the perfect day to go to prison

First off, classes start tomorrow! I can't believe it. But I'm excited at the same time. I'm definitely going to have to wander onto campus later today and try to find where my classes are. Per usual, I am taking really random classes. I'm taking  Earth&the Environment, God Mind & Knowledge, Econ and Art & Architecture. I don't have classes before 10am, none are back to back and I don't have class til 2pm on Fridays, not bad for not knowing how to use the computer system!

Yesterday we went on a tour of King's Park and then took a bus down to Fremantle, to visit the markets and hang out. We were only allowed to wander around King's Park for 30 minutes but at least this time I remembered my camera....

Currie Hall friends

The weather was really nice while we were at the park which was great because all this rain is really starting to bum me out. The park would be a great place to study or just bring a blanket and hang out for a day, so you should all come visit me and we'll have a fabulous time in the park. It's a ginormous park and I still haven't been to all the cool parts of it. There is a tower called the DNA tower that you can climb and it maps out everything that you can see, and I have yet to make it there...its on my list though so maybe after our visit in the park we can go there! :)

Kangaroo PAWS, kangaroooo PAWS!

I read somewhere that the park is best in the fall because all the wildflowers are in bloom, I went there a week ago, and yesterday there were a lot more plants already. They are all so different and unique, and imagine how great the would look in an Ozzie Pie! ;) This plant is called Kangaroo PAWS because the buds kind of look like kangaroo PAWS! All of the different flower beds are arranged by the area the plants come from so you are able to see plants from all over Australia in one park.

sign on the scenic route, YAY!

cider and blankets = perfection

inside of little creatures

After the park we got back on the buses and started driving to Fremantle. It usually takes about 20 minutes to get to 'Freo' but apparently we took the scenic route because it took us forever to get there. And then some girls had to go to the bathroom on the way so we had to stop so they could go. When we finally got to Freo it was POURING rain and all the other buses were no where to be found. So we got off and started running in the directions of the restaurants because we were starvinggg. Liz and I got separated from the group but we found this awesome restaurant called Little Creatures. We had to sit outside because it was so packed but they gave us blankets and it was warm and snuggly. We had Pipsqueak Cider which was SO delicious. We also ate pizza that had chorizo, sweet corn and feta, YUMM. We may have been drenched but we were also so content. They brew all of their beers in the restaurant and the atmosphere is really cool. It is usually really crowded but we managed to find a table and have a great time.

the signnn, love you mama

After lunch we started walking around in Freo, since there are markets there on the weekends. They were pretty cool, some really nice stuff, some really weird stuff and food that smelled so good. I took a photo of some random sign in this one woman's booth and she got all mad and was like "that will be the last photo you ever take" so of course I just smiled, pretended I didn't understand and ran away. Standard VDubbz moves. The sign wasn't even that cool I just wanted to take a picture of it because its such a true statement...and I didn't want to pay $17 for it...Eventually Liz and I had enough of the markets and went and found another bar and had more cider while we waited for yet another torrential downpour to pass over. It finally stopped enough for us to run back to the bus stop where Liz got back on the bus to UWA and the rest of the IFSA Butler kids met up to go to the prison and dinner with our study abroad coordinator Quentin.

the old ball & chain

It was obviously raining, but the tour was still pretty cool. The tour guide told a lot of stories about prisoners who had escaped as well as awful awful jokes. His delivery was awful, he told the joke, immediately followed by the punchline all in the same monotone voice. They were corny, they were silly and they were not at all funny, but it kept things awkwardly interesting so it was alright!

eerie prison shot

in jail...oops

After prison we went to dinner. Then we had gelato, it was good, but it wasn't as good as the gelato in Europe. We took the train and then a bus back to campus. All in all a fabulous day, can't wait for classes tomorrow! But at the same time I'm worried I won't be able to find them on this sprawling campus. So wish me luck! xo

its always sunny in Perth...just not in winter...

sunny!

