Day 47: Melbourne Part 1

On Friday my roommate V, her friend Ir (also from New York), their other friend C, Helen, and myself were to embark upon a 10hr long road trip to Melbourne at 1pm. I'm ready at 1pm but for some reason we don't end up leaving until 2:30. I'm hauling my bag down to the car, and then I see it, the tiny, total POS Nissan Pulsar that will be my home for the next 10hrs. I've had a cold for awhile and almost eradicated it, but Thursday night it came back with a vengence. I went to bed early, but woke up Friday morning still feeling pretty awful which will make all of this that much more fun no doubt. Before we get in, I request a window seat so that I can try and catch a little sleep because, I'm feeling ill. C is driving, Ir and V announce that they HAVE to smoke so therefore they MUST be by a window leaving Helen and I to a window seat and the dreaded middle seat. Helen is also quite sick and has a cough that sounds quite disturbing. She's very sweet though and volunteers to take the middle. So we get in the car. And by get in the car, I mean cram in like sardines. Really, V won't even move her seat up far enough for me to not be all hunched up. I feel like I'm in a crate; cool. So we get started. I try to work my way into a semi-comfortable position and snooze a bit. The girls in the front seat make this very difficult for me by turning up the music REALLY loud. Helen periodically tells them I'm trying to sleep and asks them to turn it down, which they do for 3 minute or so intervals before turning it back up to Abercrombie/club worthy levels.

Its obvious from the get-go that C has really poor driving skills; and I'm phrasing that quite euphemistically. When we finally do get on the highway, she does weird things like hit the breaks and grips the wheel really tight and shaky to where the car is constantly jerking around. Its quite nauseating. At one point, she misinterpreted what the GPS said, got off on the wrong exit and then took us on this dirt road for TEN km through a FARM to get us back on the main highway.

Oh, and then it begins. V and Ir take turns rolling down their windows and lighting up cigarettes. Smoke and cold air hit Helen and I in the face in the most unpleasant of manners. Helen coughs like she may die any minute and the air steadily gets colder and colder as we drive south until it feels like we're on the north face of a mountain in Canada somewhere during a snow storm. And after a few hours of being forced to play sardines I'm beginning to get really tense and achy. I pop a Benedryl hoping to just go out. It works a little bit for maybe an hour but its nearly impossible to sleep while the radio is blasting and the three girls I'm referring to as letters are talking non-stop in their SUPER obnoxious New York accents about drugs and hooking up with boys and all these people who I have never met (and never hope to). Oh and they can't say a sentence without putting the F word in it. At one point I was counting the number of F words Ir uses in a five minute period. It was mindblowing/appalling. I can't handle that very well. So I was extremely groggy, congested, in pain, and had nothing to contribute to any of the conversation happening leaving me feeling quite isolated in a car with five other people.

At the first gas station everyone got out of the car and I passed out on the backseat since I was finally able to stretch out a little bit. But 7 minutes later everyone was back and that meant I had to re-assume the upright fetal position, but this time in the dreaded middle seat bc I couldn't leave poor Helen there the whole time and the smokers obviously couldn't sit there bc how else would they be able to blow smoke and cold air in our faces? The second time we stopped, I asked V if I could take a turn in the front seat (due to the incredible aching in my back). She looked at me like I was quite silly and said, "Two smokers can't sit in the backseat! Someone could suffocate." Oh I get that. No wait, I don't. So I was like, "V, I'm SIX FEET TALL." She obviously didn't see why that mattered and shrugged me off like, "And your point is...?" So I carted my extremely frustrated and cramped behind back into the backseat.

Back in the death chamber, I mean backseat, I called the hostel Helen and I were staying in to get their address (the other girls were staying in a hotel... Australia's Motel 6 equivalent) so we could put it into the GPS. The hostel people informed that it would be in our best interest to get there by 1:30am because after that the desk closes and you have to track down the night warden to check you in. I make sure the other girls know this and give V the address to put into the GPS. For some reason she is completely incapable of doing this and after trying for 7min or so, C starts freaking out and tells her to put the GPS back on the dashboard. She's worried she will miss a turn even though the GPS clearly says there are NO TURNS for another 300km. Yes, 300. But she won't let anyone touch the GPS. I start stress eating lots of junk food I bought at the gas station which makes me feel even more like crap.

Later, the inevitable happens. About 2 hours out of Melbourne Ir suggests that they drop their stuff off at their hotel first and then take us to the hostel. Fine, whatever. I'm so achy and tired of being cold and doused in smoke that I keep repeating in my head, "I wish I was dead, I wish I was dead, I wish I was dead..." Helen and I start making fun of the other girls and the fact that we wish we were dead to ourselves to try and make light of the situation. They of course are so wrapped up in themselves that they have no idea we're laughing at them. Perhaps this was also because our laughter was the half-hearted sort that is characteristic of people that wish they were dead.

