eleven thousand miles

I have been thinking a lot about this post. In all reality, I have been contemplating how this was going to end from the very beginning. Yet, I still stumble over how to quantify the things I have learned and the parts of myself which I have come to better understand. Thankfully, an answer came to me today, somewhere between grating carrots this morning and eating reheated candied yams this afternoon. The fact of the matter is this:

I flew over 11 thousand miles to get here, a place I did not know and a place full of strangers. I turned down opportunities for summer internships and fall semester jobs. I never experienced July 19, 2012. In each of those actions, I actively decided my future.

If you had asked me when I applied to this study abroad program or before I left or once I got here what I was hoping to experience, it would not have been this. Not because I did not want what I have experienced, but because I had no way to imagine it. Reading up about politics, looking online at funny lingo, trying to pretend I know what I am talking about when I contemplate what this country will/does look like - none of this could have prepared me for what it was like to live here. To live in Australia.

And that is the thing - I lived. I lived, and so did you - dear internet reader. That is the point of life, after all. Amazing experiences have come from things like swimming in the ocean, and watching penguins come home from sea, and feeling the majesty of the earth after hiking down its rusted rock. More importantly, however, has been the opportunity to discover that 11 thousand miles away from home I am still me. And you are still you. And we're all (hopefully) a semester smarter and we're all (definitely) at different places in our lives. I have come to see opportunities, whether personal, academic, or professional, as experiences which do not have to define us but can and should improve who we are.

Life is beautiful, and  I am thankful for it. I am glad to have been here. 11 thousand miles away from home. 11 thousand miles older, wiser, happier.

I'll see you soon.

Eight, Seven, Six...

I leave this Saturday.
How did time fly away this quickly?

I am also never good with countdowns. Mostly because I never know what I am counting down to, were is the one and where is the zero? Should I count how many days I have left? Does that include the fact that I have a next day layover in Brisbane? Is the count for how many days till I land? And if so, how do I count the strange fact that I am going to live Sunday the 25th for a VERY long time? Also, which time zone should I be counting the days - yours or mine? I don't know. And clearly, I have put too much thought into this.

Yesterday, because all my exams and final assignments have been completed (more or less), I adventured off to the beach. It was so warm out, the sky was brilliant blue, the ocean smelled like fish and salt and laughter. After reading for a while, my friends and I packed up and headed to Beaufort Street to check out a festival of food and music and art and other festival-ly things.

And today is sunny again! And just beginning. I'm going to go out there and enjoy it with my best frannds!!

Destination: Melbourne

I journeyed to Melbourne this past week. I cannot tell you how much I miss cities - of walking around lit up streets, the fast pace of people, how there is no single pattern to the rhythm of life bustling about you.

 
We began our adventures on Phillip Island, a two hour drive from the airport to the bay. After eating a picnic lunch we walked the beach up to a cliff where we saw the pinnacles. Everything seemed a different color green, richer like the trees back home. Later, we drove to the other side of the island and walked a boardwalk looking for fur seals. The night ended at the Penguin Parade, were Little Penguins came back to shore for the night and we got to watch them (standing less than a meter away)!

On Wednesday we started our journeys in Melbourne with a free three hour tour. It was really nice to orient ourselves in the city and find places we otherwise never would, such as graffiti-ed laneways, small cafes, and some beautiful parks. In the afternoon we walked around the Docklands and took too many pictures with all the sculptures which dotted the landscape.

Thursday was ladies day at the races. We all got dressed up and hung out at the track for a long afternoon, getting sunburned on the way. There were nutella crepes with ice cream which we tried happily as we sat on the lawn and people watched.

To finish our trip, we spent Friday seeing as many more sights as we would fit in. The sky was perpetually a mixture of brilliant blue and stormy grey. Nevertheless, a friend and I walked through a Birrarung Marr to Melbourne Park in search of the tennis courts for the Australian Open. Later, we visited the Queen Victorian Markets (with an American food stand selling Goober for $12). I happened upon a mini-museum inside a store inside a mall and another exhibit in the state library. If I had more time, I would have liked to go to all the other free places I saw during my brisk stroll along various city streets! Right before dusk we headed to the Eureka Skydeck 88 to gaze at the city both in daylight and twinkling night. Being from Chicago, I have seen higher breathtaking views, but all in all it was a great view.