Wednesday morning Ryanne and I both woke up earlier and were pleasantly surprised to see that it was SUNNY outside. After breakfast we decided to walk to the river and sit and enjoy the sunshine. It was an absolutely gorgeous day. I made a comment about how there wasn't a cloud in the sky and maybe we would get away with no rain today. A few minutes later I looked over the water and saw a single little gray cloud. Never a good sign. Within ten minutes there was an entire cloud formation creeping towards us. It was actually pretty cool to see them suddenly appearing but the impending rain did not seem enjoyable. It didn't rain til night time though which was great since enrolling would have been twenty times more difficult in the rain.

these signs were all over campus to direct us through the steps

8 step map to enrollment

I thought pre-registering at F&M was annoying, at UWA it is 300x worse. The process was so stressful and hectic. Not only was it annoying but there were 8 steps and they weren't even all in the same location. I started out in Winthrop Hall where they photocopied my passport and put my name in the system. Then I went down to the basement where they took my id photo. I then had to brave the hall of people trying to get me to join their clubs and give me candy and pencils. Around the next corner both people were talking to other groups of students so I made a mad dash to the end where I picked up my id card and headed across campus for step 5. I apparently was suppose to have checked to see which of my 7 approved F&M classes fit in the time table but I didn't so I had to enroll in all 7 classes. Step 7 was the WORST step ever. I walked into a computer lab and was handed a 10 page packet on how to use the computer program to pick my classes. It was beyond complicated, even for me. I'm pretty sure I figured it out. But while I was preferencing classes, I realized I had only checked the lecture and tutorial times and not the lab times so the schedule I had that worked so well might not work out. So fingers crossed I have a working schedule...we'll find out later today.

guys jousting

The Res Club activity for the day on Wednesday was jousting! I did not participate again, mostly since everyone was hitting each other in the head and that did not seem fun to me. It was however very nice to sit on the bouncy part and enjoy the sunshine and watch everyone else beat each other up. That night everyone went ice skating but I opted out since the ice skates were apparently very questionable and I didn't want to fall and crack my head open...so not worth taking risks at this point in the semester!

catching some rays with the girls

It rained soo much Wednesday night/Thursday morning. I'm talking crazy thunderstorms and torrential downpours. The wind was crazy and there are a lot of tree branches and flowers all over the ground. It rained on and off most of the day. It would be cloudy but relatively calm out and then all of the sudden the wind would blow and it would start pouringgg. We aren't allowed to complain about the rain though because Perth is in a drought so we will just have to grab our umbrellas and suck it up for a few more weeks when winter is over and it stops raining! It could be worse, it could be snowinggg...or 110 degrees...

The sun is back out so I better catch my rays while I can! xo

sweet trees by the river with Perth in the background

its all fun and games til someone breaks the yellow crayon...

Swan River looking towards Perth

 

On Sunday our tea was pretty fun, good food, uneventful, but nice to meet more people. The principal wasn't actually able to make it so instead we learned about the history of Currie Hall from the assistant principal. Currie Hall was originally used as barracks during WWII for the naval officers that would practice landing their plans on the Swan River. After the war the buildings were torn down and rebuild and are the current buildings we have now. They are apparently beginning construction on a few new buildings so they can house more students. YAY. Currie Hall is the only college affiliated with UWA so their projects are funded by the college. Conveniently enough, the residents of Currie Hall get a free membership at the UWA gym which is great, since usually it is about $300 a semester! We also got to meet the members of the Res Club, or Resident's Club, which is a club made up of Currie Hall residents who provide their fellow residents with numerous means of entertainment. Particularly during Orientation Week. We will be going bowling, ice skating, out on the town and they are even rented sumo suits for us!

clearly extremely enthralled with werewolves

After Sunday dinner we played an ice breaker game (my favorite!) in the blue room. The game was called "Werewolf" and basically it tested how good you could lie. Everyone was given a slip of paper that said 'villager' or 'werewolf' on it. Once you knew what you were everyone closed their eyes and went to "sleep" when the person in charge of the game told us to the werewolves opened their eyes and selected a villager to "kill". When the villagers "woke up" and found one of their villagers killed everyone had to decide who had killed them and then they killed that person. The trick was that the werewolves had to lie and pretend to be villagers. At the end of the game, whichever group had more people left won.

Yesterday was probably one of the most boring orientations I have ever experienced, and while I have only at this point experience 3 it was the worst. We were trapped in the Octagon Theatre from 9-3:45 listening to talk after talk. Each talk only last about 15 minutes but some dragged on and they were just so pointless. We left physically and emotionally drained and in no mood to be drowned with any more information. BUT after dinner the Res Club took us bowling! It was really fun and during the real game I bowled a 156. Not too bad....the next game though we referred to as the fake game because even if you rolled a gutter ball the pinsetter would say you knocked down at least 4. Shadiest bowling alley ever....but it was still so fun! On the way home we stopped for Hungry Jacks aka Burger King...even better!

