New Zealand!

So today I booked my flight from Sydney to Auckland! Me and at least two other girls will go to Auckland for a couple of days, one of which we will swim with dolphins! Pretty exciting stuff. However, this means that I won't be back in the states until May the 10th. But I'm really excited right now! Now off to class..... :(

The Sydney Aquarium

So today another group of us ventured into the city to visit the aquarium. With our discount the price is only $22.50 which is pretty reasonable for Sydney. But first we went to The Rocks which is the oldest part of Sydney where they have markets every weekend with handmade crafts, candies and novelty Australian souvenirs. There were many things I would like to purchase but as usual most of the items were expensive, I mean it was a craft sale.

But there was one thing that was absolutely out of this world. It was corn on the cob. It was piping hot and they put butter salt and pepper on it for you. You also got to choose a coke, diet coke or a water all for 5 bucks. Probably the greatest deal all day long. I most of us got one and enjoyed it.

Soon after we decided to go to the aquarium because at 3:00 the feed the mini penguins but some of us got sidetracked in a super cute and cheap store for a while so our group split up. While some of us were waiting we went into Krispy Kream for a donut. One original glazed donut was $2.50! I know right absolutely atrocious. But I got one anyways after smelling them what else could I do.

So here we are again back on track to see the aquarium we met up with the rest of the group and walked through it. Of course there is always the one bratty kid you want to spank for the parents and today was no exception. She was a complete brat. Thankfully we escaped her when we left the sharks to go to the coral reef. Then on the other hand there was an adorable little girl who was posing for her picture when just behind her a huge shark came up right over her head. She screamed and took off like a bullet. It was probably one of the funniest things I've ever seen.

After the aquarium we ate at a place called Blackbird which had fantastic fish & chips, then we walked back to the harbor and caught the next ferry to Manly. It was a good day of walking an site seeing and I was tired when we got back so I crashed as usual.

First Trip to the City!

It was Saturday the 13th when a group of us took our first trip in to the City for the first time. We took the Ferry from Manly harbor which was amazing because it gave us a time to take great pictures of the Sydney Harbor and the Opera House, and The Sydney Harbor Bridge. We got off the ferry at Circular Quay and the first thing we did was hit Starbucks. Yup, we are defiantly tourists but you just can't find iced coffee here like you can at home.

After indulging in the rich coffee of Starbucks we headed to George Street. The main thoroughfare in Sydney strait to China Town and the markets under the mall. Every thing was extremely cheap compared to Cairns and Manly's prices. I got a cute top for only 5 bucks!

After Exploring China town we walked to Hyde Park where we sat down and took a load off our feet. While we were siting there we were approached by two young people and they talked to us about a deal the Hilton is putting on for a hair cut and pampering day. Most of us decided to do it and we are going to schedule a day to go to the salon have our hair done by the head professionals and get a cut color and style for our face shape. All the while being served unlimited champagne, this night we're going to stay in the City at a hotel and go out that night for dinner and dancing. It should be a great time.

After this we decided to go to dinner in Darling Harbor. I have little to say about dinned other than the food was amazing but the service was awful. I can defiantly tell the difference between American serving and Australian service. We left dinner and headed back to the ferry and it started to down pour like you could not believe. It was crazy. Luckily by the time we got back to the ferry it stopped raining and we had a great view of the city at night. It was a good day. Even though my feet hurt like hell after all the walking we did. I couldn't wait to go back to the city!

Surf Trip!

So I completely forgot to blog about the surf trip. It was AMAZING. On Friday night a huge green coach bus picks about 40 of us up to go up the coast about 6 hours away for fun and surfing. The people running the camp are all surfer guys who look like they're stoned out of they're minds from the waves. They put on someones ipod and were on our way.

For the first hour and a half every one is chatting and getting to know people on the bus, then we stop at McDonald's to dinner, even though we've just eaten at the school we all buy something because we have a long drive ahead of us. We all drive and watch movies but I put in my ipod and crashed. I was awoken bus a friend when we stopped at our last destination before the camp. A bottle shop to buy booze for the entire weekend. This is when you learn how expensive a 30 pack of cans can be...$50.00. And thats a pretty low price. Bonus is that Australian beer has a higher alcohol content. After forcing about 70 people in the bottle shop which is the size of a closet we all load our purchases back on the bus and take off for the camp.