In the pre-sunlit hours of Saturday morning, our tired feet headed for the airport as we said goodbye to this city of trams and Krispy Kremes and headed back home to Perth.

check this out

Hey hey hey!

So. I had my last day of class today. HOW CRAZY.

i'm not ready to leave this country!! ahh!

Anyway, if you're at Clark's campus go to the Worldly Women panel!

Here are some other fun blogs to read:
I have a lovely friend here who blogs for her school
Other Clark Study Abroad Bloggers; Cat and Dulara
And some Clarkies in Tassie and Scotland and London!

Comment below if you know of other fun study abroad blogs! vv

g'day

:) Hello there! This is a bit of a brag post. You have been warned.
But, this week has been pretttyy good. And here are some reasons why:

1. On Thursday, the campus is a bit more alive with outside ventures setting up shop in bush court  (Clark equivalent being Red Square and the green) and student groups selling cupcakes and sausages. Yesterday, however, was also our multicultural day. So we had brats and ants on a log, and chili&ham toasties, and happiness. There was, more significantly, a free photo booth. Which, was actually a bit difficult to use. 
2. After Wednesday's meeting with my Parliamentarian, I am one step closer to finishing my internship research paper. I have been given contact information to get data on the success of the home loan agency, and I am excited to uncover the last morsel of information that I am going to add!
3. Shout out to my major advisor, Sharon Krefetz, who emailed me yesterday morning with the answers to all  life woes. It made me almost as happy as a plate of oreos and chocolate milk.



yes, there is egg on this lamb burger

4. My friend, Brandon, and I have been trying lots of Australian fast food. First, because it is noms. Second, because we are too poor to eat at proper restaurants  We recently ventured to Red Rooster. I'd say, this was my favorite place so far. Which reminds me, I don't think I ever mentioned my adventure to McDonald's. Three wonderful things: First, serious lamb burger. Second, 30 cent soft serve. Third, FAMILY PACK. And never fear. We came. We conquered.
5. After (finally) buying a stamp, I mailed off my absentee ballot!! Holla back at me 'Merica!! Also, fun fact, Australians are fined if they have registered to vote and they don't. Interesting, hey?
6. Tomorrow, it is going to be 33 wonderful sunny fabulous degrees out. And I'm (97% fo sho) going to Rotto. So absolutely pumped. :)

unbelievable

I logged into Delta.com - they changed my departure from Brisbane to LA by ten minutes and needed me to confirm the change. What I saw there, though, startled me.

I have 36 days left until I leave Perth.

Let me say this again, because I can barely believe it.
36. days. left.
What?

I can't even.

Our reaction when, while walking through King's Park, we found a playground that was closed.
I think I am making the same face now.

photo cred: eva s.

northwest

Hey guys!!

So, the last week of September we had our second study break. I spent it on a 10 day trip through the Northwest of Western Australia. On two tour buses, 26 international students and two tour guides traversed up the coast and back down through the outback.

We did so much, but here is a highlight for each day. :)

HMAS Sydney II Memorial - Lest We Forget

DAY ONE: Driving north. The wind was crazy and it was raining throughout the day. We stopped at a memorial as we traveled through wheat and sheep country.

it was actually pretty shallow

DAY TWO: We took a swim in the Murchison River Gorge at Kalbarri National Park and drove to our campsite near Shark Bay for the next two days. Our tent kept breaking and flying away, we had to "stake" it down by tying the sides to various rocks and eskies.




