Last week in the Land Down Under

This will be my last blog until I get home on Wednesday.  I am just going to give a quick update of what I have been doing/going to do until then.  On Monday I flew into Cairns and got to go snorkeling and scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef.  I also went hiking in a rainforest and went to a bunch of beaches.  On Saturday I arrived in Alice Springs, which is in the middle of Australia and in the outback.  I am going on a two day tour and am excited to see some Aboriginal art.  On Tuesday evening I fly back to Tassie to get my two BIG suitcases and to say my last good-byes.  Then at 6:30 a.m. on the 17th I leave for the States.  I should be arriving in Indianapolis around 6 p.m.  Once I am home and bored I will update this and tell you more about my adventures and upload lots of pictures!  Cheers!

New Zealand!!!!

Last week I traveled to the great country of New Zealand with Shelley. We flew into Christchurch (where they have had some pretty big earthquakes the past couple of months) and then took a bus the next morning to Queenstown or also know as the Adventure Capital of the World. It took about eight hours to get to Queenstown, but the scenery on the way there was absolutely beautiful! For lunch we stopped at Lake Topeka and it took my breath away! I have seen many beautiful places, but this definitely beat them all! The aquamarine water was brighter than the sky and with the snow capped mountains (Mt. Cook) it look ever prettier.

In Queenstown we stayed at the Base hostel and it was close to the beach. It was just a pebble beach, but it was packed everyday. The water was so clear and it was relaxing to listen to the water, while gazing at the mountains. The weather was perfect too and I even got a nice little tan before we left.
While in Queenstown we were busy trying to fit in as much as possible into each day. We went bungy jumping on the tallest bungy (134 meters) in Australasia called the Nevis and it was over a canyon. Then our adrenaline was really pumping so we decided to go on the World’s Highest Swing together. Shelley sat backwards, while I hung upside down attached to her. It was over a canyon too and it was a great view!

The next day I went river surfing down a river where Lord of the Rings was filmed. River surfing is where you lay on top of a body boarding and you swim through rapids and whirlpools. I had a blast, but it was a bit of a challenge! We also got to jump off some cliffs into the river. The water was freezing so we wore wet suits, which helped. Later that evening we took the gondola up to the top of a mountain that overlooks the entire city. We went a little bit before sunset and the city looked amazing!

On our last day, we went on a tour of the Milford Sound. Milford Sound is a fjord land and some call it the 8th wonder of the world. We started out on a bus and we really enjoyed our guide because he had quite the sense of humor! Along the way we stopped at a rainforest and got to explore. We also stopped at this freshwater river to refill our water bottles and we were introduced to the Kui bird. These little critters are jokers and they like to get on top of people’s cars and will just ride as they drive off. They also like to get on you and play games with you. They were funny to watch. Once we arrived to Milford Sound we jumped on a boat and had lunch as the cruise began. On the cruise we saw lots and lots of waterfalls, seals, penguins, dolphins, and the beautiful fjords. Our boat also stopped at the Underwater Observatory where we got to see what kind of animals and fish live in the water. We went down 60 meters and through the glass windows we saw the fish, starfish, coral, and so much more. After the cruise we jumped back on the bus and headed home. On the way back we watched a movie called Boy and it is about a Maori boy growing up in New Zealand.

The next morning we caught the bus back to Christchurch and did some exploring there. We did not get to do much because we had to get up at 4 a.m. (2 a.m. Australia time!) to catch our flight back to Australia. We had the best time and both of us agreed that this was our favorite trip while being abroad. I did not want to leave! The scenery was amazing, the air was so fresh (freshest in the world!), and we made a lot of new friends. We met people from England, Brazil, Germany, New Zealand, Canada, and even the U.S. (they knew Butler and Gordon Hayward! It was fun talking to them and they were from Washington State).

