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Published: January 21st 2008
Meat Pie
I learned that Pies here do not mean sweet, apple pies or lemon pies...but MEAT pies! Meat pies are a very Australian thing and here is me trying my first one!!After the Phillip Island tour our bus driver dropped me off at a train station in the city, where I was by myself, on a Saturday night at midnight so I could head an hour outside the city to meet up with some Young Lifers that were going to take me to camp the next morning...that I had never met and had no idea what they looked like, haha. At 1am I made it there and found my ride...I was so proud of myself for figuring out the train system by myself and not being too scared in the city with all the crazy people that are out at night! 😊
We drove early Sunday morning 8.5 hours north towards the city of Jindabyne which is in the Snowy Mountains and in the state of New South Wales, where Young Life has their summer camp every year! They rent out a resort that is very popular in the winter and snow season. I was on summer staff and after one of the bosses found out that I babysitt back at home they put me in the "creche" which is the nursery. So, I was in charge of watching all the
Another state!
I've now been to 2 states out of the 6 here! parents' kids while events, club, etc. were going on. It worked out nice because I had quite a bit of free time so I was able to get out and do some of the other activities...mountain biking and hanging out at the lake watching all the kids wakeboard. I had a fun time working in the creche with a girl named Genesa, from Sydney, who just graduated high school and found out while we were there (via the newspaper, which is how they find out) that she was accepted to the "Uni" she applied to and that she starts in 10 days! I'm trying to talk her into coming to Malibu to do a month long of Summer Staff but she just cant imagine doing that for a month...haha.
I have to write a paper for my culture class and had been thinking about writing it on the differences between the states and here as far as Australia being much more secular. I noticed little things such as people cussing a lot more here and being very open in what they say and talk about. But, I figured that after spending a week at a Young Life camp with
the city of Jindabyne
...and the lake we did all the water activities at! a Christian community I might have a different idea/view on this. Instead, I learned that it is totally acceptable and normal for these people to use cuss words such as damnit, ass, and hell...quite often! Haha, it was so weird for me to be at a Young Life camp hearing that all the time and I asked a few people about it and they were like yea, nothings wrong with that... I was like oh, interesting because thats totally unacceptable at home, like in a leadership role at camp with kids at least. It's so interesting learning about other cultures!
Being that I'm in another country, the Young Life experience was a little different than at home in the states, especially because they do not have their own property for camp. They are hoping to buy property by 2011 but are realizing that really they need 2 properties because Australia is huge and they are so spread out that many areas couldn't bring kids to camp. One group drove 17 hours to get there! It was funny being the only American in a group of about 100 Australians. One of the kids in the creche told me "you speak
Campers
Me with Genesa on my left (who I worked with in the creche), and some campers from Sydney who loved my accent...haha. weeeirrdd English," haha. Sometimes people would totally have an entire conversation and I wouldn't even know what they were talking about because of their slang words, accents, talking fast, places that I didn't know or just cultural differences....I'm like was that in English?!
Anyways, I'm really glad I went to camp for a week and got to experience Young Life in another country as well as meet some pretty fun people! I'm back at the campus for 4 days then I fly to Sydney on Friday with my friend Sam that is from Bothell. Vanessa, my cousins' exchange student that they had for a year in Chehalis is also flying into Sydney for the weekend to show us around so that should be really fun! I am there all day Fri, Sat, and Sun and it should be a busy weekend there because Saturday the 26th is Australia Day...so just like our 4th of July there should be some BBQuing, hanging out at the beach, fireworks, and all kinds of excitement! I am trying to connect up with some of Steve Ridgeway's friends and a few people that I met at camp this week.
Hope everyone is well
Working in the Creche
This little girl is the middle of 5 kids and has younger twin brothers. Her parents had 5 kids in 5 years, crazy! at home!
Love Lacey
:D
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Pudgy
non-member comment
cool pics!
WOW SIS!!! Pam showed me your really cool pics and read me your blog! I loved the kangaROO picture!! Sounds like you're having a lot of fun! I miss you and am happy you're having fun! Pam said you were at YOUNG LIFE camp! How fun! Dad has started a bible study here in the Den on Wednesdays and something for the boys on Mondays. I love to hear about your adventure! Love, Pudgy