Ryanne ready for her big fight...

miss you kerri bear!

Today we didn't have any official UWA Orientation activities so we just hung out around Currie Hall. The awesome Res Club again provided us with a hilarious means of entertainment...SUMO suits. It was soo funny to watch people rolling around in these giant suits, pushing each other around and trying to get up. (Don't worry Mom I didn't participate I just took photos and watched from a safe distance :).) After lunch Ryanne and I walked to the bank on campus and then sat outside and colored in the fabulous coloring books provided for me by the adorable Ms. Kerri Symes! It was such a gorgeous day out, FINALLY so we sat out for a while, until of course I got bit by a mozzie (mosquito) and then broke the yellow crayon...right in the middle of coloring Winnie the Pooh! Worsttt...

Tomorrow we enroll in classes which should be tons of fun and not even a little bit stressful... I thought picking classes at F&M was bad, this place makes it a million times more complicated, but apparently as long as your lecture is recorded you can take another class during that time. So hopefully tomorrow I won't have too many clashes and will be able to get a good schedule.

Hope ya'll are surviving the heat at home, I'm going to go outside and enjoy this sunny breezy day!

XO

don't worry mom, i wore it strictly for this photo :)

Sunday Sickness

Ahhh, Sunday Sickness...we've all had our fair share of sudden illnesses, the headache that suddenly arrives at midnight, or the stomachache from too much food at lunch that just doesn't allow us to go to church...but here in Perth I am experiencing a new kind of Sunday Sickness...Sunday HOMEsickness...I haven't really been homesick yet but today was definitely the worst day yet. Sundays at home are my favorite day! We all just hang out and we're completely free of any outside distractions and it is just our family and we all just act silly and have lots of laughs and so many great memories. I want to play Cranium with Jack...he does the best blowfish impression...

To try to beat the homesickness before the afternoon tea party we have to go to today to meet the principal of the college I went for a walk in King's Park. King's Park is HUGE. We walked for about 2 hours and we barely scratched the surface. Unfortunately I didn't bring my camera so all the pictures are taken from the internet. Hopefully the next time I go I will remember to bring my camera. Anyway the park is massive, and there are all these cool places to stop and rest, or just hang out. There are a bunch of green areas and big fountains, and some pretty botanical gardens. Some of the paths are walking paths only, and others are for cyclists as well. The whole walking on the left thing was scary enough without including cyclists who are supposed to ring their bells when they are behind you and passing, which is courteous and all but if you don't hear them approaching you basically have a heart attack. It took us about 40 minutes to get to the actual park so the first part was kind of boring view-wise, the company and conversation however were extremely enjoyable. We walked through a part of the park, over the Lotterywest Federation Walkway which was a really pretty bridge that went over a part of the park. Then we walked down what felt like a million steep stairs and walked along the river back to campus, just in time for lunch.

That's all for now since we're off to meet the principal of Currie Hall!

Missing the family like craazyyyyy. Play Cranium for me! XO

it's a bit different down under...

UWA School of Business

Today I walked to campus to explore a bit, waste some time while  my clothes were in the dryer, and most importantly to see how long it would take me to get to my classes at the business school which is the farthest building on campus. Let's just say if I have early  morning classes it will be a serious struggle, I am seriously considering getting a bike. I was power walking, without a backpack, in running shoes and it took me 15 minutes to get there. Early morning classes, weather, and amount of books are going to play a serious role in my making it to class on time. Wish me luck!

helpful sign

As I was walking back from the business school it of course started to downpour. I was pretty tired from my power walk so I just meandered in the rain and got soaked. I did manage to stay on the left side of the path and not get in anyone's way. (yes Kyle I'm learning) plus it helps that there are signs all along the river to remind me what side I should be on. A lot of people walk along the river, especially since there are a few cafes and restaurants along the path to stop at. There are even a bunch of public restrooms just in case. Apparently there are also ellipticals and workout bikes along the river that you can use and enjoy "a workout with a view." I haven't spotted any of these genius machines but perhaps if I ever get the desire to workout, out in public, along the river, where anyone can stare at me sweating to death I'll go hunting for them.