At about 1 a.m. in the morning I'm woken up again because we have reached our destination! We all unload and follow the surfer dudes to where we will be staying. It's a building with no a/c, used to this by now. Carpeted and has about 25 beds in it, with 4 inch foam mattresses a sheet and a duvet. The other room has bunk beds in it Most of us change our clothes and crash because we have to be up at 7 a.m. for surf lessons. Some stay up and hang out around a fire a drink with the instructors.

At 7 a.m. we are woken up, we change into our suits, eat breakfast and line up to grab a board and head out to the ocean. The boards are very heavy. And for walking longer distances it's easier to share carrying two aboard with a friend. We all get in a circle and practice getting up on a board. And the we spread out and go for it. We were out in the ocean getting pounded by waves for an hour when it started to rain and the tide shifter and started to bring in massive amounts of blue bottles. I was stung on my stomach, legs and arms. When the instructors heard we all got out and waited for the tide to shift eventually it did and it left us 30 minutes to try again. At 10 the other group came down and we all left to wait for lunch.

After lunch we went back out again for 2 more hours where I actually rode a few in on my board! There is nothing that can compare to this feeling of gliding in on a wave. After our turn the other group came out and we went back to take showers and hang out. We played card games and busted into our alcohol preparing for tonight bonfire, even though it was raining at the time. Dinner came and I don't think I have ever been as hungry as I was that night. Everyone drank talked to each other and generally had a great time. Some people got wasted and others like myself got tipsy and passed out in my bed, because I was so tired from surfing it was one of the hardest things I've ever done physically, and we had to be up in the morning to go back out

The next morning I was so tired I though that I would only surf for a half an hour but I ended up surfing for about all but 20 minutes this time I got up and road a wave in for a while it looked awesome. Unfortunately, it had started to sprinkle so the camera guy went to get an umbrella and never got a picture of me standing up on my board. After this we all went back took showers and packed up everything for the trip home.

The surf camp was put on by Mojo and it was defiantly the highlight of my month!

First Day of Classes

So after a week of fun times and beaches it was time to get back to reality and school. I've now been out of school for two wonderful months. But back to the grindstone. The one major complaint I have about ICMS is the fact that the school does not let you create your own schedule they do it for you, you do however after your enrolled in a class get to change the time. It took nearly a week of haggling and emailing a guy in the IT department to be enrolled in 4 classes that were approved and will transfer back to my school.

It's now 7:15 and I go to breakfast with my roommate and then head off to my first class. It's a good class. Called Facilities Management. The teacher is a really cool older man from Australia and he likes to talk so the class goes by fast and we get out early. This is also when I find out that classes are starting 15 min early and ending 15 late because some kids have to walk up the hill to get to 2 classrooms that are a fifteen minute walk.

After my class I stay in uniform, because if I want lunch you must be in it. Which sucks because our cafe is outdoors. But I am happy to say that the food is pretty good. After lunch about 8 of us go to the beach to lay out and soak up some of the Australian sun. :) Then after a couple of hours come back up for showers and dinner.

It was a good day, and by then my schedule was set and I was looking forward to the term, minus the uniform.

The Next Few Days

Mostly in the upcoming days I went to the beach with friends checked out Manly and went to orientation meetings that didn't last too long and we checked out each other's rooms. On Tuesday night there ways a welcoming ceremony for new students and after a cocktail party with free alcohol and appetizers. There was Champagne, red wine white and beer with unlimited refills. Needless to say everyone was pretty dunk and had a good time afterward almost the whole school went down to Shark Bar for a party and dancing. I didn't get in until about 1 that night but I met a lot of people and had a lot of fun.

On Thursday my group had a surf safety course where we learned what we should do on the beach and what we should not do on the beach. Then we grabbed a board and we to Shelly beach to learn how to paddle in and out. It was a lot of work but really fun at the end we had a relay to see which group could do it the fastest and my group won even though I wasn't very good at it. I could swim faster than I could paddle in and out. This night I stayed in and got things in my room organized.

During these days I also got fitted for my uniform which is hideous and I hate. But it does make things easier to pick out in the morning.