The next morning (Sat. the 6th) I had my last exam and then I started packing for home and my last week of travels. I am going to Cairns (where the Great Barrier Reef is ) for 5 days and then Alice Springs (outback) for three, coming back to Tassie on Tuesday and then leaving for the States on Wednesday morning. On Sunday, I said my good-byes because heaps of my friends will be gone when I come back on that Tuesday and it was very sad. We also had a pretty big thunderstorm that night, which did not help. Shelley leaves for the U.S. on the 8th and then Stew leaves for Sydney on the 10th to stay with a friend before he leaves on the 19th.
I have had beyond a great time here and it will be very bittersweet to leave. I have met some amazing people and have seen some great things while being here and I will miss it all!
Random:
-A person from New Zealand = Kiwi
-Popular phrase in NZ = Sweet as
-When we arrived at our hostel in Queenstown it was Halloween and they gave us pumpkins to carve, but we didn’t do it and heaps of people bagged us out because we didn’t and we were American.
-Our roomie from Brazil carved his first pumpkin and he did a great job! He also plays the ukulele and liked to serenade us.
-Bungy Jumping began in NZ and the first one ever made was from a bridge and we saw it after we did our big one and it looked soo tiny!
-We didn’t get to see a kiwi bird, which was disappointing. Every time we went to places that had them, they were closed.
-I had sooo many people think I was Canadian while in NZ… Shelley and I think that my “southern accent” throws them off so that is why they say I am Canadian
-At the beach there were these little black ducks that would dive underwater and stay for a good amount of time and then come up and fly away…They were crazy!

-We saw LOTS of sheep and also quite a few ostriches and these little deer from Africa.

Melbourne and Wine Glass Bay trips

Last week I spent some time in Melbourne with Shelley and we had a great time! Then, over the weekend we went camping with a group at Wine Glass Bay (east coast of Tasmania). I am just going to tell a few things about these trips because I leave for New Zealand tomorrow and I want to update everyone before I set out for another adventure! I have been busy with exams too and I only have one left!!!!

What we did/saw in Melbourne:
-St. Kilda Beach
-Lygon Street for Shelley's B-day dinner (street filled with Italian restaurants!)
-Went on the Great Ocean Road tour
-Twelve Apostles
-Bells Beach (where giant surfing competition is held)
-Rainforest
-Saw koalas and birds in the wild
-London Bridge
-More, but I cannot think of right now...
-Victoria Market (GIANT)
-MCG (Melbourne Cricket Grounds, where footy games are played, giant)
-Lots of free transportation, which was great!

In our hostel we met people from France, Italy, Germany, and Wales. I tried to practice my French from High School, but failed.

Wine Glass Bay:
-Left Sat. morning and made our way to the east coast
-Went 4W driving
-Our friend Froggy has a new 4W vehicle and it has its own water pump in it, so you can fill up water bottles and such!
-Stopped at a local place and got some mussels and oysters for dinner
-Found camp, near Friendly Beach along with a friendly wallaby that chilled with us and later a possom
-Cooked the mussels and oysters along with steak, chicken, and snags over the fire and then had s'mores for dessert Yummmmmm!
-On Sun. we played some cricket, which is hard to hit because the bat is weird...
-Hiked to Wine Glass's beach which took about 3 hours all together to hike there and back
-Great time and beautiful weather!

On Wednesday Brenna left and now there are only three Americans left. :( Our little family is slowly leaving one by one. Shelley leaves on the 8th and then Stew heads up to Sydney on the 10th. I plan on traveling after we get back from New Zealand before I leave on the 17th.

Melbourne



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Melbourne bound!

Shelley and I booked out flights to Melbourne today and will be there tomorrow until Friday! We are soooo excited! Supposedly Melbourne has some really good shopping and places to eat. Then on Saturday, some of our friends are taking us to Wine Glass Bay (one of the world's best beaches) to camp at for the weekend. This is going to be a great and relaxing week before my exams next week.

On Saturday we went to the Education Ball and had a great time. Then on Sunday we went out to dinner because Paige was leaving the next day. It sad to say good-bye.