Finally we make it to Melbourne and get to their hotel at 1am. Helen gets out of the car and helps them get their bags out, then comes and gets back into the backseat with me. And then we wait. Ten minutes later, V calls Helen and says that they'll be right out. Another ten minutes goes by, aaand nothing. I call V and tell her to hurry up and she replies that they're coming right then. Five more minutes go by and I'm getting really stinking impatient AND its 1:25. I call V again, she says, "We're coming right now!" in her obnoxious New York accent and HANGS UP ON ME. At that moment, something in my brain snaps like a twig. All of the injustices done to Helen and I over the course of the last day flash before my eyes and I imagine what I was feeling is similar to what the Hulk feels like when he's turning green. FINALLY the girls come out. Not only did they put their stuff in the room, like they were supposed to, but they took the liberty of SHOWERING, getting dressed up, putting on makeup, etc before strutting back to the Nissan Pulsar in which they left Helen and I, who are SICK, in the backseat of OVER half and hour ago. AND ITS AFTER 1:30. I go freakin' nuts and start yelling at them for being inconsiderate you-know-whats and all three of them are on me in a heartbeat screaming back. A memorable quote occurred when I was like, "WHY DIDN'T YOU HURRY UP!?" to which V replies: "Uh, we WANTED to GO OUT KATH-A-RYN!" This goes on and I don't even know what I'm yelling about anymore until Helen butts in and shuts everyone up. Then we drive in awkward silence the very short five minutes to our hostel. Which I found in the GPS in a matter of 1.5 minutes by the way. This is the longest five minutes of my life; my cheeks are burning, I feel my heartbeat in my eyeballs, I want to cry or break windows or scream. Instead I just sit there and feel my heart pound, loathing yankees thinking about how everything people say about them is true and how I really had NO idea that anyone could be that inconsiderate. I thought manners were this thing that adults just had and used them even though they don't want to sometimes, but they suck it up for the sake of common decency. I was so shocked.

We get to the hostel and as soon and Helen and I get our bags out and shut the trunk, V, C, and Ir drive off not caring to see if we get in ok even though its PAST 1:30 and they've caused us to miss proper check-in. AND they have the nerve to yell YOU'RE WELCOME out the window at me as they drive away. Really, I am in disbelief.

The next bits of my life are an angry blur, but we managed to get inside and get our beds. Helen and I decide that we will certainly not subject ourselves to that ever again and we will book plane tickets home first thing in the morning. I lay there and try to fall asleep because I'm so exhausted, but my mind is just spinning at the events of the last hours.

The next morning its cold and raining, great. Helen and I get breakfast then go to the nearest internet cafe and book tickets home on Jetstar on Monday. I call my parents and try to convey to them what just happened. Mom ends the conversation with a comment on the girls' character that made me feel a bit smug because if Cynthia Davis says that about you, it must be true. Then we get coffee and I have some amazing banana bread. It works well as comfort food. We go back to the hostel and sit down to unenthusiastically try to plan our day because we honestly have no idea what one is supposed to do when one visits Melbourne. Then Helen gets a text message and does the "I don't believe this" chuckle. I ask her what it says and she insists I don't worry about it which gives me the go-ahead to demand to read it. Its from V and says something to the effect of, "We're not mad at you, Helen, but we're really pissed at Kat for the way she handled things last night when she started bitching like child." Yes, they said I was "bitching like a child." At first, I don't think it bothers me that much. Then I just kinda feel like someone cut a big hole in me somewhere and drained the life out of me. I tell Helen I really just want to go lay down, which then becomes our plan for a day. I was still shocked and all I could think about was how much I missed Sydney and wanted to go home (back to Sydney) and that this whole thing was a HUUGE mistake. And you know I'm not a crier, but I lay down and let out a few tears before falling asleep in my tear, snot, and drool puddles; the absolute picture of defeat.

And this is where I will leave the story for now because re-telling that is quite draining. Isn't that AWFUL!? Yea, I know. Don't worry though, things do get better.

Day 44: Australia as Usual

I don't have so much to blog about anymore. You know why? Oddly enough, I've achieved this overwhelming sense of normalcy here. It doesn't really feel like I'm on vacation anymore or that I'm even studying abroad. It just feels like I live here and that's just what I do. This may not seem profound to you, but when I really think about it, I'm blown away by the whole thing. I genuinely love it here and feel comfortable.

Also oddly enough, I'm really enjoying class here. Like a lot. I have class straight through from 9-6 on Thursdays (hour break 2-3) and then go straight to the gym for pump class at 6:30. As bad as it sounds, I kind of enjoy it. Its the day I have Buddhist philosophy for several hours and it forces me to do lots of really hard thinking, which I enjoy. Weird, I know. My only complaint is the kid in my tutorial who brings his Macbook and talks through his nose in a nauseating way, a lot. But, heck I don't even mind him; he's grown on me after a few weeks. And my social work tut is awesome. The tutor is this adorable older lady with a dark pink stripe died into her bangs and everyone discusses social work issues really passionately. I even work up a little enthusiasm after being in class for 300 hours straight before that.