DAY THREE: On Sunday we drove to Monkey Mia and saw dolphins, played beach volleyball, had a sausage sizzle, saw sharks at Eagle Bluff, and visited Shell Beach. We also went on a boat tour where we saw manatees and whales up close and visited a pearl farm. The day ended with a visit to the Hamelin Pool stromatolites.

shell beach.
it is unimaginable, how the shells never seemed to end

we sat in a net while the boat was moving.
cold. so cold. so good.

stromatolites:
one of the first organisms to provide the world with oxygen

there was a lot of dancing on the bus,
and some serious sing-a-long-ing

DAY FOUR:  Lots of driving through banana (and other tropical fruit) farms, with a late afternoon relaxing at Coral Bay after setting up camp for the next two days.

DAY FIVE: An entire day was spent snorkeling, kayaking, and laying out on the beach. Some students also went on a glass bottom boat tour, a scuba dive, or an all day boat tour.

coral bay at sunset; from the sand we spotted a stingray

sunset above the gorges at Karigini

DAY SIX: We turned our driving westward into the West Australian outback as we drove and drove through the Hamersley Range. The drive ended with a nice dip into Circle Pool at Karijini National Park.

DAY SEVEN: This day, we spent the entire time going up and down gorges - sometimes straddling rocks like you would climb a while in a hallway. They were absolutely breathtaking, the rocks, the water, the plant life, and the animals.

faded aboriginal artwork

DAY EIGHT: We spent the morning back at Fortescue Falls in Karijini before turning south through mining towns.

This is considered to be, like many places in throughout the park, a extremely sacred place - in Aboriginal faith.

On the road, we made stops at fun places, like spongebob.
We also passed the 26th parallel, the Tropic of Capricorn,
an open mine, and lots of emus.

DAY NINE: After visiting a town fair in Meekatharra, we stayed at a sheep station for the night. In celebration of our last evening together, we had a bonfire which included marshmallows and other lovely lollies.

DAY TEN: Travel ended back at Murdoch after road stops, most significantly a spongebob box. These stops often/always included water fights as well.

Hello There!

"I have eaten
the plums
that were in
the icebox 

"and which
you were probably
saving
for breakfast

"Forgive me
they were delicious
so sweet
and so cold" 

This is Just to Say
by William Carlos Williams

Hey there!

I am sorry about the delay, I can't believe it has already been a month since I last posted - it truly hasn't felt that long. My apologies. So much has happened in the past few weeks, I've been busy traveling (for which my next post will be dedicated to), working, and finishing up assignments.

Black Wall Reach, where we jumped into the Swan River.
Jumped twice, definitely received battle wounds.

Between Point Walter (which was the day after my last post) and now, I have spent a lot of time cracking down on my research for my internship. As a refresher, I am studying the benefits of expanding a homeownership program within Western Australia. I finished a word-vomit rough draft about three weeks ago. Since then, I have been working on revisions and my paper for my Public Policy and the Media course. Oh, and rereading the Hunger Games. Say What?

Murdoch International also help a BBQ at Birra Lake, which is about 45 minutes walking from campus. A few internationals and I got lost on our way over, though adventures are always good. And the lake was wonderful.  Also, the student village, which is like ResLife, rented two party buses and took us into Freo for a free night of dancing at Newport a few Fridays ago. Which, was a really great night - so much fun!

It is crazy to imagine that I have 4 more weeks of classes and a month and two days until my in class final. Pretty soon I will be home, with the chilly November air - too late to rake leaves and too cold to keep up my tan. I'll be living in America again. And as much as I don't want to think about that, I want to focus on being here and not worry over how fast time is flying away from me, I think it is worth noting. This semester is going to end, and oh so soon.

backward flushing toilets

Today, it is so nice and sunny outside! In fact, I am sitting here on my balcony [yes, you read that right - if your flat is on the second floor you get two balconies! LOVE IT!] basking in the warmth. With the start of spring there has been rain, hail, wind, sun, and heat in mixed amounts. So I have taken it upon myself to be outside whenever I can. Unfortunately, computer screens are a bit more difficult to read in the day light - and I really do need to get some research done and written. Humph.