Tonight, we celebrated Shelley's Birthday since it is on Wednesday and she wanted to see everyone before we left. Stew made us some buffalo wings (Aussies do not like spicy foods so it was good to have some spiciness) and homemade mac n cheese. It was delicious! We just hung out and played some games with all of our Aussie friends.

Now I need to get some sleep so I can pack in the morning and head off to Melbourne!!

Done!...well, almost

Yesterday was my last day of class!!!!! I have next week off and then I have my first exam on Oct. 26th. My teachers told me what to expect for the exams, which made me feel so much better! They grade very hard here, but now that I know what to prepare for I am not so nervous. I am starting to plan some trips around the mainland and cannot wait to hit some beaches! The weather has been in the upper 60's and lower 70's, but by the time I leave it will be in 80's/90's. I plan on going to the Great Barrier Reef and by the time I get up there it will around 100 degrees.

On Saturday we are all going to the Education Ball. It is at a place in the city and there will be a live band and food.

On Monday, Paige is leaving us. It will be really weird without her! We have become like a family here and it will be sad to see her go. I come home Nov. 17th. I leave Launceston at 6:30 am and arrive in Indy at 6:30 pm (still on the 17th) Whenever I get home I cannot wait to get a McDonald's sweet tea and some Taco Bell!!!

Random:
-mozzie = mosquito
-popular phrase: are you keen?
-mail is called the post
-I have read 16 novels plus two thick readers (like text books) this semester! Also tons of articles to go along with the novels...
-They do not have Tootsie Rolls here and when I tried to explain them everyone thought they sounded nasty haha
-the crosswalks all have buttons that you have to push and when it is time to go they make this sound that immediately makes you want to walk and reminds me of a video game

Chickenfeed commercial...

Grand Final #2, Indian Food, and SPRING!

What a busy past two weeks these has been! I have only one more week of classes before I get a one-week break and then exams. I have been typing up lots of big essays, working on an art project, and reviewing all the good stuff I have learned this semester. I CANNOT believe that this semester is almost over! It feels like it was just July when I was trying to figure out what classes to take.

Last weekend we went back to Shane’s to watch the Grand Final #2 and unfortunately the Saints lost. Collingwood was clearly the better team from the first quarter.

Paige was not feeling well last Friday and got into the doctor on Sunday and found out she had tonsillitis. She has been sick all week, but finally felt better this Friday. We decided to have a girls’ night (Friday) and went out for dinner, got some ice cream, and watched a movie. It was a much needed night.

Yesterday our friend Pragy cooked us up an Indian meal. He is from Indian so it was real Indian food and was SPICY! He made two types of curry and butter chicken. We also had naan and Mango lassies to cool our mouths down. It was delicious!! I made puppy chow and Oreo balls (some dipped in Milo aka their Nesquick) for dessert.

The weather has been absolutely beautiful! It has been the upper 60’s, lower 70’s and the sunshine has felt amazing. Two Sundays ago was Daylight Savings, so I had to set my clock an hour ahead. I am now 15 hours ahead of Indiana. Now it does not get dark until 8ish, which I love! It is going to be hard to go back to the coldness and darkness. Today I sat outside and did some homework and got some tan lines!

Random:
- We have been watching the Commonwealth games, which is like the Olympics but just for countries owned by the Commonwealth
- Mushies = mushrooms
- Powdered sugar = icing sugar
- Some movies and books have different covers than in America
- Read Swallow the Air for my Reading Stories class and it is written by an Australian and she used a lot of Australian slang/lingo in it and I would get really excited when I knew what the words or phrases meant!
- I am making a children’s book for my final project in my art class and it is based on time so I am using countries that my friends have visited/studied in to represent the time differences. It has been a very fun project to work on and I cannot wait to see the final product!
- Australians say “zed” instead “z” and the say “h” as “hch”