Then going to the gym after is great because of my awesome instructor named Suzy. She's this middle aged, spunky, super toned, bleach blonde who is so enthusiastic. When we're getting towards the end of our reps and looks like we're about to fall over she always says things like, "Come on team!" or "Give me a few more team, that's the way!" She makes me want to be a gym instructor when I'm middle aged. (Which feels scarily close now that I'm 20). My spin instructor is hilarious too. She tried to get the class to sing happy birthday to me on Tuesday, but I protested loudly. They all thought it was very precious that I was just turning 20. I think she used to be a competitive aerobics dancer thing. Her bike is broken right now so she just does aerobics (that are quite complex) while yelling at us to up our resistance and I think I heard her say something about a move being from her championship aerobics routine. Yea, I didn't know they had those either.

Other parts of my normalcy include Tuesdays at Scruffy's where there are still creepers trying to get at me, but I have friends that keep them away now (when they're doing their jobs ha). I end up at the boys' apartment a lot to play nintendo or hearts. Oh, I lost hearts for the first time ever on Wednesday night, not pleased about that one. I find myself at that gelato place all the time and eat gelato like its my job. I'm proud to say that I've been there at least ten times, never gotten the same flavor, and liked every single one. I read a lot for my classes, eat weird Cheerios, grocery shop at Broadway, goof off around uni, and do lots of other Australian things as though this is what I've been doing for years. And the people here feel like they've been my friends for much, much longer than a month.

So I'm sorry that this post is really boring and apologize in advance for potentially boring future posts. I'm about to leave for Melbourne. Actually, we should have left an hour ago and I have no idea what's going on. I'm feeling sick again and am going to be in a car full or girls for the next ten hours so maybe that will make for an interesting post when I come home. Wish me luck! I will need it. Or maybe I'll just settle for a semi-comfortable position and some Benedryl...

P.S. Got my first grade back and made a D! Which stands for distinction and is a good thing. Woot.

Day 41: Birth

I had such a fantastic birthday!! I knew I wanted to dress up, go for dinner, and then go out Friday night but I didn't really have a plan (which was making me feel panicky). I ran into Arin in the library and was like, "oh yea, we're going out for dinner, I think at some Italian place in Newtown..." and she was like, "Is someone planning this for you?" And when I said no, she immediately took charge and called me a few hours later with the plan. That made me feel so much better and actually excited about the whole birthday thing.

I did some grocery shopping and bought a birthday present for myself: a bottle of Soco. Then I went home and proceeded to begin the festivities. Noah and Helen came over and played cards with me until it was time to start getting dressed. I wore my semi-new long dress that's all abstract crazy that I love. Kris and Attie came over and gave me a lovely little chocolate birthday cake! Then we rounded up the troops and went to UniLodge to meet up with the other girls and head down to Darling Harbor.

We had girls only dinner at a restaurant called Olivo. A bunch of us got cocktails and talked for awhile. The setting on the harbor was so perfect. We ordered dinner and I decided to be Australian cool and ordered kangaroo. It was so delicious, I found it to be very similar to steak. Everyone was so sweet and paid for my meal and drinks. Amber and I went to the bathroom and when I came back the boys had shown up and there was an ambush involving people singing Happy Birthday. The waiters brought out a fabulous chocolate cake with sparkler candles. I didn't know you weren't supposed to blow out sparkler candles and was really confused when I couldn't get them to go out. Oh and I just realized because of this, I didn't make a wish, oops. The plate had "Happy Birthday to Sexy Katrine" written around the edge of it in chocolate sauce. I found this to be quite hilarious. Arin brought me over to the waitstaff so they could get a picture with Sexy Katrine (which is kind of my new nickname now). After everyone tried some of the cake, we headed down to the water and took pictures and such.

Next stop was Pontoon Bar. We danced until midnight happened and then I freaked out because I didn't want to be 20. Someone bought me a shot however, and I figured that was a good enough reason to keep dancing. There were many amusing shenanigans taking place over the next four hours. Yea, we were there a good four hours apparently. For example, Ted fell on me and one point and twisted my ankle and I yelled at him for a good five minutes after that. I kept sketching off to dance by myself because I thought that was a great idea and Tim would yell, "Who are you dancing with Kathryn?" before pulling me back into the circle. At some point, I busted out the stanky leg. Then someone decided we should leave so we got cabs back to Newtown.

In Newtown we tried to go to Marly, but it was 3am and they were closing. This confused everyone because we had no idea it was 3 already. So we ended up at Zanzibar. My sandal was really sticky and it was annoying so I whined about it to somebody who noticed that my foot was covered in blood. Yea, who knows. So I ended up in the bathroom cleaning it off and some good samaritan girl gave me a band-aid. On the was home the boys ended up carrying Amber halfway because she was getting blisters. And then I crashed. This is kind of a terrible account, but take my word for it; it was really the greatest night ever. It is going down in my book of legends/epic nights/etc.

