" which is basically spring break. On Sunday morning, I'm going to the Great Barrier Reef! About 7 other people and I are flying out Sunday morning at 6am and it's about a 3 hour flight. We're staying in a hostel close to gorgeous beaches! I'm also planning on going on a boat tour for the entire day, probably on Monday. They take you out to the reef and you can go snorkeling, soooo excited! There's also a rainforest nearby which I'm hoping to go to on Tuesday then flying back into Sydney on Wednesday.
Well, I gotta go! TTYL!
Emily
I'm really starting to get into a routine here and things are starting to feel normal which is good, I think. Today was my last day of classes for 2 weeks!!! Next week is "travel week" which is basically spring break. On Sunday morning, I'm going to the Great Barrier Reef! About 7 other people and I are flying out Sunday morning at 6am and it's about a 3 hour flight. We're staying in a hostel close to gorgeous beaches! I'm also planning on going on a boat tour for the entire day, probably on Monday. They take you out to the reef and you can go snorkeling, soooo excited! There's also a rainforest nearby which I'm hoping to go to on Tuesday then flying back into Sydney on Wednesday.
Well, I gotta go! TTYL!
Emily
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
WICKED!!
So last night I went to see WICKED!! About 15 of us went into Sydney last night to see the show and it was amazing!! I've never seen it before or any other Broadway kinda show so this was a new experience. Pretty sure I'm hooked! I even bought a ridiculously priced t-shirt. I'm not really sure why I've never seen a show before because they have them right there in Philly and I'm not too far from NYC either. That might have to change when I get home!
I had an interesting experience on the bus yesterday. So I'm sitting on the bus, minding my own business just trying to get to school. And the bus turns a corner where a man was standing and I noticed we got extremely close to this guy. I didn't think much of it until he ran up to the driver and started screaming at him and spitting on the window! So I was thinking oh wow, that was kind of exciting....All of a sudden there's a huge thump. Another guy hit one of the windows with a rock and it cracked! I'm not sure how it didn't shatter but apparently Australian bus glass is a force to be reckoned with :P But yeah, that was traumatizing but definitely made for an exciting morning. Something else I thought was interesting - In the states, the bus would've stopped and cops would've come and people would've been questioned and it would've been this whole big ordeal. The bus driver literally just glances back and keeps on driving. It was like nothing even happened. I was told by an Australian that they're just too lazy to deal with that kinda thing.
So tomorrow I'm leaving for Canberra for the weekend. Canberra is the capitol of Australia, contrary to popular belief that it's Sydney :P We have to be at school at 6am!! It's gonna be a long day but I'm pretty excited to get away from school!
Tootles!
I had an interesting experience on the bus yesterday. So I'm sitting on the bus, minding my own business just trying to get to school. And the bus turns a corner where a man was standing and I noticed we got extremely close to this guy. I didn't think much of it until he ran up to the driver and started screaming at him and spitting on the window! So I was thinking oh wow, that was kind of exciting....All of a sudden there's a huge thump. Another guy hit one of the windows with a rock and it cracked! I'm not sure how it didn't shatter but apparently Australian bus glass is a force to be reckoned with :P But yeah, that was traumatizing but definitely made for an exciting morning. Something else I thought was interesting - In the states, the bus would've stopped and cops would've come and people would've been questioned and it would've been this whole big ordeal. The bus driver literally just glances back and keeps on driving. It was like nothing even happened. I was told by an Australian that they're just too lazy to deal with that kinda thing.
So tomorrow I'm leaving for Canberra for the weekend. Canberra is the capitol of Australia, contrary to popular belief that it's Sydney :P We have to be at school at 6am!! It's gonna be a long day but I'm pretty excited to get away from school!
Tootles!
Sunday, March 14, 2010
P.S. Address!!!
I have my address on Facebook but for the less observant ones I'm gonna put it on here too. Please, please send me letters! (Packages are a bit expensive) If you've ever been away from home then you know how exciting it is to get letters from people! Here it is:
Emily Henry
Wesley Institute - ASC
P.O. Box 534
Drummoyne NSW 1470
Australia
Hope to hear from you!!
