My first week here at Mac has been pretty wonderful. I am loving all the little differences between this culture and the one that I am used to back home. I am loving the unknown that is constantly surrounding me. I am loving the surprises that are constantly finding me. I am loving all of the adventures that I are around nearly every corner. I am loving finding my place in this brand new puzzle.
After my return from surf camp, Abby and I had planned to take a trip to Taronga Zoo but decided against the trip once we realized how unorganized it was. Instead, we got our lives here pulled together. We spent most of the day working on how to get internet in our apartment and on where to open a bank account. In between working out these two dilemmas we had a lot of fun grocery and produce shopping. We found the most amazing fresh food market where we bought everything we could possibly carry! We finally got our internet sorted. It’s a pretty neat system: just a USB plug in that you can add credit to as needed so you can get wireless anywhere you go in Oz. That night we made a delicious dinner together and started a wonderful tradition that we followed through with for the rest of the week of making yummy food, enjoying it, and finishing up with a cuppa (cup of tea) and some biscuits (cookies). I’m a big fan of the tradition. It’s so nice to be able to choose what I want to eat and to actually get to cook it which was nearly impossible living in those silly dorm rooms!
I spent the next couple of days settling in to the apartment and area. I did some shopping in the HUGE shopping center that is only a 20 minute walk. Seriously, this place is 4 stories but it also has a half story on each floor and it has everything anyone could ever dream of, actually it probably has 2 of everything. It is ridiculous – it even has an ice skating rink inside! I was good, though, and resisted the urge to buy everything I saw.
Wednesday was one of the best days that I have had in Australia so far. It started very early when I caught my first bus into the city. The bus was packed so it was standing room only for the 40 minute drive. Once I got there I walked through a part of the city called The Rocks toward the Wharf where Sydney Dance Company is located. I was SO excited to be going to take class again, and the lyrical jazz class far exceeded any of my already high expectations! It was amazing to be dancing again. The class kicked my butt, but it was still two of the most wonderful hours I have spent in the city. The studio is right on the water and every single person there had an obvious passion for dance. It was an incredible atmosphere in which to reenter the dance world. After class I walked down to the Harbour to eat my lunch. I sat, listening to music, watching people from all over the world walk past; we were all marveling at the same thing, the view of the Harbour we had. I cannot even put into words how special it was to sit, eating my PB&J (which Aussies don’t eat!) and looking out at such world-renowned landmarks. My heart was smiling in that moment, in fact, it was smiling the whole day!
Thursday was filled with orientation, blah! I heard the same thing I’ve heard in every orientation I’ve ever been to regarding international study, and I’ve been to quite a few! But, we did get a free lunch and I learned a lot about class enrollment/registration in the afternoon session. The system is so much different here for classes. It is definitely going to take me a while to get used to. At this point my schedule is looking great with classes only 3 days a week! We’ll see how it all turns out J After finishing up with my Aussie bank account and dropping my computer off to get fixed in the city (the Apple store here is nothing short of spectacular) I went out on an 80s themed cruise of Sydney Harbour with all the other international students. We had a blast watching the sunset, eating as much free pizza as possible, and dancing to some awful music underneath the famous Harbour Bridge.
My life was taken over by class scheduling on Friday which was a little more difficult since my computer was in the shop in Sydney. I also returned to the fresh food market to grab up some more fruit for the amazing smoothies Abby and I have been making in our new blender! I also cooked a whole meal that was not only edible but quite tasty if I do say so myself, without instruction! It was a BIG deal, haha. I really am enjoying this new freedom of a place all of my own with kitchen included.
Saturday was a city day for Abby and I. We journeyed to Taronga Zoo for the day. To get there we took a bus, a ferry, and a chairlift! It was totally worth it, though. We spent nearly 5 hours exploring the enormous zoo. We saw 2 shows, the seal show and the free flight bird show, both of which were fantastic. The birds flew an inch above the crowds head, but it totally looked like they were going to crash right into you. We saw every animal you could ever imagine as well as some of the best views of the city I have ever seen. It was definitely a wonderful day which finished up with a delicious dinner. We made thai curry which was another proud achievement!
Sunday was set aside for organization as well as attending the world’s largest short film festival, Tropfest, in the city. Before catching the bus I had a great chat with Moma and Daddy on Skype. I’m so proud of my newly technological parents! After a bus ride into the city and a wander around the Botanical Gardens trying to find the Domain where the film festival was, we arrived to find a single plot of land left, just the right size for our towel. We had a perfect view of the screen and only had to wait about half an hour before the show started. We saw 16 amazing films with an intermission in the middle. The films were extraordinary. They all had to be under 7 minutes, but the directors really knew how to pile a great deal into a short amount of time. It was such a fun atmosphere. There were 10s of thousands of people around us watching a show that was being broadcast to every capital city in Oz. We not only enjoyed the films but also the hundreds of bats that circled above our heads the entire night as well as one of the cutest babies I’ve ever seen who sat in front of us. We were so lucky to have amazing weather. It had been dull and cloudy all day, like it has been for the last 2 weeks, but it turned into a lovely evening. After all our fun we hopped on the bus to return to our flat for some much needed rest before the big first day of classes (and work for Abby) tomorrow!
I cannot put into words the exact feelings I am having about this experience, but it is all positive. I have honestly felt at home in this country since the moment I arrived. The friendliness of the locals is overwhelming as is the scenery. But more than that is the personal experience I am having. I continue to come to the realization that I am living in a foreign country on my own. I really am. This isn’t a daydream. This is my life. I feel like one of the luckiest girl’s alive when I finally talk myself out of the idea of a fairytale and realize that real life is happening.
My current mantra/goal reflects my newfound excitement for all things unknown…
“Find life experiences and swallow them whole. Travel. Meet many people. Go down some dead ends and explore dark alleys. Try everything. Exhaust yourself in the glorious pursuit of life.” –Lawrence Fish
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I’ll put up some pics of the campus soon because it is absolutely AMAZING as well as some of the lovely apartment that I’m currently calling home.
Hope everyone is well and that all your worlds are filled with the happiest of happinesses!
Go exhaust yourselves…
LOVE!LOVE!LOVE!
Anna
You write so well, Anna!! I love reading this... you make me want to "exhaust myself"!!! :) Can't wait to see you this weekend. Much love
ReplyDeletexoxo, Carly