Tomorrow, a group of exchange students here at Murdoch are headed to Point Walter, which is a park by the Swan River [home of the black swans] about 30-45 minutes away. I am super excited for that, as I have heard rumors that there will be cliff jumping opportunities - and I am definitely down for some adrenaline!

More specifically, though, I wanted to share with you my average week - as I have noticed that I have not actually done that yet. I think first it is important to realize that as many cool things I've done to explore Perth and the surrounding area, I have probably done double the number of things which are average every day things. For those of you reading this blog in contemplation of studying abroad, remember that. You are here to discover an entirely different world, to let go of what you know and become someone better, to take risks, and to have a good time. But also, you are here on an University exchange program. You - or at least I - came here to take classes and live on a different campus, not to be a long term tourist. That, of course, is not to disregard the daily reminders that I am here, like backward flushing toilets, funny sounding birds, and sayings like "good on ya."  Just something to think about - I feel the actual daily routine of things gets lost when people say that study abroad is an amazing and life altering experience.

Cool. So, my school week:
Monday: I wake up, sometime between 7:04 and 9:36, though usually 8:29. I might be headed to work for a few hours or walking to the grocery store. At 2pm I go to a CIEE class (as opposed to a unit run through Murdoch) were we learn how to observe our own culture and understand Australian values. We then have afternoon tea wherein class members bring in snacks such as cheese & Vegemite rolls, triple chocolate brownies, and lamingtons
Tuesday: I don't have class so if I don't have work scheduled I usually find my way into Perth to work at the Parliament library on my internship research. I have been asked to observe the benefits of increasing the loan book of a lending agency designed to provide first time homeowners from low to moderate income levels assistance on down payments. It is a really cool issue, though it turns out very little work has been done recently in regards to the benefits of home ownership policies and shared equity schemes.
Wednesday: I have a Murdoch unit, Politics and the Media, from 12:30-3:30. This class is super interesting, because we are given the opportunity to look at media representations around us and decipher what it means about our politics and thus about our world. Very theoretical.
Thursday: My weekend begins after my internship lecture at noon. In this class we mostly talk about our different projects, the progress we are making, and how overwhelmed we are by the prospect of writing a 8,000 essay by the end of the semester. In this unit, I think, I have made the most friends.
Friday: I usually drag myself out of bed for some free pancakes at 9am. I then pretend to do homework (as I am doing now) or I go exploring - on walks to neighborhood parks or out to Freo and the beach. :)

bushwalkin'

Ellis Brook. I was looking
for frogs, no luck. :(

from the top of the 60 Ft Falls,
you can see the city!

As an end to our first study break, Christine (from CIEE), Jason (our Aussie "tour guide"), and I went bush walking at the Ellis Brook Valley Reserve. Here, we were told, 60 Foot Falls would be falling. After getting into sight of it, though, it was really only a trickle. Which is super unfortunate, as this time of year should leave it gushing. So a word from everyone who likes our planet and like water - take shorter showers, ya'll. Seriously.

The tree to the left is the Australian Christmas Tree. It blooms with orange flowers in the summer.
To the right of the photo is a grass tree, which grows taller when the grass-like leaves on top burn and fold down on top, which makes the growing process super slow. That plant has been around for multiple centuries. Also, the green thing that is shooting just straight up, flowers white later in the year. 

Anyway, so after walking around some of the trails and having a super yummy homemade picnic we ventured to Lesmurdie Falls.  Here, we got to see some cascades and stand over the cliff of the waterfall. Which, was super awesome - not gonna lie. 

And how did I end the day, you ask? Why, by eating a rainbow Paddle Pop. So good. 

free oh!

Being an exchange student is really cool, because CIEE, Murdoch, and locals keep offering to take us places and show us Australia.

the toilet

For instance, Paul and Kate - the CIEE directors here in Perth, took the group of us to Jus Burgers in Freo. This place had so many options of burgers, I had no idea what to pick! After learning that the pumpkin patty was stuffed with cheese (of which I am not a fan), I opted for the kangaroo burger. It was spicy, delicious, and absolutely lovely! We then disembarked to a torchlight tour of the old Fremantle Prison. Now before you get to excited, here a torch is a flashlight (not to say that a flashlight tour isn't cool...). This prison has a huge historical past as a convict jail and closed down only relatively recently after becoming a high security facility. WA, it also appears, was the last state is Australia to ban capital punishment. While I have not been to any other prison for which to compare, the showers and toilets did not look too inviting to me. Afterwords, the CIEE group got gelato - a perfect beginning to the night.

