Today Sydney (the girl) and I went to the city. It was really sweet! We made our way up to the Harbour bridge and the Sydney opera house. The opera house is not really bright white like it looks in pictures. And the whole roof is made up of what looks like average size bathroom tiles! It was a gorgeous day though and we had a blast. I keep making friends with old people cause I love them. I fixed a lady’s camera in the mall.
Public buses are just plain awkward. I had to sit in front of a young guy that was wasted the whole way there. As soon as he sat down he yelled “Hey lets chat, cause I get bored easily.” And he “chatted” at me for an hour. Sydney got to talk to the cool little old man that we made friends with before. Boo for my misfortune. He did tell me a story about how a couple was being interviewed outside their house about the construction for the train. As they were saying they didn’t really care for all the commotion their house collapsed behind them. He also shared his thoughts on Paris Hilton’s “lazy eye.” Ha I don’t know.
We are going to Manly beach in the morning I think. I hope to be much more manly by the time I write my next blog.
Ps. I have made friends with nature since my last grumpy entry.
Pss. African drumming is really hard. Crap.
2.29.2008
2.28.2008
devil birds
I have been unable to sleep since 3 am. Now the satanic birds are outside my window. Its almost 7 am. I wish I could think of an appropriate word to express how I am feeling right now.
Its official, my classes are: Organizational Psych, Intro to Vocal Studies, Reading Contemporary Music, and African Drumming. So… I basically get to rock out all day everyday (and am learning to do so in an organized fashion?) In class today our teacher had us listen to John Mayer and learn the background vocals. And she made us all dance. I pretty much love this semester already.
**Org Psych got switched to Sociology of Media. I am officially not taking any classes that pertain to my major.
**Org Psych got switched to Sociology of Media. I am officially not taking any classes that pertain to my major.
2.25.2008
First weekend!
I am still not down with the transportation system yet. This is all very confusing for a Florida kid. So I got bored from not being able to go far and chopped all my hair off. I walked into the hair salon and he was like honey your hair isn’t working for you. I can’t even see those cheekbones. Well, okay then I had to get my hair cut cause how serious is that!? Serious.
Peter, my new Australian stylist, actually survived a plane crash! He was on his way back to Sydney from a hair expo a few years ago and the small, chartered plane lost power and they landed in the swamp! And he and his brother and colleagues all survived. CRAZY! He is a really fun person though... he is an energy giver type of person.
We were talking and he was explaining his perception of America. Apparently he had just finished watching the movie American Gangster and along with all the other media he had been exposed to basically said he thought we were all a bunch of cracked-up lunatics in a giant orgy or something. (I think it is unintelligent to make assumptions about so many people based on media but I suppose I do the same stereotyping. Everyone is different, everywhere you go and in some ways we are all the same! You Know!?) He asked me how often I have a problem with drugs and how hard it is to stay away from them. And I was thinking I don’t even use hardcore drugs like heroin that often, you know? Just on Sundays really. Slash yeah right. I told him you find what you are looking for no matter where you live. This is not the first time I have heard this though. Thank you Britney Spears for ruing all of our reputations. I’m spreading the word that it’s not like in the movies. You all can thank me later (got made fun of for ya’ll, the aussie equivalent is yous).
Yesterday we went to Palm Beach. Right next to Newport Beach... are these sounding familiar? It was incredible. The swell was up though so we weren’t allowed to swim. The rips are pretty bad. So here’s a fun story… like 6 kids from out group decided it would be awesome to climb out to the end of the rocks into the middle of the ocean. Except… THE SWELL WAS UP and we couldn’t even go out to stomach high! DUH! Can you see where this is going? They got out to the last rock and got worked by a 10 footer. And almost flippin died. They were torn up and the antiseptic looked like straight up blood so it looked even worse. That was enough to make me want to break out in the US national anthem as well.