First Day in Manly

So this week we have to dress in business casual clothes, so of course this was the last thing I looked at packing and decided I didn't need anything. So Heather, Jackie, and I went to target to get everything we had all forgotten. For example, dress clothes for me thick heeled dress shoes and a curling iron the won't blow up if I plug it in to the socket as Australia uses 240 volts and the US uses 110 to 120. I also bought school supplies, though I'm having trouble finding two pocket folders. We took the bus there and accidentally took the scenic route through the city that too 40 minutes and costs 3.30 each way. When we got off the bus we had to hike up the hill to take our goods back to our room. This was the second time I hiked the hill and the first time that day. Luckily, we were in a group that didn't have anything to do until Tuesday afternoon so we had the whole day to ourselves. About ten of us decided to go to the beach and lay out.

The Australian sun has no ozone to go through it which means that its really easy to get burnt here. Fortunately, I haven't burn't yet! It was really hot when we left around 2 p.m. and the hike up the hill sucked, really steep and hot. But the beach was amazing very light sand with not very many blue bottles. We all came back and took showers and got dressed for dinner. The food here is really good and it's presented as a meal and not slop like back at home it looks really appetizing. We left dinner and went to watch some of the guys play basketball and cheered and heckled them then got dressed to got out. We walked down to The Warf to get gelato but 3 of us couldn't find the others we were meeting and we walked passed a Copehagann Ice Cream so we decided to get that and then meet up with everyone else. At this point Heather realized she left her i.d. back in the room so we walked along the surf and came to the decision to go back up to get it. We went up and got her i.d. finally met up with half of the guys and walked down to the bar.We went to the one bar in Manly called Shark bar it was deserted and we had the club to ourselves, then later we went downstairs and joined all of the guys who played basketball in the hotel bar where we met some really cool Australians and had fun. After 3 or 4 hours a couple of people left and we all decided to leave and go back up the hill. At this point Heather and I walked up this huge hill at about a 35 degree angle and 1/2 mile long 4 times. Talk about a work out! But we went to bed and I slept like a baby.

Arriving in Sydney

So we all get up at 6 a.m. go to breakfast, pack and load our stuff on a bus that will take us to the Cairns airport. We have to go through security where I am chosen for a random check so I get swabbed down with a stick and so do all of my possessions. Then we get to wait for our 9:35 a.m. flight which is delayed due to a baggage issue in Sydney. It arrives 20 minutes late and we board the plane at 9:55 a.m. As were walking down the terminal I look at this guy who seems vaguely familiar and I realize that he is the owner of the Ultimate Party Bus that we participated in last night. I said hi to him and asked if that really was him he said yes and said he was glad we all made our flight.

Sadly, this was also the time we all had to say goodbye to others that weren't going to ICMS but to Murdock and Canberra, it was really sad and I wish we all could have stayed together and had fun here, but we couldn't so we boarded the plane and flew to Sydney we arrived in Sydney around 12:30 p.m. and then loaded our stuff on the bus for our 40 minute drive into Manly while our bus driver pointed out the Sydney Opera House and all of the best place to go for fresh sushi, and cheap clothes.

We arrive at ICMS around 2 p.m. and we are escorted to a room where we sign our house rules and are given our room keys and room assignments, I'm rooming with Heather DiGirolamo from Connecticut a friend who went to Cairns with everyone. our other roommate has not shown up yet. We get checked in and go drag our luggage up the elevator and to our room. I might mention that this is the only time we get to use the elevator is for check in and move out and that I live on the 4th floor in which to get to you must climb up the spiral stair case.

So the majority of us get settled in and go down to Manly Beach for the first time.It was amazing and the pictures of my school look like postcards. We all climb back up the hill after an hour or so and crawl in to bed exhausted trying to get some rest before tomorrow which is the first day of Orientation also known as O week.

