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Published: November 16th 2007
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Where is the time...gone in the blink of an eye!?-Billy Porter
I have gotten really bad about updating this thing, but I've give it a whirl anyway.
So this past week, I spent most of the early part of the week studying for my exam on Wednesday. The exam was interesting- set up very differently than the way we do things at Bellarmine, but I guess that's what happens when you have 300 people all taking one exam at the same time...welcome to a big school, Katie. The exam went okay- could have been better and it could have been worse. I think I did alright, which at this point is just going to have to be enough. Wednesday night was the first of the goodbyes as a bunch of us went into the city to the Transport for drinks with Anja before she left to move to Bangkok for two months for an internship...she left Thursday morning.
Thursday I got up and chatted with friends for a bit and then went over to the guy's apartment. From there, John, Tomiko and myself met up with their friend Stewart and headed down to the city. First, we went
to the immigration museum. I have been to Ellis Island in New York and seen our own immigration museum in the States and it was very interesting to compare the two. I guess the biggest difference is that their history is so much more recent. They were not established as a country until 1901. That is so recent....that means they are only 55 years older than Bellarmine is...kinda crazy when you think about it. It was also kind of fun to read facts I already knew and to realize how much I have learned about this country since I've been here for 4 months. I think one of the most shocking things was to realize how much hatred and discrimination still went on so recently in the world and how much is still going on today...even though I may not have realized it even here in Australia. I think the most shocking thing for all of us...or at least for me was the section of the museum where it went decade by decade and gave a brief summary of what happened each decade in the country. At one point in the timeline it said that 'non-british' immigrants and aboriginals were
finally considered non-aliens even though they had always had citizenship. Do you know what decade that was? The 1980's...yes, the same decade I was born. I guess it always hits home when we talk about racism back at home and I realize how bad it was just 40 short years ago and how bad it still is today...but to hear 1980, the same decade I was born...it just made it seem a little more real. Overall, it was a great museum and very informative.
From the museum, we went and got lunch before jumping on the tram and heading out to the beach in St. Kilda. I think the most amusing thing I saw on the way out to St. Kilda was the countdown to Christmas that is now hanging in Fed Square!!! That's right...a countdown to Christmas. I keep telling everyone that I refuse to talk about Christmas until at least Nov. 23 (aka the day after Thanksgiving)...just because I'm in Australia does not mean I will forget about Thanksgiving. After all, we still are having Thanksgiving dinner as Theresa and her family have invited, myself, John, Tomiko, John's parents, Craig and Tom over for Thanksgiving dinner. Anyway...once
we got to St. Kilda, we walked along the pier at the beach and then sat down in the sand in the little inlet by the pier. We were all putting our feet in and splashing around as the water felt great. Well, after rolling up his shorts and going out too far, John ended up slipping down a drop-off and falling in- pretty entertaining after all. We also played in the sand for a while and just soaked up the sand before getting back on the tram and heading back to campus. We got some sushi for dinner and then watched the finale of So You Think You Can Dance? A good night overall. I attempted to go to bed early as I was going to be getting up early, but that never works.
So, this morning I woke up at 7 am to get ready and go meet John and Tomiko and head to the airport. We were going to pick-up John's parents as they are coming to visit for a week. It made me even more excited for Nov. 27 to get here. Watching as John said hello in person to his parents for the first
time in 4 months and watching him hug them really did bring a tear to my eye. 11 more days and that will be me, at home in Northern Kentucky seeing my family for the first time in 4 months. I can't wait.
After we picked them up to the airport, we made the trek back into the city to take them to check-in at their hotel so they could refresh themselves and take a short nap. Except their room was not ready, so, instead, they took us out to lunch and then after lunch I headed back to campus so that I could talk on Skype with Emily Schilling. The rest of my day has been full of reading as I sat out in the sun, taking a nap and hanging out with the roomies. Now, I'm getting some work done on the computer.
Until next week...and probably my last post from Australia.
Katie K
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Liz
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So fun!
Looks like a great end of semester get together. :) Happy Thanksgiving!