The next day I got up and went to Ambers. We went for $6 Thai (I ended up getting two dishes, 'cause its my birthday!) and then caught a bus down to circular quay. We messed around in the rocks for a bit and then crashed out in the royal botanical garden by the harbor and opera house. This guy came up to us and said he was a teacher and he needed us to film him in front of the opera house, so of course we did it. He got on camera and was like "G'DAY GEOGRAPHERS!! rah rah rah..." It was so magnificent/entertaining. And then he asked if we would like to say something, of COURSE we would like to. So we got in front of the opera house and babbled like idiots about what we like about Sydney. Priceless. Can't wait for the kiddies back at school to get a load of us. Haha.
On the way home we stopped by the sports store to try and get some gear for the rugby game we were going to. We found these yellow and green striped scarves that were on sale and bought them, even though they were for some team called the Kangaroos and we were going to a Wallabies game. Same thing right? And conveniently enough, same colors. So, with our awesome scarves on, we met up with the boys and caught the train to ANZ Stadium.

The stadium was the one they used at the olympics and it was MASSIVE. And it was packed out since this game happened to be the Australian Wallabies v. the New Zealand All Blacks. Yea, who knows what an all black is. I had no idea what was going on 96% of the game since it was rugby, but dude were hitting each other really hard, so it was entertaining. The last two minutes were sooo exciting, but that's when we ended up losing the game. By one point. Bummer. And then 90,000 or so people all had to catch the train home. Surprisingly, it all ran very smoothly. Then we went out to Marly. They were playing really bad music so we gave up on that pretty fast and got some of Aiden's legendary $5.50 chicken burgers. A most excellent night cap if I do say so myself.

Oddly enough, I slept all day Sunday. Well, actually I woke up for free bbq, napped, then went to the gym and ended up running a 5k and doing a good 30min of abs. That was a pleasant surprise. Oh, but then I ruined it all later by getting 2 cups of ice cream. That ice cream is sooo good, I just can't help myself. Its really one of my top 5 favorite things about living in Sydney; its really that good.

Today I wasted tons of time, had a pleasant lunch with my friends Reed, and went to the travel agent. I found out the trip I want to do for spring break is booked and they wouldn't even let me get on a waiting list or anything. Then I ended up wasting more time before going to the gym at 6:30 where I did yoga for an hour then ad/bum class for an hour. That was the first time I've done proper yoga in about 3 years and I totally fouled up my shoulder. After the gym Brett came over and pitched the boys' spring break trip plans to me, and they sound pretty good. So I think that's what I'll be doing on sb: a big road trip up and down the coast. Should be ledge.

I need to buy milk. I can't believe I'm 20.

Day 35: Sticks and Phones

Let me start by saying I LOVE MY LIFE! Here's why:

I do school and gym and rah rah yesterday. Then, it being Tuesday night, I get ready and head to Amber's for pre-Scruffy's celebrations. Koko and James are there. I decide that I don't like what I'm wearing or what my hairs doing so I rummage through Amber's closet and steal one of her bobby pins. I find the cutest top ever; its a creamy/taupe color and its really flowy with a large kangaroo pouch-like pocket (that really isn't very functional) in the front of it. I know that doesn't sound cute, but just trust me. So we goof off for a bit, then I stash my cell in the pouch, cash in my jeans pocket and we head to another friend's apartment where a bunch of people are playing King's Cup and yelling at each other. I'm the only American except for these two drunko girls on the couch who are totally embarrassing me as an American. I occasionally voice this to the Australian sitting next to me. I'm wrapped up in the game so I don't noticed Amber and Koko taking off until a bit later and so I wander out into the village to find them. The really cool 5 bedroom apts that have 3 levels have a sliding door on the first floor that opens onto a porch that everyone leaves unlocked. So I wander around yelling "AHMBA!" and eventually someone responds that Amber's in here and I walk into someone's apartment through the screen door. I find Amber and Koko in their friend Jack's room trying to convince him to come out with us. Amber even pulls out her sweet party trick where she can link her arms and then circle them around her entire body. This gives me the great idea that I should call up my bff Noah and also harass him until he comes out with us. A few minutes later I'm out the door and over in Noah's apartment with Amber launching an all out attack on the poor guy. Amber steals his glasses and takes off, so he has no choice but to come. After rounding up the troops, we're cabbin' it to Scruff's.

At Scruffy's I get a glass of cider and mingle and stuff. Then I realize I DON'T KNOW WHERE MY PHONE IS. Stupid good for nothin' kangaroo pouch!! I hit the panic button and start trying to communicate this to Amber. She says she remembers knocking a phone off a couch in one of the apartments we visited earlier. Ok, that sounds promising. At some point, this Jack character calls her and says that he found a black Nokia. Sweet, that would be mine, crisis averted. Oh, then I remember I forgot to get my card access for work activated and I'm going to look like an irresponsible loser in the morning. Great. Oh and how am I going to wake up in the morning if I can't get my phone aka alarm clock?! Yea, I don't know. I decide then to just put the matter out of my mind and get my dance on. There's nothing quite like getting your dance on.

