Work and Play

    Hello long lost blog, it’s been awhile. What have I been up to since we last talked? Good question…. Despite the deceiving pics on my facebook, I’ve actually been wasting away in a library for the most part. School has decided to pick up the pace (which I guess makes sense seeing that I’ve been here for over five weeks now). Last weekend, for our “Indigenous Cultures, History & Identity” class, they packed the American students into a bus and we headed to the South Coast, our destination- Booderee National Park. It was about a three hour bus ride to get to the campsite; we then proceeded to set up our tents, and then make our way to the botanical gardens. The Aboriginal community own and operate the park and they gave us a tour and taught us many things about the various plants, animals (including trying to get a python to come out of hiding, I made sure to back up several feet but thankfully they were unsuccessful), as well as many things about their culture. That night at camp after dinner, several of them showed us some of their traditional aboriginal dances. We then ended the night with smores (with Australia’s flavored marshmallows), stargazing on the beach, and playing card games. Unfortunately it rained that night while we slept so many people woke up in puddles (my tent stayed dry for the most part thankfully). The next morning the rain moved away and we proceeded to pack up our mud caked stuff. We had to head back to the city pretty quickly but not before stopping at “Summer Cloud Bay” where I got my first view of dolphins and learned a little more history of the area. On the way back we stopped in the town of Kiama to eat lunch, we enjoyed watching their famous blow hole spew water into the air as well as climbing on the rocks to get some amazing views. That was an eventful weekend but the days before and since has been spent preparing for a presentation, writing papers, reading, etc. It’s now Friday and I’m looking forward to my service placement, visiting churches, and maybe even… the beach? Hmm… don’t really have anything to complain about there. J