SO, a lot of people have been asking me what it is like down here and what sort of things are different from being home. The most significant thing that I have noticed is how nice and helpful everyone around here is. The day we were wandering in the city we literally could have asked anyone on the street for help and been practically 100% guaranteed that they would help point us in the right direction or at least in the direction of someone who could help us out. 
The toilets do not spin in the other direction. In fact they don't spin at all. The water comes from the front and the back of the bowl and then it all goes down the drain, there is no spinning motion whatsoever, more like a waterfall from two directions. Most toilets also have a half flush and full flush option so you can conserve water.
The light switches are also different. The ones that turn on the outlets are flat dime sized buttons and the ones that turn on the lights are about the size of a tictac. You also flick them down to turn them on and up to turn them off which is the opposite of the US. The outlets are also differntly shaped and the amount of voltage allowed is lower in our rooms so if I want to use a blowdryer I have to use it in the bathroom.
The dial tone is also diffent when you make a call. To me it is more unpleasant and harsher than the dial tone at home. I'm sure I'll get used to it soon enough and then not like the one at home but for now it sounds so weird when I call out.

zig zag crosswalk alert

Something else that I noticed while wandering around is the cross walks. I'm not sure if you can tell from this photo but beyond the actually cross walk on the right side is a zig zag line. The zig zag line signals that a cross walk is coming up. I have never seen this before in the US but maybe we have them and I just have never noticed them. I may be getting better at walking on the left side of the path but I still forget which way to look when crossing the street. Obviously I look both ways several times since I'm so scared of getting hit by a car but its still funny to instinctively look right even though the closest car would be coming up the left side. Also hilarious, today I thought a dog was driving a car and then realized that the dog was the front seat passenger on the left side of the car and the human was of course driving on the right side of the car.



Everything here is also a lot more money. Postage to the US is about $1.60 for letters and they also don't have the stamps that are like stickers. Instead they have those gross tasting ones that you have to lick. Conveniently they have this little roller thing that moistens them for you so you don't have to lick them. It cost me $3 to do my laundry today too. $1 per washer and I used two and then $1 for 30 mintues in the dryer. The $1 and $2 money are coins and they dont have one cent or two cent pieces anymore so when you buy something they round it up or down to a mulitple of 5 to make it easier. The bus into the city was $2.60 one way but apparently once Uni starts we will get a bus pass and it will be discounted to about 80cents per way. Alcohol is also supposed to be pretty expensive like $50-$80 for a typical bottle of vodka and upwards from there. Everyone mostly drinks wine which is cheaper and they have a boxed wine, commonly referred to as goon, that costs about $11 for 4 liters...quite the bargain. I haven't gone out partying yet but I'm sure once I do my liver and wallet will not be pleased. Just kidding, only my wallet will be upset because I am a responsible drinker.

pink car!

I think I'm going to take a nap now, doing laundry and walking in the rain really tired me out. I have yet to conquer jetlag but I feel a victory coming on quite soon! xo

Perth is so Perthyyy

I apologize for the abrupt end to my first post, I'm new to this whole blogging thing and was having some serious struggles with editing and posting...

YAY!

SO after surviving the hikes/walks/treks, different food, and annoying birds in Sydney we were off to Perth.  Vince picked me up at the center because my flight was a few hours before the rest of the group. Check-in was a breeze and after a delicious breakfast wrap from Hungry Jacks (the OZ equivalent to Burger King) I bought internet for $5 at the gate and reconnected with everyone at home. The plane boarded about half an hour late because it needed to be cleaned and catered. Once we were on the plane we were informed that we would be delayed even longer because there was a light on up front that was claiming that the baggage door was open even though it wasn't. They had to manually open the door using a tool that they didn't currently have. By the time they had obtained the tool, opened the door, closed the door, and filled out the necessary paperwork, we were already over an hour late. There was a chance that if it took too long we would have to deplane because the people in the back of the plane were overheating due to lack of air conditioning. We did however finally get on our way, the pilot made sure to fly low and fast and we didn't end up getting in too late. I sat in between a very nice couple, he apparently liked the window, and she preferred the aisle, however they still continued to have conversations across me for most of the flight...By the time we landed in Perth, and got our baggage after the delay because they needed the same tool to manually open the door in order to get it all out. You would think they would keep a tool for opening the cargo door pretty handy...
The rest of the group got there a little bit after me and we all climbed on a very small bus and were off to UWA.

