Am I really here?

---

Hi Everyone!

Sorry it took me a little while to write an entry. The internet is very slow as I have told most of you, plus we are just really busy. However, I keep waking up way early so I've decided and I can try and write stuff then, for as long as this early rising lasts.

Australia is amazing. The rainforest is so incredibly gorgeous! The minute the plane landed in Cairns I was in love. I think it was also nice to see green again, after leaving our dreary winter with the leafless trees and everything. It has been in the 80s I guess for the past few days. Really hot in the sun but usually OKish in the shade. I have been surprised that it was fairly sunny the first few days. Yesteday was the first significant rain, and that only lasted about an hour. I guess I'll enjoy it while it lasts! =)

Everyone is great. I am in a cabin with 6 other girls. Sadly ours is the cabin furthest from the bathrooms so that is somewhat annoying but I can't really complain. I am walking through the rainforest to get there, after all. =) At night it is somewhat frightening and annoying to take a shower so I just plan on showering before it gets dark, or in the mornings.

Yesterday we went into some of the nearby towns which was really great. My group went to Yungaburra, which is the closest town. It is so cute! I took some pictures which hopefully maybe I'll be able to put up here eventually. =) Then we all also went into Atherton which is a bit larger and a bit further away. That was also nice. That is the town we will go to every friday for a few hours and hopefully there I will be able to put up some pictures. We shall see. Last night some indigenous people came and talked to us about their history and culture. It was really interesting. Next saturday we are going to work with them and learn more and I am really excited for that. Whoever I was talking to back home that thought there were no aberiginals left, you were wrong. lol. There aren't many but they are there and they are starting to reach out and teach the communities about them. The government is actually going to be issuing a formal apology to them some time next week, for the horrible way they were treated. The situation is kinda similar to our native americans. Very sad.

If you feel so inclined, by tomorrow I think pictures of all the students should be up on the sfs web site if you want to check that out. I am going to go now because I am mad crazy hungry and breakfest has already started! =) Hopefully I'll write again soon!

<3
Jackie

---