We also got to go hiking up a cliff to a lighthouse. The plants are incredible! The rocks were gorgeous shades of orange and gold. The water below was the most beautiful shades of blue and you could see the waves rolling in. There was a harbor on the other side and it was so clear you could see so far out. It was so hot but there was such a cool breeze up there! That was my FAVORITE part of the trip so far.
We went out into the city that night. A huge group of us went out and Sydney (the girl) and I thought we were all going to the same place but they were like okay guys bus leaves again at 2! And we were freakin out so we made friends really fast and ended up having a great time. I met a local that was a huge basketball player that rejected a full scholarship to Duke because he loves it here so much. And basically I found that I get made fun of a lot because I am from the south. I am trying to explain that most of Fla isn’t really the south but no one gets it. And I Lord knows I don’t have a southern accent!
Saturday night had a party in the laundry room. Off the chain.
Sunday I was determined to make it to Hillsong for church. No one wanted to go so I got on a bus for the first time and went in the general direction I thought I was supposed to (Dad don’t freak out if you read this). I almost cried thirty times. Not really, but I did think I might die on the streets a couple of times. I saw the opera house and went over the harbor bridge for the first time on the way. When I got there an Indian man was speaking and I heard a few crazy stories but for the most part couldn’t understand a word he was saying and I missed worship. BOO! So when I am leaving I am trying to catch the courtesy bus back to central and I jump on and ask if it was going to the train and he said yes but there is a line…. So I realized I skipped like 200 people in line like an idiot! (oh good!) I thought they were waiting for the next service. So I make it to the station and am waiting and about to take the wrong train (I am directionally challenged and I have this internal hunch that I am always going the wrong way) so I find a lady that is identical to my gma and ask her what the heck I am doing with my life. She was getting off at west ryde and offered to take me back because it was getting dark. I said “yes,” she said “I don’t normally pick up strangers,” and I said “good, I don’t normally ride with strangers!” Her name was Betty. We are BFF. She hugged and kissed me when she dropped me off and we bonded. K so Im never going to Sydney again by myself. I am going to visit the hills Hillsong campus next week bc I hear its better/different.
There are three different kinds of birds that camp outside my window… bird #1: a giant parrot that screeches like a dinosaur… bird #2 that sounds like a pack of wild hyenas.. and bird #3 that sounds like a dying infant. They say hi at 6am. I love them slash im going to poison them. (I will have you know that as I wrote that an ant crawled up my pants and bit me and the think they have an alliance with the birds.)
Funfacts: The people at the smoothie place make $18 an hour (min wage is high!). A ½ dozen donuts at krispy kreme cost over $10 dollars. Timtams are biscuits (cookies) that are made out of the same stuff heaven is made out of. The cross walks make the most frightening weird sound when it is ready for you to cross. I start classes tomorrow!!
ps I have pictures on photobucket... http://s272.photobucket.com/albums/jj165/shannabra/ and my cell phone.. if you call it from the states is... 01161424877244. I think.
Peter, my new Australian stylist, actually survived a plane crash! He was on his way back to Sydney from a hair expo a few years ago and the small, chartered plane lost power and they landed in the swamp! And he and his brother and colleagues all survived. CRAZY! He is a really fun person though... he is an energy giver type of person.
We were talking and he was explaining his perception of America. Apparently he had just finished watching the movie American Gangster and along with all the other media he had been exposed to basically said he thought we were all a bunch of cracked-up lunatics in a giant orgy or something. (I think it is unintelligent to make assumptions about so many people based on media but I suppose I do the same stereotyping. Everyone is different, everywhere you go and in some ways we are all the same! You Know!?) He asked me how often I have a problem with drugs and how hard it is to stay away from them. And I was thinking I don’t even use hardcore drugs like heroin that often, you know? Just on Sundays really. Slash yeah right. I told him you find what you are looking for no matter where you live. This is not the first time I have heard this though. Thank you Britney Spears for ruing all of our reputations. I’m spreading the word that it’s not like in the movies. You all can thank me later (got made fun of for ya’ll, the aussie equivalent is yous).