Later, Amber and Koko decide they're going to take off. I'm obviously not ready to end my Tuesday/begin my Wednesday so Noah and I stay behind and continue to get our dance on; for like 2 more hours. Its really awesome. Then I get fed up with the DJ though, he keeps playing garbage and I do have to get up in the morning somehow, so Noah and I embark on the journey home. I think I mentioned before Noah is agnostic, (or I said atheist bc that's what he said, but then tonight he said he was agnostic.. progress? ha) so I think this is a great time to start asking him questions like "What do you think happens to you when you die?" and "Where do your morals come from?" Thus, we have another engaging conversation. And, I end up bursting into song somewhere on Paramatta Rd, singing Shane and Shane. Haha, I really crack myself up. At some point he makes the comment,"Wow, we danced together for a good two hours and didn't even hook up... that is true friendship." Haha, that cracks me up too. I make Noah come back to my apartment with me incase I can't get Amber on the village phones and have to take his phone to use for my alarm. I can't get the phone back, but Amber says she'll call me at 7:30 (in approx 4 hours) to get me up for work.

4 hours later, the phone rings and I spring into action. Bowl of Cheerios, get dressed, head to Amber's to try and reclaim my phone. I need this freakin' phone to get into work since I'm such a moron and didn't get my swipe access situation figured out. She can't get Jack to answer his phone so without any other options we bust up in his apartment through the open screen door. Two of our girlfriends that went out last night are crashed on the couch still in their clothes, ha. I go to Jack's room (keep in mind I really don't know this guy) and bang on his door and yell "JAAACK!" But there's no answer. Ok, plan B. I try to pick the lock with a knife, then my earring, then start hunting for a bobby pin. Nice try, but this lock is much too complex for my picking ability. I don't know what to do so Amber and I walk outside when she finds the back to a black Nokia on the ground. That could be mine, and that is not a good sign. Just then I see the maintenance guy that I've noticed creepily staring at me before on more than one occasion. I ask him if he could pretty please unlock a door for sweet little ol me because I really need my phone for work and can't find my friend and rah rah. He's like, "ok." Well that was easy. So he goes and opens up Jack's room and flips the light on. Lo and behold Jack is in his bed and he promptly springs out of it (as I'm sure we've more than startled the guy), all my girlfriends are in the living room laughing hysterically and the maintenance man looks at me and says, "Did you try knocking?" I respond in a very whiny tone that I did and then proceed to thank him profusely while searching Jack's room for my phone. Jack watches this but waits until I have to ask him to tell me that its sitting on his desk. Awesome my phone! ... wait a minute... that's missing its back (which was the one we found)... AND THE KEYPAD! WHAT!?! How the heck does the keypad go missing!? Everyone continues to laugh hysterically at me and then Amber and I go searching for this keypad. No luck. Then my phone rings, I break a stick off of a bush next to me and use it to hit the answer button. Its Brett, I have to bring him my laptop so I don't even get to finish my tea before work.

I dash off to work in very high spirits and with much energy (stick and phone in hand) because I find my life very entertaining to say the least. I'm talking on the phone, breathlessly recounting the ridiculous last half hour, and end up stepping in dog poop. Haha, awesome. And that is what I call the cherry on a most excellent hot fudge life sundae.

Day 33: iPoddy

I started coming down with a cold Friday night, which was a bummer. We ended up seeing The Ugly Truth, which was really funny. Post movie I headed home and straight to bed in order to rest up for Saturday's trip.

The trip to Royal National Park was awesome! I borrowed my roommate's backpack and loaded it up with my raincoat, snacks, camera, towel, etc., put on my swimsuit, had a nice breakfast, and then headed to catch the bus. A group of boys from California (mentioned in earlier posts) has kind of adopted me, and me them, and we're all in Outdoor Ed together. So we sat together on the bus. I used Noah's phone to call Mom because mine was out of credit and I wanted to tell her that I was sick. I brought some sultanas to snack on, rah rah, then an hour bus ride later we were there.

First stop was the potties and gift shop. I bought Anzac biscuits and was annoyed that they didn't have any Royal National Park specific post cards. The Anzac biscuits were amazing. Next we headed up to a car park, split into two groups, and headed off down a trail. My group went on a trail along the seaside cliffs. The weather was gorgeous and the sun perfectly highlighted the massive waves crashing into the rocks below us. We hiked through some bush and made our way down to a stream that we followed up a ways until we came to a beautiful pool at the foot of a waterfall. I hate cold water, but I wore my swimsuit so I could go swimming in places like this and after much time spent talking myself into it, I eased into the water. Yea, it was freezing. Two other guys got in and started swimming around like it was 90 out and this was some sort of refreshing dip. So by default, I entertained the group by scooching around the pool squealing and looking like a moron. In order to get to the waterfall, you have to pass through deeper water. I didn't want to get my top wet because then it would get my t-shirt wet for the rest of the hike, so I devised a plan. I asked one of the boys to carry me over on his shoulders; brilliant, no? So this super pale Canadian guy put me on his shoulders and started over towards the falls. As we got closer, the water went over his head and I thought he was going to drown so I started causing a scene which made me look like an even bigger moron. But soon enough he made it over to the otherside and I quickly got my picture with the waterfall before getting him to carrying me back.

