KelseyRhiarne

"Now girls, don't make eye contact with any locals and don't look like tourists. I mean, the Indians around here are nice enough, but the n***** aren't." And with those words from our taxi driver, I welcome you to North Tryon St, Charlotte, or as its commonly known "the ghetto". Now, don't get me wrong, downtown Charlotte is very nice, just not Nth Tryon St. Why we (me and my companion Rachel) decided to go to Charlotte, a city not known for tourists or a lot at all in fact, is still a mystery. A weekend get away not too far from Chapel Hill in winter - Charlotte seemed like the most reasonable option. The App Mountains would be too cold, Wilmington would also be cold and to get anywhere else meant hours of travelling. So ... read more

For the first time on my travels, about half way through my journey of exchange, I got smacked with it. It's like someone took a glove, put syringes on it and whacked it so hard across my cheek that it feels real. It's called homesickness, and there's only one cure: time. So tonight, whilst in my first bout of the disease, I thought I would take to writing to see if it makes me feel any better. I have skipped over my recent travels to Charlotte, Richmond and DC and all the latest developments in Chapel Hill BUT I feel like shit so don't boss me around. It started rather happily actually. Siobhan, my bestest best friend, the Timon to my Pumbaa, the Gogo to my Didi, the other half of me sent me a package ... read more

The Friday afternoon sun eased our shivering souls as Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline" swepted over the Bosh, UNC's baseball stadium. One thing came to mind when I heard that song: it represented my two "homes". 25, 928kms between these places. How can one song represent two tiny towns separated by oceans and continents? Cowra, NSW, Australia, where yours truly was born and raised, is where my mum and dad are at the moment. They are proably just waking up on a Monday morning, and miss me just as much as I miss them. My parent's favourite song is "Sweet Caroline". I remember a time where I would put my fingers in my ears and beg them to stop playing it. On this very day, I sang loud and proud. But, like I said, the song represents ... read more

It's been a little over a month since I arrived in the United States. I shouldn't compare my two nations, but for anyone interested out there in travelling to the US of A, here's a few things I've learnt about the US (besides shitty airlines services). 1. THE PEDESTRIAN CROSSING INDICATORS MAKE DIFFERENT NOISES - this may seem like the simplest, craziest thing to notice but when the cars drive on the opposite side of the road resulting in the pedestrian looking in the other direction before crossing, this shit could save lives. That little walking dude has a countdown BUT there's no "didididiididididididididiididididid" like in Australia (ok, I don't know how accurately portray that noise in words...). So you have to focus! 2. Other side of the road - yeah as I mentioned above, they ... read more

One thing I thought for sure about coming to the States from Australia was that on the whole, culture wouldn't be that different. The two countries speak the same language, have the same sort of commerce, popular culture, attitude and are allies on the world stage. For the majority of my 23 days here in the ol' US of A, that opinion has been correct. Much like Australians, Americans are lovely people. They are willing to sit down and have a yarn, will give directions and generally warm hospitable people. The only difference really is accents, which is something that is only beginning to become the norm for my sense of hearing. It's the little things that separate our two nations. In a week, you enjoy it, knowing fully well you don't have to adapt. In ... read more

"I hopped off the plane at L.A.X, with a dream and my cardigan, welcome to the land of fame excess (whoa), am I gonna fit in? Jumped in the cab here I am for the first time look to my right and I see the Hollywood sign, this is all so crazy, everybody seems so famous..." Ok, before I go on, no I don't hear my song on the radio and I'm not Miley Cyrus (nor would I want to be). But something about those opening lines ring true - Billy's daughter was onto something cause when I saw the Hollywood sign from the plane, it put things in perspective - I'm in the most photographed, publicised and excessive city on earth - Los Angeles. If NYC is the city that never sleeps, then LA is ... read more