Emily Henry
Wesley Institute - ASC
P.O. Box 534
Drummoyne NSW 1470
Australia
Hope to hear from you!!
9,869 miles from home but who's counting...
It's Monday afternoon and I just finished my only class of the day - Hip-Hop. I almost learned the entire routine today. PROGRESS! Denise, Trevor, and I went to Sydney Dance Company on Saturday and took a hip-hop class. It was soooo much fun so I'm gonna buy a pass and keep going every week. Watch out Sam Dyson!! hehe :) So after the dance class, we went to the beach. I got slammed and knocked around by the waves for about 10 minutes til it started to rain :/ But it's all good because we went back to Trevor, David, and Eddie's house and had spaghetti with KANGAROO meat! It was soooo good! Don't knock it 'til you try it :)
On Sunday we went to Macca's (McDonald's) and sat around there on our computers because they have free internet. Internet is different in Australia, it's not one flat rate for internet. They pay by the megabyte (I think) so we can't use the internet at our houses. Then off to our Greek church where we got to hang out with Mickey. He works with a fashion magazine and he's gonna take me and Denise shopping! I also sustained an injury playing ping-pong with an 8 year old but we won't go into that one :P
Culture shock is starting to set in a bit I think. Times when you're standing at the bus stop in the rain and your bus is mysteriously MIA. Or when all you need is a hug from Mom or your best friend and you realize it's not a matter of jumping in your car and driving to Philly, Hanover, Rahway, Pottstown, Westminster, or wherever! It would involve a few plane rides, boat, or even a giant raft if you're feeling adventurous and it's just not gonna happen. At that point it's time to make a choice. There's always curl up into a little ball and cry or, in the words of Dory, "Just keep swimming". So that is my thought of the day - "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, swimming, swimming, swimming"
On Sunday we went to Macca's (McDonald's) and sat around there on our computers because they have free internet. Internet is different in Australia, it's not one flat rate for internet. They pay by the megabyte (I think) so we can't use the internet at our houses. Then off to our Greek church where we got to hang out with Mickey. He works with a fashion magazine and he's gonna take me and Denise shopping! I also sustained an injury playing ping-pong with an 8 year old but we won't go into that one :P
Culture shock is starting to set in a bit I think. Times when you're standing at the bus stop in the rain and your bus is mysteriously MIA. Or when all you need is a hug from Mom or your best friend and you realize it's not a matter of jumping in your car and driving to Philly, Hanover, Rahway, Pottstown, Westminster, or wherever! It would involve a few plane rides, boat, or even a giant raft if you're feeling adventurous and it's just not gonna happen. At that point it's time to make a choice. There's always curl up into a little ball and cry or, in the words of Dory, "Just keep swimming". So that is my thought of the day - "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, swimming, swimming, swimming"
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
A quiet Wednesday in the library
So I'm getting a late start on this blog thing so I'll try to recap these last couple weeks a little. I was the typical tourist when I first got to Australia - mouth hanging open and camera attached to my hand. I was also so excited to be away from the snow in PA that I paid little attention to the Australian sun which, I must say, is somewhat of a freak of nature. It does NOT play, especially with someone with pale skin that has barely seen the light of day for months. Anyways, lesson learned (hopefully).
Michael, my adorable Greek host-dad, picked me and Denise up that first day and took us to our adorable Greek house. His wife, Marina, is a very good cook and LOVES to feed people. You might think you know someone who likes people to eat but you have no idea until you've been around a bunch of Greek women. We had orientation the rest of the week and classes started the following Monday.
Classes have definitely been interesting. If you know me at all, then you know I'm not an artsy kind of person. I'm too white to dance (as witnessed by a certain hip-hop dance performed at the coffee house last year...). I also can't draw, Sam K. has attempted some but it has ended in my utter failure. And my idea of graphic design is coloring Disney princesses with my roommates and putting them on the fridge. Yet, I'm in hip-hop, drawing, and graphic design. You may be wondering, doesn't that involve artistic talent? I asked the very same question and was told that no artistic talent was needed. Perfect for me, right? Instead, I've found out that while no talent is needed to pass the class, talent is needed to not look like a fool. I'm learning to laugh at myself. A lot.
