A New Stage, A New Feeling

I GRADUATED!

My friends Andy and Jackie :)

I know I have been terrible with keeping up with this thing, but I could probably cram a years worth of experience into one post just for all of you.

Life never ceases to amaze me here. New things are always around the corner and sometimes I am just too eager to get to the next bend in the road. Currently, I am trying to take a load off for a little while now that I am done with school and I have a second to breathe before my life takes off from under me again. This is the first time in my entire life where my future is entirely up to me...that's a pretty cool thing to think about and also the scariest. I have always had my mind made up ever since I was in the third grade. My life revolves around the ocean now, just as it always has. The problem with me is, I want to do everything and I want to explore everything there is to know and sometimes it's too much for me to do all at once.

My senior year was eventful with the Benthic Ecology Meeting and Relay for Life both in the Spring. I presented a poster on my research at BEM and was part of the committee for Relay for Life and both were amazing experiences. I started to have some panic attacks when it came April and May and I still really had no idea what my next step was going to be after graduation. I knew I had the summer to think it over since I didn't have to move out until July 31st, but that made it all the more difficult. I ended up scoring the sweetest job at my own local dive shop, Scuba Express, down in Murrells Inlet, SC. It is a summer position, but still the most amazing place to work because of the people and the atmosphere. I am able to do all of our activities for free and DIVING is also FREE since I dive crew when I go out on the boat.

The diving off the coast of Myrtle Beach is much different than that of Australia or the Caribbean. It is all wreck diving and the visibility isn't always the best, but I have gotten lucky on the days I have been out. I have seen sand tiger sharks, schools of black tips, lionfish, and the list goes on. The Atlantic really has some awesome things to offer and more dive experience is always needed.

Now I am living in Surfside Beach with my friend Jackie and we are both just enjoying life and working. Both of us graduated with marine science degrees and she wants to do fisheries biology while I am on the conservation ecology side of the spectrum. Meanwhile, we are trying to enjoy the time off, but also we are looking for potential jobs for the spring and summer. I am sure we intelligent girls will find something that we love to do and all will be said and done. No need to worry about us.

Since I can't really bring you up to date on every event this summer, I will just post some pictures for you all to see and call it a day. Thanks for reading :) Until next time, g'day.

*Erin, Mary, Jolie, and Me*

HA Of course, GarrettAt Broadway with Jen and Jess
Frances, Me, Tony, and Taylor :)
Work Friends

Life Goes On

The last time you heard from me I was living it up in paradise and not worrying about a damn thing, just enjoying the moment. Currently, I have returned to South Carolina and I am enjoying my time as a student. It's my senior year! and I am not 100% ready to make life altering decisions for my career, but it has to be done. Since I wanted to keep going with my blog even after I returned from Australia, I will be updating you guys about what I have been doing and where I'm going here at Coastal.

I made my 10 hour drive back down here to the south in mid July and I stopped in Charleston to visit with friends before returning to Conway. I figured I would have my last hurrah before having to return completely to reality. My friends Mike, Ashley, and Kent go to the College of Charleston and this would be our first time seeing each other since being abroad. They showed me a really good time while I was there, we went to a Charleston Riverdogs game (minor league baseball), went sailing, and we visited Folly beach since I had never been there before even though I had been to Charleston a million times before. As for night life, we decided to head downtown and go to Metal Mondays at Wet Willy's, which is karaoke with a live band. It was so nice to be back with close friends, but it was still a bittersweet feeling to be back.




When I finally made my way to Conway, I knew I still had 3 weeks of summer left and that energized me for sure. I lived with my friends Jen, Jackie, and Dani at their house for a few weeks until I could move into my new apartment and I'm glad I got the opportunity to stay with them. I have never lived down here in the summer so it was exciting to take part in all the festivities. We baked, cooked, drank :), did girly things, watched movies, went to baseball games, and were bored most of the time, which was good. We visited Brookgreen Gardens and it was actually my 4th time going since I love it so much! It is an outdoor sculpture garden/zoo and that mixed with the heat, was not so pleasant, but I got some really good pictures!