A few weekends ago we also had a chance to go to an AFL game. Footy, Australian rules football is called, is pretty impressive. Unlike our NFL, no protective gear is worn. The ball is passed with a kick or a toss that almost looks like a volleyball underhand serve. When the ball goes out of bounds, the referee throws the ball back in while facing backwards. Oh, and the field is circular and there are 4 goal posts which seem sort of Quidditch-esque. My favorite part was how fast paced the sport is - there are no time outs (rather, the "paused time" is just added on. So a quarter runs for 20 minutes but really the clock counts it out longer). Basically, it was such a sunny and exciting way to spend a Saturday afternoon. As the fourth quarter finished, Dockers fans across the stadium started cheering, Free-oooh! Freeeeee-ooooooh. Freeee-oooh. Freo! <3

Of course, CIEE is not the only program that puts on free events for us. The exchange program here at Murdoch (the responsibilities of which seem similar to Clark's OIA and Study Abroad Office) has get-togethers for the 70some exchange students here this semester. There is a buddy program where each of us is partnered with an Australian (mine is pretty cool!) and we get to attend events like pizza nights at the Tav and BBQs.

A few Thursday's ago, we were also able to go to a local sports club and learn to lawn bowl. This is yet another Australian sport. I would consider it close to bocce ball, where a small white ball is rolled out and then each person wants to get their team balls as close to the white one as possible. The trick, however, when rolling your balls (each player gets two) is to aim right or left. Rather, the ball is weighted towards one side so it will roll straight and then turn back in like the hook of a cane. Tricky, yeah?

And before this post gets too long, Murdoch Village gives us free food (and activities) too! This is the resident hall - though it is not quite like Clark RLH in that it is not actually part of Murdoch University. Alas, every Monday there are free yoga classes, Wednesday they offer a Zumba class, Thursday we can get catered soup, and Friday mornings we can get fresh pancakes. And as it is a Thursday evening, I am off to get me some tasty dinner!

xx

missing

adj - lacking, absent, not found

This week has strangely been a downer for me. I've known from the beginning that eventually the wave of "I love it here!" and "Everything is so awesome" was going to wear off. Eventually, I was going to settle down, more in sync with the person I am, and feel some frustration and weariness. This week, I have begun to miss a lot of things.

Like my best friends;

Chicago, Worcester, Boston;

the ability to buy bags of frozen chicken breast;

campus, the res halls, classes, my professors;

my family;

volunteering at Head Start;

sitting on the green;

the jumbalaya rice mix that comes in a box;

diners, Annie's!; 

Mexican food;

the WRTA semester pass;

netflix;

the view from the fifth floor of the library;

turkey burgers;

cheetos, cheese-its, and goldfish;

;;;

So all you blog readers out there, go hug your dad tight for me. Walk to Yoway with your friends later this week. Attend your classes. Visit the Bistro. Go dancing in the city lights. Eat a mega pancake and splurge on some hash browns. 

Love where you are. I'll try to get back to doing the same.

really cool things

Hey there everyone!! I just wanted to give a quick update, especially because there wasn't much to read on my last post. Some really cool things have gotten underway this week, which make me super excited.

It may be too blurry to read.
But yes, that is $22.07/hr. Holla!!

First, I worked my second shift at a cafe here. I think I would equate it to the Bistro at Clark (Speaking of which, I am really bummed that I don't get to try out the new stations with everyone - I'm going to be so lost when I come back in the Spring Semester). They have a make your own (MYO) sandwich bar, hot meals, salads, beefy nachos and veggie burgers among other things. Anyway. I got the paperwork today which I just finished filling out. After being stunned, of course, by my wage. 

