Shenanigans

(Photo courtesy of Michael, thank you!)

Long time no see, alas, I have been procrastinating my blog. (I've always wanted to use the word "alas"). Since we last spoke, I have done a fair few exciting things. Last Friday, there was a Glow Paint party at the local Gallery Night Club. We all got dressed in the most unflattering colour in the universe, white, and went out. At the club we were spattered with neon coloured paints and danced the night away under black-lights. It was an all around excellent night spent with some of the best people.

I also went back to the break wall, this time in a wetsuit, and we jumped off of the small wall, except for Daniel, who once again proves my point that Australians have no concept of fear.

I had some pretty lovely nights, just chilling with my friends here as well. The sunsets are insanely breathtaking and are better enjoyed in the company of people who mean something to you.

This past weekend, I had a great opportunity to help out with a video that is being shot for the publicity of the Friends of Merri Marine Sanctuary. An Australian National Park manager and his wife were hired to create a video for FOMMS to show to tourists or people who wanted more information on the Merri Marine Sanctuary. To film some parts of their video, Chris and Kerri had to dive and film under water. Because he works for the national parks, they needed a shore observer to sit on the beach and make sure that they returned to the surface. They of course got the best shore observer, me. 

They were extremely generous people and had taken me out to eat at the Warrnambool Pub the night before, which had a stellar atmosphere as well as served a scrumptious chicken kiev. It was an enlightening opportunity and I had the opportunity to speak with some people who could tell me more about different career paths and other volunteer opportunities that I could get involved in.

While I was shore observing, I saw this thing flying over head that looked as if it was an engine attached to a parachute. It was rather strange and as I laid there and stared at it, all that went through my head was the scene from Titanic at the end when Rose sings, "Come Josephine in my flying machine..."

Because I had to be there on Saturday morning at 8 for their first dive, I was exhausted and ready to go home and take a nap when we finished at 1:30. But, that wasn't happening due to the fact that my friend Jacob asked me to go to the beach with him, Michael, and Jill, and I will never deny an offer to go to the beach. They picked me up, we stopped off and got some "hot chips" (*cough*french fries*cough*) and went out to Logan's Beach. If you ever want your breath to get caught in your throat, this is the place to go. The view was magnificent. The water was the perfect hue of blue-green and the location felt so secluded. We spent the rest of the day there swimming in the craziest waves and just hanging out on the beach. Another day in paradise down.

Australia Bucket List

Here are just a few things that I am hoping to do while I'm here in Australia. If you're Australian and would like to help me achieve some, just let me know ;)

• Go to a surfing comp and meet all of my idols
• Camping!!
• Road Trip? (Even just for a day or two)
• Learn to skateboard
• Ocean/Beach trash clean-up
• See a kangaroo, koala, platypus, tasmanian devil...and any other native animal (very cliche, I know)
• Eat kangaroo (Sorry...)
• Find a graduate school 
• Hike a trail
• Go to a Music Festival
• Go to a Pro Footie Game
• Watch the Sunrise
• Go to Phillip Island
• See Ayer's Rock (Uluru)
• Snorkel the Great Barrier Reef
• Get a tattoo (*wink* Stace & Gabby *wink*)
• Eat a meat pie and a sausage roll (Georgia & Dayle...if I don't like it, I blame you).
• Drive on the opposite side of the road, even if it's just in the car park

Although some of these things won't be able to be completed in this trip, unfortunately, I am definitely planning on returning to Australia. I love it here more than I've ever loved a place in my entire life. The told me that the "honeymoon phase" would fade out after about a month and I'd hate it here, but I honestly don't see that happening any time soon. Thank you to everyone who has made this an amazing trip so far. I couldn't have done it without you. <3

Adventure Time!

I am excited to say that I have found a new favourite class. If you know me, you'll know that it was inevitable that I would love this unit. Human impacts on aquatic ecosystems. I remember one time my brother telling me that every time he sees the Dawn commercial where they are cleaning the oil off of the poor penguins, he thinks that that's what I will do with my life. And after the practical I had on Monday, I think so as well. A practical here is a lab and this was the first lab that I have enjoyed. I believe that I enjoyed it because I actually liked what I was learning about and understood it because I enjoyed it. We did a lab where we simulated an oil spill in the ocean and tested different ways to efficiently clean the water. It was so cool, the oil was actually just cocoa mixed with vegetable oil that we then poured into a bowl filled with blue dyed water. It was so interesting.

Yesterday, I took a trip to the most epic rope swing ever. It took me ages to work up the courage to jump but I finally did and it was so fun. It was kind of a janky tree house made out of scraps of wood and other random bits. It swung into the Hopkins River which was surprisingly warm and was a great end to my day.

          

     

Then today after classes got out, Jared and I drove to the breakwall to meet some other people where I would jump to my potential death. I had been here before, but we only jumped off of the shorter wall. This time we were jumping off of the higher one and I am not about that free-fall life. So, I went up there to see how high it was and realised that these Australians were once again, insane. But they weren't letting me off the hook that easily, and proceeded to cheer at me (notice that I didn't say "for" me) until I managed to jump off...10 minutes later. I mean I had to, I was the only American there and had to represent. So after I jumped off once, I had to do it again for a photo right? So I got up there and jumped again with Madi, and word to the wise, do not land on your butt...it's been a little over six hours and it still hurts. 

     

I then got back and went on a family trip to the beach with my housemates. Another amazing end to a full week of classes.

   

J's on my Feet... (and by J's I mean jellies)

Here are three random photos that make me happy. The first is of the best shoes ever created that are very popular here. The US tried to recreate jellies for adults but they were just uncomfortable plastic thong sandals. These are jellies and I may just have to buy a pair for all my cousins back home, seeing as they were the shoe of all of our childhoods. Also, at the dollar store (Cheap as Chips) they were advertising for Easter mugs...some words (assorted) shouldn't be shortened. And finally, you'll see one of the sample sweatshirts sent to us to try on before we order our resi jumpers. Why anyone thought that putting that on a sweatshirt was a good idea, I'll never know.

There was also a pre-season AFL (Australian League Football) game going on at the oval the other night. Don't confuse AFL with rugby or soccer, it's neither and you will never hear the end of it. I still don' t quite understand the game, but it was intriguing to watch.

And lastly, Happy St. Patty's Day! They go all out for this holiday here, I almost thought I was in Ireland. We had a great night at The Seanchai Irish Pub where there was a live band playing, who performed Wonderwall/Champagne Supernova by Oasis per my request. 

    

Moustache men, Eric and Evan. 

     

Three of the best girls; Gabby, Jacinta, and Stacey.

Gabby had to make herself shorter for Charlie and I....

Boys will be boys? Jared, Kettle in his homemade box outfit, complete with a built in cup holder, and Jake in a morph suit, I knew someone would be in one last night.

 

And here we have two of my favourite pictures from last night; Jared, Kettle, Stacey and I with Jacinta's accomplished photobombing attempt. And Jesse, Eric, Bree, Tim, and I looking classy as hell.