I love my friends here and even when we are doing nothing, it's fun and entertaining. My sister decided to come down and help me with moving and spend time with me and my crew. As people started to arrive here from their summer activities, I was moving into my apartment and spending time with long lost friends. I can't describe how it felt to see everyone again. I had to wait so long, but in the end, it was worth it. Garrett and I were finally reunited and it was a huge weight off of our shoulders! It was hard to believe that he was right in front of my face, for so long we saw each other through a computer screen. We have had so much time to catch up and hang out and I couldn't ask for anything more.

On another note, I have started classes (Genetics, Theater, Physics, and History) and I think it's going to be a lot of work but enjoyable for the most part. Not a lot of people know this yet, but I am going to be completing my senior thesis this year. I am working with my professor with some research and he hopes to have me publish a paper and talk at a conference at the end of the year. It's going to look really good when I apply to graduate school and you know me, I love being out in the field! It's about time I put my new marsh boots to use. I am working on campus for a little extra money and I will basically be focusing on school and research for the most part. I will be sure to update everyone on my activities so keep checking my blog and I will hopefully put up pictures soon! Back to reality.

Fiji Time Is A Way To Live

YAY! We finally made it to our final destination before we are homeward bound. It was time for relaxation and a long awaited body massage! Going somewhere with absolutely no expectations or an itinerary is revitalizing to say the least. We got to our hostel late Friday night and really had no plans for the following days, which didn't really bother us at all. Good thing we didn't have plans because rain crept up on us almost every single day! No one believes that rain exists in paradise because you only see advertisements when it's beautiful and sunny out. Well, we weren't so blessed.

The weekend was semi decent, which means it allowed us to be out during the day with clouds but no rain...yet. After we enjoyed a late snooze, we stumbled on over to Smugglers Cove, a nearby hostel right on the beach. Both our hostel, Horizon Backpackers, and Smugglers Cove are owned by the same company so we were able to use all of their facilities which was great! We decided to leave the hostel in the early afternoon and head into town on the city bus. It was only 70 cents and it dropped us off right in the center of Nadi, one of the largest cities on the island Vitu Levu, where we were staying for the week. The bus itself was an adventure...no windows, old as the hills, but we were surrounded by friendly people :) doesn't get much better than that. We shopped around and ended up in the open air markets. We were led there by a fellow Fijian, he wanted us to see his work from his village, Navala. We were asked to sit next to another couple that had already been welcomed to Fiji "native style." They performed a Yaqona ceremony for us, it is where they prepare a native drink called "cava." We read articles about it while we were drinking it and it is supposedly the cure for some types of cancer and is very good for the immune system. It is made from the roots of a pepper plant and it is just mixed with water using a type of cloth and it is mixed inside a coconut shell. You say "bula" which means welcome in Fiji, and then you clap three times and respond with "vinaka," which is thank you. It was a very neat experience that gave us great insight into their culture. We got to look around a bit at their wood carvings and jewelry and they even gave us a free necklace for visiting!


We headed back to the hostel after a quick grocery shop for some beer, water, and peanut butter and jelly. The bus is definitely on "Fiji time"...it comes whenever it wants. We mosied on back to the room after some dinner and watched a movie and crashed.

Sunday was pretty uneventful seeing as no buses or anything run on Sundays. We decided to just take a taxi into Port Denarau, which is the main cruise ship port on the island. It was basically filled with touristy shops and we definitely visited the Hard Rock so I could pick up a signature shirt! There was too much commotion there so we headed down the street to find a beach since the sun decided to greet us for an hour, TOPS! Since there was really no one around, we just walked through the Hilton Resort lobby and used their beach :) Hope they didn't mind. Sure enough, the clouds rolled in and we were forced back to the hostel. We were able to catch a free Samoan Fire Dance at Smugglers Cove after dinner at sunset. It was a beautiful night for such a show. We had front row seats and the dances were incredible along with the music. There were girls doing the hula from all different countries and then men tossing up batons covered in fire! It was really something to see! We ended the night with a walk on the beach and a comedy.