Second, my internship officially started up this week. By that, I mean to say, I finally got to meet with my Parliamentarian (this would be closest to our representatives for state government) on Monday and I got this nifty badge and access to the Western Australian Parliament Library and Staff Cafeteria on Thursday. Say what? We (all the interns from local universities) also sat in on the opening remarks of both branches of Parliament. It was interesting to see the decor and hear the meeting be opened with a prayer. During morning tea I also got to try a sausage roll for the first time - which made me feel extra Australian and cool. 

I have also realized that I have yet to really talk about my average week, my classes, free food, etc. So I'll do that in a post hopefully soon! Oh! And I'll fill you in on some of the places I've gone - like on a prison tour, to play lawn bowling, and to an AFL game. So, get excited!!

Also, if you have any questions or things you want to know about life in Perth leave a comment below! vv

Until next time! :)

look here, here, here

So I went walking this weekend. Let me tell you. Western Australia is such a cool place - it is absolutely beautiful here. I have collected some pictures for ya, so take a look (hopefully you like flowers)! Once I figure out what everything is, I'll caption them. :]

It also got me thinking - how much is out there that we don't see, simply because we forget to look?

 Cool, right?! Anyway, Clarkies, have a great last few days of summer!!! :)

seeing the sights

Hey everybody!!

This past week has been filled with sleep, orientation, and sight seeing. Both CIEE and Murdoch Uni have kept us exchange students busy (and fed!) until classes started today.Instead of a second by second replay, here are some highlights which made this week so phenomenal! 

On Wednesday the 15 CIEE students bused to Caversham Wildlife Park. We had a guided tour which included feeding kangaroos, petting koalas, and learning about dingos and local birds. Afterward, we drove to a little section of the park which was set up like a historical village and had a picnic lunch with cold cuts and fruit. On our way back to Murdoch we stopped at King's Park  which has war memorials, an outlook to the skyline and south towards the Swan River, a botanical garden, and a small tree top walk. This park is the largest inner city park in the world. 

Fellow Clarkie, AJ, pets kangaroo at Caversham Wildlife Park

Koalas, wombats, and emus were just a few animals we saw at Caversham

Friday the group of us woke up and left Murdoch at 6:30 am for a 5 hour drive south to Denmark. We took a few rest stops, the first being a gas station where a student and I went halfsies on a huge order of fresh fries (or rather, chips). They were so toasty and delicious. Nom nom. At lunch time we stopped at Kodja Place and walked through a museum about aboriginal life and early settlers. After arriving at The Cove, which was an AFrame house with 20 beds, a kitchen, toilet, and fireplace, we set off for Green's Pool. We walked around and saw Elephant Rock and the proceeded to go swimming in the Southern Ocean. Let me tell you, the water is cold during the winter. Mostly, though, it was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. That night we also got to try kangaroo meat. I really liked it, lean and tender. :)

Green's Pool, Denmark, Western Australia

 The following day we bush walked (or hiked) Monkey Rock. The views stretched forever, as the ocean shifted seamlessly into the sky. It was also crazy to see how green everything was - how so few houses/buildings were around and the beach front was completely undeveloped. Needless to say, I wiped out hard on one of the rocks on the path. I felt a little bit like a sore grandma with my throbbing rear.

one of the many views from a peak right outside of Denmark

We ended the day by traveling an hour to the Valley of the Giants, a tingle tree forest where you can cross bridges to walk through the canopy. There were also ground level paths were you could walk through the trunk of trees which had been burned out. 

one of the bridges in the tree top walk at the valley of the giants

On our way back to Murdoch on Sunday we stopped at one of the coolest playgrounds I have seen. There was this awesome rope tower, a spinning gear that you sit inside and it flips you upside down, and a swing that you grab onto with your hands and proceed to spin around its diameter.

photo cred: eva s.

17702.8 kilometers

Hey 'errbody!