After getting out of the water and toweling off for no more than 5 seconds, the lady guide said it was time to go to our next spot. She advised me to just leave my clothes off since I could swim at the next place too. So I put my shoes back and back pack on and kinda just tried to hold my towel. Yea, I felt real silly so I put my t-shirt back on too (good thing I didn't get my top wet). But I still didn't have any pants on so of course my friends took pictures of me and made fun of me because I was the pantsless bushwalker. Cool.

The next spot we stopped at was a cove that the stream had cut through the cliffs to swim and have lunch. The whole scene was once again breathtaking. I feel like I'm wasting my time and would be doing the place and you an injustice if I tried to describe it to you. At one point, I waded out to a rock and sat up on it just trying to take in the beauty of it all while the surf washed up over my legs. It was so amazing. After sufficiently goofing off, I headed back towards the main part of land to eat my PB&J. At the same time the lady guide said it was time to move on. So I took my PB&J to go and ate it during forced mediation time on some cliffs over the ocean. Then we went and chilled on a lovely beach with a picture perfect sailboat anchored right in the middle of a little harbor. Heaven.Then we boarded the bus and headed back to Sydney. I worked out with Amber after the trip because I saw some pictures of myself taken in a swim suit and didn't like what I was seeing in the stomach department. And then I started feeling tired and sickly so I popped some meds and went to sleep.

Sunday I was still feeling quite blah but Amber forced me out of bed around 11 and took me to Manly Beach, which is the most popular northern beach. It was lovely and the weather was once again perfect, but I basically just crashed and slept in the sand all afternoon. When we came back from the beach I met up with my group for the Outdoors presentation and we got a little bit done before I suggested I make dinner. Our topic is wilderness first aid and part of that is taking steps to prevent communicable diseases apparently. Anyway, Brett wouldn't let me in the kitchen, because according to his research "sick people are not allowed in the kitchen." Ok, who am I to fight that? So Brett made dinner while I goofed off on the computer. Then I invited Noah over so I could exchange some pasta for his Nyquil. They don't sell Nyquil over here, which is messed up, so I'm very lucky that he had some and was willing to give it to me. I took some Nyquil and the three of us goofed off until I fell asleep on the couch.

Today is Monday. That means all I do is homework to try and catch up with everything because I only have one class today. So that's what I did all day: loads and heaps and piles of homework. At least I managed to find a great place to study on campus finally: the law library. Its a bit hard to find because its underground, but the complex is brand new and aspects of it remind me of my favorite places to study in the LBC. Home sweet study lounge. Ok, misadventure time. I went for a bathroom break while exploring the law building and stuck my ipod on the toilet paper holder in the stall. Well, when I stood up I jerked the chord which catapulted my ipod into the air, it separated from the headset and clunked down INTO THE TOILET. EWWWW. Without thinking I shot my hand down into the bowl fast as lightening and fished it out. I was relieved to see that it seemed to still be working but then I FREAKED OUT because I was holding a potty water soaked ipod. I sounded the alarm and ran out of the stall with my pants undone headed toward the sink. I think there were other people in there, but I really have no idea because all I could think about was getting to the sink and somehow rectify the situation. Yea, totally embarrassing (yet absolutely hilarious). I don't know if it still works... I won't touch it yet.

The rest of my day has been pretty standard: more studying, dinner, gym, bother the boys, get ice cream, attempt to do more homework and fail miserably, and soon my Nyquil should be sending me off to sweet dreams.

Day 30: Workin' for the Weekend

This week has flown by! I really haven't had the chance to string together a good 30 minutes to blog. I didn't expect to be this busy studying abroad. I imagined life at a much more leisurely Aussie pace. I guess I'm just one of those people, however, that can't help but fill up my schedule. Its so unintentional. I feel like I'm back at Tulane going to bed at 3 or 4 and waking up at 8 and running to the next thing. I like it; its a challenge. And its familiar.

Scruffy's has become my official Tuesday night extravaganza. I also like having nightlife routines so this is a good thing as well. I went to bed a bit after 3 Tuesday night and got up at 7:45 for the first day of my internship. The email I got asked the new interns to be at the office for 9 and then we would have an orientation lasting about 3 hours. Little did I know that this would actually be my first 9-5.