Since the weather channel called for rain everyday, we just decided to have faith and plan a day trip to one of the nearby islands, South Sea, part of the Mamanuca chain. We were so excited to dive and lay on the beach with unlimited drinks and a buffet lunch! We left really early in the morning and we got there around 10 am. We did a wreck dive as soon as we got there and then had the best lunch ever! There was every kind of meat imaginable...chicken, beef, swordfish, steak, and then there was coleslaw, noodles, fruit, rolls, and the list goes on! Once we had stuffed our faces, we toured around the tiny island and caught some rays while they were available. Once 2 pm came around, we were suited up and ready for another dive! This dive was called Fish Village and that is really a good name for it. We saw tons of marine life there along with a friendly green sea turtle! When we ascended, we could see the dark clouds rolling in, and shortly after, the rain came pouring down. We had to board the boat soon anyway, so we just took advantage of the open bar...free beer.


We were beat after the days adventures so we just came back and relaxed. The rain continued through the night and the entire next day! I though it was time for my massage. It was the best decision I ever made. We pretty much just sat around all day and took advantage of the gorgeous weather...NOT! We hoped Wednesday would be brighter skies, and it was!

Our last day was very pleasant, but we had to check out at 10 am and our flight wasn't until 11 pm that night so we pretty much had to cool our heals all day

. We couldn't get our stuff wet because we wouldn't be able to pack it, so we just decided to lay on the beach for the entire day since it was so nice out. While we were at the beach, there were Fijians that were doing coconut demos. I got to husk, chop, and shave a coconut...weird, right? It was a great time, and then after we got to taste it. It was yummy, of course. Wes and I also bought our own green coconut to drink with a straw :) It was a fun last day. We took a quick nap by the pool, showered, and then got in a taxi with all of our belongings to head back to the United States. Sad day!

I am so glad I got to visit Fiji, it has always been a sought after destination for me, and to say I dove there is beyond my wildest dreams! This is just one experience among the many that I get to bring back with me to share with family and friends. I hope somehow I can share with you the different aspects of these cultures, so maybe one day we can have our own "Fiji time."

**BULA**

I'm coming home!!

Farewell Trip-Sydney, NSW

I realize I haven't blogged in a couple of weeks and that is very unlike me, but I figured I would wait until I was back in the United States, which I am!

As I am waiting in the L.A. airport for my next flight to board, I figured I would give you a brief overview of what I have been up to for the last two weeks! I visited Sydney and Fiji with some friends and of course, both trips exceeded my expectations. From living in Australia for 5 months, I have learned to relax and not really have expectations, it makes it that much better.

Sydney was a good closure to the trip. It didn't register that it was the last place I was going to be before leaving Australia for good, I decided to block that out of my mind so I would just enjoy the trip and not be depressed about the whole "leaving" thing. I knew I was going to have to say goodbyes eventually, but it was better to just enjoy the time we all had together.

The Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge are just as spectacular as I thought they were going to be! All I could think of was Finding Nemo, is that bad? HA Of course I would think of that first. By the way, 42 Wallaby Way Sydney does not exist, Todd and I investigated. Bummer, right? Anyway, during the three days we had there we toured the harbour by ferry, saw a Broadway show at the opera house and walked about 40 miles all around the city! The city was pretty amazing, business folk everywhere! It wasn't really my style, but the views were great and the atmosphere was upbeat to say the least. We had gorgeous weather, a little chilly for my liking, but comfortable. Sam, Brittany, Todd, and I ran into Sara at a bar with her family while we were there too, which was completely unexpected! They were visiting for the week and they happened to be visiting Sydney at the same time. We joined them for happy hour just in time to see the 2nd State of Origin game that was actually being played in Sydney. Queensland won of course and that made them a stepping stone in history, 4 wins in a row! Go QLD!