So, I've landed and been here for just under a week. It has been busy with orientation. Luckily though, that includes free meals :)

In the morning - which will be supper time for most of you, readers - the CIEE group is headed south to Denmark for the weekend. So, I'm going to save my post of all the cool things I've done until after I get back! It will be quite a hefty update!

Alas, here are just some quirky or different things about living at here that ya'll may enjoy.

photo cred to:  http://hook3d.files.wordpress.com/

1. Ramen noodles are pretty fancy here. They come with seasoning, chili powder or sauce (depending on seasoning flavor), a seasoning oil (which I have been nervous to try), fried onions, and soy sauce. I still haven't found a mix of ingredients which tantalize my tongue in quite the sodium and fake chicken-y way of US Top Ramen. Oh well.
2. Milk cartons don't need to be refrigerated until opened. A heating process keeps it safe and on the shelf until you are ready to use it.
3. There is no heat (or air conditioning) in the Student Village (the res hall). In each person's room there is a little plug in radiator which shuts off on a timer every hour. So although it is not really that cold, considering, everyone's flats are freezing. Ugg, and the ceramic bathroom in the morning!
4. Grocery stores (well, all stores!) are just starting to have Sunday trading hours.
5. BUT you can take your trolley (shopping cart/carriage) from the store and walk it back to your flat. Imagine that, not having to walk with bags upon bags after your shopping. It's so grand. :)
6. There is so much American culture in Australian media. 
7. On that note, it was different hearing the Aussie perspective on gun control after the "Dark Knight" shooting a few days ago. People, particularly the younger folks I talked to, almost seemed confused by how lax gun legislation appears to.
8. It is difficult to remember to walk on the left side of the sidewalk. Of course, I repeat 'left, left, left' in my head too much and I forget to look right-left-right when crossing the street. 
9. When my flatmates talk about it getting only as high as 40 degrees, and I shiver, forgetting that I need to think in Celsius. 
10. Professors are addressed by their first name. This may take some getting used to.
11. Drug stores are called chemist shops. Kmart is alive and kicking in WA. Target is wicked expensive, well, at least for being Target. 
12. The Australian government pays qualifying citizens welfare while they attend school. Also, university does not have to be paid for if the student never exceeds a particular income (I think it is around AUD 40,000). Now, imagine the cost of US tertiary education and those federal loans. Different, right?

goodbye

Oh, hello there! :)

the swan river, perth skyline in the left corner. taken in king's park.

As you may have gathered, my name is Brenna. I am currently a junior at Clark University where I am majoring in Political Science with an Urban Development and Social Change (UDSC) concentration. This upcoming semester I will be studying abroad at Murdoch University, right outside of Perth, Australia!

While I could list off the many things I am excited for -- such as a kangaroo burger, eighty-five cent bus tickets, and a pool in my res hall -- I figure there will be enough of me being enthused about new things soon enough. So, instead, I would like to explain to you (friend, unknown Clarkie, or poor internet surfer) why I have chosen to study abroad. Knowing me, there are over a million reasons all riddled with figuring out expenses, location, what I want to accomplish as an academic and as a human being, and basically just figuring out my LIFE.

First, I think it needs to be understood, I had not expected to study abroad until perhaps a month and a half before Clark's deadline for applications. Which in retrospect appears foolish. But it just wasn't feasible. I mean, just think about how much money that is. And then to leave your friends behind, travel somewhere completely new, fall in love (hopefully) with the country and the people you meet and the silly way everyone speaks, only to leave again. Why not just wait until after graduation, after a stable job with a stable income has come along. Then go out, travel, live and make your days a bit less stable. It just seems more sensible.

But I am here. Now. So I've obviously chosen differently. This decision came through some serious internal debate, discussion with study abroad directors, with Clarkies having gone abroad, with advisers and mentors, and with my parents and close friends.

Maybe, internet readers, I will tell you more one day. But the long and the short of it is that I decided to trust myself and take a risk. For me, I needed to study abroad because I desperately want to learn more about myself, about my world, about things I cannot even imagine.

I hope you join me for this journey.