AFL Grand Final...last couple minutes

Footy Grand Final Weekend

Saturday was the Australian Football (footy) League Grand Final, which equals our Super Bowl. The final two teams were the St. Kilda Saints from Melbourne and the Collingwood Magpies also from Melbourne. Collingwood dominated the first three quarters, but once the fourth quarter began the Saints made a major comeback. I was cheering for St. Kilda because the Collingwood fans are very obnoxious and you either love or hate them. So I was very excited when St. Kilda came back and actually took the lead by one point with 3 minutes to go. The time kept going and with only a minute left, Collingwood kicked a goal worth one point and the game was then tied. However, neither team scored again so there was a draw. Usually they would do an overtime, but since it was the Grand Final they have the overtime next weekend. I was very upset because now we have to wait until next week to see who will win and they play a full game all over again. It was a very fun and exciting game to watch and I hope St. Kilda rests up so they can come back and win!

For the game we went to our friend Shane’s house, which is super close to campus and we had a bbq. I ate soooooo much food all day long. I made puppy chow because I learned that Australians do not know what it is. Whenever I told everyone I brought puppy chow they just gave me weird looks because they thought it was real dog food. They really liked it though! I got to try fairy bread, which is bread with butter and sprinkles (kids love it!). I also ate my first meat pie and I actually liked it. It is pretty much a little pie filled with minced meat and a little bit of gravy and you can put tomato sauce in it. Australians love their meat pies!

Fairy bread

Meat pie

There were about 30-40 people there and it was about three-fourths St. Kilda fans and whenever St. Kilda was in the lead the room went crazy! We also did a little betting on who would win and by how much. Someone actually had put down a draw so he won lots of money! After the game, we practiced kicking the footy ball and just hung out. It was a great day and I am excited for next week’s game!

Random:
- I had someone ask me if I was a Kiwi (someone from New Zealand) or from South Africa… that was a first.
- Completed two of three 2000 word essays this week, which make up 40% of my grade.
- I have three weeks of classes left until exams
- I have been surprised by how many Aussies know our national anthem
- The Subways here do not have kangaroo meat, but the guy working said he would bring some in for me and would make me a sandwich. He said he has been asking his boss to serve it for a while. Haha

History Lesson

Today is my mom’s birthday, Happy Birthday Mom!! Last week an elderly man from my hometown passed away and that was really sad to hear. I used to visit him and his wife and he was quite the story-teller, but I loved hearing them. Myron, was a great man and he will be greatly missed! Also, it was around this time in September when our beloved family friend Mary-Lou passed away so I was thinking of her this week and her husband that has been having health problems, but is doing much better! But on a happy notes, one my closest friends got a new laptop with a webcam so I FINALLY got to skype with her and it was even on her birthday! It was great to actually see her and hear her! If you don’t have skype, get it and then add me (haleyowens24) and then we can video chat. It is totally free too.

Since this week was slow and nothing of great importance happened I am going to give you a little Aboriginal history. I have learned soooo much in my Aboriginal Studies class, especially the past couple weeks because we have been focused on the art that they created. The Aborigines are thought to have been one of the first groups of people, but there is not clear evidence of this since Australia was connected to many of its surrounding countries and it is possible that they just migrated to Australia. However, through the art, artifacts, weapons, tools, and shelters the Aboriginals definitely had a strong presence in Australia. These people traveled around the continent adapting to the environment. It is said that they were artist and had always been. Through their art we see what the land, people, and animals looked like. Many of the cave engravings have shown species of animals that have been extinct for thousands of years [ex. The giant red kangaroo, diprotodon (giant wombat), and genyornis (giant emu)]. When the Europeans arrived is captured in many paintings often displaying negativity. Boomerangs are often depicted in their pictures too. Some of the original cave paintings can still be found in their natural environment, but there is great debate whether or not this is good. Some people abuse the art and cut it out and sell it for money. In the end, the art is destroyed and evidence to Australia’s past is lost. Aboriginal art is very unique and is very repetitive in its style. The dot art is very common, which often used for animals. Hand tracings in a red color are typical too. When people are drawn, they are usually very simple figures with elaborate weapons or adornments. The amazing thing about the art is that some of it dates back 40,000 years ago! Thanks to the desert varnish (very thick clear substance) it has protected these pieces of artwork of great antiquity. Hopefully I will be able to go to some Aboriginal art museums and even a site with the original art!