Our hostel was right in the middle of all the city hustle and bustle and it was great for transportation. Kings Cross is where we stayed and we basically walked everywhere we needed to go. We toured the Botanical Gardens, Hyde Park, Bondi Beach, and the Sydney Aquarium...basically we hit all the hot spots in 3 days! I have about 1,000 pictures of Sydney harbour and the Opera House, it's addicting! Here are some of them.


I couldn't bear to say farewell, but I promised myself I would make it back to this beautiful country, and that's a must! I have already made a list of what I still need to do, it's an excuse to book a flight back here.

More on Fiji later, I am about to board my flight to Chicago, and then onto CVG airport! See you all soon! BYE FOR NOW :)

"You Say Goodbye and I Say Hello"

I could sit here and list off all the things I am going to miss, but I won't. The words to describe this journey are impossible to muster up because it's beyond words, really. Look at that picture and tell me that I wasn't somewhere amazing. Australia has always been somewhere I wanted to visit, even live, and I can't believe I finally got here. The last few days have been rough, saying good byes and what not, but I want to say hello. What a great Beatles song, and I am going to live by that because it's not really good bye. I have spent everyday with the people here, but instead of focusing on leaving I am just going to cherish the time I have left. It's hard for me not to be emotional, of course, but I am really going to try hard to act like I am going to see these people tomorrow and the next and the next. Even though I know I won't, I think it's better to think of it as just another day in paradise.

Overall, this experience has changed me and brought out the best in me and I wouldn't change anything about it. Yeah, there are things I didn't get to see, places I didn't go, but looking back at what I DID do...it's ridiculous how lucky I am to have visited 3 countries in 4 months! I am so glad I could share my experiences with everyone, because I really wouldn't have been able to tell everyone everything I did when I got back to America. I could call this my second home, I feel comfortable here and there is a part of me that will be left behind when I come back to my real home. I knew the time was going to go fast, but I had no idea it was going to be THIS FAST! I feel like I blinked and it was over. I hope one day I can come back and remember all the wonderful things I got to experience. Sometimes when I sit back and think about this entire trip, it's hard to believe it's real. It doesn't feel like I'm half way across the world in a foreign country with people I just met 4 months ago. If I could do it all over again, I would a thousand times over.

Packing my things seems much easier this time around, but much harder at the same time. Taking things off of my wall and gathering up my belongings doesn't feel right. There are certain things that I am going to leave up until the very end. Since I'm not deciding what to take, it's easier to just throw the stuff in the suitcases and call it a day. Tonight is my last night in this small little bed and I hate that I can't stay. I hope I never forget the time I spent here and I know I have everyone to remind me how great it really was. Thanks so much for everyone's support and I am coming home! I miss you all so much and this is probably going to be the last post before I am back. I'll make sure to update everyone on Sydney and Fiji!

I love you all so much and I can't wait to see you in real life, I'm tired of the whole computer screen thing. I'll miss everyone here so much, but we always have our memories and skype! ha

I'll be seeing you...

Miss you, Australia :) Thanks for the memories.

My Aussie Crew: Who Are They?

I know all of you have been waiting for the friend blog post and here it is, finally! Looking for photos that match people's personalities was harder than I thought. I didn't want to embarrass anyone with terrible photos, but I think I may be doing that anyway. I realize my time is almost up here and I should have done this earlier, but I think doing it at the end really means more. I have gotten to know these people better and I feel that I really have a grasp on what kind of people they are...maybe not totally. We had a good mix of personalities in the group and there are so many people that I am not able to add to the list :( It would take forever, but I do want you to know, that everyone that I have met here, even if it was just for a day, has made an impact on my experience here and I wouldn 't give that up for anything.