Yesterday we went to Palm Beach. Right next to Newport Beach... are these sounding familiar? It was incredible. The swell was up though so we weren’t allowed to swim. The rips are pretty bad. So here’s a fun story… like 6 kids from out group decided it would be awesome to climb out to the end of the rocks into the middle of the ocean. Except… THE SWELL WAS UP and we couldn’t even go out to stomach high! DUH! Can you see where this is going? They got out to the last rock and got worked by a 10 footer. And almost flippin died. They were torn up and the antiseptic looked like straight up blood so it looked even worse. That was enough to make me want to break out in the US national anthem as well.
We also got to go hiking up a cliff to a lighthouse. The plants are incredible! The rocks were gorgeous shades of orange and gold. The water below was the most beautiful shades of blue and you could see the waves rolling in. There was a harbor on the other side and it was so clear you could see so far out. It was so hot but there was such a cool breeze up there! That was my FAVORITE part of the trip so far.
We went out into the city that night. A huge group of us went out and Sydney (the girl) and I thought we were all going to the same place but they were like okay guys bus leaves again at 2! And we were freakin out so we made friends really fast and ended up having a great time. I met a local that was a huge basketball player that rejected a full scholarship to Duke because he loves it here so much. And basically I found that I get made fun of a lot because I am from the south. I am trying to explain that most of Fla isn’t really the south but no one gets it. And I Lord knows I don’t have a southern accent!
Saturday night had a party in the laundry room. Off the chain.
Sunday I was determined to make it to Hillsong for church. No one wanted to go so I got on a bus for the first time and went in the general direction I thought I was supposed to (Dad don’t freak out if you read this). I almost cried thirty times. Not really, but I did think I might die on the streets a couple of times. I saw the opera house and went over the harbor bridge for the first time on the way. When I got there an Indian man was speaking and I heard a few crazy stories but for the most part couldn’t understand a word he was saying and I missed worship. BOO! So when I am leaving I am trying to catch the courtesy bus back to central and I jump on and ask if it was going to the train and he said yes but there is a line…. So I realized I skipped like 200 people in line like an idiot! (oh good!) I thought they were waiting for the next service. So I make it to the station and am waiting and about to take the wrong train (I am directionally challenged and I have this internal hunch that I am always going the wrong way) so I find a lady that is identical to my gma and ask her what the heck I am doing with my life. She was getting off at west ryde and offered to take me back because it was getting dark. I said “yes,” she said “I don’t normally pick up strangers,” and I said “good, I don’t normally ride with strangers!” Her name was Betty. We are BFF. She hugged and kissed me when she dropped me off and we bonded. K so Im never going to Sydney again by myself. I am going to visit the hills Hillsong campus next week bc I hear its better/different.
There are three different kinds of birds that camp outside my window… bird #1: a giant parrot that screeches like a dinosaur… bird #2 that sounds like a pack of wild hyenas.. and bird #3 that sounds like a dying infant. They say hi at 6am. I love them slash im going to poison them. (I will have you know that as I wrote that an ant crawled up my pants and bit me and the think they have an alliance with the birds.)
Funfacts: The people at the smoothie place make $18 an hour (min wage is high!). A ½ dozen donuts at krispy kreme cost over $10 dollars. Timtams are biscuits (cookies) that are made out of the same stuff heaven is made out of. The cross walks make the most frightening weird sound when it is ready for you to cross. I start classes tomorrow!!
ps I have pictures on photobucket... http://s272.photobucket.com/albums/jj165/shannabra/ and my cell phone.. if you call it from the states is... 01161424877244. I think.
2.19.2008
1st 3 DAYS IN CAIRNS + 1st DAY IN SYDNEY
I’m finally on the plane and passed out as expected (I sleep when I travel) and later I have to pee as expected (I pee a lot) and when I am on my way back I violently introduce my forehead to the overhead luggage bin. They were pleased to meet each other and I almost knocked myself out. Fun game #1.
