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.