Let's start with the Australians...

Katee and Caitlyn are the dynamic duo and I feel like they have been the source of much entertainment this semester. They are both from Mackay and I believe they are some of the nicest girls I have ever met, minus their inner bitchiness that comes out once in awhile. Caitlyn, you know you have it in you :) That's why I like her so much, she is like me in a lot of respects.


Katee was lovely for welcoming us into her home for study vacation and she really showed us a good time. I will miss her smile, giggle, and her happy go lucky personality. She was always the stress reliever for me because she is always so positive and giddy. I think that's an important trait to have and I love that about her. She loves to go out and have a good time and she loves to show you new things. I think having American girls here really made her smile because she always wanted us to see new places and experience "Australia" whether it be food, movies, or anything of the sort.

Caitlyn is for sure a lively girl with lots of spirit and determination. I think we are alike in that we are strong people that don't like to take crap from anyone, haha. She is always fun to be around and I never stop laughing when I'm around her. Her sense of humor lights up the room and I always love people like that. Everyone here that I have met is care free and I envy that about Caitlyn. She knows when to worry and when to let things go. We have had lots of fun this semester and she has shown me the real Australian way of life. Dancing is something we both love and Uni Club was always a party!

She is also the one who got me hooked on cinnamon bread for desert, or any meal really, and every time I eat it now, I will remember her :) Caitlyn is a beautiful girl and I wish I could take her with me. You will be missed :)


George Roberts is packed with some awesome people and I am thinking of three boys inparticular. Shaun, Matt Dawes, and Frosty (aka Andrew). They knew each other before coming here and this was their first year at uni. They made fun of me for being middle aged :( and I do feel old living on college. Despite all of that, we became good friends. They taught the Americans how to love rugby, how to play key drinking games, and how to have a good time. We did all kinds of things together...went swimming in Alligator Creek, went to the Cowboys games, and they are the ones I won the banner competition with! They were always keen for a party and they always made me laugh. They were all such good friends before coming to JCU and I was so excited that we got to spend the semester with them and become part of the crew. I hope I can come back here again and relive the memories I had here. Here's to the boys!

*Frosty, Shaun, Matt*
Amazing isn't it?

My other Aussies are Mel and Leesa. They were some of the first people I met when I got here. We were inseparable during orientation week and we loved getting dressed up together! The most recent event was home ball :) That was a great time and we were able to put on our dresses, curl our hair, and enjoy all the free booze! They are such great girls and I hate that I have to leave them. Mel is thinking about doing an exchange program in the U.S. and I told her she would definitely have somewhere to stay. Leesa, from Mareeba, QLD, is my sporty girl, she sails and plays soccer, but she always loves to sit down and watch American chick flicks. Mel from Tully, QLD is my hippie girl :) She reminds me of so many friends back home. She has the laid back persona about her and the key phrases she taught me to use daily are "right-o" and "you're alright". She printed out a poem about friends for me and it explains friendship "the Aussie way". I will cherish it :) I have a teddy bear that they bought for me after my uncle died and I brought it to Brisbane with me when I visited my parents. I will have it forever. <3> *Me, Leesa, Mel*
Now for the Americans...

There were so many people that came here, to JCU from America, to study for the semester. It was great to have so many people in the same position as me and I shared so many amazing experiences with them. Even though some of you know the kids I hang around with at Coastal Carolina, I have seen them in a whole new light here in Australia and I believe it's important to tell our tale.


Todd getting bored with measuring trees in Paluma Range National Park, HA!