Random:
-Last night went to the Pizza Pub and had a delicious margherita pizza
- I have a new art teacher now because our old one was appointed a new position with the art department and could no longer teach. We now have Mary and I think I am going to like her better than Malcom! She has a different style of teaching and I prefer her’s better.

Genyornis

-Aussies call the yellow light the orange light
-The Big Mac snack wrap was just introduced to McDonald’s (Macca’s) this week
-Spring is here and it has been in the 60’s!
-In my Children’s Lit class we have been reading some Australian classics (Storm Boy and Looking for Alibrandi) and I have really enjoyed them
-I got locked out of my room the other night and the guy that let me in actually came over to the U.S. and played b-ball around Indiana four years ago and said he played with some Butler guys and was a big Butler fan! We talked a long time about Butler basketball and it was fantastic.

Trip to Hobart

Last week was my mid-semester break so I had the pleasure of going to Victoria’s house in Hobart, which is also the capital of Tasmania. She went home on Wednesday and since I had class and the AMC ball I took the bus down on Monday afternoon. There is a bus service that comes to campus and takes students to Hobart pretty much everyday for really cheap. It reminded me of the Megabus. So Monday evening I got off at the Bridgewater stop where Victoria picked me up and we drove to her house. Her house is about 30 minutes away from the city and lives in a more rural area. At her house she has sheep (triplets were just born and were sooo cute!), a dog named Hunter, and a cat named Buster. Her mom is a principal at a primary (we would call it elementary) school and her dad works for a water company. She has an older brother who works at a cell phone company and actually helped out his mom in the office this past week. They built their house and it had a gorgeous view of the mountains and water. I enjoyed my time with the McDougall family and plan on visiting again over grand finals weekend (Australian football final game).

On Tuesday… we made our way to Port Arthur. This is where they brought all of the convicts that had committed the worst crimes. It rained all day, but I learned much about Australia’s history. We went on a tour and as our guide began to speak I realized he did not have an Aussie accent. I learned that he was from Cali and actually lived in Indiana when he was younger. He took us all over the place and then we went on a boat cruise around the island. Later that night we went on the ghost tour and it was still raining and the wind really picked up, which added to the haunted feeling. As we went to the different buildings our guide told us stories about ghosts that had been spotted at each place and tried scaring us too. He made Victoria carry a lantern so that we could see where we were walking and when we got to the parsonage he made her walk up to the door all by herself, knock, open the door, and then go inside. She was soo scared even though she had been on the tour before. Supposedly that building was the 2nd most haunted building in Australia. No one in our group saw/felt any ghosts, but it was tons of fun. We actually had people from Canada and Germany in our group too, which was fun talking to them.

On Wednesday… Victoria had to work 9-5 so I did some homework. For tea (dinner) we all went out to eat. Attached to the restaurant was a room filled with slot machines and Victoria’s dad gave me a $2 coin to try one out. I didn’t win anything.

On Thursday… we went to the Cadbury chocolate factory where we got lots of samples and got to see how the chocolate was made. We also went to the reject shop and I stocked up on some yummies. Then, we went into the city and did some shopping. I finally found a pair of boots that I liked and a few other things. I also met the manager of Harris Scarfe (Victoria’s work) and he was from Indiana! He grew up in South Bend, but also lived in Columbus for awhile. We talked for a long time, mainly about college basketball. He said that is the one thing he misses the most. He is a Purdue fan so he lost a few points in my book haha.