Fun game #2 involves throwing away my brand new retainer amongst the other 300 trays of food in my section. Fun game #3… “Hi… umm sir.. I know its probably 3 in the morning and this is a little weird… but I threw away my retainer and um…” He found it for me.
I’m gonna go ahead and pause right here and say, if bad punctuation and incomplete thoughts and run-on sentences and incorrect grammar over all bothers you deeply, just stop here.
The plane ride from LA to Cairns was about 15 hours, that was the worst of them. It actually isn’t so bad if you sleep most of the way. And I watched Across the Universe on the way over. I sat next to a native kiwi (New Zealander) on one of the flights. His name was Paul and he and his family lived on a boat and he does private charters. He taught me some lingo. Sheila=woman, old cheese=wife, squeeze=girlfriend. And taught me how to check if my fish was old.. its all in the eyeballs. When we got off the plane is Cairns it was wicked hot and the first thing our australearn advisor says is.. know the best thing about hot weather… COLD BEER!
We stayed at Gillian’s along with about a million other backpackers. At dinner the first night I was almost fined $2000 for sitting in the wrong area… yeah.. I KNOW! Are you kidding me!?
We had our first info session that basically explained the difference between Aussies and Americans. They are not so into the whole “feelings” thing like we are. A lot of them are very sarcastic and use humor to deal with things. They don’t like standing out or be above ppl… if someone is getting a big head they bring them right back down by making fun of them. Jess told us if they were nice to us they probably didn’t like us so I’m thinking, “Oh good!” (Leah “Juno” Putting you belong here in other words.) They call us Yanks or Seppos. Seppo=septic tank=full of sh*t. They also abbreviate anything they possibly can… sunglasses=sunnies, cup of coffee=cuppa, afternoon=arvo, mosquito=mossie.. you get the idea. They said they mourned for Steve Erwin for about 4 weeks before the jokes started… they lasted about 4 days for Heath Ledger. Pissed=drunk, not to be confused with Pissed off which is still angry. Andrew already taught me not to use this word at Hillsong. So I might use it quietly and see what happens.
Second day… GREAT BARRIER REEF! Which might I add can be seen from space. It was flippin awesome. I went diving for the first time ever (not counting with Paula in the Stetson pool). I didn’t see any sharks/turtles but saw a lot of nemos, bat fish, parrot fish, giant clams, sting ray and played with some crazy sea anemones. The sun is soooo brutal over here. You can get burnt in like 10 mins. I think there is a break in the ozone layer right above us. Every person that speaks in front of us is hilarious so again I am seeing the humor come out. There are also a lot of people talking to us about surf trips which I really really want to do!
Third day! Holy crap there are a lot of Asian people here. I mean a lot. But that means there is a lot of sushi around so mega-shocka for them! We got to visit a rain forest station place and an aboriginal man showed us some sweet hunting techniques… I threw a boomerang (he said I had good technique which… I don’t want to brag,… but I guess I am pretty much a hunting MACHINE) and attempted to play didgeridoo. BUT I did play with a kangaroo! I was scratching him and he was waving his head all around. We also got our picture with a koala! They smell like eucalyptus. We saw a crock named jack the ripper. They found him and thought he would be good to breed but he killed 12 females before they decided that was not such a good idea. And she introduced us to some birds that kill people and a small animal that bites things in the skull to kill them. I’m pretty much stoked to run around in the forest by myself now! AND AND AND a very sarcastic tour guide that lied a lot showed us the gympie gympie tree AKA stinging tree AKA I told ya’ll it existed! He got stung three weeks ago and said that it was excruciating for about 14 hours. Then it settles down but if the place where the small little needles went in is irritated by scratching or cold water, it starts hurting again for hours! He met a man that had been suffering from this sting for 13 years! It is a tiny little tree with very welcoming heart shaped leaves and edible berries (no thank you!) Apparently on of the guides has seen several Americans try and get into a boxing match with the roos and clearly they got beat up. But I thought it was funny that we are so retarded. They were a lot smaller than I thought though but still could whoop your butt!