Oh Todd, where do I start? He was my room mate last semester before coming here and we planned the trip together. We both were able to get psyched together and it was great that I had a good friend going over with me. I knew I was going to come to Australia, whether I was alone or not, but having a good friend here to share memories with was unreal. Umm to say the least, I believe Todd and I are some of the craziest people around. He is my sarcastic relief and sometimes, people don't understand us. I think Australia brought out our real personalities. We weren't scared to put ourselves out there and just have a good time while were here, in paradise. We bungied together, we ate cold fries in New Zealand together, we relayed for life together, we measured trees together and there are just so many more things that I wish I could add. Todd is a great friend and he has always been that for me. We read each other well and I don't know who else would be a better person to come to Australia with. Dreams came true for us both, here's to Toddy!

Sam is another friend from Coastal that might love Australia even more than me...maybe. She was always the one I shared my love of Steve Irwin with. She has visited Australia before, but she claims this time has been more rewarding due to all the crazy events that have taken place here. We have gotten closer from this experience and I have loved my time here with Sam. She came with me to Mackay with Katee and Brittany and we realized that it is great having girls weekends. There are a few words to describe Sam...smart, Disney freak, and comical. She always has something to say about anything and everything and her stories are always outrageous, but that's why I love them. She is loyal and caring and puts her friends first. I know we are both having a hard time leaving this place, but we always have each other to help us remember.
Photo of Sam at the Australia Zoo-I'm jealous.


Wes, or Wez as he is known here, is another one of the Coastal gang. I really didn't know much about him until I got here. We spent some time together before the trip, and now we have had plenty of time to hang out. Traveling with Wes has been an experience. He tends not to worry about a lot and fits in here perfectly, which is something I have learned from him. We sometimes bicker like brother and sister, but it's all in good fun. He is always up for drinking, hiking, swimming, diving, video games...pretty much anything you ask him to go do with you, he'll do it. Sarcasm is a common trait of everyone I hang out with here, which basically makes sense, because if you know me, that's what I thrive off of. We have had a good time here, and I know for a fact he is not looking forward to leaving because we prefer Australia over the U.S.A--no offense :(


Some people are just hard to read and this applies to our friend Chad. He is the most random person I have ever met, but there is something that makes him friend worthy. No but seriously, he has the tendency to wander...and I mean literally take off and then you never see him again. I remember meeting him for the first time in Cairns and he was part of our dive group, he is very witty, funny, but sometimes quiet. He feels like everything he does makes sense, when sometimes it doesn't. On our Easter dive trip, we literally made up an underwater signal for "Where's Chad?"...the common question on everyone's mind. Despite this, Chad has been a great person to hang with. He is easy going, really doesn't care about all that much, and loves to have a great time. What more could you ask for? He teases me a lot, but so does everyone here, I can't get away from it. He is from Michigan and goes to Rose-Hulman University in Indiana. He is engineering so I guess he's smart, I wouldn't know because he never goes to class ;) Overall, Chad has soaked up his experiences here and in Tasmania where he went for lecture recess. He is okay doing things on his own and I respect him for that. Hope you appreciate this post, Chad.



Last but not least, the girlies!! One girl in particular is from my home state, who would have thought? I actually contacted Ashley before I left for Australia because I saw that she went to Transylvania University. I had no idea what to expect and when we first met in the airport, she was the classic KY girl I expected. The southern accent was perfect and I found out that she is originally from near Elizabeth town, which explained it. All throughout the semester, we gave her a hard time about it, but secretly I loved it. She is crazy to say the least and she loves claiming Kentucky as her home...I don't think I can disagree. When I first met her, she didn't put off the best first impression, but once I got to know her, I knew she was going to be great. I learned a lot from Ashley and she overcame a lot during her experiences here. I was glad to spend time with her even though we didn't get to do any traveling together. She has already left me for Sydney and New Zealand, but I know we will keep in touch. She's my Kentucky girl!