On Friday… Victoria’s mom took me to school with her. The school is Catholic and has about 150 children, grades Prep (Kindergarten) to 6th. Before school started Mrs. McDougall called all of the classes down to the area outside where the students eat their lunch. She congratulated the 6th grade on how well they did at a science competition and then she introduced me. She made me go up and talk about where I was from, why I am here, and what I have done so far. Before I introduced myself she had them say good morning to me and they said, “Good morning Haley and may God bless you.” It was cute and every class that I went to visit they would great me like that. I got to sit in on two second grade classes, a prep, and 1st grade class. It was Friday and the last day before break so they did not do too much, but it was a great experience just talking with the children. A lot of students said that I talked funny and they asked some hilarious questions. One girl asked if I would sing the ABC’s in my language. It was also interesting hearing what these children thought of America. One little boy asked if I get hijacked all of the time and another boy thought that Queensland (on the mainland of Australia) was the U.S. I also enjoyed talking with the teachers and hearing their views on education. Many of the teachers were fairly young and they gave me some great advice. Also, they have morning tea where they students eat a snack and they get to play for half an hour around 10 o’clock and I went to the teacher’s lounge and it had the most beautiful view of the city. The school sits high up on a hill so you could see everything. I enjoyed myself and would love to come back and possibly teach here… Teachers here also get paid much more! They start out making at least $50,000 and up to $70,000 a year!

For dinner we went to Nando’s, which Victoria thought would provide me with some really spicy food and she was right (it is hard to find spicy food here!). I got a chicken burger with their hottest sauce and it was perfect. Victoria hates spiciness so she stuck with lemon and herb chicken. For dessert we got gelato and I got the cheesecake flavor, which was delicious. That night we watched Jindabyne, an Australia movie about Aboriginals. The acting was not that great, but the overall message and history was interesting.

On Saturday… we went to the Salamanca Market, which is a GIANT market that occurs every Saturday. It reminded me of the Madison Chautauqua, but bigger. However, it poured the whole time and was really chilly. I had my raincoat thank goodness, but my pants and shoes were drenched. I got a children’s book for my future classroom written by a native Tasmanian and a few other things. That night we watched a couple footy (Australian football) games and went out with Victoria’s brother and some of his friends to a lounge to watch the Collingwood (a footy team) game. The McDougalls are big Collingwood fans. My favorite team (Tassie Hawks) lost.

On Sunday… came back to Launceston, which was sad. I like Hobart much better than Launceston because there is more to do. However, it is warmer here in Launceston…

Mid-Semester Break Photos

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Nautical Ball, BBQ, and Zoo

What a fun filled weekend! On Friday was the Nautical Ball hosted by the AMC and it was at a really nice place down by the river. We had dinner and a live band played that we have actually went and listened to quite a bit because they are soo good! It was a nice evening and everyone looked great!

Pavlova

On Saturday we went to a BBQ with some friends and had some dim sims (like egg rolls), chicken wings, kabobs, and burgers on the barbie. For dessert we had pavlova, which was different but good (kind of like a meringue). We just sat around the fire and relaxed.

Dim Sims  Mmm!

Then today (Sunday), Paige, Thomas, Shelley and I went to the Tasmania Zoo. We caught a bus and went on a long journey there and it was not what we were expecting, but it turned out to be a lot of fun. Along the ride we saw our first wallabies, however they were all roadkill… At the zoo it was small and all of the cages were low so that you could pet the animals. There were heaps of birds and also kangaroos, fish, snakes, monkeys, penguins, koalas, wombats, wallabies, emus, wild dogs, chickens (one decided to follow me a majority of the time), echidnas, ponies, alpacas, crocodiles, and of course the Tasmania devil. We actually got to see the devils being fed. They fought over the hunk of kangaroo and they were very feisty! I also got to pet a baby devil and got a picture with her. There was also a macaw that was quite the character and would say hello, chuckle, and liked scraping its beak across the metal, which made an awful screeching noise. When we got to the kangaroo exhibit one of them hopped over to us and it was very exciting because it was the first kangaroo we had seen since being here! It was a fun day and the weather was absolutely beautiful!