Some one at lunch said I was quirky… in a good way. ? I punched him in the face.. just kidding. But awesome.
PS They have the best fruit and vegetables in the world here. All here on this continent they have been hoarding the best food minus the vegemite which I will send to anyone if they would like to try it because at least 10 of my friends are trying it because I did and I think that’s fair. And it is horrible.
I ate dinner at an Indian restaurant that I paid $30 for and they brought out a bowl and I thought it was sauce for my bread but it was dinner. They don’t know I’m fat and I need food for real, son!
Day 4, and we are off to Sydney finally. I found it to be a lot cooler here. We were driving through a lot of tunnels and at one point we looked over and for about 30 seconds I saw the most incredible and beautiful city I have ever seen in my life!!!!! And I was wiggin out excited and the driver said that’s why he didn’t even mention it because we only got to see it for a little (we traveled underneath the city) on the way to our uni. We are about 30 mins from the city here on campus. I can’t wait to go back there and see it.
My apartment is like a town house. It has 5 beds 5 baths. I got the only room downstairs and the biggest room. Idk how that happened but that’s awesome. I already killed a spider in my bathroom. I said “Good day sir, you potentially flesh eating arachnid” with my shoe and he died.
Here is an interesting little fact.. they have a flush system where there are two buttons! A half flush for pee and a whole flush for all the other good stuff! I still have not figured out the flushing thing. The water does not swirl any particular way it just dumps 50 gallons at a time.
I bought all my groceries and apartment stuff today at the Mac town center. Coming from Florida to a big city makes you look like an idiot by the way! But Sydney (my traveling buddy from Stetson) and I successfully caught our first cab today! We are having a blast together. The city is really clean and beautiful. We have orientation for the next two days and are going into the city on Friday! I am excited but I definitely miss everyone at home!
Fun game #2 involves throwing away my brand new retainer amongst the other 300 trays of food in my section. Fun game #3… “Hi… umm sir.. I know its probably 3 in the morning and this is a little weird… but I threw away my retainer and um…” He found it for me.
I’m gonna go ahead and pause right here and say, if bad punctuation and incomplete thoughts and run-on sentences and incorrect grammar over all bothers you deeply, just stop here.
The plane ride from LA to Cairns was about 15 hours, that was the worst of them. It actually isn’t so bad if you sleep most of the way. And I watched Across the Universe on the way over. I sat next to a native kiwi (New Zealander) on one of the flights. His name was Paul and he and his family lived on a boat and he does private charters. He taught me some lingo. Sheila=woman, old cheese=wife, squeeze=girlfriend. And taught me how to check if my fish was old.. its all in the eyeballs. When we got off the plane is Cairns it was wicked hot and the first thing our australearn advisor says is.. know the best thing about hot weather… COLD BEER!
We stayed at Gillian’s along with about a million other backpackers. At dinner the first night I was almost fined $2000 for sitting in the wrong area… yeah.. I KNOW! Are you kidding me!?
We had our first info session that basically explained the difference between Aussies and Americans. They are not so into the whole “feelings” thing like we are. A lot of them are very sarcastic and use humor to deal with things. They don’t like standing out or be above ppl… if someone is getting a big head they bring them right back down by making fun of them. Jess told us if they were nice to us they probably didn’t like us so I’m thinking, “Oh good!” (Leah “Juno” Putting you belong here in other words.) They call us Yanks or Seppos. Seppo=septic tank=full of sh*t. They also abbreviate anything they possibly can… sunglasses=sunnies, cup of coffee=cuppa, afternoon=arvo, mosquito=mossie.. you get the idea. They said they mourned for Steve Erwin for about 4 weeks before the jokes started… they lasted about 4 days for Heath Ledger. Pissed=drunk, not to be confused with Pissed off which is still angry. Andrew already taught me not to use this word at Hillsong. So I might use it quietly and see what happens.