*Ashley and Sara*

Featured in the photo above with the strikingly beautiful Ashley, is Sara Mitchell :) If you ask this girl where she is from, she will tell you Colorado...don't let her fool you. She is originally from Oklahoma. I thought nothing good came out of that state, but look at her! Sara and I really became close over our trip to New Zealand. We share a lot of the same interests...photography (she is a professional, I just enjoy it), hiking, scuba diving, extreme sports, and music. She is such a funny girl and we love to give each other a hard time. Laughing is always a common past time when her and I are together and it makes for some funny stories. She loves her family and her friends and I really believe she is going places in this world. She is strong willed and when she wants something, she reaches out and grabs it. Sara will be doing another semester abroad in NZ! I wish I could join her, but I know she will love it. I'm so glad I have connections in Colorado now! See you soon, girl. Miss you already.



Last, but not least, is Brittany. She is three people in one so I saved her for the end. Brittany has three personalities (Brittany, Danielle, and Sharonda). I would love to give you a breif look into each of these lovely ladies.

Brittany is who I met at the beginning of the year...very smart, reserved in away, and beautiful. She loves to have things planned and she is like me in the fact that she likes to get things done early and not wait until the last minute. As the year rolled on, we figured out that she had more than one personality. One night at dinner, there was no seat for Brittany so as she was walking away, a girl yelled, "Danielle, you can have this seat." We realized that the girl was talking to Brittany and we lost it. From then on, we just had to call her Danielle. It kind of stuck and now that's what I call her a lot of the time, and it's just normal now. We believe Danielle to be fiesty, yet hilarious. Her famous phrase is, "I don't give a shit." The attitude comes out and she is Danielle. Her third persona is her drunken self, Sharonda. When we go out, Sharonda is the life of the party and she is just a peach. The healthy attitude is still there, but it's all in good fun. All of these people make her an amazing person. Brittany and I are very close and she has been a great addition to my friend family. She goes to Eckered College in Florida, so I hope to see her soon after we return to America. We have traveled together (NZ, Mackay, Sydney) and I love to have her around. She stands up for what she believes in, and I love that about her. I always go to her for advice and she has no problem telling me the truth. It's going to be hard to say good bye, but we shall see each other again!



I hope everyone enjoys this blog because it took me forever! I really wanted to spend some time on it so I could give an accurate account of everyone I spend time with here...I either did or didn't. I miss everyone here already and thanks again for making this the best trip of my life. Here's to you all!

The Tale of Three Ladies in Mackay

I couldn't think of a better way to escape from good ol' George Roberts than a friendly visit to Mackay. Mackay is located about 4.5 hours south of Townsville, but it ended up being a 7 hour bus ride on the way there, no worries. Brittany, Sam, and I all decided to take some time off from study and uni in general to explore some place new. Our time is dwindling here and I still hadn't experienced a true Australian household. Our friend Katee was returning home for the study vacation and she was more than happy to welcome us into her home for a few days. And so it begins...

The last day of classes was Friday, May 29 and we left for Mackay that following Wednesday, June 3. Wednesday was also the infamous start of the State of Origin in Rugby league!! We sure as hell didn't want to miss that so we arrived in Mackay just in time to catch the game on the tele. It's the biggest game of the year and it is Queensland vs. New South Wales. There are a total of three games; first was in Melbourne, 2nd-Sydney (I will be there when it occurs!), and the 3rd-Brizzy. Queensland won the first game! Nothing like cheering for the winning team! It was a nice relaxing night with Katee and her boyfriend, Kai. While we were watching the game, he taught us a thing or two about the history of the game, which was actually really interesting.

The next day we were able to meet her parents, Carol and Ray. They are such funny people and they treated us as if we were their own children. They cooked us beautiful meals while we were there including lamb roast, chicken snitzle, burgers, sausages, veggies, bread, potatoes, and deserts galore! Anything is better than the food here, nasty, but it was a feast every night! More on these precious parents later!


