Happy Spring!

Oceania » Australia » New South Wales » Sydney
September 2nd 2008

Published: September 2nd 2008

Today was absolutely beautiful! It's the 2nd day of Spring here and it was about 75 degrees and perfectly sunny - I couldn't ask for better weather. Had lots of classes today, but spent my free time sitting outside trying to get some sun, since the tan I had from the States quickly faded once I arrived in Australia. So I sat outside my house today with my roommate Akhil (fm Madras, India) and we talked for about an hour about his culture, family, and India. I feel so lucky to be getting such an amazing education at a great school in a beautiful country, and I'm even more thankful for the people in my life who are giving me an education about the world we live in that I could never get in a classroom. Akhil told me about how he lives in a huge 5 story house with his family and his dad's four brothers. So many places around the world are accustomed to having kids live with the parents until they are much older, which happens often in India where he's from. Akhil is super nice and always lets me borrow his heater and is really polite, which he explained he gets from his culture because living how he did with his family, everyone shares everything all the time. The Indian culture is just so intriguing and interesting to me, I can't wait to visit! He said that he has tons of space in his house if I ever want to come visit, and he'll be home over the summer here, so I'm hoping to go 😊

Earlier today, before lunch, I saw my friend Taz, an Aussie, walking back from class and we walked back together and he invited me over for tea, which still makes me laugh, but EVERYONE does afternoon tea here, which I'm guessing they get from their English heritage. Anyways, we had tea together with our friend Mike, who's from New Jersey I think, and we talked about Australia a lot. Taz is also majoring in politics, so he gives me a lot of insight and information into the Aussie world of politics, which is super helpful. They invited me to go on a roadtrip to Canberra this weekend, which I'm dying to see because it's the capitol of Australia, but I don't have the money since I am planning a spring break trip to the Great Barrier Reef.

Last night I went to an AMAZING thai restaurant with my friend Norman, who's an Aussie. He's actually half-Portuguese/half-Indian but was born in London, which is super cool 😊 We talked alot about growing up in Australia and his trip to India and how different everything is. I feel like I'm constantly learning so much... I love it!! He invited me to a footy game with him this Friday with his friends, but I'm not sure I'm going to be able to go because I work til 6ish.

SPEAKING OF WORK... I started on Monday, just worked 3-6pm. I got a job at a public school working for OOSH (Out Of School Hours), so I basically am like a camp counselor for before/after school to kids ages 5 to 12. All of them are so adorable with their little accents, and it's a very diverse group of kids. My boss introduced me to all of them and they were trying to pronounce my name with an American accent, and then they asked if I was in the Olympics, haha. Then some of the little Asian boys asked me if I have a boyfriend here or at home, it was cute. I think it's will be a fairly easy and rewarding job, and I can't complain about getting $21.00 an hour... I love Australia 😊

ANYWAYS... Over the weekend I met tons of new people from all over the world; Friday night I met a guy, Taizy, who is from the Mauritian Islands off the coast of southern Africa, who is awesome (met him through my neighbors and their friend, Joni, who is from Thailand). Saturday night I took two of my American friends to a party in Darling Harbour thrown by a Danish guy, Soren, that I go to school with. I met tons of Danish people, who are just insanely friendly and nice, met 3 or 4 guys from England, and an Aussie, who is a HUGE Obama fan. I'm still amazed at foreigner's knowledge of American politics! I think it's hard for Americans to grasp, and it's still even hard for me to grasp, just how influential our country truly is!! Our economy effects the entire earth's economy... the whole world is just buzzing about the upcoming Presidential Election because it's going to effect the entire globe! Australian's are especially (well, as are many other countries) really interested and keep up with American politics because of the tight-knit relationship they have with the USA... for example, whatever the USA's foreign policies are, are basically Australia's foreign policies as well because of their alliance! Every time I sit down in class, the things I learn about my country and the earth I live in amaze me.

((By the way, I hope everyone is registered to vote!!!! If not, go do it NOW!! 😊 AND, if you're going to be abroad and need an absentee ballot, go to votefromabroad.org))

Hope everyone had a FABULOUS weekend and are keeping up on the Hawkeyes for me 😊 1-0 baby!!

QUOTE OF THE DAY:
"Traveling the world produces a marvelous clarity in the judgment of ourselves. We are all of us confined and enclosed within ourselves, and see no farther than the end of our nose. This great world is a mirror where we must see ourselves in order to know ourselves."

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