P.s. I finally have a little!!
Living in a Land Down Under
Monday, February 14, 2011
Bentley
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Living in a Land Down Under
Decided it only fair that the most overplayed song during my time in Australia become the background noise for the slideshow. I met some wonderful people while abroad and cannot believe that my year long study abroad experience has come to an end. The experience certainly had some extremely bizarre ups and downs. Overall it was a worthwhile experience, I learned alot about myself and others. & for all of you who questioned why I of all people was uncomfortable going into bars... I think Sarah Turnbull in Almost French says it best on pg 177, "As a woman, walking into a pub filled full of blokes in Australia can be intimidating: the attention often has a discomforting edge." Not to mention, the increasing violence reports from Surfer's Paradise. aka CANNOT WAIT TO PARTY IN THE USA. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ezfk7s1NyY
Additionally, Sarah Turnball captures leaving Australia perfectly. While leaving England was sad, I was more upset about leaving Ericka and new friends behind. I was exhausted from whirlwind European adventures and was eager to get home to see my Big and the seniors graduating and my sisters at Prom. Leaving Australia was entirely different. I feel like I actually left a world behind, one in which I had grown fond of and comfortable in; incomparison to the feeling of coming home from a vacation as I did on my return home from England. This time around there was more than the fleeting pang of remorse to be leaving:
"If we look out our windows we can have one last glimpse of Australia, the voice says in that practised this-is-your-captain-speaking tone... The change in background is abrupt, leaving little time for sentimentality. One second flying over what had seemed an incessant desert - such a funny pink in the evening light- then the space beneath us is a vastness of deep blue. Looking back over my shoulder, I watch the evanescence of Australia, transfixed. The coastline, with its white frill of surf, becomes smaller and smaller, until finally it disappears entirely as though I'd imagined it. A pang of nostalgia stabs my stomach and then I take off my sunglasses." -Sarah Turnball in Almost French
I am currently eagerly awaiting to see how my grades transfer back at Bentley. In the mean time I am reading up on Economics in Maui as I am taking a two week course when I get back on January 3rd!
It's nice to be spending time with the family finally and I will be sure to post some of the crazy Longvall girl stories soon!
Hope all of your holidays have been merry! xx
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Monday, December 6, 2010
Week 11 and 12
I had been so wrapped up with school work that I could not do much other than school. I really literally lived in the library the past two weeks and my body is still crying in pain due to looking at computer sceens for so long. I wrote a history paper, an advertising paper, gave an advertising presentation, wrote a marketing plan, gave a sports marking presentation, and wrote a few speeches basically in two weeks. After my presentation I left the following morning at 4:30 am to Fraser island with leila. I slept the entire way there, then did not even go out that night. I am still exhausted, but I have another 2 papers and exams to study for. I am soo excited to be going to Maui with the fam after this, even though I am already down under, it is currently raining and when it is sunny, I end up in the library anyways. Woof.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Week 10
Byron Surf Town |
We chilled at the beach the next day. We had had a 10:30 skydive appt, but because of the rain we did not end up being picked up until around 3:30.
We slept on the beach, had some tea at a cafe, and then did some shopping and walked around a bit more.

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He caught my hair elastic as it was falling out during free fall... pretty good trick |
Mom, I have a whole album worth of photos justttt for you. :)
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Week 9
Thursday: Libby's 21st B-day! I had to register that night, so I could not drink! Love Marisa for letting me use her room and ethreanet set up... Literally at 11:58 I handed my half finished vredbull to Libby and ran from the bar to her room. Got all my courses! General Business 401, 2 Science electives, Lit, and Marketing Research. After this semester, provided the online Macro course occurs, I shall be completely done with General Education requirements! Hooray.
Dear Bentley Registrar, granted I was up anyways, I do not think I should be compelled to stay up until 12 a.m. to register. Rather, I do not think I should have to plan my social life, or change my drinking habits on a thursday night due to an 'early' registration time. Love, Helen's liver.


I turned in two major projects though! So now I have four more projects, two presentations, and three exams... almost done..
Monday, November 8, 2010
Sydney
Got off the plane, took the train to King's Cross where my hostel "The Funk House" was located.
"Most Australians who have visited Sydney at one time or another have wandered through the Cross, if only for a look at how the "other half" live and play ... The strip clubs, topless waitresses, adult bookshops and tacky nightclubs ... small, trendy cafes... The Cross is most sleazy at night, when the bright lights come on and the action hots up. During the day it can look a lot less threatening.
Visitors to the area should be careful, especially at night, as people do get mugged here. The other thing to be careful of is the spuikers outside nightclubs: they can be intimidating and aggressive and have been a problem in recent times.
You will see some pretty strange sights around the Cross." -http://www.sydney.com.au/kingsx.htm
Coco Cubano |
CLEARLY, did not do research before I chose my hostel. Granted it was the only one avaliable at the time. I got off the literally screeching and howling train, as one French passenger put it "This train reminds me of the Bronx," should have picked up then and there we were not headed towards the 'nice' area of town. I got off the train and instantly thought what in the world have I got myself into. Literally on my 50 meter walk to the hostel, a showgirls, an adult toy show, a dollar store, an adult concession shop, a bar, coco cubano, mcd's, a 'gentleman's club,' the sugarhill bar, and then? My hostel. I literally wanted to vomit it was so unbelievably scummy. Granted had I been with a group going out for the night I would have thought differently. This I accomplished the following night and the place is an absolute blast! It also has a great cafe culture and nice little boutique restaurants. I rather enjoyed it in the daylight!
The first day I woke up and left to go into the city, I took the train to Circular Quay and literally you know how often times a film will show the Opera House and you hear in the background and opera voiced "AwwwHH" ? As I stepped off the train to my fist viewing of the Quay with the Sydney Bridge on one side, the opera house on the other side, and a seagull in the middle my brain went "AwwwwHH." It was simply breathtaking. It is exactlyyy how you would imagine it.
I walked around for a bit taking photos then decided I wanted to go to Manly Beach.
I took the Ferry over and did a cliff walk... and managed an hour out, to get stuck out in the rain quite literally. I was soaked, ended up having to buy an umbrella on the way back and a tee-shirt because I was soaked thoroughly and was freezing. I got Max Brenna Mint Hot Chocolate to warm up while waiting for the Ferry back. As terrible as the rain was, the walk was possibly my favorite part of the trip. It was like a hidden gem. I stumbled into a cafe over on Shelly Beach which was quite good also, they had a corn muffin with rasberry's for sale which served as breakfast/lunch for the day!
Sydney Flag |
The next morning I woke up and took a walk into the city stopping at coco cubano for a cappacino. I then walked to the Peek Tour, a free walking tour. I don't really suggest it, while it was nice to hear a little history, it was three hours... it could really be dropped down to one-two hours. I took a walk around the rocks, around the botanical gardens and then dayraged at the Flugtag Competition put on by Redbull.
There were soo many people, you couldn't move, so people just stood drank and smoked on the sides. It was all good fun. I then wandered down to the Quay and walked in to the contemporary art museum for a bit, then walked to get gelato, then went to watch the stars in white arrive for the Aria Awards, then went to get on a train to Bondi Junction to see Bondi Beach. On the inside of the clock tower is where one of the legended chalk cursive 'eternity' was written.
The picture to the right was taken in the beautiful gardens.
Below a street fair, all the little girls were wearing tutu's. Obviously loved it!
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