Thursday

Katee took some time off from her study and decided to do a little beach hopping with us to show us around Mackay! The first beach we went to was Dolphin Heads beach. It was gorgeous with big rocks scattered on the shore and soft sand. We did in fact see three American guys on the beach with buggie smugglers on (speedos in the US), one even had an American flag on it. Of course, I got a great photo of it. It was actually kind of embarrassing for all Americans. Next we headed to Blacks Beach. This beach was pretty much gigantic with nothing but sand for ages. This is where the war started. It started with innocent splashing and it ended with me in the ocean. I got dumped in by the three of them, but it was actually quite nice after I got over the shock of it. Good old fashioned fun never hurt anyone. Next was the scenic lookout over Lambardts Beach. This looked similar to California rocky coastline. It was a beautiful beach surrounded by large rocky cliffs. We took some cool pictures that looked like we were jumping off the cliff, no worries, just a photo. We decided after an eventful day, we would end it with watching the sunset at Kai's farm. He has horses, a cockatoo that talks, dogs and cats galore, and a beautiful view of the mountains. Overall, it was just a day for us girls, and I loved every second of it.



Friday

We were worn out from the day before and decided to sleep in for a bit the next day. I woke up to find approximately 30 mozzy bites (mosquitoes, blah) all over my legs. Kai's farm was lovely, but now I was hurtin'. I could not stop itching! They were swelling up like tumors everywhere and I kept getting bitten no matter what I did. I am just that sweet, I guess. Sucks to be me. We stayed in most of the day to get some work done, and we took a nice stroll to the beach that night to watch the sunset. It's only a 5 minute walk from her house and it's such a beautiful view of the surrounding islands. All of us were enjoying ourselves when I could see about 20 mozzies flying around my head and biting me everywhere! We proceeded to run all the way back to Katee's with everyone stearing clear of me and the swarm of bugs I had trailing me! What a terrible curse I have. Once we were safe back in the house, we had dinner, and Carol and Ray put us up to the "pyramid" challenge. We had no idea what it was, but we were willing to try it. They brought out all of these mind games for us to play, and of course they all took me about 20 minutes to complete. The pyramid consisted of two yellow pieces that you had to put together to make a simple pyramid...not so simple. Brittany did it in 5 minutes, it took me forever. It was a really fun night. Her parents loved seeing us suffer through all of the challenges, but it made for a lot of laughs. I decided after the first challenge it was time for drinks, so we headed for the rum and coke and margaritas. Perfect solution to feeling temporarily incompetent.


Saturday

Since we always have to wake up early at uni, it was yet another day of sleeping in. Katee then brought us to the Mackay Harbor and showed us around the Blue Lagoons, which is a free public water park with two or three pools and water slides that over look the river. We had fresh prawns for lunch that Kai's dad caught the day before and they were gorgeous! After our feed, we hung out for awhile until dinner and that was when we had our BBQ! Ray and Carol cooked us everything imaginable and even taught us how to make damper. It is traditionally done in the outback over an open fire and you basically mix flour and water, mold it to a stick, and cook until it's done. You remove the bread by twisting it and then you fill it with golden syrup and let it soak into the middle. Then you enjoy! We then taught them how to make s'mores. It was a great last night in Mackay. Before bed, Carol and Ray insisted we watch a classic family Aussie film, The Castle. It was a funny movie that everyone should watch once in their lifetime, at least. A pillow fight with Ray and Kai is really what ended the night, they resorted to throwing couch cushions! Good family fun.


Sunday

The day had come where we had to shove off to uni in order to study for exams. I really didn't want to leave, it was a nice relaxing vacation. Her parents were sad to see us go, but they enjoyed the going away/thank you gift we got them (three flowers for their garden and some Bailey's chocolates). It was a 4 hour journey home and the 4 girls made it a good time, of course. We listened to some tunage and stopped to get some local Bowen mango on the way!

A fun filled weekend that will never be forgotten. I only have three weeks left here, it's pretty hard to believe. Soon I will be off to Sydney, Fiji, and then back home. Hope you all continue to read my blog. I will still have plenty to tell you about! Love you guys. Gidday.