Great Barrier Reef

Today is Saturday in Cairns and Friday back in the US. We are all up by 7 a.m. have out suits on lathered up with sun tan lotion and ready to head out to the Great Barrier to Scuba and snorkel. We all get on the boat and prepare for the 2 1/2 hour ride to the reef. After a quick introduction to the staff of the boat and general safety we are free to go to the front of the boat and hang out there. On the front there are these awesome nets that you can lay on and as the boat flies over the water. Everything is pretty calm at first but then the waves start to swell and soon laying in the net is like a freaking roller coaster! Amazing water is pouring over the bow and were getting swept around in the net. It is so fun! But soon it starts to rain too, and going about 50 mph in the rain hurts so we all head to the side and inside to get out of the way of the piercing rain.

After about a half hour of us cruising along those who want to scuba head in for a safety lesson. So I head in and listen then ride along on the inside where game are going on at all the tables. It was slow going to get to the Great Barrier and we were running behind. After about 2 hours we all went in to see the captain of the ship, where we learned that we were not going to go on the typical side that most people scuba on but the other side because the waves won't be as bad. Luckily, this is a place where only about 100 other people have dived before and the home of the giant clams that are about 2 feet big. But there will be no scuba diving because the water is so choppy. So we wait until the tide goes down and the sea to calm. During this time any one who wants to can go swimming in the water, however there are Blue Bottles in the water. These are a type of jelly fish that sting anything in its path so it best to wear a wet suit.

After a while of being bored some friends and I decide to jump in the water and swim around. Not even 30 seconds later I get stung by a Blue Bottle on my pinkies as I was trying to put on my gloves. I hop out and have one of the crew members take a look at it and make sure I don't have an allergic reaction to the then jump back in and swim around. The pain is like a bee sting that doesn't go away for about an hour. Fifteen minutes later I jump out and we go back in to talk with the Captain he gives us the go ahead and we all jump in the water to begin snorkeling. But I must mention that during this time the swells have only slightly gone down in size.

The coral was beautiful and the fish were very vibrant, there were Zebra fish and the large clams that are hardly ever seen it was a sight to see. But it was also very hard to see the coral because the water was moving around a lot and then while we were in the water a storm came and soon we were snorkeling in a cyclone, with rain. The captain had us all start to come in and let me tell you it was a lot easier to swim back than it was to swim out due to the currents. I got to the stairs and was one of the last people that got to get on because at that same moment one of the anchor lines broke and the boat started to drift so it was too dangerous for the rest of the people to come in. They all had to gather together out in the coral and wait until they threw a rope out to the air boat for people to get back to the boat. Finally, everyone was safe on board and happy that we got to go out as only 4/100 boats went out and we were one of them.

So the boat opened up the bar and everything was free! Win! So we all tipsily got off the boat thanked the crew for a great time and went back to the hotel for a great shower! That night the majority of us went out for a pub crawl where we stated at one bar and were driven around in a decked out double decker bus, it was a blast and some great memories were made there. At somewhere around 2:30 I left the pub crawls last stop at the casino across the street and went in to the hotel and crashed. I slept for about 4 hours and then woke up to go to breakfast because we all had flights out of Cairns to our respective cities. Which means I left for Sydney!

Community Day

So today we went to a Cassowary Habitat Preserve. We drove back in to the rain forest and met a woman named Jacks. She was about 60 years old and completely awesome she was really passionate about saving these magnificent animals that look like a very colorful emu. They are endangered animals that are essential to keeping one of the largest and oldest plants alive in the rain forest. The birds eat the seeds from this plant, poop it out and then the plant will grow, so with out the bird the palm will die out and with it one of the oldest organisms in the rain forest.

What we did to preserve the the Cassowary was to help the nursery that grows local plant to give to people to plant in their neighborhoods was to de-weed pots and fill them up with potting soil. To do this I went over and scooped up 7 shovel fulls of dirt, which I might add that I did quickly and efficiently, and everyone commented on how good I was at it. Yup, folks I'm good at shoveling dirt. Then we mixed the dirt with some Koala poop that has been broken down by worms, our group of girls picked out the worms while the boys watched... then we topped off the plants and had a break. The break here is known as tea time, even if you don't have tea, a strange concept for the Americans.

After the break we got on a bus that took us to a place where we all piled out and planted plants along the side of the road to prevent soil erosion and to entice the cassowary to habit the area. We all got really muddy and felt good when we left. The day that we got back we ate pizza and then the majority of us went out to dinner and drinks on the town. It was a good day.