Sydney is definitely the coolest place I've ever been. I bought season passes to Sydney Aquarium, Wildlife World, and Manly Beach Reserve. No shortage of enthusiasm for Australian critters here! I especially liked the wildlife world (pics on FB!) There are so many other things to see and do here though. I probably won't even get it all in 4 months! Denise and I have also done a lot of shopping. I was looking all over these Australian stores for some shoes and ended up buying two pairs at K-Mart. Oh the irony.
Went to the beach this past weekend with Denise, David, and Trevor. Denise and I were being girls and weren't gonna get in the ocean because it was kinda chilly. David ended up throwing us both in. I learned not to dash his dreams. He'll throw you in whatever's handy. Denise learned not to turn her back on him.
Later that night, went to a Greek church with my host family. They had a dinner afterwards and the food looked amazing! Then I uncovered this pot. Big mistake. I found little, pink baby octopus! Now I know I'm supposed to be trying different foods but that was just a little too much. Speaking of weird animals, Denise and I found a dead bat on our way home from school. Now when I think of bats, I think little nasty things that need to be avoided at all costs. This was all true of this bat except for the little part. This thing was like a mutant groundhog with wings! Moving on. They also have lots of little lizards running around. They're fun to chase if you're in the mood to look like the idiotic American chasing lizards.
Well, this has been a wonderful procrastination method but I must go :) Talk to ya later!
Michael, my adorable Greek host-dad, picked me and Denise up that first day and took us to our adorable Greek house. His wife, Marina, is a very good cook and LOVES to feed people. You might think you know someone who likes people to eat but you have no idea until you've been around a bunch of Greek women. We had orientation the rest of the week and classes started the following Monday.
Classes have definitely been interesting. If you know me at all, then you know I'm not an artsy kind of person. I'm too white to dance (as witnessed by a certain hip-hop dance performed at the coffee house last year...). I also can't draw, Sam K. has attempted some but it has ended in my utter failure. And my idea of graphic design is coloring Disney princesses with my roommates and putting them on the fridge. Yet, I'm in hip-hop, drawing, and graphic design. You may be wondering, doesn't that involve artistic talent? I asked the very same question and was told that no artistic talent was needed. Perfect for me, right? Instead, I've found out that while no talent is needed to pass the class, talent is needed to not look like a fool. I'm learning to laugh at myself. A lot.
Sydney is definitely the coolest place I've ever been. I bought season passes to Sydney Aquarium, Wildlife World, and Manly Beach Reserve. No shortage of enthusiasm for Australian critters here! I especially liked the wildlife world (pics on FB!) There are so many other things to see and do here though. I probably won't even get it all in 4 months! Denise and I have also done a lot of shopping. I was looking all over these Australian stores for some shoes and ended up buying two pairs at K-Mart. Oh the irony.
Went to the beach this past weekend with Denise, David, and Trevor. Denise and I were being girls and weren't gonna get in the ocean because it was kinda chilly. David ended up throwing us both in. I learned not to dash his dreams. He'll throw you in whatever's handy. Denise learned not to turn her back on him.
Later that night, went to a Greek church with my host family. They had a dinner afterwards and the food looked amazing! Then I uncovered this pot. Big mistake. I found little, pink baby octopus! Now I know I'm supposed to be trying different foods but that was just a little too much. Speaking of weird animals, Denise and I found a dead bat on our way home from school. Now when I think of bats, I think little nasty things that need to be avoided at all costs. This was all true of this bat except for the little part. This thing was like a mutant groundhog with wings! Moving on. They also have lots of little lizards running around. They're fun to chase if you're in the mood to look like the idiotic American chasing lizards.
Well, this has been a wonderful procrastination method but I must go :) Talk to ya later!
Monday, March 8, 2010
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)