The Brain and Mind Research Institute is a very cool institute indeed. The office building is very chic sporting modern interior decor. The 4th floor is where all the shrinks' offices are that people come in to see and the rest of the building is mostly labs and offices and things. I spent the morning with Jen, our boss, and the other 3 interns learning about actigraphy and such. Basically, the research I'm going to be assisting with (far as I can tell anyway) is working with elderly populations who experience sleep disturbances. We give them these watch looking things which record their periods of rest, activity, light levels, etc. and a sleep diary in which they record their sleep/wake times and some other details. After two weeks we take all that stuff back and analyze it. They also come in for tests and spend the night twice in the sleep clinic to be hooked up to ECG machines and whatnot. Honestly, I don't really know what the point of it all is. I kind of asked Jen about it and I do know that its strictly for research purposes, not patient treatment, so these old folks who are our lab rats really get no compensation for helping us out. Jen pointed out though that they're retired and have nothing better to do. Ha. One of the coolest things that I will supposedly get to do is administer some psych tests to people. Jen gave me the pack to conduct and score them on myself and it was so exciting because a lot of the tests are ones that we studied last semester in Testing and Measurement back at Tulane like the BDI, Rey's Figure Drawing, etc. In the states you have to be trained and certified to administer tests to people. I started on the test battery after the other interns left for the day, turns out I would be staying.

So I was left in the actigraphy watch computer room all alone, for hours, doing like depression tests on myself. Cool. I didn't see anyone else except Tony the Asian guy until 2 when Jen popped in and asked if I wanted to get lunch. Chyea I wanna get lunch! She was going to the nursing school cafeteria next door to eat and I politely declined to spend my lunch hour there. I headed back to the apartments but couldn't find Amber or Helen so I resigned myself to eating along at Hoochies when I got a text message. It was perfect timing; my friend Noah invited me over and made me a delicious sandwich. I realized he was probably buttering me up so I would tell him the secret of all you can eat taco Wednesdays and called him out on it. Turns out he was buttering me up so I would be his nola tour guide when he comes to visit. Alright, I'll do that for a free (and tasty) lunch; especially after several boring hours with no human interaction to speak of. I'm such a people person, I need that stuff. Or I least need to feel like I'm doing something productive. I felt neither. After lunch I headed back to work. Ew.

Nothing much eventful happened the rest of the workday besides my getting to score an actigraph. Turns out that this particular actigraph was worn by a crazy lady. It was rather amusing yet very strange at the same time. The data the actigraph recorded in no way matched her sleep diary. And she wrote all over the entire sleep diary random details about her life and dreams and dog citing them as things that disturbed her sleep. Yea, coding that stupid thing was a stab in the dark... especially since it was my first time. To add a little excitement to my life, it was actually this lady's night to come in for her DLMO which means she sits in a chair for hours in one of the sleep rooms and while we take saliva samples every thirty minutes and administer loads of psych tests. So I was lucky enough to meet this lady and stand there awkwardly while Tony collected some of her saliva. Finally, an hour later, I got to bust out of there.

So on Wednesday I learned that 9 to 5's SUCK. Really, it was so draining to sit there and feel useless all day. When you do a 9 to 5 you have time to do NOTHING else. I really needed to do readings for other classes, my laundry, go to the gym, etc. but nooo. Yea, I left all in a huff and feeling particularly zombie-like. Luckily, Wednesday happened to be all you can eat taco night at Zanzibar for $8. So I went there and ate my stress away. It was one of the rare occasions I've been full since I've been here. All you can eat taco Wednesdays are marvelous.

I trekked to Coles in the dark after that to buy groceries in order that I wouldn't starve the next day. Then I went to Grace's birthday party and exercised discipline by leaving around 11:30 to take a crack at all the readings I had to do for my tutorials the next day. On Thursdays I have class from NINE am to SIX pm with a one hour break between 2 and 3. I was planning on doing the readings during the day Wednesday, but then the 9 to 5 happened and rah rah. (Aussies/Europeans say "rah rah" instead of "blah blah.") Back in my room I decide to take a small facebook break before reading and that turns into me getting on skype for an hour and a half or so before realizing its 1:45 and I haven't done anything. Yea, some things never change; like my studiousness. Then when I attempt to start to read for my Buddhist philosophy class, I realize I don't have the article. Naturally, I give up and go to bed.

The next morning I'm up at 7:30 again running like mad to get to the library to print off that article before my first class. Then I spend most of my first class reading that article and untangling a giant ball of yarn (don't ask). We got out of class a few minutes early so I ran to Manning house and made a brilliant discovery that they have $4.50 salads that are pretty legit. The legit salad and I are then racing to my next class again where I ate it while also trying to digest Buddhist philosophy. Oddly enough, I LOVE that class. I turned into one of those annoying kids that speaks up on multiple occasions during the lecture to ask questions or throw in my two cents. Oops, oh well. During my break following that class I found myself running once again, this time to my apartment to pack a gym bag and then back to campus where I attempted to wade through 3 big article on domestic violence for my social work tutorial. I did very well in the last 3 hours of class considering how prepared I was. But man, by my social work tut I was brain busted. I said like 1 meaningful thing and made 2 questionable contributions for the sake of getting participation points. Then I headed straight for the gym after class to make the 6:30 pump n' tone class since my 9 to 5 prevented me making it the day before.