Second day… GREAT BARRIER REEF! Which might I add can be seen from space. It was flippin awesome. I went diving for the first time ever (not counting with Paula in the Stetson pool). I didn’t see any sharks/turtles but saw a lot of nemos, bat fish, parrot fish, giant clams, sting ray and played with some crazy sea anemones. The sun is soooo brutal over here. You can get burnt in like 10 mins. I think there is a break in the ozone layer right above us. Every person that speaks in front of us is hilarious so again I am seeing the humor come out. There are also a lot of people talking to us about surf trips which I really really want to do!
Third day! Holy crap there are a lot of Asian people here. I mean a lot. But that means there is a lot of sushi around so mega-shocka for them! We got to visit a rain forest station place and an aboriginal man showed us some sweet hunting techniques… I threw a boomerang (he said I had good technique which… I don’t want to brag,… but I guess I am pretty much a hunting MACHINE) and attempted to play didgeridoo. BUT I did play with a kangaroo! I was scratching him and he was waving his head all around. We also got our picture with a koala! They smell like eucalyptus. We saw a crock named jack the ripper. They found him and thought he would be good to breed but he killed 12 females before they decided that was not such a good idea. And she introduced us to some birds that kill people and a small animal that bites things in the skull to kill them. I’m pretty much stoked to run around in the forest by myself now! AND AND AND a very sarcastic tour guide that lied a lot showed us the gympie gympie tree AKA stinging tree AKA I told ya’ll it existed! He got stung three weeks ago and said that it was excruciating for about 14 hours. Then it settles down but if the place where the small little needles went in is irritated by scratching or cold water, it starts hurting again for hours! He met a man that had been suffering from this sting for 13 years! It is a tiny little tree with very welcoming heart shaped leaves and edible berries (no thank you!) Apparently on of the guides has seen several Americans try and get into a boxing match with the roos and clearly they got beat up. But I thought it was funny that we are so retarded. They were a lot smaller than I thought though but still could whoop your butt!
Some one at lunch said I was quirky… in a good way. ? I punched him in the face.. just kidding. But awesome.
PS They have the best fruit and vegetables in the world here. All here on this continent they have been hoarding the best food minus the vegemite which I will send to anyone if they would like to try it because at least 10 of my friends are trying it because I did and I think that’s fair. And it is horrible.
I ate dinner at an Indian restaurant that I paid $30 for and they brought out a bowl and I thought it was sauce for my bread but it was dinner. They don’t know I’m fat and I need food for real, son!
Day 4, and we are off to Sydney finally. I found it to be a lot cooler here. We were driving through a lot of tunnels and at one point we looked over and for about 30 seconds I saw the most incredible and beautiful city I have ever seen in my life!!!!! And I was wiggin out excited and the driver said that’s why he didn’t even mention it because we only got to see it for a little (we traveled underneath the city) on the way to our uni. We are about 30 mins from the city here on campus. I can’t wait to go back there and see it.
My apartment is like a town house. It has 5 beds 5 baths. I got the only room downstairs and the biggest room. Idk how that happened but that’s awesome. I already killed a spider in my bathroom. I said “Good day sir, you potentially flesh eating arachnid” with my shoe and he died.
Here is an interesting little fact.. they have a flush system where there are two buttons! A half flush for pee and a whole flush for all the other good stuff! I still have not figured out the flushing thing. The water does not swirl any particular way it just dumps 50 gallons at a time.
I bought all my groceries and apartment stuff today at the Mac town center. Coming from Florida to a big city makes you look like an idiot by the way! But Sydney (my traveling buddy from Stetson) and I successfully caught our first cab today! We are having a blast together. The city is really clean and beautiful. We have orientation for the next two days and are going into the city on Friday! I am excited but I definitely miss everyone at home!
Phil 1:3
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