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Published: February 24th 2008
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Kangaroo!
Feeding a wild kangaroo at the park!! Sooo amazing! Can't believe I've already been here for two weeks! It's beginning to feel more like home everyday. I have finally figured out my way around and the bus schedule and such which makes everything much easier. Public transportation is great here- cheap and easy to use. It only costs me about 60 cents to get to school or around town on the bus and about 75 cents to take the train into the city.
I have been spending most of my time at the beach and exploring the city. Mullaloo beach is just at the end of my road, about a 15 minute walk. Its beautiful! White sandy beach and clear blue water! And the beaches and the city are soo clean here it's amazing!
My school is about a 10-15 minute bus ride and the bus stops just outside my house so its great. The campus is really nice, there is a lake, a few cafes, a hugeee library, an outdoor cinema, and even a pub! We had orientation the other day and the nursing building is brand new and absolutely beautiful! The labs are really high tech and look just like a real hospital. I am taking Principles of
Mountains in Alaska!
Beautiful with the sun setting on them Individuals Adaptation to Altered Health Status', Mental Health Problems and Disorders, and Beginning Nursing Competencies. Classes start tomorrow so I don't really know too much more than that but I'll keep you updated. My mom has been reminding me I am here to study! 😊 Here in Australia and most of the other countries international students have come from have just 3 year programs so most people are taking four or five classes instead of my three.
Everyone here has been so friendly and helpful in helping me find my way around and making recommendations of places to go and things to see. I have also found I get one of two responses when I tell people I am from the States. First people ask if I've been to New York or Hollywood and how many famous people I've seen. (Makes me laugh everytime). The other people say "Oh Im sorry to hear that". There is definitely a biggggg hatred for George Bush over here but people are reallllly glad to find out that some of us Americans hate him just as much! Tam's boyfriend Steve has told me he is really glad I am here because its nice to
My host family
At Kings Park this huge 500 acres beautiful park, Tam and Drew meet a real American and realize we aren't all the same as we appear on TV. It's amazing to me how much American TV and music they watch/listen to.
For the past two weeks I've been doing lots of touristy things, going to Perth Zoo- huge and amazing, except when you see the snake exhibit and see all the snakes that live right here in Perth! Going to a a few of the tourist beaches- however Mullaloo Beach is still my favorite, not touristy and right on my street. Walking around the city and Friday I went to a town called Fremantle where there is a hugeee open air market with tons of fruits and veggies and Australian made goods.
I have gone out to the pubs a few times but it is verry different from home. Everyone here gets sooo dressed up to go out! Most places wont let you in if you are wearing thongs (what they call flip flops) or singlets (spaghetti strap tank tops) or boys if they are wearing shorts or hats. Definitely not used to that since I normally just wear jeans and a t-shirt when I go out, so Tam my host mom
Mullaloo Beach!
The beach at the end of my road as been dressing me up in her clothes. Quite the experience! Also people go out here much earlier than at home, usually getting to the pubs at 830 or 9! Its also very expensive, costing about 8 or 9 dollars a pint. People can't believe it when I tell them I pay 4-5 dollars at home for a pint and of good Vermont beer, and you could get a cheap pint for 2 or 3 bucks! However they laughed when I told them our minimum wage in VT is $7.75 and that that is pretty high compared to parts of the country. The minimum wage here is almost 14 dollars and they told me you would get paid that if you worked retail or something like that.
There are some huge differences between here and home for sure though. For example Perth gets 300 days of sunshine a year! I've been here for 2 weeks and have yet to see a cloudy day or drop of rain. They drive on the opposite side of the road, so I have been laughed at many times already when I go to get into a car and open the drivers side door. Everything
turns differently here so I have to forget the lefty loosey righty tightly objective. At restaurants there is no tipping, and usually you don't really have a waiter you just go up and order and then pay at the counter when you are done. Places there are waiters/waitresses take their time serving you so you could be at dinner for up to 3 hours! Just shows how laid back everyone/everything is here. Hardly any places or homes have ice, very surprising since its so damn hot! The drinking age is 18, driving at 17. Toilets are in different rooms than the sink and shower and there is always a half flush or full flush option- very good for saving water! They also talk soo cute! Mate = friend, except girls are cheeky girls. Cheers = thank you, petrol= gas, Hungry Jacks = Burger King, Dodgy= dangerous, cheesed off= pissed off and tons of other things! (I have been writing in a journal and have been writing lots of these down!) Even though everyone speaks English I sometimes have no idea what they are saying!
But I am still loving my host family and having a great time! I don't really
have many peoples email addresses so feel free to pass this on. You can write me too at either
162 Mullaloo Drive
Mullaloo, WA 6027
Australia
orrrrr
crjohnst@uvm.edu
Miss and love you alll!!!!
~Calandra
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plarose
non-member comment
sounds great
Calandra Sounds like you are having a great time. Enjoyed reading your journal, and the pics. You are so lucky to be near such a beautiful beach, I say this as we expect another 6-12 inches of snow starting tomorow morning. I'd love to hear about their health care system, private insurance?, medicare/caid etc. Anxious to read more journal entries, Be Happy Paula LaRose