After that crazy freakin' day I came home and felt super energized. I think that's why I keep myself so busy; I get some weird high from running around like a crazy person all day. I was determined to go out since I didn't have class the next day. Before I left though I went to Noah's apartment (still in my gym clothes) to bug the guys. I found them playing SPEED QUARTERS! I freakin' love speed quarters! So I ended up staying and playing more card games and such. I also had a really looong spiritual/philosophical conversation with Noah on his balcony which was engaging. Oh, and I beat all the boys at hearts. Anyway, before I knew it, it was 4am. Oops. At least I didn't have to get up early this morning.

Today I woke up before my alarm (which was set for noon) and did my laundry. Can I just say, that is my favorite way to blow $10, I mean, its so fun. Then I headed to the library to meet with my outdoor education class group to work on our project. This school is obsessed with presentations. I'm convinced its so they don't have to teach except for like 20min each class. I swear, I have so many presentations to do and a ton of my class time is spent listening to other people present stuff. I don't like it. I don't think I've done a single presentation since I've been in college. I guess I don't mind putting together one on my own, but group presentations are so annoying. I like the people in my group, Brett and Mahalia, but mercy! We spent the first hour trying to decide on a basic outline for the presentation. Mahalia would fight Brett and I on every little detail. I had to keep repeating in my mind, "Patience, Kathryn. Steady girl, stay cool," so I didn't get up and start yelling at her to chill out. And that's essentially how I spent my day.

Tonight I'm going to the movies with Amber and the handicapped girl that she looks after on Mondays and Fridays. I hope Ferero Rocher gelato gets involved. It will if I can help it. Tomorrow, I'm going on a field trip to the Royal National Park and I am EXCITED! Can't wait to tell you all about it!

Day 25: Heartbreak

Yesterday was nothing to write home about. I went to church, took a nap, went to the gym, had pasta dinner with friends, read, went to sleep.

Today, however, I will be less writing about, more venting about. I wake up early because I went to bed early and want to be productive. So I get up, have a bowl of weirdo Crunchy Nut Flakes and fart around for an hour or so. Then I finally get around to doing work and discover that there is tons to be done. I work for several hours trying to get caught up on my history notes and then have a salad for lunch with a tomato on it that I fear has gone bad. Oh well, I brush my teeth afterwards to get rid of the funky taste and then head to the library. You know what? I really hate libraries, but its close to my next class and I needed to get more reading done. This library is like all other depressing college libraries save the amazing view of the skyline from the 4th floor where I plop down at a desk and begin to read about the terrible lives led by the first convict settler people of Australia. Their joyless, abused lives are a real pick me up (not).

I leave for my next class early so I can actually find the thing because asking for directions after being in school two weeks would make me look like an intense loser. Apparently I look like a big lost loser anyway and a custodian guy with hardly any teeth asks me if I'm ok. So I go ahead and ask him where this classroom is and he kinda walks a few feet and points. Ok, cool. This classroom is weird and I'm really early so I pick some non-descript seat halfway back and towards the far right side. I have to fold out a chair to sit in it and then I have to fold out the desk in front of me. Basically after you've sat down, you're locked in until the end of lecture and everyone in front of you has folded up their chairs and desks.

Then I look at my phone and see that I have a text message. Its from Amber. She says that the lady won't let her off of work on Friday or Monday, thus we can't go to Fraser Island for my birthday. I AM CRUSHED. Really, I think I want to cry right there. I feel faint and hear sad music playing in my head. I write a letter to this day: "Dear Today, You suck. Much disdain, Kathryn." Then the lecture starts and its confusing and makes me worry about school because I really don't know what to expect when it comes to these Aussie professors grading my tests and papers. I could just fail the whole thing, who knows? And I stress about my birthday because birthdays really stress me out. I hate planning anything for them like parties and whatever. This one time in middle school I kinda threw together a birthday thing last minute and invited a few friends, none of which came except one. I've been afraid of my birthday every since. Luckily I had Erin etc in high school who always made me feel special on the bday, but no such thing exists here. And I REALLY REALLY wanted to go to Fraser Island. Ugh, sadness abounds.

I trudge home with my roommate Lindsey who is really good at being a Negative Nancy so we whine about our lives all the way home. Then I make a PB&J as some sort of comfort food and call Helen to accompany me to the co-op. The sky is really overcast and its really cold out, ew. On the way there I do stupid things like try to use my elbow to hit the crosswalk button and hurt myself. I swear, if I die in Australia it will be because I get hit by a car. J-walking here is an impossible feat because the cars come at you from all directions and all these directions are the wrong ones. Also, there is no neutral ground or halfway point to aim for. I almost died the first week here twice trying to get across the street. Anyhow, I get to the co-op and buy that beautiful rugby shirt I've been daydreaming about the past few weeks and this makes me feel better temporarily. I ran into Amber on the way back and we kick the pavement and have a mopefest because the daydream worthy miracle that is Fraser Island has slipped through our fingers. I die a little bit inside, or maybe that's just indigestion from my PB&J.

I need to go read more history nonsense so I can play trivia tonight. At least that's something to look forward to, right? Ehh..