LAST BLOG POST!

Can you believe it? My last Australia adventures blog post is already here. I had my last final yesterday which was not so fun. It was 4 essays and I ended up writing TEN AND A HALF pages by hard. My hand was in pain after wards, but overall I think I did pretty good on my exams. I am still very nervous for the marks to come out though! Today is my last day here in Australia. I have spent most of it organizing, packing, and cleaning my room. I think i am pretty set to go. I fly out very early, 6am. Which means I need to leave for the airport at like 4:30 am. Doesn't that sound fun!? Then I fly to Brisbane, and have a 3 hour layover there. Then I am on my way to CALIFORNIA! I am really not looking forward to the longggg flight or the jetlag that will follow. But I am going to do my best to start getting my body back on US time clock as fast as I can. As of right now, I think the California plan is to have a relax day at the beach when I get there Sunday. Then LA on Monday. Disneyland on Tuesday. Then I fly home Wednesday afternoon to Wisconsin! I cannot WAIT to see all of my family!!!! And my friends! And to have a real cell phone again!!! Yayyy!!! 

Well, I think I am going to go have dinner. And enjoy my last night in lovely Australia! I will see you all soon!

At the bottom of castle hill 

Chocolate nachos at Cactus Jack's :) yumm

Greek restaurant!

So Long American Blonde!

I have found that the blonde upkeep is a little bit too expensive for my taste. I had got it done right before I left, and then I did for my birthday, which was NOT cheap. Then my roots started going back to their dark selves, so I figured it was time to go back to my brunette self. Plus, I could use a change :)

It was my friend Jamin's 22nd birthday! So we went out to an Indian restaurant, Masala. I had never gone to an actual Indian restaurant before and it was really good! We shared a few things between us to cut the price down a little and then we got to try a couple things as well!

My friend Verena let me borrow this dress to wear to dinner, because I had nothing to wear. I really like the color  and lucky for me she said she hasn't worn it forever and I can keep it :) Score!

So just like I knew it would, exams are in full swing, and time is flying by! I had my first exam on Monday and I think I did pretty good on it. Final exams are different here. At home, they are just like a normal test, in our classroom with our teacher. Here, they give you a whole speech before you enter the room, you are not to say a word once you step through the door, you have to put all your stuff in the back of the room, have to have your ID with you, and the exams are given in different random buildings all over campus, and there are cranky old people that run them- they are called "grumpy grannies."  They walk around creeping on you the whole time to make sure you are not cheating. People are serious though, walking in I saw people taking out their phone batteries and taking the plastic wrapping off of their water bottles. I felt more like I was going to take my PPST education testing or something rather then a exam!

So I have two more exams next week, on Tuesday and Friday, but am done for this week! I have already started studying a ton for my next one so I can hopefully enjoy some of the weekend. This will be my next whole weekend left in Australia. Then NEXT Sunday, I fly out. At 6am! Yuck.

Countdown:

-10 days till I fly out of Australia

- 13 days till I am on Wisconsin grounds!

Cannot wait to see all my friends and family!!!

I do have mixed feelings about leaving though. Cant wait to get back to my family and friends and leave this education and work system here! But, I do know I am going to miss the tropical Queensland and the lovely people I have became friends with here a ton!

Lovely Walks in Townsville

My friend Verena and I have got into the routine of going for walks or hikes almost every day. Often times we hike castle hill early in the morning or some days we go walk around the river. There is a botanical gardens place called the "Palmetum" that I had seen a few times but never been to. So we decided to go check it out and walk the trails in there. Turns out it was not as exciting as I thought it would be. I think it got quite a bit of damage from the cyclone because I remember it was closed for a while. And there was construction going on in there still when we were in there. It is a cool little place because they have different sections to it that are supposed to represent different ecosystems, but we ended up going to walk around the river after that. I really enjoy being outside and doing some kind of exercise though. Especially getting up early and doing the hill. It is so beautiful up there, but you got to get up early and do it before the sun and heat arrives! 

Bamboo!

I am going to  miss the palm trees...

cactus??

I liked the shadows :)

Verena and I

Ok so I have always wondered what this huge snake was by the river, and only the other day when I brought my camera on the walk to take some pictures did Verena tell me why it was there. APPARENTLY, this snake is a symbol of the giant snake that created Australia. It is a aboriginal legend that a MASSIVE snake somehow created this country I guess. Interesting huh?

These are rich aussie houses, by the river. They are all SO different from each other, I enjoy seeing all  the different houses over here. But for the most part, houses are not as many levels as we have at home. They may be just one level or you see lots of raised up houses too.

Riverway pool :) 

And even better, IT IS FREE!

Cotton Candy ahah- Fairy Floss at the strand night markets. these  only happen the first Friday of each month. And only just started up again in May.

Strand at night

What I see many mornings when I am up early leaving Rotary!

And some days after we hike castle hill we will go back to her house and make breakfast :)

Yummy bread rolls with avocado, ham, tomato, and cheese (she said this was a German thing she eats) and fruit!

And crepes! 

Here's some new aussie slang for you:

Wanker: idiot

Lollies: candy

Arvo: afternoon

Telly: television

Bogan: Australian hick or redneck.

Jumper: zip up hoodie, sweatshirt, etc.

Bloke: male

  

My Package From Home! :D

I have been waiting for this package arrived since my mom told me she was sending one. Last Thursday night, I finally got it! Opened it up, first thing i see:

Underneath:

My favorite chips, candy, and some other goodies. Some good lancome and clinique make-up from my lovely mother, NORMAL deodorant, and yes-all complete with....EASTER GRASS :)

I cannot believe how incredibly fast time is going. Like I said in one of my last blogs, in one week I start exams already! So this package came at a perfect time! Great study munchies!  I know especially once my exams are in full swing, time is going to just disappear and it will already by time to start getting my room packed up while I finish exams and such in my last week. As of right now, I fly out of Townsville in 19 days and I will be back on Wisconsin grounds in 23 days. THAT IS INSANE. I cannot wait to see everyone at home, I miss everyone SO much. But yet, it is going to be hard to leave this beautiful place and the great people I have met on this adventure.

Europe is next on my list. Verena and I are planning it already haha  :)