Tomorrow is the first day of my break and I am going to take the bus down to Hobart to meet up with Victoria. She has transformed their “study room” into my bedroom for the week and I am excited to stay with her and her family. It is about two and half hours away and is the capital of Tasmania. Victoria has a list of things planned out for us each day and I am excited to see some new sites. Then on Saturday/Sunday the rest of the Butler gang is taking off for their break. They get a two-week break and it will be soo weird not seeing them for that long!

Random:
- sneakers = runners
- The Tasmanian devil is going extinct and the Tasmania Zoo is doing lots to help save them and to keep them around for longer.
- It is staying lighter out now and doesn’t get dark until 7ish
- I am halfway done with this semester! CRAZY!

a Plover

- I will have friends all over the world soon… One just left France for DC, another one is in Miami, another is going to Rome, and a couple off to Spain!
- At Stew, Paige, and Brenna’s school the children were not allowed to go out to recess because the plovers were swooping and they attack people…
- I really miss Taco Bell

Tasmania Zoo

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More pictures!!

My kangaroo dinner with mashed pumpkin (they love their pumpkin!) and a salad

Tim Tam milkshakes = Mmmmm!

At Bondi Beach and it was windy if you couldn't tell!

Bondi Beach again

The whole Butler gang out to dinner at the Metz

Girls girls girls!

Sang karaoke one night and had a blast!

All of the Butler girls before our fancy dinner and play

Top bunk buddies at our hostel

At the Opera House

At Harbor Bridge (one of my favorites!)

Wanna cuppa?

On Sunday, Jess (girl from class) picked Brenna and I up and we went to church with her and her boyfriend Peter.  They go to a church in the city and it is a Presbyterian church, which I really knew nothing about but was excited to check it out.  It was an older church filled with older people, but it reminded me so much of my church back home!  We sang hymns and the preacher reminded me of one of our past preachers, Howard Bell.  It was nice to be back in church and it felt like home.  Next Sunday, they have a service that is more contemporary in the evening and I am excited to check that out and meet some more people my age.   After church, we went down to the gorge because it had rained quite a bit the past few days and the water was probably high up and it sure was!  Usually you can see a giant swimming pool, but it was covered and the rapids were intense.  We went across the suspension bridge and the roaring rapids were incredible.  Wendy, who works on campus, told us that they almost had the White Water Rafting Olympics here because of the great rapids and layout.  After that, we went back to UTas and Peter, who goes to the AMC (Australian Maritime College, which is on our campus too) showed us around because they were having an open day for future students.  It was interesting seeing the equipment and machines that they use.  We learned how to survive in the ocean for a long period of time, what to do during a helicopter rescue, and got to see these demonstrated in a swimming pool.

On Wednesday I have my art class and we have been drawing nude models, which is something I have never done before.  I got to talk to our model after class and she is actually running for the Senate so it was cool talking to her and hearing about the Australian government.  She had a great sense of humor, which helped with the awkwardness of drawing her. 

Next week all of the other Butler students start their student teaching and they are all excited.  They are at three different schools and have made a few visits already and seem to be happy with their placements.  I plan on visiting them and seeing what it is like and what the children are like.

Random:

-They have this “twisty bread” that is a loaf of bread but it is twisted and it comes in different flavors.  I am addicted to the BBQ bacon one!

-It is beginning to warm up and Spring will be here in a few weeks.

-Their election is this Saturday and it is a pretty big one.  Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott are running for Prime Minister.  *Pictures below

-A cuppa is a cup of coffee or tea

-The boot is the trunk of the car

-Paige’s boyfriend surprised her by coming a week early today.  She was in shock
when she saw him, but very happy!

-Everyone is heading back to Butler, which makes me miss it!  Especially living in AXO (I miss having roommates!), marching band, Young Life, and everyone!