Currie Hall B House

This is Currie Hall, House B. My new home for the next few months. I live on the fourth floor...lets just say my shoulder and back are still killing me from lugging my 2 75lb suitcases all the way upstairs. My room is a single and it is really cozy. The only that that is weird is that I have to bring my card key to get into the bathroom. Australia also has a really innovative way to save energy...all of the outlets have an off/on switch so even if you leave something plugged in you can turn the outlet off so it doesn't keep sucking power even if you aren't using the device. I have lots of room for all of my stuff and my bed isn't too uncomfortable. They are shorter than college beds at home, but they are wider so I have more room to sprawl. But of course there are annoying birds here too. There is a very large black bird that sits outside my window and squawks..and he actually sounds like a dying goat.

Bus/train map

The first day we were here, Megan, Dillon and I went exploring in the city. We managed to get a bus to and from the city without too much trouble...GO US! We walked around the CBD (central business district) for a bit and then trekked all the way across the city to the "DMV" of Australia to get our 18 and up cards so we don't have to carry our passports out with us. The most impressive part of this adventure was that we managed to get there using a bus and train map that had about 3 road names on it...we are regular old Burkes (one of the first European explorers to cross Australia). We should be getting those cards in 7-10 days, and then the partying begins! And by partying I mean extra safe and controlled activity.

UWA

UWA is ginormous. The school itself has about 15,000 people and the campus is quite a walk. Of course I have classes in the business school which is the farthest building on campus...oh well...at least between walking to class and climbing up to my 4th floor room I will stay in shape. Its a really beautiful campus and everyone who is here seems very nice and helpful. There aren't very many people here right now because classes don't even start until August 1st. We have sort of been left to fend for ourselves til orientation starts next week. I don't mind though because the place is gorgeous and I'm all for laying around trying to beat the jet lag for a few more days.

pillar in the center of campus

I am really excited for classes to start and to meet more people. I'm also looking forward to learning again and maybe learning differently than I did at F&M. The class sizes here are on average 700 people per lecture with weekly tutorials of about 30 people. It is very different from what I am used to at F&M but change is good!


As my adorable new friend Megan would say, "I hope ya'll are doing well back there." Yes, she is from Texas and she is kind of awesome.


But in all seriousness, I miss you all lots and love you all so much! Keep me posted on life over there and let me know of any juicy gossip...or important news. Lots of love from down under! xo

Black swans on the river right by UWA

g'day mate.

Greetings from down under! No the toilets don't flush the other way, but they are more efficient. Not only do people drive on the other side of the road but the also walk on the other side. I am seriously struggling with this and keep running into everyone! Luckily the people are here are ridiculously  nice and no one seems to mind too much.

Sydney was sort of a whirlwind visit. After breezing through customs I was surprised with Vince's familiar face. I had no idea he was meeting me at the airport but it was so great to have him there to help me find the group. Once everyone had arrived we were split up into groups and put on different buses. I said bye to Vince and climbed aboard. We stayed at the Sydney Academy of Sports and Recreation, which was in Narrabeen in a natural park. Now, I'm all for nature and its beauty but the birds there were some of the most annoying things I have ever had to deal with. They were so loud and squawked all day and all night. The food at the academy was pretty good and they introduced us to some usual Australian delicacies, beans on toast and spaghetti for breakfast! Everything was delicious and although some things were a little different than home we all survived. At the came we learned bush dancing one night which was like line dancing, but the caller banged on a giant Australia shaped tambourine. The man in charge of the academy, Ben, was literally all over. He cooked dinner, he took us on tours, he drove the bus he was the man. He took us on a bush walk the first night there, it was much more of a hike/trek than a walk but it was totally worth it. We hiked up the hills in the pouring rain to an aboriginal site where they carved pictures into the rocks. There were pictures of sharks, kangaroos and hunters. It was probably a two hour hike and we ended up drenched but the views and site were definitely worth it.

carvings of the hunter

 We got bussed into Sydney one day and then had the opportunity to visit the Taronga Zoo and then take a ferry over to the Opera House and the famous bridge that I can't remember the name of.

The Zoo was really nice and we got there early in the morning on a colder day so most of the animals were out and about. We went to see a bird show and towards the end they flew a wedge-tailed eagle named Nonami who took off and was just taking forever to come back. The zookeeper told us that the animals were trained by being rewarded for good behavior and not forced to do anything they didn't want to. Well, eventually she told us to leave if we wanted because Nonami just did not want to come down and they couldn't show us the other birds until she had come in. Then all of the sudden another trainer appeared with Nonami hooded and the show was abruptly called to an end and we started to walk towards the ferry. On our way we passed a small infant garden where parents could park their strollers and have picnics, there was a family down there with EMT's and apparently Nonami had flown down and attacked their 18month old. We saw her last show.